diff --git a/africa/ag.json b/africa/ag.json index 77eecec8..d0341420 100644 --- a/africa/ag.json +++ b/africa/ag.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Algeria has known many empires and dynasties starting with the ancient Numidians (3rd century B.C.), Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, over a dozen different Arab and Berber dynasties, Spaniards, and Ottoman Turks. It was under the latter that the Barbary pirates operated from North Africa and preyed on shipping beginning in roughly 1500, peaking in the early to mid-17th century, until finally subdued by the French capture of Algiers in 1830. The French southward conquest of the entirety of Algeria proceeded throughout the 19th century and was marked by many atrocities. The country was heavily colonized by the French in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A bloody eight-year struggle culminated in Algerian independence in 1962. Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), was established in 1954 as part of the struggle for independence and has since largely dominated politics. The Government of Algeria in 1988 instituted a multi-party system in response to public unrest, but the surprising first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991 legislative elections led the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army began a crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin attacking government targets. Fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw intense violence from 1992-98, resulting in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s, and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA, with the backing of the military, won the presidency in 1999 in an election that was boycotted by several candidates protesting alleged fraud, and won subsequent elections in 2004, 2009, and 2014. The government in 2011 introduced some political reforms in response to the Arab Spring, including lifting the 19-year-old state of emergency restrictions and increasing women's quotas for elected assemblies, while also increasing subsidies to the populace. Since 2014, Algeria’s reliance on hydrocarbon revenues to fund the government and finance the large subsidies for the population has fallen under stress because of declining oil prices. Protests broke out across the country in late February 2019 against President BOUTEFLIKA’s decision to seek a fifth term. BOUTEFLIKA resigned on 2 April 2019, and the speaker of the upper house of parliament, Abdelkader BENSALAH, became interim head of state on 9 April. BENSALAH remained in office beyond the 90-day constitutional limit until Algerians elected former Prime Minister Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE as the country's new president in December 2019." + "text": "Algeria has known many empires and dynasties starting with the ancient Numidians (3rd century B.C.), Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, over a dozen different Arab and Berber dynasties, Spaniards, and Ottoman Turks. It was under the latter that the Barbary pirates operated from North Africa and preyed on shipping beginning in roughly 1500, peaking in the early to mid-17th century, until finally subdued by the French capture of Algiers in 1830. The French southward conquest of the entirety of Algeria proceeded throughout the 19th century and was marked by many atrocities. The country was heavily colonized by the French in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A bloody eight-year struggle culminated in Algerian independence in 1962. ++ Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), was established in 1954 as part of the struggle for independence and has since largely dominated politics. The Government of Algeria in 1988 instituted a multi-party system in response to public unrest, but the surprising first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991 legislative elections led the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army began a crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin attacking government targets. Fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw intense violence from 1992-98, resulting in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s, and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. ++ Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA, with the backing of the military, won the presidency in 1999 in an election that was boycotted by several candidates protesting alleged fraud, and won subsequent elections in 2004, 2009, and 2014. The government in 2011 introduced some political reforms in response to the Arab Spring, including lifting the 19-year-old state of emergency restrictions and increasing women's quotas for elected assemblies, while also increasing subsidies to the populace. Since 2014, Algeria's reliance on hydrocarbon revenues to fund the government and finance the large subsidies for the population has fallen under stress because of declining oil prices. Protests broke out across the country in late February 2019 against President BOUTEFLIKA's decision to seek a fifth term. BOUTEFLIKA resigned on 2 April 2019, and the speaker of the upper house of parliament, Abdelkader BENSALAH, became interim head of state on 9 April. BENSALAH remained in office beyond the 90-day constitutional limit until Algerians elected former Prime Minister Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE as the country's new president in December 2019." } }, "Geography": { @@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ "text": "Muslim (official; predominantly Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian and Jewish) <1% (2012 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "For the first two thirds of the 20th century, Algeria's high fertility rate caused its population to grow rapidly. However, about a decade after independence from France in 1962, the total fertility rate fell dramatically from 7 children per woman in the 1970s to about 2.4 in 2000, slowing Algeria's population growth rate by the late 1980s. The lower fertility rate was mainly the result of women's rising age at first marriage (virtually all Algerian children being born in wedlock) and to a lesser extent the wider use of contraceptives. Later marriages and a preference for smaller families are attributed to increases in women's education and participation in the labor market; higher unemployment; and a shortage of housing forcing multiple generations to live together. The average woman's age at first marriage increased from about 19 in the mid-1950s to 24 in the mid-1970s to 30.5 in the late 1990s. Algeria's fertility rate experienced an unexpected upturn in the early 2000s, as the average woman's age at first marriage dropped slightly. The reversal in fertility could represent a temporary fluctuation in marriage age or, less likely, a decrease in the steady rate of contraceptive use. Thousands of Algerian peasants - mainly Berber men from the Kabylia region - faced with land dispossession and economic hardship under French rule migrated temporarily to France to work in manufacturing and mining during the first half of the 20th century. This movement accelerated during World War I, when Algerians filled in for French factory workers or served as soldiers. In the years following independence, low-skilled Algerian workers and Algerians who had supported the French (known as Harkis) emigrated en masse to France. Tighter French immigration rules and Algiers' decision to cease managing labor migration to France in the 1970s limited legal emigration largely to family reunification. Not until Algeria's civil war in the 1990s did the country again experience substantial outmigration. Many Algerians legally entered Tunisia without visas claiming to be tourists and then stayed as workers. Other Algerians headed to Europe seeking asylum, although France imposed restrictions. Sub-Saharan African migrants came to Algeria after its civil war to work in agriculture and mining. In the 2000s, a wave of educated Algerians went abroad seeking skilled jobs in a wider range of destinations, increasing their presence in North America and Spain. At the same time, legal foreign workers principally from China and Egypt came to work in Algeria's construction and oil sectors. Illegal migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Malians, Nigeriens, and Gambians, continue to come to Algeria in search of work or to use it as a stepping stone to Libya and Europe. Since 1975, Algeria also has been the main recipient of Sahrawi refugees from the ongoing conflict in Western Sahara. More than 1000,000 Sahrawis are estimated to be living in five refugee camps in southwestern Algeria near Tindouf." + "text": "For the first two thirds of the 20th century, Algeria's high fertility rate caused its population to grow rapidly. However, about a decade after independence from France in 1962, the total fertility rate fell dramatically from 7 children per woman in the 1970s to about 2.4 in 2000, slowing Algeria's population growth rate by the late 1980s. The lower fertility rate was mainly the result of women's rising age at first marriage (virtually all Algerian children being born in wedlock) and to a lesser extent the wider use of contraceptives. Later marriages and a preference for smaller families are attributed to increases in women's education and participation in the labor market; higher unemployment; and a shortage of housing forcing multiple generations to live together. The average woman's age at first marriage increased from about 19 in the mid-1950s to 24 in the mid-1970s to 30.5 in the late 1990s. ++ Algeria's fertility rate experienced an unexpected upturn in the early 2000s, as the average woman's age at first marriage dropped slightly. The reversal in fertility could represent a temporary fluctuation in marriage age or, less likely, a decrease in the steady rate of contraceptive use. ++ Thousands of Algerian peasants - mainly Berber men from the Kabylia region - faced with land dispossession and economic hardship under French rule migrated temporarily to France to work in manufacturing and mining during the first half of the 20th century. This movement accelerated during World War I, when Algerians filled in for French factory workers or served as soldiers. In the years following independence, low-skilled Algerian workers and Algerians who had supported the French (known as Harkis) emigrated en masse to France. Tighter French immigration rules and Algiers' decision to cease managing labor migration to France in the 1970s limited legal emigration largely to family reunification. ++ Not until Algeria's civil war in the 1990s did the country again experience substantial outmigration. Many Algerians legally entered Tunisia without visas claiming to be tourists and then stayed as workers. Other Algerians headed to Europe seeking asylum, although France imposed restrictions. Sub-Saharan African migrants came to Algeria after its civil war to work in agriculture and mining. In the 2000s, a wave of educated Algerians went abroad seeking skilled jobs in a wider range of destinations, increasing their presence in North America and Spain. At the same time, legal foreign workers principally from China and Egypt came to work in Algeria's construction and oil sectors. Illegal migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Malians, Nigeriens, and Gambians, continue to come to Algeria in search of work or to use it as a stepping stone to Libya and Europe. ++ Since 1975, Algeria also has been the main recipient of Sahrawi refugees from the ongoing conflict in Western Sahara. More than 1000,000 Sahrawis are estimated to be living in five refugee camps in southwestern Algeria near Tindouf." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "57.1% (2012/13)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.2% of population / rural: 97.4% of population / total: 98.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "2.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.8% of population / rural: 2.1% of population / total: 1.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "1.9 beds/1,000 population (2015)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.9% of population / rural: 93.4% of population / total: 96% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "6.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.1% of population / rural: 6.6% of population / total: 4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -389,7 +383,7 @@ "text": "several previous; latest approved by referendum 23 February 1989" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the president of the republic or through the president with the support of three fourths of the members of both houses of Parliament in joint session; passage requires approval by both houses, approval by referendum, and promulgation by the president; the president can forego a referendum if the Constitutional Council determines the proposed amendment does not conflict with basic constitutional principles; articles including the republican form of government, the integrity and unity of the country, and fundamental citizens’ liberties and rights cannot be amended; amended 2002, 2008, 2016" + "text": "proposed by the president of the republic or through the president with the support of three fourths of the members of both houses of Parliament in joint session; passage requires approval by both houses, approval by referendum, and promulgation by the president; the president can forego a referendum if the Constitutional Council determines the proposed amendment does not conflict with basic constitutional principles; articles including the republican form of government, the integrity and unity of the country, and fundamental citizens' liberties and rights cannot be amended; amended 2002, 2008, 2016" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -434,13 +428,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Council of the Nation (upper house with 144 seats; one-third of members appointed by the president, two-thirds indirectly elected by simple majority vote by an electoral college composed of local council members; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years)National People's Assembly (lower house with 462 seats including 8 seats for Algerians living abroad); members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Council of the Nation (upper house with 144 seats; one-third of members appointed by the president, two-thirds indirectly elected by simple majority vote by an electoral college composed of local council members; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) ++ National People's Assembly (lower house with 462 seats including 8 seats for Algerians living abroad); members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Council of the Nation - last held on 29 December 2018 (next to be held in December 2021)National People's Assembly - last held on 4 May 2017 (next to be held in 2022)" + "text": "Council of the Nation - last held on 29 December 2018 (next to be held in December 2021) ++ National People's Assembly - last held on 4 May 2017 (next to be held in 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Council of the Nation - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 137, women 7, percent of women 5% National People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 164, RND 97, MSP-FC 33, TAJ 19, Ennahda-FJD 15, FFS 14, El Mostakbel 14, MPA 13, PT 11, RCD 9, ANR 8, MEN 4, other 33, independent 28; composition - men 343, women 119, percent of women 25.8%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20.8%" + "text": "Council of the Nation - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 137, women 7, percent of women 5%  ++ National People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 164, RND 97, MSP-FC 33, TAJ 19, Ennahda-FJD 15, FFS 14, El Mostakbel 14, MPA 13, PT 11, RCD 9, ANR 8, MEN 4, other 33, independent 28; composition - men 343, women 119, percent of women 25.8%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20.8%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -455,7 +449,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]Algerian Popular Movement or MPA [Amara BENYOUNES]Algerian Rally or RA [Ali ZAGHDOUD]Algeria's Hope Rally or TAJ [Amar GHOUL]Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Hamid FERHI]Dignity or El Karama [Aymene HARKATI]Ennour El Djazairi Party (Algerian Radiance Party) or PED [Badreddine BELBAZ]Front for Justice and Development or El Adala [Abdallah DJABALLAH]Future Front or El Mostakbel [Abdelaziz BELAID]Islamic Renaissance Movement or Ennahda Movement [Mohamed DOUIBI]Justice and Development Front or FJD [Abdellah DJABALLAH]Movement of National Construction (Harakat El-Binaa El-Watani) [Abdelkader BENGRINA]Movement of National Understanding or MENMovement for National Reform or Islah [Filali GHOUINI]Movement of Society for Peace or MSP [Abderrazak MOKRI]National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA]National Front for Social Justice or FNJS [Khaled BOUNEDJEMA]National Liberation Front or FLN [Mohamed DJEMAI]National Party for Solidarity and Development or PNSD [Dalila YALAQUI]National Reform Movement or Islah [Djahid YOUNSI]National Republican Alliance or ANR [Belkacem SAHLI]New Dawn Party or PFJ [Tahar BENBAIBECHE]New Generation or Jil Jadid [Soufiane DJILALI]Oath of 1954 or Ahd 54 [Ali Fawzi REBAINE]Party of Justice and Liberty [Mohammed SAID]Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Mohcine BELABBAS]Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hakim BELAHCEL]Union for Change and Progress or UCP [Zoubida Assoul]Union of Democratic and Social Forces or UFDS [Noureddine BAHBOUH]Vanguard of Freedoms (Talaie El Houriat) [Ali BENFLIS]Youth Party or PJ [Hamana BOUCHARMA]Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUNE]", + "text": "Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI] ++ Algerian Popular Movement or MPA [Amara BENYOUNES] ++ Algerian Rally or RA [Ali ZAGHDOUD] ++ Algeria's Hope Rally or TAJ [Amar GHOUL] ++ Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Hamid FERHI] ++ Dignity or El Karama [Aymene HARKATI] ++ Ennour El Djazairi Party (Algerian Radiance Party) or PED [Badreddine BELBAZ] ++ Front for Justice and Development or El Adala [Abdallah DJABALLAH] ++ Future Front or El Mostakbel [Abdelaziz BELAID] ++ Islamic Renaissance Movement or Ennahda Movement [Mohamed DOUIBI] ++ Justice and Development Front or FJD [Abdellah DJABALLAH] ++ Movement of National Construction (Harakat El-Binaa El-Watani) [Abdelkader BENGRINA] ++ Movement of National Understanding or MEN ++ Movement for National Reform or Islah [Filali GHOUINI] ++ Movement of Society for Peace or MSP [Abderrazak MOKRI] ++ National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA] ++ National Front for Social Justice or FNJS [Khaled BOUNEDJEMA] ++ National Liberation Front or FLN [Mohamed DJEMAI] ++ National Party for Solidarity and Development or PNSD [Dalila YALAQUI] ++ National Reform Movement or Islah [Djahid YOUNSI] ++ National Republican Alliance or ANR [Belkacem SAHLI] ++ New Dawn Party or PFJ [Tahar BENBAIBECHE] ++ New Generation or Jil Jadid [Soufiane DJILALI] ++ Oath of 1954 or Ahd 54 [Ali Fawzi REBAINE] ++ Party of Justice and Liberty [Mohammed SAID] ++ Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Mohcine BELABBAS] ++ Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hakim BELAHCEL] ++ Union for Change and Progress or UCP [Zoubida Assoul] ++ Union of Democratic and Social Forces or UFDS [Noureddine BAHBOUH] ++ Vanguard of Freedoms (Talaie El Houriat) [Ali BENFLIS] ++ Youth Party or PJ [Hamana BOUCHARMA] ++ Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUNE]", "note": { "text": "note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997" } @@ -517,7 +511,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Algeria's economy remains dominated by the state, a legacy of the country's socialist post-independence development model. In recent years the Algerian Government has halted the privatization of state-owned industries and imposed restrictions on imports and foreign involvement in its economy, pursuing an explicit import substitution policy. Hydrocarbons have long been the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 30% of GDP, 60% of budget revenues, and nearly 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the 10th-largest reserves of natural gas in the world - including the 3rd-largest reserves of shale gas - and is the 6th-largest gas exporter. It ranks 16th in proven oil reserves. Hydrocarbon exports enabled Algeria to maintain macroeconomic stability, amass large foreign currency reserves, and maintain low external debt while global oil prices were high. With lower oil prices since 2014, Algeria’s foreign exchange reserves have declined by more than half and its oil stabilization fund has decreased from about $20 billion at the end of 2013 to about $7 billion in 2017, which is the statutory minimum. Declining oil prices have also reduced the government’s ability to use state-driven growth to distribute rents and fund generous public subsidies, and the government has been under pressure to reduce spending. Over the past three years, the government has enacted incremental increases in some taxes, resulting in modest increases in prices for gasoline, cigarettes, alcohol, and certain imported goods, but it has refrained from reducing subsidies, particularly for education, healthcare, and housing programs. Algiers has increased protectionist measures since 2015 to limit its import bill and encourage domestic production of non-oil and gas industries. Since 2015, the government has imposed additional restrictions on access to foreign exchange for imports, and import quotas for specific products, such as cars. In January 2018 the government imposed an indefinite suspension on the importation of roughly 850 products, subject to periodic review. President BOUTEFLIKA announced in fall 2017 that Algeria intends to develop its non-conventional energy resources. Algeria has struggled to develop non-hydrocarbon industries because of heavy regulation and an emphasis on state-driven growth. Algeria has not increased non-hydrocarbon exports, and hydrocarbon exports have declined because of field depletion and increased domestic demand." + "text": "Algeria's economy remains dominated by the state, a legacy of the country's socialist post-independence development model. In recent years the Algerian Government has halted the privatization of state-owned industries and imposed restrictions on imports and foreign involvement in its economy, pursuing an explicit import substitution policy. ++ Hydrocarbons have long been the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 30% of GDP, 60% of budget revenues, and nearly 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the 10th-largest reserves of natural gas in the world - including the 3rd-largest reserves of shale gas - and is the 6th-largest gas exporter. It ranks 16th in proven oil reserves. Hydrocarbon exports enabled Algeria to maintain macroeconomic stability, amass large foreign currency reserves, and maintain low external debt while global oil prices were high. With lower oil prices since 2014, Algeria's foreign exchange reserves have declined by more than half and its oil stabilization fund has decreased from about $20 billion at the end of 2013 to about $7 billion in 2017, which is the statutory minimum. ++ Declining oil prices have also reduced the government's ability to use state-driven growth to distribute rents and fund generous public subsidies, and the government has been under pressure to reduce spending. Over the past three years, the government has enacted incremental increases in some taxes, resulting in modest increases in prices for gasoline, cigarettes, alcohol, and certain imported goods, but it has refrained from reducing subsidies, particularly for education, healthcare, and housing programs. ++ Algiers has increased protectionist measures since 2015 to limit its import bill and encourage domestic production of non-oil and gas industries. Since 2015, the government has imposed additional restrictions on access to foreign exchange for imports, and import quotas for specific products, such as cars. In January 2018 the government imposed an indefinite suspension on the importation of roughly 850 products, subject to periodic review. ++ President BOUTEFLIKA announced in fall 2017 that Algeria intends to develop its non-conventional energy resources. Algeria has struggled to develop non-hydrocarbon industries because of heavy regulation and an emphasis on state-driven growth. Algeria has not increased non-hydrocarbon exports, and hydrocarbon exports have declined because of field depletion and increased domestic demand." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$630 billion (2017 est.) / $621.3 billion (2016 est.) / $602 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -934,7 +928,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "Algeria and many other states reject Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; the Polisario Front, exiled in Algeria, represents the \"Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic\" which Algeria recognizes; the Algerian-Moroccan land border remains closed; dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km of southeastern Algeria and the National Liberation Front's (FLN) assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco.  " + "text": "Algeria and many other states reject Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; the Polisario Front, exiled in Algeria, represents the \"Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic\" which Algeria recognizes; the Algerian-Moroccan land border remains closed; dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km of southeastern Algeria and the National Liberation Front's (FLN) assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco. ++  " }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { diff --git a/africa/ao.json b/africa/ao.json index a97216d4..8109e9da 100644 --- a/africa/ao.json +++ b/africa/ao.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "From the late 14th to the mid 19th century a Kingdom of Kongo stretched across central Africa from present-day northern Angola into the current Congo republics. It traded heavily with the Portuguese who, beginning in the 16th century, established coastal colonies and trading posts and introduced Christianity. By the 19th century, Portuguese settlement had spread to the interior; in 1914, Portugal abolished the last vestiges of the Kongo Kingdom and Angola became a Portuguese colony. Angola scores low on human development indexes despite using its large oil reserves to rebuild since the end of a 27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but fighting picked up again in 1993. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people displaced - during the more than a quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and cemented the MPLA's hold on power. DOS SANTOS stepped down from the presidency in 2017, having led the country since 1979. He pushed through a new constitution in 2010. Joao LOURENCO was elected president in August 2017 and became president of the MPLA in September 2018." + "text": "From the late 14th to the mid 19th century a Kingdom of Kongo stretched across central Africa from present-day northern Angola into the current Congo republics. It traded heavily with the Portuguese who, beginning in the 16th century, established coastal colonies and trading posts and introduced Christianity. By the 19th century, Portuguese settlement had spread to the interior; in 1914, Portugal abolished the last vestiges of the Kongo Kingdom and Angola became a Portuguese colony. ++ Angola scores low on human development indexes despite using its large oil reserves to rebuild since the end of a 27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but fighting picked up again in 1993. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people displaced - during the more than a quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and cemented the MPLA's hold on power. DOS SANTOS stepped down from the presidency in 2017, having led the country since 1979. He pushed through a new constitution in 2010. Joao LOURENCO was elected president in August 2017 and became president of the MPLA in September 2018." } }, "Geography": { @@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 41.1%, Protestant 38.1%, other 8.6%, none 12.3% (2014 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "More than a decade after the end of Angola's 27-year civil war, the country still faces a variety of socioeconomic problems, including poverty, high maternal and child mortality, and illiteracy. Despite the country's rapid post-war economic growth based on oil production, about 40 percent of Angolans live below the poverty line and unemployment is widespread, especially among the large young-adult population. Only about 70% of the population is literate, and the rate drops to around 60% for women. The youthful population - about 45% are under the age of 15 - is expected to continue growing rapidly with a fertility rate of more than 5 children per woman and a low rate of contraceptive use. Fewer than half of women deliver their babies with the assistance of trained health care personnel, which contributes to Angola's high maternal mortality rate. Of the estimated 550,000 Angolans who fled their homeland during its civil war, most have returned home since 2002. In 2012, the UN assessed that conditions in Angola had been stable for several years and invoked a cessation of refugee status for Angolans. Following the cessation clause, some of those still in exile returned home voluntarily through UN repatriation programs, and others integrated into host countries." + "text": "More than a decade after the end of Angola's 27-year civil war, the country still faces a variety of socioeconomic problems, including poverty, high maternal and child mortality, and illiteracy. Despite the country's rapid post-war economic growth based on oil production, about 40 percent of Angolans live below the poverty line and unemployment is widespread, especially among the large young-adult population. Only about 70% of the population is literate, and the rate drops to around 60% for women. The youthful population - about 45% are under the age of 15 - is expected to continue growing rapidly with a fertility rate of more than 5 children per woman and a low rate of contraceptive use. Fewer than half of women deliver their babies with the assistance of trained health care personnel, which contributes to Angola's high maternal mortality rate. ++ Of the estimated 550,000 Angolans who fled their homeland during its civil war, most have returned home since 2002. In 2012, the UN assessed that conditions in Angola had been stable for several years and invoked a cessation of refugee status for Angolans. Following the cessation clause, some of those still in exile returned home voluntarily through UN repatriation programs, and others integrated into host countries." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -267,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "13.7% (2015/16)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 18.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 81.7% of population / rural: 36.6% of population / total: 65.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "63.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "34.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 18.3% of population / rural: 63.4% of population / total: 34.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 7.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 92.2% of population / rural: 29.2% of population / total: 70.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "70.8% of population (2 est.)" - }, - "total": { - "text": "29.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 7.8% of population / rural: 70.8% of population (2 est.) / total: 29.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -487,7 +481,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola Electoral Coalition or CASA-CE [Andre Mendes de CARVALHO]National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA; note - party has two factions; one led by Lucas NGONDA; the other by Ngola KABANGUNational Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA] (largest opposition party)Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Joao LOURENCO]; note - Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS stepped down 8 Sept 2018 ruling party in power since 1975Social Renewal Party or PRS [Benedito DANIEL]" + "text": "Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola Electoral Coalition or CASA-CE [Andre Mendes de CARVALHO] ++ National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA; note - party has two factions; one led by Lucas NGONDA; the other by Ngola KABANGU ++ National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA] (largest opposition party) ++ Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Joao LOURENCO]; note - Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS stepped down 8 Sept 2018 ruling party in power since 1975 ++ Social Renewal Party or PRS [Benedito DANIEL]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CPLP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OPEC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -546,7 +540,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Angola's economy is overwhelmingly driven by its oil sector. Oil production and its supporting activities contribute about 50% of GDP, more than 70% of government revenue, and more than 90% of the country's exports; Angola is an OPEC member and subject to its direction regarding oil production levels. Diamonds contribute an additional 5% to exports. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for most of the people, but half of the country's food is still imported. Increased oil production supported growth averaging more than 17% per year from 2004 to 2008. A postwar reconstruction boom and resettlement of displaced persons led to high rates of growth in construction and agriculture as well. Some of the country's infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped from the 27-year-long civil war (1975-2002). However, the government since 2005 has used billions of dollars in credit from China, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and the EU to help rebuild Angola's public infrastructure. Land mines left from the war still mar the countryside, and as a result, the national military, international partners, and private Angolan firms all continue to remove them. The global recession that started in 2008 stalled Angola’s economic growth and many construction projects stopped because Luanda accrued billions in arrears to foreign construction companies when government revenue fell. Lower prices for oil and diamonds also resulted in GDP falling 0.7% in 2016. Angola formally abandoned its currency peg in 2009 but reinstituted it in April 2016 and maintains an overvalued exchange rate. In late 2016, Angola lost the last of its correspondent relationships with foreign banks, further exacerbating hard currency problems. Since 2013 the central bank has consistently spent down reserves to defend the kwanza, gradually allowing a 40% depreciation since late 2014. Consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to less than 9% in 2014, before rising again to above 30% from 2015-2017. Continued low oil prices, the depreciation of the kwanza, and slower than expected growth in non-oil GDP have reduced growth prospects, although several major international oil companies remain in Angola. Corruption, especially in the extractive sectors, is a major long-term challenge that poses an additional threat to the economy." + "text": "Angola's economy is overwhelmingly driven by its oil sector. Oil production and its supporting activities contribute about 50% of GDP, more than 70% of government revenue, and more than 90% of the country's exports; Angola is an OPEC member and subject to its direction regarding oil production levels. Diamonds contribute an additional 5% to exports. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for most of the people, but half of the country's food is still imported. ++ Increased oil production supported growth averaging more than 17% per year from 2004 to 2008. A postwar reconstruction boom and resettlement of displaced persons led to high rates of growth in construction and agriculture as well. Some of the country's infrastructure is still damaged or undeveloped from the 27-year-long civil war (1975-2002). However, the government since 2005 has used billions of dollars in credit from China, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and the EU to help rebuild Angola's public infrastructure. Land mines left from the war still mar the countryside, and as a result, the national military, international partners, and private Angolan firms all continue to remove them. ++ The global recession that started in 2008 stalled Angola's economic growth and many construction projects stopped because Luanda accrued billions in arrears to foreign construction companies when government revenue fell. Lower prices for oil and diamonds also resulted in GDP falling 0.7% in 2016. Angola formally abandoned its currency peg in 2009 but reinstituted it in April 2016 and maintains an overvalued exchange rate. In late 2016, Angola lost the last of its correspondent relationships with foreign banks, further exacerbating hard currency problems. Since 2013 the central bank has consistently spent down reserves to defend the kwanza, gradually allowing a 40% depreciation since late 2014. Consumer inflation declined from 325% in 2000 to less than 9% in 2014, before rising again to above 30% from 2015-2017. ++ Continued low oil prices, the depreciation of the kwanza, and slower than expected growth in non-oil GDP have reduced growth prospects, although several major international oil companies remain in Angola. Corruption, especially in the extractive sectors, is a major long-term challenge that poses an additional threat to the economy." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$193.6 billion (2017 est.) / $198.6 billion (2016 est.) / $203.9 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/bc.json b/africa/bc.json index f38f0346..d800818c 100644 --- a/africa/bc.json +++ b/africa/bc.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Seeking to stop the incorporation of their land into Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) or the Union of South Africa, in 1885, three tribal chiefs traveled to Great Britain and successfully lobbied the British Government to put \"Bechuanaland\" under UK protection. Upon independence in 1966, the British protectorate of Bechuanaland adopted the new name of Botswana. More than five decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party has won every national election since independence; President Mokgweetsi Eric MASISI assumed the presidency in April 2018 following the retirement of former President Ian KHAMA due to constitutional term limits. MASISI won his first election as president in October 2019, and he is Botswana’s fifth president since independence. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease." + "text": "Seeking to stop the incorporation of their land into Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) or the Union of South Africa, in 1885, three tribal chiefs traveled to Great Britain and successfully lobbied the British Government to put \"Bechuanaland\" under UK protection. Upon independence in 1966, the British protectorate of Bechuanaland adopted the new name of Botswana. More than five decades of uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and significant capital investment have created one of the most stable economies in Africa. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party has won every national election since independence; President Mokgweetsi Eric MASISI assumed the presidency in April 2018 following the retirement of former President Ian KHAMA due to constitutional term limits. MASISI won his first election as president in October 2019, and he is Botswana's fifth president since independence. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining, dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease." } }, "Geography": { @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ "text": "Christian 79.1%, Badimo 4.1%, other 1.4% (includes Baha'i, Hindu, Muslim, Rastafarian), none 15.2%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Botswana has experienced one of the most rapid declines in fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa. The total fertility rate has fallen from more than 5 children per woman in the mid 1980s to approximately 2.4 in 2013. The fertility reduction has been attributed to a host of factors, including higher educational attainment among women, greater participation of women in the workforce, increased contraceptive use, later first births, and a strong national family planning program. Botswana was making significant progress in several health indicators, including life expectancy and infant and child mortality rates, until being devastated by the HIV/AIDs epidemic in the 1990s.\nToday Botswana has the third highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the world at approximately 22%, however comprehensive and effective treatment programs have reduced HIV/AIDS-related deaths. The combination of declining fertility and increasing mortality rates because of HIV/AIDS is slowing the population aging process, with a narrowing of the youngest age groups and little expansion of the oldest age groups. Nevertheless, having the bulk of its population (about 60%) of working age will only yield economic benefits if the labor force is healthy, educated, and productively employed.\nBatswana have been working as contract miners in South Africa since the 19th century. Although Botswana’s economy improved shortly after independence in 1966 with the discovery of diamonds and other minerals, its lingering high poverty rate and lack of job opportunities continued to push workers to seek mining work in southern African countries. In the early 1970s, about a third of Botswana’s male labor force worked in South Africa (lesser numbers went to Namibia and Zimbabwe). Not until the 1980s and 1990s, when South African mining companies had reduced their recruitment of foreign workers and Botswana’s economic prospects had improved, were Batswana increasingly able to find job opportunities at home.\nMost Batswana prefer life in their home country and choose cross-border migration on a temporary basis only for work, shopping, visiting family, or tourism. Since the 1970s, Botswana has pursued an open migration policy enabling it to recruit thousands of foreign workers to fill skilled labor shortages. In the late 1990s, Botswana’s prosperity and political stability attracted not only skilled workers but small numbers of refugees from neighboring Angola, Namibia, and Zimbabwe." + "text": "Botswana has experienced one of the most rapid declines in fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa. The total fertility rate has fallen from more than 5 children per woman in the mid 1980s to approximately 2.4 in 2013. The fertility reduction has been attributed to a host of factors, including higher educational attainment among women, greater participation of women in the workforce, increased contraceptive use, later first births, and a strong national family planning program. Botswana was making significant progress in several health indicators, including life expectancy and infant and child mortality rates, until being devastated by the HIV/AIDs epidemic in the 1990s. ++ Today Botswana has the third highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the world at approximately 22%, however comprehensive and effective treatment programs have reduced HIV/AIDS-related deaths. The combination of declining fertility and increasing mortality rates because of HIV/AIDS is slowing the population aging process, with a narrowing of the youngest age groups and little expansion of the oldest age groups. Nevertheless, having the bulk of its population (about 60%) of working age will only yield economic benefits if the labor force is healthy, educated, and productively employed. ++ Batswana have been working as contract miners in South Africa since the 19th century. Although Botswana's economy improved shortly after independence in 1966 with the discovery of diamonds and other minerals, its lingering high poverty rate and lack of job opportunities continued to push workers to seek mining work in southern African countries. In the early 1970s, about a third of Botswana's male labor force worked in South Africa (lesser numbers went to Namibia and Zimbabwe). Not until the 1980s and 1990s, when South African mining companies had reduced their recruitment of foreign workers and Botswana's economic prospects had improved, were Batswana increasingly able to find job opportunities at home. ++ Most Batswana prefer life in their home country and choose cross-border migration on a temporary basis only for work, shopping, visiting family, or tourism. Since the 1970s, Botswana has pursued an open migration policy enabling it to recruit thousands of foreign workers to fill skilled labor shortages. In the late 1990s, Botswana's prosperity and political stability attracted not only skilled workers but small numbers of refugees from neighboring Angola, Namibia, and Zimbabwe." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -252,14 +252,11 @@ "text": "67.4% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.2% of population / rural: 94% of population / total: 96.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "3.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "3.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.8% of population / rural: 3.1% of population / total: 3.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "1.8 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 7.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 92.9% of population / rural: 60.8% of population / total: 82.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "39.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "17.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 7.1% of population / rural: 39.2% of population / total: 17.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -459,11 +453,11 @@ "text": "Court of Appeal and High Court chief justices appointed by the president and other judges appointed by the president upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; all judges appointed to serve until age 70" }, "subordinate courts": { - "text": "Industrial Court (with circuits scheduled monthly in the capital city and in 3 districts); Magistrates Courts (1 in each district); Customary Court of Appeal; Paramount Chief's Court/Urban Customary Court; Senior Chief's Representative Court; Chief's Representative’s Court; Headman's Court" + "text": "Industrial Court (with circuits scheduled monthly in the capital city and in 3 districts); Magistrates Courts (1 in each district); Customary Court of Appeal; Paramount Chief's Court/Urban Customary Court; Senior Chief's Representative Court; Chief's Representative's Court; Headman's Court" } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance of Progressives or AP [Ndaba GAOLATHE]Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Dumelang SALESHANDO]Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Mokgweetsi MASISI]Botswana Movement for Democracy or BMD [Sidney PILANE]Botswana National Front or BNF [Duma BOKO]Botswana Patriotic Front or BPF [Biggie BUTALE]Botswana Peoples Party or BPP [Motlatsi MOLAPISI]Real Alternative Party or RAP [Gaontebale MOKGOSI]Umbrella for Democratic Change or UDC [Duma BOKO] (various times the collation has included the BMD, BPP, BCP and BNF) (2019)" + "text": "Alliance of Progressives or AP [Ndaba GAOLATHE] ++ Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Dumelang SALESHANDO] ++ Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Mokgweetsi MASISI] ++ Botswana Movement for Democracy or BMD [Sidney PILANE] ++ Botswana National Front or BNF [Duma BOKO] ++ Botswana Patriotic Front or BPF [Biggie BUTALE] ++ Botswana Peoples Party or BPP [Motlatsi MOLAPISI] ++ Real Alternative Party or RAP [Gaontebale MOKGOSI] ++ Umbrella for Democratic Change or UDC [Duma BOKO] (various times the collation has included the BMD, BPP, BCP and BNF) (2019)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -522,7 +516,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Until the beginning of the global recession in 2008, Botswana maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since its independence in 1966. Botswana recovered from the global recession in 2010, but only grew modestly until 2017, primarily due to a downturn in the global diamond market, though water and power shortages also played a role. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world five decades ago into a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of approximately $18,100 in 2017. Botswana also ranks as one of the least corrupt and best places to do business in Sub-Saharan Africa.   Because of its heavy reliance on diamond exports, Botswana’s economy closely follows global price trends for that one commodity. Diamond mining fueled much of Botswana’s past economic expansion and currently accounts for one-quarter of GDP, approximately 85% of export earnings, and about one-third of the government's revenues. In 2017, Diamond exports increased to the highest levels since 2013 at about 22 million carats of output, driving Botswana’s economic growth to about 4.5% and increasing foreign exchange reserves to about 45% of GDP. De Beers, a major international diamond company, signed a 10-year deal with Botswana in 2012 and moved its rough stone sorting and trading division from London to Gaborone in 2013. The move was geared to support the development of Botswana's nascent downstream diamond industry.   Tourism is a secondary earner of foreign exchange and many Batswana engage in tourism-related services, subsistence farming, and cattle rearing. According to official government statistics, unemployment is around 20%, but unofficial estimates run much higher. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is second highest in the world and threatens the country's impressive economic gains." + "text": "Until the beginning of the global recession in 2008, Botswana maintained one of the world's highest economic growth rates since its independence in 1966. Botswana recovered from the global recession in 2010, but only grew modestly until 2017, primarily due to a downturn in the global diamond market, though water and power shortages also played a role. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world five decades ago into a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of approximately $18,100 in 2017. Botswana also ranks as one of the least corrupt and best places to do business in Sub-Saharan Africa. ++   ++ Because of its heavy reliance on diamond exports, Botswana's economy closely follows global price trends for that one commodity. Diamond mining fueled much of Botswana's past economic expansion and currently accounts for one-quarter of GDP, approximately 85% of export earnings, and about one-third of the government's revenues. In 2017, Diamond exports increased to the highest levels since 2013 at about 22 million carats of output, driving Botswana's economic growth to about 4.5% and increasing foreign exchange reserves to about 45% of GDP. De Beers, a major international diamond company, signed a 10-year deal with Botswana in 2012 and moved its rough stone sorting and trading division from London to Gaborone in 2013. The move was geared to support the development of Botswana's nascent downstream diamond industry. ++   ++ Tourism is a secondary earner of foreign exchange and many Batswana engage in tourism-related services, subsistence farming, and cattle rearing. According to official government statistics, unemployment is around 20%, but unofficial estimates run much higher. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS is second highest in the world and threatens the country's impressive economic gains." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$39.01 billion (2017 est.) / $38.11 billion (2016 est.) / $36.54 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -898,7 +892,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Botswana is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; young Batswana serving as domestic workers, sometimes sent by their parents, may be denied education and basic necessities or experience confinement and abuse indicative of forced labor; Batswana girls and women also are forced into prostitution domestically; adults and children of San ethnicity were reported to be in forced labor on farms and at cattle posts in the country’s rural west" + "text": "Botswana is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; young Batswana serving as domestic workers, sometimes sent by their parents, may be denied education and basic necessities or experience confinement and abuse indicative of forced labor; Batswana girls and women also are forced into prostitution domestically; adults and children of San ethnicity were reported to be in forced labor on farms and at cattle posts in the country's rural west" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Botswana does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; an anti-trafficking act was passed at the beginning of 2014, but authorities did not investigate, prosecute, or convict any offenders or government officials complicit in trafficking or operationalize victim identification and referral procedures based on the new law; the government sponsored a radio campaign to familiarize the public with the issue of human trafficking (2015)" diff --git a/africa/bn.json b/africa/bn.json index 56d33405..a1257719 100644 --- a/africa/bn.json +++ b/africa/bn.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a West African kingdom that rose to prominence in about 1600 and over the next two and a half centuries became a regional power, largely based on its slave trade. France began to control the coastal areas of Dahomey in the second half of the 19th century; the entire kingdom was conquered by 1894. French Dahomey achieved independence in 1960; it changed its name to the Republic of Benin in 1975. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent, who won a second five-year term in March 2011. Patrice TALON, a wealthy businessman, took office in 2016 after campaigning to restore public confidence in the government." + "text": "Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a West African kingdom that rose to prominence in about 1600 and over the next two and a half centuries became a regional power, largely based on its slave trade. France began to control the coastal areas of Dahomey in the second half of the 19th century; the entire kingdom was conquered by 1894. French Dahomey achieved independence in 1960; it changed its name to the Republic of Benin in 1975. ++ A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged. KEREKOU stepped down at the end of his second term in 2006 and was succeeded by Thomas YAYI Boni, a political outsider and independent, who won a second five-year term in March 2011. Patrice TALON, a wealthy businessman, took office in 2016 after campaigning to restore public confidence in the government." } }, "Geography": { @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ "text": "Muslim 27.7%, Roman Catholic 25.5%, Protestant 13.5% (Celestial 6.7%, Methodist 3.4%, other Protestant 3.4%), Vodoun 11.6%, other Christian 9.5%, other traditional religions 2.6%, other 2.6%, none 5.8% (2013 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Benin has a youthful age structure – almost 65% of the population is under the age of 25 – which is bolstered by high fertility and population growth rates. Benin’s total fertility has been falling over time but remains high, declining from almost 7 children per women in 1990 to 4.8 in 2016. Benin’s low contraceptive use and high unmet need for contraception contribute to the sustained high fertility rate. Although the majority of Beninese women use skilled health care personnel for antenatal care and delivery, the high rate of maternal mortality indicates the need for more access to high quality obstetric care.\nPoverty, unemployment, increased living costs, and dwindling resources increasingly drive the Beninese to migrate. An estimated 4.4 million, more than 40%, of Beninese live abroad. Virtually all Beninese emigrants move to West African countries, particularly Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire. Of the less than 1% of Beninese emigrants who settle in Europe, the vast majority live in France, Benin’s former colonial ruler.\nWith about 40% of the population living below the poverty line, many desperate parents resort to sending their children to work in wealthy households as domestic servants (a common practice known as vidomegon), mines, quarries, or agriculture domestically or in Nigeria and other neighboring countries, often under brutal conditions. Unlike in other West African countries, where rural people move to the coast, farmers from Benin’s densely populated southern and northwestern regions move to the historically sparsely populated central region to pursue agriculture. Immigrants from West African countries came to Benin in increasing numbers between 1992 and 2002 because of its political stability and porous borders." + "text": "Benin has a youthful age structure – almost 65% of the population is under the age of 25 – which is bolstered by high fertility and population growth rates. Benin's total fertility has been falling over time but remains high, declining from almost 7 children per women in 1990 to 4.8 in 2016. Benin's low contraceptive use and high unmet need for contraception contribute to the sustained high fertility rate. Although the majority of Beninese women use skilled health care personnel for antenatal care and delivery, the high rate of maternal mortality indicates the need for more access to high quality obstetric care. ++ Poverty, unemployment, increased living costs, and dwindling resources increasingly drive the Beninese to migrate. An estimated 4.4 million, more than 40%, of Beninese live abroad. Virtually all Beninese emigrants move to West African countries, particularly Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire. Of the less than 1% of Beninese emigrants who settle in Europe, the vast majority live in France, Benin's former colonial ruler. ++ With about 40% of the population living below the poverty line, many desperate parents resort to sending their children to work in wealthy households as domestic servants (a common practice known as vidomegon), mines, quarries, or agriculture domestically or in Nigeria and other neighboring countries, often under brutal conditions. Unlike in other West African countries, where rural people move to the coast, farmers from Benin's densely populated southern and northwestern regions move to the historically sparsely populated central region to pursue agriculture. Immigrants from West African countries came to Benin in increasing numbers between 1992 and 2002 because of its political stability and porous borders." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "15.5% (2017/18)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 18.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 81.2% of population / rural: 72.2% of population / total: 76.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "27.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "23.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 18.8% of population / rural: 27.8% of population / total: 23.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "0.5 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 41.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 58.7% of population / rural: 16% of population / total: 36% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "84% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "64% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 41.3% of population / rural: 84% of population / total: 64% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -484,7 +478,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for a Triumphant Benin or ABT [Abdoulaye BIO TCHANE]African Movement for Development and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN]Benin Renaissance or RB [Lehady SOGLO]Cowrie Force for an Emerging Benin or FCBE [Yayi BONI]Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]National Alliance for Development and Democracy or AND [Valentin Aditi HOUDE]New Consciousness Rally or NC [Pascal KOUPAKI]Patriotic Awakening or RP [Janvier YAHOUEDEOU]Social Democrat Party or PSD [Emmanuel GOLOU]Sun Alliance or AS [Sacca LAFIA]Union Makes the Nation or UN [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI] (includes PRD, MADEP)United Democratic Forces or FDU [Mathurin NAGO]", + "text": "Alliance for a Triumphant Benin or ABT [Abdoulaye BIO TCHANE] ++ African Movement for Development and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN] ++ Benin Renaissance or RB [Lehady SOGLO] ++ Cowrie Force for an Emerging Benin or FCBE [Yayi BONI] ++ Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI] ++ National Alliance for Development and Democracy or AND [Valentin Aditi HOUDE] ++ New Consciousness Rally or NC [Pascal KOUPAKI] ++ Patriotic Awakening or RP [Janvier YAHOUEDEOU] ++ Social Democrat Party or PSD [Emmanuel GOLOU] ++ Sun Alliance or AS [Sacca LAFIA] ++ Union Makes the Nation or UN [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI] (includes PRD, MADEP) ++ United Democratic Forces or FDU [Mathurin NAGO]", "note": { "text": "note: approximately 20 additional minor parties" } @@ -546,7 +540,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The free market economy of Benin has grown consecutively for four years, though growth slowed in 2017, as its close trade links to Nigeria expose Benin to risks from volatile commodity prices. Cotton is a key export commodity, with export earnings significantly impacted by the price of cotton in the broader market. The economy began deflating in 2017, with the consumer price index falling 0.8%. During the first two years of President TALON’s administration, which began in April 2016, the government has followed an ambitious action plan to kickstart development through investments in infrastructure, education, agriculture, and governance. Electricity generation, which has constrained Benin’s economic growth, has increased and blackouts have been considerably reduced. Private foreign direct investment is small, and foreign aid accounts for a large proportion of investment in infrastructure projects. Benin has appealed for international assistance to mitigate piracy against commercial shipping in its territory, and has used equipment from donors effectively against such piracy. Pilferage has significantly dropped at the Port of Cotonou, though the port is still struggling with effective implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. Projects included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) first compact (2006-11) were designed to increase investment and private sector activity by improving key institutional and physical infrastructure. The four projects focused on access to land, access to financial services, access to justice, and access to markets (including modernization of the port). The Port of Cotonou is a major contributor to Benin’s economy, with revenues projected to account for more than 40% of Benin’s national budget. Benin will need further efforts to upgrade infrastructure, stem corruption, and expand access to foreign markets to achieve its potential. In September 2015, Benin signed a second MCC Compact for $375 million that entered into force in June 2017 and is designed to strengthen the national utility service provider, attract private sector investment, fund infrastructure investments in electricity generation and distribution, and develop off-grid electrification for poor and unserved households. As part of the Government of Benin’s action plan to spur growth, Benin passed public private partnership legislation in 2017 to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, encourage new information and communication technology, and establish Independent Power Producers. In April 2017, the IMF approved a three year $150.4 million Extended Credit Facility agreement to maintain debt sustainability and boost donor confidence." + "text": "The free market economy of Benin has grown consecutively for four years, though growth slowed in 2017, as its close trade links to Nigeria expose Benin to risks from volatile commodity prices. Cotton is a key export commodity, with export earnings significantly impacted by the price of cotton in the broader market. The economy began deflating in 2017, with the consumer price index falling 0.8%. ++ During the first two years of President TALON's administration, which began in April 2016, the government has followed an ambitious action plan to kickstart development through investments in infrastructure, education, agriculture, and governance. Electricity generation, which has constrained Benin's economic growth, has increased and blackouts have been considerably reduced. Private foreign direct investment is small, and foreign aid accounts for a large proportion of investment in infrastructure projects. ++ Benin has appealed for international assistance to mitigate piracy against commercial shipping in its territory, and has used equipment from donors effectively against such piracy. Pilferage has significantly dropped at the Port of Cotonou, though the port is still struggling with effective implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. Projects included in Benin's $307 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) first compact (2006-11) were designed to increase investment and private sector activity by improving key institutional and physical infrastructure. The four projects focused on access to land, access to financial services, access to justice, and access to markets (including modernization of the port). The Port of Cotonou is a major contributor to Benin's economy, with revenues projected to account for more than 40% of Benin's national budget. ++ Benin will need further efforts to upgrade infrastructure, stem corruption, and expand access to foreign markets to achieve its potential. In September 2015, Benin signed a second MCC Compact for $375 million that entered into force in June 2017 and is designed to strengthen the national utility service provider, attract private sector investment, fund infrastructure investments in electricity generation and distribution, and develop off-grid electrification for poor and unserved households. As part of the Government of Benin's action plan to spur growth, Benin passed public private partnership legislation in 2017 to attract more foreign investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the development of new food processing systems and agricultural products, encourage new information and communication technology, and establish Independent Power Producers. In April 2017, the IMF approved a three year $150.4 million Extended Credit Facility agreement to maintain debt sustainability and boost donor confidence." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$25.39 billion (2017 est.) / $24.04 billion (2016 est.) / $23.12 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -932,7 +926,7 @@ }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { - "text": "al-Qa’ida (Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen); Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (2020)", + "text": "al-Qa'ida (Jama'at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimeen); Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (2020)", "note": { "text": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T" } diff --git a/africa/by.json b/africa/by.json index a27f3a85..4ae62383 100644 --- a/africa/by.json +++ b/africa/by.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Burundi is a small country in Central-East Africa bordered by Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Lake Tanganyika. Created in the 17th century, a Burundi Kingdom was preserved under German colonial rule in the late 19th and early 20th century, and then by Belgium after World War I. Burundi gained its independence from Belgium in 1962 as the Kingdom of Burundi, but the monarchy was overthrown in 1966 and a republic established. Political violence and non-democratic transfers of power have marked much of its history; Burundi's first democratically elected president, a Hutu, was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office. The internationally brokered Arusha Agreement, signed in 2000, and subsequent ceasefire agreements with armed movements ended the 1993-2005 civil war. Burundi’s second democratic elections were held in 2005. Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president in 2005 and 2010, and again in a controversial election in 2015. Burundi continues to face many economic and political challenges." + "text": "Burundi is a small country in Central-East Africa bordered by Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Lake Tanganyika. Created in the 17th century, a Burundi Kingdom was preserved under German colonial rule in the late 19th and early 20th century, and then by Belgium after World War I. Burundi gained its independence from Belgium in 1962 as the Kingdom of Burundi, but the monarchy was overthrown in 1966 and a republic established. Political violence and non-democratic transfers of power have marked much of its history; Burundi's first democratically elected president, a Hutu, was assassinated in October 1993 after only 100 days in office. The internationally brokered Arusha Agreement, signed in 2000, and subsequent ceasefire agreements with armed movements ended the 1993-2005 civil war. Burundi's second democratic elections were held in 2005. Pierre NKURUNZIZA was elected president in 2005 and 2010, and again in a controversial election in 2015. Burundi continues to face many economic and political challenges." } }, "Geography": { @@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 62.1%, Protestant 23.9% (includes Adventist 2.3% and other Protestant 21.6%), Muslim 2.5%, other 3.6%, unspecified 7.9% (2008 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Burundi is a densely populated country with a high population growth rate, factors that combined with land scarcity and poverty place a large share of its population at risk of food insecurity. About 90% of the population relies on subsistence agriculture. Subdivision of land to sons, and redistribution to returning refugees, results in smaller, overworked, and less productive plots. Food shortages, poverty, and a lack of clean water contribute to a 60% chronic malnutrition rate among children. A lack of reproductive health services has prevented a significant reduction in Burundi’s maternal mortality and fertility rates, which are both among the world’s highest. With two-thirds of its population under the age of 25 and a birth rate of about 6 children per woman, Burundi’s population will continue to expand rapidly for decades to come, putting additional strain on a poor country.\nHistorically, migration flows into and out of Burundi have consisted overwhelmingly of refugees from violent conflicts. In the last decade, more than a half million Burundian refugees returned home from neighboring countries, mainly Tanzania. Reintegrating the returnees has been problematic due to their prolonged time in exile, land scarcity, poor infrastructure, poverty, and unemployment. Repatriates and existing residents (including internally displaced persons) compete for limited land and other resources. To further complicate matters, international aid organizations reduced their assistance because they no longer classified Burundi as a post-conflict country. Conditions have deteriorated since renewed violence erupted in April 2015, causing another outpouring of refugees. In addition to refugee out-migration, Burundi has hosted thousands of refugees from neighboring countries, mostly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and lesser numbers from Rwanda." + "text": "Burundi is a densely populated country with a high population growth rate, factors that combined with land scarcity and poverty place a large share of its population at risk of food insecurity. About 90% of the population relies on subsistence agriculture. Subdivision of land to sons, and redistribution to returning refugees, results in smaller, overworked, and less productive plots. Food shortages, poverty, and a lack of clean water contribute to a 60% chronic malnutrition rate among children. A lack of reproductive health services has prevented a significant reduction in Burundi's maternal mortality and fertility rates, which are both among the world's highest. With two-thirds of its population under the age of 25 and a birth rate of about 6 children per woman, Burundi's population will continue to expand rapidly for decades to come, putting additional strain on a poor country. ++ Historically, migration flows into and out of Burundi have consisted overwhelmingly of refugees from violent conflicts. In the last decade, more than a half million Burundian refugees returned home from neighboring countries, mainly Tanzania. Reintegrating the returnees has been problematic due to their prolonged time in exile, land scarcity, poor infrastructure, poverty, and unemployment. Repatriates and existing residents (including internally displaced persons) compete for limited land and other resources. To further complicate matters, international aid organizations reduced their assistance because they no longer classified Burundi as a post-conflict country. Conditions have deteriorated since renewed violence erupted in April 2015, causing another outpouring of refugees. In addition to refugee out-migration, Burundi has hosted thousands of refugees from neighboring countries, mostly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and lesser numbers from Rwanda." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "28.5% (2016/17)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: -1.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.6% of population / rural: 77.8% of population / total: 80.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "22.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "19.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: -1.1% of population / rural: 22.2% of population / total: 19.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "0.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 14.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 85.2% of population / rural: 53.4% of population / total: 57.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "46.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "42.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 14.8% of population / rural: 46.6% of population / total: 42.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -460,13 +454,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:Senate or Inama Nkenguzamateka (39 seats in the July 2020 election); 36 members indirectly elected by an electoral college of provincial councils using a three-round voting system, which requires a two-thirds majority vote in the first two rounds and simple majority vote for the two leading candidates in the final round; 3 seats reserved for Twas, and 30% of all votes reserved for women; members serve 5-year terms)National Assembly or Inama Nshingamateka (123 seats in the May 2020 election; 100 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 23 co-opted members; 60% of seats allocated to Hutu and 40% to Tutsi; 3 seats reserved for Twas; 30% of total seats reserved for women; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of: Senate or Inama Nkenguzamateka (39 seats in the July 2020 election); 36 members indirectly elected by an electoral college of provincial councils using a three-round voting system, which requires a two-thirds majority vote in the first two rounds and simple majority vote for the two leading candidates in the final round; 3 seats reserved for Twas, and 30% of all votes reserved for women; members serve 5-year terms) ++ National Assembly or Inama Nshingamateka (123 seats in the May 2020 election; 100 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 23 co-opted members; 60% of seats allocated to Hutu and 40% to Tutsi; 3 seats reserved for Twas; 30% of total seats reserved for women; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 20 July 2020 (next to be held in 2025)National Assembly - last held on 20 May 2020 (next to be held in 2025)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 20 July 2020 (next to be held in 2025) ++ National Assembly - last held on 20 May 2020 (next to be held in 2025)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 87.2%, Twa 7.7%, CNL 2.6%, UPRONA 2.6%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 34, CNL 1, UPRONA 1, Twa 3; composition - men 23, women 16, percent of women 37.2% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 70.9%, CNL 23.4%, UPRONA 2.5%, other (co-opted Twa) 3.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 86, CNL 32, UPRONA 2, Twa 3; composition - men 76, women 47, percent of women 38.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 38%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 87.2%, Twa 7.7%, CNL 2.6%, UPRONA 2.6%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 34, CNL 1, UPRONA 1, Twa 3; composition - men 23, women 16, percent of women 37.2% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 70.9%, CNL 23.4%, UPRONA 2.5%, other (co-opted Twa) 3.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 86, CNL 32, UPRONA 2, Twa 3; composition - men 76, women 47, percent of women 38.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 38%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -481,7 +475,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Front for Democracy in Burundi-Nyakuri or FRODEBU-Nyakuri [Keffa NIBIZI]Front for Democracy in Burundi-Sahwanya or FRODEBU-Sahwanya [Pierre Claver NAHIMANA]National Congress for Liberty or CNL [Agathon RWASA]National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE]National Liberation Forces or FNL [Jacques BIGITIMANA]Union for National Progress (Union pour le Progress Nationale) or UPRONA [Abel GASHATSI]" + "text": "Front for Democracy in Burundi-Nyakuri or FRODEBU-Nyakuri [Keffa NIBIZI] ++ Front for Democracy in Burundi-Sahwanya or FRODEBU-Sahwanya [Pierre Claver NAHIMANA] ++ National Congress for Liberty or CNL [Agathon RWASA] ++ National Council for the Defense of Democracy - Front for the Defense of Democracy or CNDD-FDD [Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE] ++ National Liberation Forces or FNL [Jacques BIGITIMANA] ++ Union for National Progress (Union pour le Progress Nationale) or UPRONA [Abel GASHATSI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CEPGL, CICA, COMESA, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -502,7 +496,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Eunice S. REDDICK (since May 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Eunice S. REDDICK (since May 2019)" }, "telephone": { "text": "[257] 22-207-000" @@ -537,7 +531,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. Agriculture accounts for over 40% of GDP and employs more than 90% of the population. Burundi's primary exports are coffee and tea, which account for more than half of foreign exchange earnings, but these earnings are subject to fluctuations in weather and international coffee and tea prices, Burundi is heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors, as well as foreign exchange earnings from participation in the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). Foreign aid represented 48% of Burundi's national income in 2015, one of the highest percentages in Sub-Saharan Africa, but this figure decreased to 33.5% in 2016 due to political turmoil surrounding President NKURUNZIZA’s bid for a third term. Burundi joined the East African Community (EAC) in 2009. Burundi faces several underlying weaknesses – low governmental capacity, corruption, a high poverty rate, poor educational levels, a weak legal system, a poor transportation network, and overburdened utilities – that have prevented the implementation of planned economic reforms. The purchasing power of most Burundians has decreased as wage increases have not kept pace with inflation, which reached approximately 18% in 2017. Real GDP growth dropped precipitously following political events in 2015 and has yet to recover to pre-conflict levels. Continued resistance by donors and the international community will restrict Burundi’s economic growth as the country deals with a large current account deficit." + "text": "Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an underdeveloped manufacturing sector. Agriculture accounts for over 40% of GDP and employs more than 90% of the population. Burundi's primary exports are coffee and tea, which account for more than half of foreign exchange earnings, but these earnings are subject to fluctuations in weather and international coffee and tea prices, Burundi is heavily dependent on aid from bilateral and multilateral donors, as well as foreign exchange earnings from participation in the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM). Foreign aid represented 48% of Burundi's national income in 2015, one of the highest percentages in Sub-Saharan Africa, but this figure decreased to 33.5% in 2016 due to political turmoil surrounding President NKURUNZIZA's bid for a third term. Burundi joined the East African Community (EAC) in 2009. ++ Burundi faces several underlying weaknesses – low governmental capacity, corruption, a high poverty rate, poor educational levels, a weak legal system, a poor transportation network, and overburdened utilities – that have prevented the implementation of planned economic reforms. The purchasing power of most Burundians has decreased as wage increases have not kept pace with inflation, which reached approximately 18% in 2017. ++ Real GDP growth dropped precipitously following political events in 2015 and has yet to recover to pre-conflict levels. Continued resistance by donors and the international community will restrict Burundi's economic growth as the country deals with a large current account deficit." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$8.007 billion (2017 est.) / $8.007 billion (2016 est.) / $8.091 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/cd.json b/africa/cd.json index 867ce569..bc0da3c6 100644 --- a/africa/cd.json +++ b/africa/cd.json @@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: Chad is the largest of Africa's 16 landlocked countries note 2: not long ago - geologically speaking - what is today the Sahara was green savannah teeming with wildlife; during the African Humid Period, roughly 11,000 to 5,000 years ago, a vibrant animal community, including elephants, giraffes, hippos, and antelope lived there; the last remnant of the \"Green Sahara\" exists in the Lakes of Ounianga (oo-nee-ahn-ga) in northern Chad, a series of 18 interconnected freshwater, saline, and hypersaline lakes now protected as a World Heritage site note 3: Lake Chad, the most significant water body in the Sahel, is a remnant of a former inland sea, paleolake Mega-Chad; at its greatest extent, sometime before 5000 B.C., Lake Mega-Chad was the largest of four Saharan paleolakes that existed during the African Humid Period; it covered an area of about 400,000 sq km (150,000 sq mi), roughly the size of today's Caspian Sea" + "text": "note 1: Chad is the largest of Africa's 16 landlocked countries ++ note 2: not long ago - geologically speaking - what is today the Sahara was green savannah teeming with wildlife; during the African Humid Period, roughly 11,000 to 5,000 years ago, a vibrant animal community, including elephants, giraffes, hippos, and antelope lived there; the last remnant of the \"Green Sahara\" exists in the Lakes of Ounianga (oo-nee-ahn-ga) in northern Chad, a series of 18 interconnected freshwater, saline, and hypersaline lakes now protected as a World Heritage site ++ note 3: Lake Chad, the most significant water body in the Sahel, is a remnant of a former inland sea, paleolake Mega-Chad; at its greatest extent, sometime before 5000 B.C., Lake Mega-Chad was the largest of four Saharan paleolakes that existed during the African Humid Period; it covered an area of about 400,000 sq km (150,000 sq mi), roughly the size of today's Caspian Sea" } } }, @@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ "text": "Muslim 52.1%, Protestant 23.9%, Roman Catholic 20%, animist 0.3%, other Christian 0.2%, none 2.8%, unspecified 0.7% (2014-15 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Despite the start of oil production in 2003, 40% of Chad’s population lives below the poverty line. The population will continue to grow rapidly because of the country’s very high fertility rate and large youth cohort – more than 65% of the populace is under the age of 25 – although the mortality rate is high and life expectancy is low. Chad has the world’s third highest maternal mortality rate. Among the primary risk factors are poverty, anemia, rural habitation, high fertility, poor education, and a lack of access to family planning and obstetric care. Impoverished, uneducated adolescents living in rural areas are most affected. To improve women’s reproductive health and reduce fertility, Chad will need to increase women’s educational attainment, job participation, and knowledge of and access to family planning. Only about a quarter of women are literate, less than 5% use contraceptives, and more than 40% undergo genital cutting.\nAs of October 2017, more than 320,000 refugees from Sudan and more than 75,000 from the Central African Republic strain Chad’s limited resources and create tensions in host communities. Thousands of new refugees fled to Chad in 2013 to escape worsening violence in the Darfur region of Sudan. The large refugee populations are hesitant to return to their home countries because of continued instability. Chad was relatively stable in 2012 in comparison to other states in the region, but past fighting between government forces and opposition groups and inter-communal violence have left nearly 60,000 of its citizens displaced in the eastern part of the country." + "text": "Despite the start of oil production in 2003, 40% of Chad's population lives below the poverty line. The population will continue to grow rapidly because of the country's very high fertility rate and large youth cohort – more than 65% of the populace is under the age of 25 – although the mortality rate is high and life expectancy is low. Chad has the world's third highest maternal mortality rate. Among the primary risk factors are poverty, anemia, rural habitation, high fertility, poor education, and a lack of access to family planning and obstetric care. Impoverished, uneducated adolescents living in rural areas are most affected. To improve women's reproductive health and reduce fertility, Chad will need to increase women's educational attainment, job participation, and knowledge of and access to family planning. Only about a quarter of women are literate, less than 5% use contraceptives, and more than 40% undergo genital cutting. ++ As of October 2017, more than 320,000 refugees from Sudan and more than 75,000 from the Central African Republic strain Chad's limited resources and create tensions in host communities. Thousands of new refugees fled to Chad in 2013 to escape worsening violence in the Darfur region of Sudan. The large refugee populations are hesitant to return to their home countries because of continued instability. Chad was relatively stable in 2012 in comparison to other states in the region, but past fighting between government forces and opposition groups and inter-communal violence have left nearly 60,000 of its citizens displaced in the eastern part of the country." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -257,14 +257,11 @@ "text": "5.7% (2014/15)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 13.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 86.7% of population / rural: 46.6% of population / total: 55.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "53.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "44.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 13.3% of population / rural: 53.4% of population / total: 44.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -274,14 +271,11 @@ "text": "0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 43.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 56.5% of population / rural: 3.1% of population / total: 15.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "96.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "84.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 43.5% of population / rural: 96.9% of population / total: 84.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -469,7 +463,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Chadian Convention for Peace and Development or CTPD [Laoukein Kourayo MEDAR]Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR]Framework of Popular Action for Solidarity and Unity of the Republic or CAP-SUR [Joseph Djimrangar DADNADJI]National Rally for Development and Progress or Viva-RNDP [Dr. Nouradine Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE]National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO]Party for Liberty and Development or PLD [Ahmat ALHABO]Party for Unity and ReconciliationPatriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Idriss DEBY]Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Mahamat Allahou TAHER]RNDT/Le Reveil [Albert Pahimi PADACKE]Social Democratic Party for a Change-over of Power or PDSA [Malloum YOBODA]Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Felix Romadoumngar NIALBE]" + "text": "Chadian Convention for Peace and Development or CTPD [Laoukein Kourayo MEDAR] ++ Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarledjy YORONGAR] ++ Framework of Popular Action for Solidarity and Unity of the Republic or CAP-SUR [Joseph Djimrangar DADNADJI] ++ National Rally for Development and Progress or Viva-RNDP [Dr. Nouradine Delwa Kassire COUMAKOYE] ++ National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO] ++ Party for Liberty and Development or PLD [Ahmat ALHABO] ++ Party for Unity and Reconciliation ++ Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Idriss DEBY] ++ Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Mahamat Allahou TAHER]RNDT/Le Reveil [Albert Pahimi PADACKE] ++ Social Democratic Party for a Change-over of Power or PDSA [Malloum YOBODA] ++ Union for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Felix Romadoumngar NIALBE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -496,7 +490,7 @@ "text": "[235] 2251-5017" }, "embassy": { - "text": "US Embassy N’Djamena, B.P. 413, N’Djamena" + "text": "US Embassy N'Djamena, B.P. 413, N'Djamena" }, "mailing address": { "text": "B. P. 413, N'Djamena" @@ -528,7 +522,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Chad’s landlocked location results in high transportation costs for imported goods and dependence on neighboring countries. Oil and agriculture are mainstays of Chad’s economy. Oil provides about 60% of export revenues, while cotton, cattle, livestock, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's non-oil export earnings. The services sector contributes less than one-third of GDP and has attracted foreign investment mostly through telecommunications and banking. Nearly all of Chad’s fuel is provided by one domestic refinery, and unanticipated shutdowns occasionally result in shortages. The country regulates the price of domestic fuel, providing an incentive for black market sales. Although high oil prices and strong local harvests supported the economy in the past, low oil prices now stress Chad’s fiscal position and have resulted in significant government cutbacks. Chad relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most of its public and private sector investment. Investment in Chad is difficult due to its limited infrastructure, lack of trained workers, extensive government bureaucracy, and corruption. Chad obtained a three-year extended credit facility from the IMF in 2014 and was granted debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative in April 2015. In 2018, economic policy will be driven by efforts that started in 2016 to reverse the recession and to repair damage to public finances and exports. The government is implementing an emergency action plan to counterbalance the drop in oil revenue and to diversify the economy. Chad’s national development plan (NDP) cost just over $9 billion with a financing gap of $6.7 billion. The NDP emphasized the importance of private sector participation in Chad’s development, as well as the need to improve the business environment, particularly in priority sectors such as mining and agriculture. The Government of Chad reached a deal with Glencore and four other banks on the restructuring of a $1.45 billion oil-backed loan in February 2018, after a long negotiation. The new terms include an extension of the maturity to 2030 from 2022, a two-year grace period on principal repayments, and a lower interest rate of the London Inter-bank Offer Rate (Libor) plus 2% - down from Libor plus 7.5%. The original Glencore loan was to be repaid with crude oil assets, however, Chad's oil sales were hit by the downturn in the price of oil. Chad had secured a $312 million credit from the IMF in June 2017, but release of those funds hinged on restructuring the Glencore debt. Chad had already cut public spending to try to meet the terms of the IMF program, but that prompted strikes and protests in a country where nearly 40% of the population lives below the poverty line. Multinational partners, such as the African Development Bank, the EU, and the World Bank are likely to continue budget support in 2018, but Chad will remain at high debt risk, given its dependence on oil revenue and pressure to spend on subsidies and security." + "text": "Chad's landlocked location results in high transportation costs for imported goods and dependence on neighboring countries. Oil and agriculture are mainstays of Chad's economy. Oil provides about 60% of export revenues, while cotton, cattle, livestock, and gum arabic provide the bulk of Chad's non-oil export earnings. The services sector contributes less than one-third of GDP and has attracted foreign investment mostly through telecommunications and banking. ++ Nearly all of Chad's fuel is provided by one domestic refinery, and unanticipated shutdowns occasionally result in shortages. The country regulates the price of domestic fuel, providing an incentive for black market sales. ++ Although high oil prices and strong local harvests supported the economy in the past, low oil prices now stress Chad's fiscal position and have resulted in significant government cutbacks. Chad relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most of its public and private sector investment. Investment in Chad is difficult due to its limited infrastructure, lack of trained workers, extensive government bureaucracy, and corruption. Chad obtained a three-year extended credit facility from the IMF in 2014 and was granted debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative in April 2015. ++ In 2018, economic policy will be driven by efforts that started in 2016 to reverse the recession and to repair damage to public finances and exports. The government is implementing an emergency action plan to counterbalance the drop in oil revenue and to diversify the economy. Chad's national development plan (NDP) cost just over $9 billion with a financing gap of $6.7 billion. The NDP emphasized the importance of private sector participation in Chad's development, as well as the need to improve the business environment, particularly in priority sectors such as mining and agriculture. ++ The Government of Chad reached a deal with Glencore and four other banks on the restructuring of a $1.45 billion oil-backed loan in February 2018, after a long negotiation. The new terms include an extension of the maturity to 2030 from 2022, a two-year grace period on principal repayments, and a lower interest rate of the London Inter-bank Offer Rate (Libor) plus 2% - down from Libor plus 7.5%. The original Glencore loan was to be repaid with crude oil assets, however, Chad's oil sales were hit by the downturn in the price of oil. Chad had secured a $312 million credit from the IMF in June 2017, but release of those funds hinged on restructuring the Glencore debt. Chad had already cut public spending to try to meet the terms of the IMF program, but that prompted strikes and protests in a country where nearly 40% of the population lives below the poverty line. Multinational partners, such as the African Development Bank, the EU, and the World Bank are likely to continue budget support in 2018, but Chad will remain at high debt risk, given its dependence on oil revenue and pressure to spend on subsidies and security." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$28.62 billion (2017 est.) / $29.55 billion (2016 est.) / $31.58 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -898,7 +892,7 @@ "text": "20 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service, with a 3-year service obligation; 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary service; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a parent or guardian; women are subject to 1 year of compulsory military or civic service at age 21; while provisions for military service have not been repealed, they have never been fully implemented (2015)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "the ANT is chiefly focused on counterinsurgency/counter-terrorist operations against Boko Haram (BH) and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) in the Lake Chad Basin area (primarily the Lac Province) and countering the terrorist threat in the Sahel; in 2020, it conducted a large military operation against BH in the Lake Chad region; also in 2020, Chad sent troops to the tri-border area with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to combat ISWA militantsChad is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger; Chad has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane; Chad hosts the headquarters of Operation Barkhane in N’DjamenaChad has committed approximately 1,000-1,500 troops to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically; in 2019, Chad sent more than 1,000 troops to Nigeria’s Borno State to fight BH as part of the MNJTF mission (2020)" + "text": "the ANT is chiefly focused on counterinsurgency/counter-terrorist operations against Boko Haram (BH) and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) in the Lake Chad Basin area (primarily the Lac Province) and countering the terrorist threat in the Sahel; in 2020, it conducted a large military operation against BH in the Lake Chad region; also in 2020, Chad sent troops to the tri-border area with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to combat ISWA militants ++ Chad is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger; Chad has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane; Chad hosts the headquarters of Operation Barkhane in N'Djamena ++ Chad has committed approximately 1,000-1,500 troops to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically; in 2019, Chad sent more than 1,000 troops to Nigeria's Borno State to fight BH as part of the MNJTF mission (2020)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/cf.json b/africa/cf.json index 658f99eb..052aaa2f 100644 --- a/africa/cf.json +++ b/africa/cf.json @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "30.1% (2014/15)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.5% of population / rural: 56.4% of population / total: 83.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "43.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "16.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.5% of population / rural: 43.6% of population / total: 16.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "0.16 physicians/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 26.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 73.4% of population / rural: 15.1% of population / total: 53.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "84.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "46.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 26.6% of population / rural: 84.9% of population / total: 46.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -401,7 +395,7 @@ "text": "several previous; latest approved by referendum 25 October 2015" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; passage of presidential proposals requires Supreme Court review followed by approval in a referendum; such proposals may also be submitted directly to Parliament, in which case passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote of both houses in joint session; proposals by Parliament require three-fourths majority vote of both houses in joint session; constitutional articles including those affecting the country’s territory, republican form of government, and secularity of the state are not amendable" + "text": "proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; passage of presidential proposals requires Supreme Court review followed by approval in a referendum; such proposals may also be submitted directly to Parliament, in which case passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote of both houses in joint session; proposals by Parliament require three-fourths majority vote of both houses in joint session; constitutional articles including those affecting the country's territory, republican form of government, and secularity of the state are not amendable" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -446,13 +440,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:Senate (72 seats; members indirectly elected by regional councils by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms with one-half of membership renewed every 3 years) National Assembly (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of: Senate (72 seats; members indirectly elected by regional councils by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms with one-half of membership renewed every 3 years) ++ National Assembly (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "  Senate - last held on 31 August 2017 for expiry of half the seats (next to be held in 2020) National Assembly - last held on 16 and 30 July 2017 (next to be held in July 2022)" + "text": "  ++ Senate - last held on 31 August 2017 for expiry of half the seats (next to be held in 2020) ++ National Assembly - last held on 16 and 30 July 2017 (next to be held in July 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "  Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, independent 12, MAR 2, RDPS 2, UPADS 2, DRD 1, FP 1, MCDDI 1, PRL 1, Pulp 1, PUR 1, RC 1; composition - men 58, women 14, percent of women 19.4% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 96, UPADS 8, MCDDI 4, other 23 (less than 4 seats) independent 20; composition - men 134, women 17, percent of women 11.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 13.9%" + "text": "  ++ Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, independent 12, MAR 2, RDPS 2, UPADS 2, DRD 1, FP 1, MCDDI 1, PRL 1, Pulp 1, PUR 1, RC 1; composition - men 58, women 14, percent of women 19.4% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 96, UPADS 8, MCDDI 4, other 23 (less than 4 seats) independent 20; composition - men 134, women 17, percent of women 11.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 13.9% ++" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -467,7 +461,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Action Movement for Renewal or MAR [Roland BOUITI-VIAUDO]Citizen's Rally or RC [Claude Alphonse NSILOU]Congolese Labour Party or PCT [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO]Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS]Movement for Unity, Solidarity, and Work or MUST [Claudine MUNARI]Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Pascal Tsaty MABIALA]Party for the Unity of the Republic or PURPatriotic Union for Democracy and Progress or UPDP [Auguste-Celestin GONGARD NKOUA]Prospects and Realities Club or CPRRally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Bernard BATCHI]Rally of the Presidential Majority or RMPRepublican and Liberal Party or PRL [Bonaventure MIZIDY]Union for the Republic or URUnion of Democratic Forces or UDFUnion for Democracy and Republic or UDRmany smaller parties" + "text": "Action Movement for Renewal or MAR [Roland BOUITI-VIAUDO] ++ Citizen's Rally or RC [Claude Alphonse NSILOU] ++ Congolese Labour Party or PCT [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO] ++ Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS] ++ Movement for Unity, Solidarity, and Work or MUST [Claudine MUNARI] ++ Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Pascal Tsaty MABIALA] ++ Party for the Unity of the Republic or PUR ++ Patriotic Union for Democracy and Progress or UPDP [Auguste-Celestin GONGARD NKOUA] ++ Prospects and Realities Club or CPR ++ Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Bernard BATCHI] ++ Rally of the Presidential Majority or RMP ++ Republican and Liberal Party or PRL [Bonaventure MIZIDY] ++ Union for the Republic or UR ++ Union of Democratic Forces or UDF ++ Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR ++ many smaller parties" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -523,7 +517,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The Republic of the Congo’s economy is a mixture of subsistence farming, an industrial sector based largely on oil and support services, and government spending. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. Natural gas is increasingly being converted to electricity rather than being flared, greatly improving energy prospects. New mining projects, particularly iron ore, which entered production in late 2013, may add as much as $1 billion to annual government revenue. The Republic of the Congo is a member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) and shares a common currency – the Central African Franc – with five other member states in the region. The current administration faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. The drop in oil prices that began in 2014 has constrained government spending; lower oil prices forced the government to cut more than $1 billion in planned spending. The fiscal deficit amounted to 11% of GDP in 2017. The government’s inability to pay civil servant salaries has resulted in multiple rounds of strikes by many groups, including doctors, nurses, and teachers. In the wake of a multi-year recession, the country reached out to the IMF in 2017 for a new program; the IMF noted that the country’s continued dependence on oil, unsustainable debt, and significant governance weakness are key impediments to the country’s economy. In 2018, the country’s external debt level will approach 120% of GDP. The IMF urged the government to renegotiate debts levels to sustainable levels before it agreed to a new macroeconomic adjustment package." + "text": "The Republic of the Congo's economy is a mixture of subsistence farming, an industrial sector based largely on oil and support services, and government spending. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. Natural gas is increasingly being converted to electricity rather than being flared, greatly improving energy prospects. New mining projects, particularly iron ore, which entered production in late 2013, may add as much as $1 billion to annual government revenue. The Republic of the Congo is a member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) and shares a common currency – the Central African Franc – with five other member states in the region. ++ The current administration faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty. The drop in oil prices that began in 2014 has constrained government spending; lower oil prices forced the government to cut more than $1 billion in planned spending. The fiscal deficit amounted to 11% of GDP in 2017. The government's inability to pay civil servant salaries has resulted in multiple rounds of strikes by many groups, including doctors, nurses, and teachers. In the wake of a multi-year recession, the country reached out to the IMF in 2017 for a new program; the IMF noted that the country's continued dependence on oil, unsustainable debt, and significant governance weakness are key impediments to the country's economy. In 2018, the country's external debt level will approach 120% of GDP. The IMF urged the government to renegotiate debts levels to sustainable levels before it agreed to a new macroeconomic adjustment package." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$29.39 billion (2017 est.) / $30.33 billion (2016 est.) / $31.22 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/cg.json b/africa/cg.json index 4b020b17..3098c4f3 100644 --- a/africa/cg.json +++ b/africa/cg.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The Kingdom of Kongo ruled the area around the mouth of the Congo River from the 14th to 19th centuries. To the center and east, the Kingdoms of Luba and Lunda ruled from the 16th and 17th centuries to the 19th century. in the 1870s, European exploration of the Congo Basin, sponsored by King Leopold II of Belgium, eventually allowed the ruler to acquire rights to the Congo territory and to make it his private property under the name of the Congo Free State. During the Free State, the king's colonial military forced the local population to produce rubber. From 1885 to 1908, millions of Congolese people died as a result of disease and exploitation. International condemnation finally forced Leopold to cede the land to Belgium, creating the Belgian Congo.The Republic of the Congo gained its independence from Belgium in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from conflict in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. KABILA renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's regime. In January 2001, KABILA was assassinated and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying the eastern DRC; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. Presidential, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures took place in 2006, with Joseph KABILA elected to office. National elections were held in November 2011 and disputed results allowed Joseph KABILA to be reelected to the presidency. While the DRC constitution barred President KABILA from running for a third term, the DRC Government delayed national elections originally slated for November 2016, to 30 December 2018. This failure to hold elections as scheduled fueled significant civil and political unrest, with sporadic street protests by KABILA’s opponents and exacerbation of tensions in the tumultuous eastern DRC regions. Presidential, legislative, and provincial elections were held in late December 2018 and early 2019 across most of the country. The DRC Government canceled presidential elections in the cities of Beni and Butembo (citing concerns over an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the region) as well as Yumbi (which had recently experienced heavy violence). Opposition candidate Felix TSHISEKEDI was announced the election winner on 10 January 2019 and inaugurated two weeks later. This was the first transfer of power to an opposition candidate without significant violence or a coup since the DRC's independence.  The DRC, particularly in the East, continues to experience violence perpetrated by more than 100 armed groups active in the region, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and assorted Mai Mai militias. The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) has operated in the region since 1999 and is the largest and most expensive UN peacekeeping mission in the world.  " + "text": "The Kingdom of Kongo ruled the area around the mouth of the Congo River from the 14th to 19th centuries. To the center and east, the Kingdoms of Luba and Lunda ruled from the 16th and 17th centuries to the 19th century. in the 1870s, European exploration of the Congo Basin, sponsored by King Leopold II of Belgium, eventually allowed the ruler to acquire rights to the Congo territory and to make it his private property under the name of the Congo Free State. During the Free State, the king's colonial military forced the local population to produce rubber. From 1885 to 1908, millions of Congolese people died as a result of disease and exploitation. International condemnation finally forced Leopold to cede the land to Belgium, creating the Belgian Congo. ++ The Republic of the Congo gained its independence from Belgium in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several sham elections, as well as through brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from conflict in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA. KABILA renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by a second insurrection again backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support KABILA's regime. In January 2001, KABILA was assassinated and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying the eastern DRC; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. Presidential, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures took place in 2006, with Joseph KABILA elected to office. ++ National elections were held in November 2011 and disputed results allowed Joseph KABILA to be reelected to the presidency. While the DRC constitution barred President KABILA from running for a third term, the DRC Government delayed national elections originally slated for November 2016, to 30 December 2018. This failure to hold elections as scheduled fueled significant civil and political unrest, with sporadic street protests by KABILA's opponents and exacerbation of tensions in the tumultuous eastern DRC regions. Presidential, legislative, and provincial elections were held in late December 2018 and early 2019 across most of the country. The DRC Government canceled presidential elections in the cities of Beni and Butembo (citing concerns over an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the region) as well as Yumbi (which had recently experienced heavy violence). ++ Opposition candidate Felix TSHISEKEDI was announced the election winner on 10 January 2019 and inaugurated two weeks later. This was the first transfer of power to an opposition candidate without significant violence or a coup since the DRC's independence.  ++ The DRC, particularly in the East, continues to experience violence perpetrated by more than 100 armed groups active in the region, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and assorted Mai Mai militias. The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) has operated in the region since 1999 and is the largest and most expensive UN peacekeeping mission in the world. ++  " } }, "Geography": { @@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ "text": "urban clusters are spread throughout the country, particularly in the northeast along the boarder with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; the largest city is the capital, Kinshasha, located in the west along the Congo River; the south is least densely populated as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); active volcanoes in the east along the Great Rift Valley\nvolcanism: Nyiragongo (3,470 m), which erupted in 2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter million people; the volcano produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km /hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; its neighbor, Nyamuragira, which erupted in 2010, is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is the only other historically active volcano" + "text": "periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); active volcanoes in the east along the Great Rift Valley ++ volcanism: Nyiragongo (3,470 m), which erupted in 2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter million people; the volcano produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km /hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; its neighbor, Nyamuragira, which erupted in 2010, is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is the only other historically active volcano" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation (forests endangered by fires set to clean the land for agricultural purposes; forests also used as a source of fuel); soil erosion; mining (diamonds, gold, coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors for electronic devices) causing environmental damage" @@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: second largest country in Africa (after Algeria) and largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa; straddles the equator; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands; the narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River is the DRC's only outlet to the South Atlantic Ocean note 2: because of its speed, cataracts, rapids, and turbulence the Congo River, most of which flows through the DRC, has never been accurately measured along much of its length; nonetheless, it is conceded to be the deepest river in the world; estimates of its greatest depth vary between 220 and 250 meters" + "text": "note 1: second largest country in Africa (after Algeria) and largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa; straddles the equator; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands; the narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River is the DRC's only outlet to the South Atlantic Ocean ++ note 2: because of its speed, cataracts, rapids, and turbulence the Congo River, most of which flows through the DRC, has never been accurately measured along much of its length; nonetheless, it is conceded to be the deepest river in the world; estimates of its greatest depth vary between 220 and 250 meters" } } }, @@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 29.9%, Protestant 26.7%, Kimbanguist 2.8%, other Christian 36.5%, Muslim 1.3%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 1.2%, none 1.3%, unspecified .2% (2014 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Despite a wealth of fertile soil, hydroelectric power potential, and mineral resources, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) struggles with many socioeconomic problems, including high infant and maternal mortality rates, malnutrition, poor vaccination coverage, lack of access to improved water sources and sanitation, and frequent and early fertility. Ongoing conflict, mismanagement of resources, and a lack of investment have resulted in food insecurity; almost 30 percent of children under the age of 5 are malnourished. The overall coverage of basic public services – education, health, sanitation, and potable water – is very limited and piecemeal, with substantial regional and rural/urban disparities. Fertility remains high at almost 5 children per woman and is likely to remain high because of the low use of contraception and the cultural preference for larger families.\nThe DRC is a source and host country for refugees. Between 2012 and 2014, more than 119,000 Congolese refugees returned from the Republic of Congo to the relative stability of northwest DRC, but more than 540,000 Congolese refugees remained abroad as of year-end 2015. In addition, an estimated 3.9 million Congolese were internally displaced as of October 2017, the vast majority fleeing violence between rebel group and Congolese armed forces. Thousands of refugees have come to the DRC from neighboring countries, including Rwanda, the Central African Republic, and Burundi." + "text": "Despite a wealth of fertile soil, hydroelectric power potential, and mineral resources, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) struggles with many socioeconomic problems, including high infant and maternal mortality rates, malnutrition, poor vaccination coverage, lack of access to improved water sources and sanitation, and frequent and early fertility. Ongoing conflict, mismanagement of resources, and a lack of investment have resulted in food insecurity; almost 30 percent of children under the age of 5 are malnourished. The overall coverage of basic public services – education, health, sanitation, and potable water – is very limited and piecemeal, with substantial regional and rural/urban disparities. Fertility remains high at almost 5 children per woman and is likely to remain high because of the low use of contraception and the cultural preference for larger families. ++ The DRC is a source and host country for refugees. Between 2012 and 2014, more than 119,000 Congolese refugees returned from the Republic of Congo to the relative stability of northwest DRC, but more than 540,000 Congolese refugees remained abroad as of year-end 2015. In addition, an estimated 3.9 million Congolese were internally displaced as of October 2017, the vast majority fleeing violence between rebel group and Congolese armed forces. Thousands of refugees have come to the DRC from neighboring countries, including Rwanda, the Central African Republic, and Burundi." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -263,14 +263,11 @@ "text": "20.4% (2013/14)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 15.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 84.3% of population / rural: 32.4% of population / total: 55.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "67.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "44.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 15.7% of population / rural: 67.6% of population / total: 44.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -280,14 +277,11 @@ "text": "0.07 physicians/1,000 population (201)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 44.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 54.7% of population / rural: 29.8% of population / total: 40.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "70.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "59.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 44.5% of population / rural: 70.2% of population / total: 59.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -316,7 +310,7 @@ "text": "rabies" }, "note": { - "text": "note - on 18 October 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Travel Health Notice for an Ebola outbreak in the South Kivu (Kivu Sud), North Kivu (Kivu Nord), and Ituri provinces in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; travelers to this area could be infected with Ebola if they come into contact with an infected person’s blood or other body fluids; travelers should seek medical care immediately if they develop fever, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising during or after travel" + "text": "note - on 18 October 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Travel Health Notice for an Ebola outbreak in the South Kivu (Kivu Sud), North Kivu (Kivu Nord), and Ituri provinces in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; travelers to this area could be infected with Ebola if they come into contact with an infected person's blood or other body fluids; travelers should seek medical care immediately if they develop fever, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising during or after travel" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -403,7 +397,7 @@ "text": "UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "note: the DRC has two time zonesetymology: founded as a trading post in 1881 and named Leopoldville in honor of King Leopold II of the Belgians, who controlled the Congo Free State, the vast central African territory that became the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1960; in 1966, Leopoldville was renamed Kinshasa, after a village of that name that once stood near the site" + "text": "note: the DRC has two time zones ++ etymology: founded as a trading post in 1881 and named Leopoldville in honor of King Leopold II of the Belgians, who controlled the Congo Free State, the vast central African territory that became the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1960; in 1966, Leopoldville was renamed Kinshasa, after a village of that name that once stood near the site ++ ++" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -465,13 +459,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:Senate (108 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly (500 seats; 439 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 61 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of: Senate (108 seats; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) ++ National Assembly (500 seats; 439 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 61 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 19 January 2007 (follow-on election has been delayed) National Assembly - last held on 30 December 2018" + "text": "Senate - last held on 19 January 2007 (follow-on election has been delayed) ++ National Assembly - last held on 30 December 2018" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2, other 18, independent 26; composition - men 103, women 5, percent of women 4.6% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 62, UDPS 41, PPPD 29, MSR 27, MLC 22, PALU 19, UNC 17, ARC 16, AFDC 15, ECT 11, RRC 11, other 214 (includes numerous political parties that won 10 or fewer seats and 2 constituencies where voting was halted), independent 16; composition - men 456, women 44, percent of women  8.8%; total Parliament percent of women 8.1%;note - the November 2011 election was marred by violence including the destruction of ballots in 2 constituencies resulting in the closure of polling sites; election results were delayed 3 months, strongly contested, and continue to be unresolved" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2, other 18, independent 26; composition - men 103, women 5, percent of women 4.6% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 62, UDPS 41, PPPD 29, MSR 27, MLC 22, PALU 19, UNC 17, ARC 16, AFDC 15, ECT 11, RRC 11, other 214 (includes numerous political parties that won 10 or fewer seats and 2 constituencies where voting was halted), independent 16; composition - men 456, women 44, percent of women  8.8%; total Parliament percent of women 8.1%;note - the November 2011 election was marred by violence including the destruction of ballots in 2 constituencies resulting in the closure of polling sites; election results were delayed 3 months, strongly contested, and continue to be unresolved" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -486,7 +480,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Christian Democrat Party or PDC [Jose ENDUNDO]Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD [Azarias RUBERWA]Convention of Christian Democrats or CDCEngagement for Citizenship and Development or ECiDe [Martin FAYULU]Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI]Lamuka coalition [Martin FAYULU] (includes ECiDe, MLC, Together for Change, CNB, and, Nouvel Elan)Movement for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA]Nouvel Elan [Adolphe MUZITO]Our Congo or CNB (\"Congo Na Biso\") [Freddy MATUNGULU]People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Henri MOVA Sakanyi]Social Movement for Renewal or MSR [Pierre LUMBI]Together for Change (Ensemble\") [Moise KATUMBI]Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]Union for the Congolese Nation or UNC [Vital KAMERHE]Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Felix TSHISEKEDI]" + "text": "Christian Democrat Party or PDC [Jose ENDUNDO] ++ Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD [Azarias RUBERWA] ++ Convention of Christian Democrats or CDC ++ Engagement for Citizenship and Development or ECiDe [Martin FAYULU] ++ Forces of Renewal or FR [Mbusa NYAMWISI] ++ Lamuka coalition [Martin FAYULU] (includes ECiDe, MLC, Together for Change, CNB, and, Nouvel Elan) ++ Movement for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC [Jean-Pierre BEMBA] ++ Nouvel Elan [Adolphe MUZITO] ++ Our Congo or CNB (\"Congo Na Biso\") [Freddy MATUNGULU] ++ People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD [Henri MOVA Sakanyi] ++ Social Movement for Renewal or MSR [Pierre LUMBI] ++ Together for Change (Ensemble\") [Moise KATUMBI] ++ Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA] ++ Union for the Congolese Nation or UNC [Vital KAMERHE] ++ Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Felix TSHISEKEDI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CEPGL, COMESA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -545,7 +539,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast natural resource wealth - continues to perform poorly. Systemic corruption since independence in 1960, combined with countrywide instability and intermittent conflict that began in the early-90s, has reduced national output and government revenue, and increased external debt. With the installation of a transitional government in 2003 after peace accords, economic conditions slowly began to improve as the government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA began implementing reforms. Progress on implementing substantive economic reforms remains slow because of political instability, bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption, and patronage, which also dampen international investment prospects. Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth until 2015, but low commodity prices have led to slower growth, volatile inflation, currency depreciation, and a growing fiscal deficit. An uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems for the large mining sector and for the economy as a whole. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector and is not reflected in GDP data. Poverty remains widespread in DRC, and the country failed to meet any Millennium Development Goals by 2015. DRC also concluded its program with the IMF in 2015. The price of copper – the DRC’s primary export - plummeted in 2015 and remained at record lows during 2016-17, reducing government revenues, expenditures, and foreign exchange reserves, while inflation reached nearly 50% in mid-2017 – its highest level since the early 2000s." + "text": "The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast natural resource wealth - continues to perform poorly. Systemic corruption since independence in 1960, combined with countrywide instability and intermittent conflict that began in the early-90s, has reduced national output and government revenue, and increased external debt. With the installation of a transitional government in 2003 after peace accords, economic conditions slowly began to improve as the government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, and President KABILA began implementing reforms. Progress on implementing substantive economic reforms remains slow because of political instability, bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption, and patronage, which also dampen international investment prospects. ++ Renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most export income, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth until 2015, but low commodity prices have led to slower growth, volatile inflation, currency depreciation, and a growing fiscal deficit. An uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems for the large mining sector and for the economy as a whole. Much economic activity still occurs in the informal sector and is not reflected in GDP data. ++ Poverty remains widespread in DRC, and the country failed to meet any Millennium Development Goals by 2015. DRC also concluded its program with the IMF in 2015. The price of copper – the DRC's primary export - plummeted in 2015 and remained at record lows during 2016-17, reducing government revenues, expenditures, and foreign exchange reserves, while inflation reached nearly 50% in mid-2017 – its highest level since the early 2000s." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$68.6 billion (2017 est.) / $66.33 billion (2016 est.) / $64.78 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -985,7 +979,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a source, destination, and possibly a transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the majority of this trafficking is internal, and much of it is perpetrated by armed groups and rogue government forces outside official control in the country's unstable eastern provinces; Congolese adults are subjected to forced labor, including debt bondage, in unlicensed mines, and women may be forced into prostitution; Congolese women and girls are subjected to forced marriages where they are vulnerable to domestic servitude or sex trafficking, while children are forced to work in agriculture, mining, mineral smuggling, vending, portering, and begging; Congolese women and children migrate to countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe where some are subjected to forced prostitution, domestic servitude, and forced labor in agriculture and diamond mining; indigenous and foreign armed groups, including the Lord’s Resistance Army, abduct and forcibly recruit Congolese adults and children to serve as laborers, porters, domestics, combatants, and sex slaves; some elements of the Congolese national army (FARDC) also forced adults to carry supplies, equipment, and looted goods, but no cases of the FARDC recruiting child soldiers were reported in 2014 – a significant change" + "text": "The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a source, destination, and possibly a transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the majority of this trafficking is internal, and much of it is perpetrated by armed groups and rogue government forces outside official control in the country's unstable eastern provinces; Congolese adults are subjected to forced labor, including debt bondage, in unlicensed mines, and women may be forced into prostitution; Congolese women and girls are subjected to forced marriages where they are vulnerable to domestic servitude or sex trafficking, while children are forced to work in agriculture, mining, mineral smuggling, vending, portering, and begging; Congolese women and children migrate to countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe where some are subjected to forced prostitution, domestic servitude, and forced labor in agriculture and diamond mining; indigenous and foreign armed groups, including the Lord's Resistance Army, abduct and forcibly recruit Congolese adults and children to serve as laborers, porters, domestics, combatants, and sex slaves; some elements of the Congolese national army (FARDC) also forced adults to carry supplies, equipment, and looted goods, but no cases of the FARDC recruiting child soldiers were reported in 2014 – a significant change" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch List - The Democratic Republic of the Congo does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government took significant steps to hold military and police officials complicit in human trafficking accountable with convictions for sex slavery and arrests of armed group commanders for the recruitment and use of child soldiers; the government appears to have ceased the recruitment of child soldiers through the implementation of a UN-backed action plan; little effort was made to address labor and sex trafficking crimes committed by persons other than officials, or to identify the victims, or to provide or refer the victims to care services; awareness of various forms of trafficking is limited among law enforcement personnel and training and resources are inadequate to conduct investigations (2015)" diff --git a/africa/cm.json b/africa/cm.json index f4c4e906..6325d359 100644 --- a/africa/cm.json +++ b/africa/cm.json @@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ "text": "population concentrated in the west and north, with the interior of the country sparsely populated as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes\nvolcanism: Mt. Cameroon (4,095 m), which last erupted in 2000, is the most frequently active volcano in West Africa; lakes in Oku volcanic field have released fatal levels of gas on occasion, killing some 1,700 people in 1986" + "text": "volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes ++ volcanism: Mt. Cameroon (4,095 m), which last erupted in 2000, is the most frequently active volcano in West Africa; lakes in Oku volcanic field have released fatal levels of gas on occasion, killing some 1,700 people in 1986" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation and overgrazing result in erosion, desertification, and reduced quality of pastureland; poaching; overfishing; overhunting" @@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 38.3%, Protestant 25.5%, other Christian 6.9%, Muslim 24.4%, animist 2.2%, other 0.5%, none 2.2% (2018 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Cameroon has a large youth population, with more than 60% of the populace under the age of 25. Fertility is falling but remains at a high level, especially among poor, rural, and uneducated women, in part because of inadequate access to contraception. Life expectancy remains low at about 55 years due to the prevalence of HIV and AIDs and an elevated maternal mortality rate, which has remained high since 1990. Cameroon, particularly the northern region, is vulnerable to food insecurity largely because of government mismanagement, corruption, high production costs, inadequate infrastructure, and natural disasters. Despite economic growth in some regions, poverty is on the rise, and is most prevalent in rural areas, which are especially affected by a shortage of jobs, declining incomes, poor school and health care infrastructure, and a lack of clean water and sanitation. Underinvestment in social safety nets and ineffective public financial management also contribute to Cameroon’s high rate of poverty. International migration has been driven by unemployment (including fewer government jobs), poverty, the search for educational opportunities, and corruption. The US and Europe are preferred destinations, but, with tighter immigration restrictions in these countries, young Cameroonians are increasingly turning to neighboring states, such as Gabon and Nigeria, South Africa, other parts of Africa, and the Near and Far East. Cameroon’s limited resources make it dependent on UN support to host more than 420,000 refugees and asylum seekers as of September 2020. These refugees and asylum seekers are primarily from the Central African Republic and Nigeria." + "text": "Cameroon has a large youth population, with more than 60% of the populace under the age of 25. Fertility is falling but remains at a high level, especially among poor, rural, and uneducated women, in part because of inadequate access to contraception. Life expectancy remains low at about 55 years due to the prevalence of HIV and AIDs and an elevated maternal mortality rate, which has remained high since 1990. Cameroon, particularly the northern region, is vulnerable to food insecurity largely because of government mismanagement, corruption, high production costs, inadequate infrastructure, and natural disasters. Despite economic growth in some regions, poverty is on the rise, and is most prevalent in rural areas, which are especially affected by a shortage of jobs, declining incomes, poor school and health care infrastructure, and a lack of clean water and sanitation. Underinvestment in social safety nets and ineffective public financial management also contribute to Cameroon's high rate of poverty. ++ International migration has been driven by unemployment (including fewer government jobs), poverty, the search for educational opportunities, and corruption. The US and Europe are preferred destinations, but, with tighter immigration restrictions in these countries, young Cameroonians are increasingly turning to neighboring states, such as Gabon and Nigeria, South Africa, other parts of Africa, and the Near and Far East. Cameroon's limited resources make it dependent on UN support to host more than 420,000 refugees and asylum seekers as of September 2020. These refugees and asylum seekers are primarily from the Central African Republic and Nigeria." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "19.3% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 94% of population / rural: 54.6% of population / total: 76.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "45.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "23.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 6% of population / rural: 45.3% of population / total: 23.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "1.3 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 16.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 83.3% of population / rural: 25.6% of population / total: 57.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "74.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "42.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 16.7% of population / rural: 74.4% of population / total: 42.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -418,7 +412,7 @@ "text": "several previous; latest effective 18 January 1996" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; amendment drafts require approval of at least one third of the membership in either house of Parliament; passage requires absolute majority vote of the Parliament membership; passage of drafts requested by the president for a second reading in Parliament requires two-thirds majority vote of its membership; the president can opt to submit drafts to a referendum, in which case passage requires a simple majority; constitutional articles on Cameroon’s unity and territorial integrity and its democratic principles cannot be amended; amended 2008" + "text": "proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; amendment drafts require approval of at least one third of the membership in either house of Parliament; passage requires absolute majority vote of the Parliament membership; passage of drafts requested by the president for a second reading in Parliament requires two-thirds majority vote of its membership; the president can opt to submit drafts to a referendum, in which case passage requires a simple majority; constitutional articles on Cameroon's unity and territorial integrity and its democratic principles cannot be amended; amended 2008" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -463,13 +457,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:Senate or Senat (100 seats; 70 members indirectly elected by regional councils and 30 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of: Senate or Senat (100 seats; 70 members indirectly elected by regional councils and 30 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) ++ National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023) National Assembly - last held on 9 February 2020 (current term extended by President); note - the constitutional court has ordered a partial rerun of elections in the English speaking areas; date to be determined" + "text": "Senate - last held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023) ++ National Assembly - last held on 9 February 2020 (current term extended by President); note - the constitutional court has ordered a partial rerun of elections in the English speaking areas; date to be determined" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - CDPM 81.1%, SDF 8.6%, UNDP 5.8%, UDC 1.16%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CPDM 63, SDF 7 National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 139, UNDP 7, SDF 5, PCRN 5, UDC 4, FSNC 3, MDR 2, Union of Socialist Movements 2; 13 vacant; composition - NA" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - CDPM 81.1%, SDF 8.6%, UNDP 5.8%, UDC 1.16%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CPDM 63, SDF 7 ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPDM 139, UNDP 7, SDF 5, PCRN 5, UDC 4, FSNC 3, MDR 2, Union of Socialist Movements 2; 13 vacant; composition - NA" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -484,7 +478,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for Democracy and DevelopmentCameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA]Cameroon People's Party or CPP [Edith Kah WALLA]Cameroon Renaissance Movement or MRC [Maurice KAMTO]Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA]Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation or PCRN [Cabral LIBII]Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon or FSNC [Issa Tchiroma BAKARY]Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO]National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA]Progressive Movement or MP [Jean-Jacques EKINDI]Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Provisionary Management Bureau]Union of Socialist Movements" + "text": "Alliance for Democracy and Development ++ Cameroon People's Democratic Movement or CPDM [Paul BIYA] ++ Cameroon People's Party or CPP [Edith Kah WALLA] ++ Cameroon Renaissance Movement or MRC [Maurice KAMTO] ++ Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou Ndam NJOYA] ++ Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation or PCRN [Cabral LIBII] ++ Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon or FSNC [Issa Tchiroma BAKARY] ++ Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA] ++ Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [Marcel YONDO] ++ National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO BOUBA] ++ Progressive Movement or MP [Jean-Jacques EKINDI] ++ Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI] ++ Union of Peoples of Cameroon or UPC [Provisionary Management Bureau] ++ Union of Socialist Movements" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -546,7 +540,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Cameroon’s market-based, diversified economy features oil and gas, timber, aluminum, agriculture, mining and the service sector. Oil remains Cameroon’s main export commodity, and despite falling global oil prices, still accounts for nearly 40% of exports. Cameroon’s economy suffers from factors that often impact underdeveloped countries, such as stagnant per capita income, a relatively inequitable distribution of income, a top-heavy civil service, endemic corruption, continuing inefficiencies of a large parastatal system in key sectors, and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the nation's banks. The IMF continues to press for economic reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs. The Government of Cameroon provides subsidies for electricity, food, and fuel that have strained the federal budget and diverted funds from education, healthcare, and infrastructure projects, as low oil prices have led to lower revenues. Cameroon devotes significant resources to several large infrastructure projects currently under construction, including a deep seaport in Kribi and the Lom Pangar Hydropower Project. Cameroon’s energy sector continues to diversify, recently opening a natural gas-powered electricity generating plant. Cameroon continues to seek foreign investment to improve its inadequate infrastructure, create jobs, and improve its economic footprint, but its unfavorable business environment remains a significant deterrent to foreign investment." + "text": "Cameroon's market-based, diversified economy features oil and gas, timber, aluminum, agriculture, mining and the service sector. Oil remains Cameroon's main export commodity, and despite falling global oil prices, still accounts for nearly 40% of exports. Cameroon's economy suffers from factors that often impact underdeveloped countries, such as stagnant per capita income, a relatively inequitable distribution of income, a top-heavy civil service, endemic corruption, continuing inefficiencies of a large parastatal system in key sectors, and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise. ++ Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the nation's banks. The IMF continues to press for economic reforms, including increased budget transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs. The Government of Cameroon provides subsidies for electricity, food, and fuel that have strained the federal budget and diverted funds from education, healthcare, and infrastructure projects, as low oil prices have led to lower revenues. ++ Cameroon devotes significant resources to several large infrastructure projects currently under construction, including a deep seaport in Kribi and the Lom Pangar Hydropower Project. Cameroon's energy sector continues to diversify, recently opening a natural gas-powered electricity generating plant. Cameroon continues to seek foreign investment to improve its inadequate infrastructure, create jobs, and improve its economic footprint, but its unfavorable business environment remains a significant deterrent to foreign investment." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$89.54 billion (2017 est.) / $86.47 billion (2016 est.) / $82.63 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/cn.json b/africa/cn.json index 18619002..cc1762a1 100644 --- a/africa/cn.json +++ b/africa/cn.json @@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ "text": "the capital city of Maroni, located on the western side of the island of Grande Comore, is the country's largest city; however, of the three islands that comprise Comoros, it is Anjouan that is the most densely populated as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); volcanic activity on Grand Comore\nvolcanism: Karthala (2,361 m) on Grand Comore Island last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud" + "text": "cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); volcanic activity on Grand Comore ++ volcanism: Karthala (2,361 m) on Grand Comore Island last erupted in 2007; a 2005 eruption forced thousands of people to be evacuated and produced a large ash cloud" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation; soil degradation and erosion results from forest loss and from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; marine biodiversity affected as soil erosion leads to the silting of coral reefs" @@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ } }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Comoros’ population is a melange of Arabs, Persians, Indonesians, Africans, and Indians, and the much smaller number of Europeans that settled on the islands between the 8th and 19th centuries, when they served as a regional trade hub. The Arab and Persian influence is most evident in the islands’ overwhelmingly Muslim majority – about 98% of Comorans are Sunni Muslims. The country is densely populated, averaging nearly 350 people per square mile, although this varies widely among the islands, with Anjouan being the most densely populated.\nGiven the large share of land dedicated to agriculture and Comoros’ growing population, habitable land is becoming increasingly crowded. The combination of increasing population pressure on limited land and resources, widespread poverty, and poor job prospects motivates thousands of Comorans each year to attempt to illegally migrate using small fishing boats to the neighboring island of Mayotte, which is a French territory. The majority of legal Comoran migration to France came after Comoros’ independence from France in 1975, with the flow peaking in the mid-1980s.\nAt least 150,000 to 200,000 people of Comoran citizenship or descent live abroad, mainly in France, where they have gone seeking a better quality of life, job opportunities, higher education (Comoros has no universities), advanced health care, and to finance elaborate traditional wedding ceremonies (aada). Remittances from the diaspora are an economic mainstay, in 2013 representing approximately 25% of Comoros’ GDP and significantly more than the value of its exports of goods and services (only 15% of GDP). Grand Comore, Comoros’ most populous island, is both the primary source of emigrants and the main recipient of remittances. Most remittances are spent on private consumption, but this often goes toward luxury goods and the aada and does not contribute to economic development or poverty reduction. Although the majority of the diaspora is now French-born with more distant ties to Comoros, it is unclear whether they will sustain the current level of remittances." + "text": "Comoros' population is a melange of Arabs, Persians, Indonesians, Africans, and Indians, and the much smaller number of Europeans that settled on the islands between the 8th and 19th centuries, when they served as a regional trade hub. The Arab and Persian influence is most evident in the islands' overwhelmingly Muslim majority – about 98% of Comorans are Sunni Muslims. The country is densely populated, averaging nearly 350 people per square mile, although this varies widely among the islands, with Anjouan being the most densely populated. ++ Given the large share of land dedicated to agriculture and Comoros' growing population, habitable land is becoming increasingly crowded. The combination of increasing population pressure on limited land and resources, widespread poverty, and poor job prospects motivates thousands of Comorans each year to attempt to illegally migrate using small fishing boats to the neighboring island of Mayotte, which is a French territory. The majority of legal Comoran migration to France came after Comoros' independence from France in 1975, with the flow peaking in the mid-1980s. ++ At least 150,000 to 200,000 people of Comoran citizenship or descent live abroad, mainly in France, where they have gone seeking a better quality of life, job opportunities, higher education (Comoros has no universities), advanced health care, and to finance elaborate traditional wedding ceremonies (aada). Remittances from the diaspora are an economic mainstay, in 2013 representing approximately 25% of Comoros' GDP and significantly more than the value of its exports of goods and services (only 15% of GDP). Grand Comore, Comoros' most populous island, is both the primary source of emigrants and the main recipient of remittances. Most remittances are spent on private consumption, but this often goes toward luxury goods and the aada and does not contribute to economic development or poverty reduction. Although the majority of the diaspora is now French-born with more distant ties to Comoros, it is unclear whether they will sustain the current level of remittances." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -253,14 +253,11 @@ "text": "19.4% (2012)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.4% of population / rural: 88.5% of population / total: 91% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "11.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "8.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.6% of population / rural: 11.5% of population / total: 8.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -273,14 +270,11 @@ "text": "2.2 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 37.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 62.4% of population / rural: 43.6% of population / total: 49% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "56.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "51% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 37.6% of population / rural: 56.4% of population / total: 51% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -441,7 +435,7 @@ "text": "last held on 19 January 2020 with a runoff on 23 February 2020 (next to be held in 2025) (2020)" }, "election results": { - "text": "seats by party -1st round - Boycotting parties 16, Independent 3, CRC 2, RDC 2, RADHI 1, Orange party 0; note -  9 additional seats filled by the 3 island assemblies; 2nd round - CRC 20, Orange Party 2, Independents 2; composition as of 23 January 2020 men 20, women 4, percent of women 16.7%   (2019)" + "text": "seats by party -1st round - Boycotting parties 16, Independent 3, CRC 2, RDC 2, RADHI 1, Orange party 0; note -  9 additional seats filled by the 3 island assemblies; 2nd round - CRC 20, Orange Party 2, Independents 2; composition as of 23 January 2020 men 20, women 4, percent of women 16.7% ++   (2019)" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -455,11 +449,11 @@ "text": "Court of Appeals (in Moroni); Tribunal de premiere instance; island village (community) courts; religious courts" }, "note": { - "text": "   " + "text": "++   ++  " } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assoumani]Democratic Rally of the Comoros or RDC [Mouigni BARAKA]Independent Party [N/A]Juwa Party or PJ [[Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI, Mahamoudou AHAMADA]Orange Party [Mohamed DAOUDOU]Party for the Comorian Agreement (Partie Pour l'Entente Commorienne) or PEC [Fahmi Said IBRAHIM]Rally for an Alternative of Harmonious and Integrated Development or RADHI [Houmed MSAIDIE, Abdou SOEFO]Rally with a Development Initiative for Enlightened Youth or RIDJA [Said LARIFOU]Union for the Development of the Comoros or UPDC [Mohamed HALIFA] (2018)" + "text": "Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assoumani] ++ Democratic Rally of the Comoros or RDC [Mouigni BARAKA] ++ Independent Party [N/A] ++ Juwa Party or PJ [[Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI, Mahamoudou AHAMADA] ++ Orange Party [Mohamed DAOUDOU] ++ Party for the Comorian Agreement (Partie Pour l'Entente Commorienne) or PEC [Fahmi Said IBRAHIM] ++ Rally for an Alternative of Harmonious and Integrated Development or RADHI [Houmed MSAIDIE, Abdou SOEFO] ++ Rally with a Development Initiative for Enlightened Youth or RIDJA [Said LARIFOU] ++ Union for the Development of the Comoros or UPDC [Mohamed HALIFA] (2018)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AMF, AOSIS, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -504,7 +498,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "One of the world's poorest and smallest economies, the Comoros is made up of three islands that are hampered by inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, accounts for about 50% of GDP, employs a majority of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. Export income is heavily reliant on the three main crops of vanilla, cloves, and ylang ylang (perfume essence); and the Comoros' export earnings are easily disrupted by disasters such as fires and extreme weather. Despite agriculture’s importance to the economy, the country imports roughly 70% of its food; rice, the main staple, and other dried vegetables account for more than 25% of imports. Remittances from about 300,000 Comorans contribute about 25% of the country’s GDP. France, Comoros’s colonial power, remains a key trading partner and bilateral donor. Comoros faces an education system in need of upgrades, limited opportunities for private commercial and industrial enterprises, poor health services, limited exports, and a high population growth rate. Recurring political instability, sometimes initiated from outside the country, and an ongoing electricity crisis have inhibited growth. The government, elected in mid-2016, has moved to improve revenue mobilization, reduce expenditures, and improve electricity access, although the public sector wage bill remains one of the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. In mid-2017, Comoros joined the Southern African Development Community with 15 other regional member states." + "text": "One of the world's poorest and smallest economies, the Comoros is made up of three islands that are hampered by inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, accounts for about 50% of GDP, employs a majority of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. Export income is heavily reliant on the three main crops of vanilla, cloves, and ylang ylang (perfume essence); and the Comoros' export earnings are easily disrupted by disasters such as fires and extreme weather. Despite agriculture's importance to the economy, the country imports roughly 70% of its food; rice, the main staple, and other dried vegetables account for more than 25% of imports. Remittances from about 300,000 Comorans contribute about 25% of the country's GDP. France, Comoros's colonial power, remains a key trading partner and bilateral donor. ++ Comoros faces an education system in need of upgrades, limited opportunities for private commercial and industrial enterprises, poor health services, limited exports, and a high population growth rate. Recurring political instability, sometimes initiated from outside the country, and an ongoing electricity crisis have inhibited growth. The government, elected in mid-2016, has moved to improve revenue mobilization, reduce expenditures, and improve electricity access, although the public sector wage bill remains one of the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. In mid-2017, Comoros joined the Southern African Development Community with 15 other regional member states." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.319 billion (2017 est.) / $1.284 billion (2016 est.) / $1.257 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/ct.json b/africa/ct.json index 790665b5..26fbb9ab 100644 --- a/africa/ct.json +++ b/africa/ct.json @@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ } }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "The Central African Republic’s (CAR) humanitarian crisis has worsened since a coup in March 2013. CAR’s high mortality rate and low life expectancy are attributed to elevated rates of preventable and treatable diseases (including malaria and malnutrition), an inadequate health care system, precarious food security, and armed conflict. Some of the worst mortality rates are in western CAR’s diamond mining region, which is impoverished because of government attempts to control the diamond trade and the fall in industrial diamond prices. To make matters worse, the government and international donors have reduced health funding in recent years. The CAR’s weak educational system and low literacy rate have also suffered as a result of the country’s ongoing conflict. Schools are closed, qualified teachers are scarce, infrastructure, funding, and supplies are lacking and subject to looting, and many students and teachers are displaced by violence. Rampant poverty, human rights violations, unemployment, poor infrastructure, and a lack of security and stability have led to forced displacement internally and externally. Since the political crisis that resulted in CAR’s March 2013 coup began in December 2012, approximately 600,000 people have fled to Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and other neighboring countries, while another estimated 600,000 are displaced internally as of October 2019. The UN has urged countries to refrain from repatriating CAR refugees amid the heightened lawlessness. (2019)" + "text": "The Central African Republic's (CAR) humanitarian crisis has worsened since a coup in March 2013. CAR's high mortality rate and low life expectancy are attributed to elevated rates of preventable and treatable diseases (including malaria and malnutrition), an inadequate health care system, precarious food security, and armed conflict. Some of the worst mortality rates are in western CAR's diamond mining region, which is impoverished because of government attempts to control the diamond trade and the fall in industrial diamond prices. To make matters worse, the government and international donors have reduced health funding in recent years. The CAR's weak educational system and low literacy rate have also suffered as a result of the country's ongoing conflict. Schools are closed, qualified teachers are scarce, infrastructure, funding, and supplies are lacking and subject to looting, and many students and teachers are displaced by violence. ++ Rampant poverty, human rights violations, unemployment, poor infrastructure, and a lack of security and stability have led to forced displacement internally and externally. Since the political crisis that resulted in CAR's March 2013 coup began in December 2012, approximately 600,000 people have fled to Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and other neighboring countries, while another estimated 600,000 are displaced internally as of October 2019. The UN has urged countries to refrain from repatriating CAR refugees amid the heightened lawlessness. (2019)" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "15.2% (2010/11)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 10.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 89.6% of population / rural: 54.4% of population / total: 68.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "45.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "31.5% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 10.4% of population / rural: 45.6% of population / total: 31.5% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "1 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 56.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 43.6% of population / rural: 7.2% of population / total: 21.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "92.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "78.2% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 56.4% of population / rural: 92.8% of population / total: 78.2% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -473,7 +467,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Action Party for Development or PAD [El Hadj Laurent NGON-BABA]Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Clement BELIBANGA]Central African Democratic Rally or RDC [Desire Nzanga KOLINGBA]Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [Louis PAPENIAH]Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [Martin ZIGUELE]National Convergence (also known as Kwa Na Kwa) or KNK [Francois BOZIZE]National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Amine MICHEL]New Alliance for Progress or NAP [Jean-Jacques DEMAFOUTH]Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]Union for Central African Renewal or URCA [Anicet-Georges DOLOGUELE]" + "text": "Action Party for Development or PAD [El Hadj Laurent NGON-BABA] ++ Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Clement BELIBANGA] ++ Central African Democratic Rally or RDC [Desire Nzanga KOLINGBA] ++ Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [Louis PAPENIAH] ++ Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [Martin ZIGUELE] ++ National Convergence (also known as Kwa Na Kwa) or KNK [Francois BOZIZE] ++ National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Amine MICHEL] ++ New Alliance for Progress or NAP [Jean-Jacques DEMAFOUTH] ++ Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE] ++ Union for Central African Renewal or URCA [Anicet-Georges DOLOGUELE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, EITI (compliant country) (suspended), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -529,7 +523,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry and mining, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with about 60% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates more than half of estimated GDP, although statistics are unreliable in the conflict-prone country. Timber and diamonds account for most export earnings, followed by cotton. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's landlocked geography, poor transportation system, largely unskilled work force, and legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization. Distribution of income is highly unequal and grants from the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs. CAR shares a common currency with the Central African Monetary Union. The currency is pegged to the Euro. Since 2009, the IMF has worked closely with the government to institute reforms that have resulted in some improvement in budget transparency, but other problems remain. The government's additional spending in the run-up to the 2011 election worsened CAR's fiscal situation. In 2012, the World Bank approved $125 million in funding for transport infrastructure and regional trade, focused on the route between CAR's capital and the port of Douala in Cameroon. In July 2016, the IMF approved a three-year extended credit facility valued at $116 million; in mid-2017, the IMF completed a review of CAR’s fiscal performance and broadly approved of the government’s management, although issues with revenue collection, weak government capacity, and transparency remain. The World Bank in late 2016 approved a $20 million grant to restore basic fiscal management, improve transparency, and assist with economic recovery. Participation in the Kimberley Process, a commitment to remove conflict diamonds from the global supply chain, led to a partially lifted the ban on diamond exports from CAR in 2015, but persistent insecurity is likely to constrain real GDP growth." + "text": "Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry and mining, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with about 60% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates more than half of estimated GDP, although statistics are unreliable in the conflict-prone country. Timber and diamonds account for most export earnings, followed by cotton. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's landlocked geography, poor transportation system, largely unskilled work force, and legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization. Distribution of income is highly unequal and grants from the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs. CAR shares a common currency with the Central African Monetary Union. The currency is pegged to the Euro. ++ Since 2009, the IMF has worked closely with the government to institute reforms that have resulted in some improvement in budget transparency, but other problems remain. The government's additional spending in the run-up to the 2011 election worsened CAR's fiscal situation. In 2012, the World Bank approved $125 million in funding for transport infrastructure and regional trade, focused on the route between CAR's capital and the port of Douala in Cameroon. In July 2016, the IMF approved a three-year extended credit facility valued at $116 million; in mid-2017, the IMF completed a review of CAR's fiscal performance and broadly approved of the government's management, although issues with revenue collection, weak government capacity, and transparency remain. The World Bank in late 2016 approved a $20 million grant to restore basic fiscal management, improve transparency, and assist with economic recovery. ++ Participation in the Kimberley Process, a commitment to remove conflict diamonds from the global supply chain, led to a partially lifted the ban on diamond exports from CAR in 2015, but persistent insecurity is likely to constrain real GDP growth." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$3.39 billion (2017 est.) / $3.249 billion (2016 est.) / $3.108 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -888,7 +882,7 @@ "text": "18 years of age for military service; no conscription (2019)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "the FACA is currently assessed as unable to provide adequate internal security for the country; the military was dissolved following the 2013 rebel seizure of the government and has struggled to rebuild in the years of instability since; France, Russia, the UN, and the European Union are providing various levels of security assistance the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has operated in the country since 2014; its peacekeeping mission includes providing security, protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance, disarming and demobilizing armed groups, and supporting the country’s fragile transitional government; in November 2019, the UN Security Council extended the mandate of the MINUSCA peacekeeping mission another year; as of March 2020, MINUSCA had approximately 13,200 total personnel, including about 10,700 troops and 2,000 policethe European Union Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM-RCA) has operated in the country since 2016; the EUTM-RCA contributes to the restructuring of the country's military and defense sector through advice, training, and educational programs (2020)" + "text": "the FACA is currently assessed as unable to provide adequate internal security for the country; the military was dissolved following the 2013 rebel seizure of the government and has struggled to rebuild in the years of instability since; France, Russia, the UN, and the European Union are providing various levels of security assistance ++ the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has operated in the country since 2014; its peacekeeping mission includes providing security, protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance, disarming and demobilizing armed groups, and supporting the country's fragile transitional government; in November 2019, the UN Security Council extended the mandate of the MINUSCA peacekeeping mission another year; as of March 2020, MINUSCA had approximately 13,200 total personnel, including about 10,700 troops and 2,000 police ++ the European Union Training Mission in the Central African Republic (EUTM-RCA) has operated in the country since 2016; the EUTM-RCA contributes to the restructuring of the country's military and defense sector through advice, training, and educational programs (2020)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { @@ -905,7 +899,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Central African Republic (CAR) is a source, transit, and destination country for children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking, women subjected to forced prostitution, and adults subjected to forced labor; most victims appear to be CAR citizens exploited within the country, with a smaller number transported back and forth between the CAR and nearby countries; armed groups operating in the CAR, including those aligned with the former SELEKA Government and the Lord’s Resistance Army, continue to recruit and re-recruit children for military activities and labor; children are also subject to domestic servitude, commercial sexual exploitation, and forced labor in agriculture, mines, shops, and street vending; women and girls are subject to domestic servitude, sexual slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, and forced marriage" + "text": "Central African Republic (CAR) is a source, transit, and destination country for children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking, women subjected to forced prostitution, and adults subjected to forced labor; most victims appear to be CAR citizens exploited within the country, with a smaller number transported back and forth between the CAR and nearby countries; armed groups operating in the CAR, including those aligned with the former SELEKA Government and the Lord's Resistance Army, continue to recruit and re-recruit children for military activities and labor; children are also subject to domestic servitude, commercial sexual exploitation, and forced labor in agriculture, mines, shops, and street vending; women and girls are subject to domestic servitude, sexual slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, and forced marriage" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 3 – the Central African Republic does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government conducted a limited number of investigations and prosecutions of cases of suspected human trafficking in 2014 but did not identify, provide protection to, or refer to care providers any trafficking victims; the government did not directly provide reintegration programs for demobilized child soldiers, leaving victims vulnerable to further exploitation or retrafficking by armed groups, including those affiliated with the government; in 2014, an NGO and the government began drafting a national action plan against trafficking but no efforts were reported to establish a policy against child soldiering or to raise awareness about existing laws prohibiting the use of children in the armed forces (2015)" diff --git a/africa/cv.json b/africa/cv.json index b1e7cbe4..d1251751 100644 --- a/africa/cv.json +++ b/africa/cv.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cabo Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. The fusing of European and various African cultural traditions is reflected in Cabo Verde’s Krioulo language, music, and pano textiles. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cabo Verde continues to sustain one of Africa's most stable democratic governments and one of its most stable economies, maintaining a currency formerly pegged to the Portuguese escudo and then the euro since 1998. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cabo Verde's expatriate population - concentrated in Boston and Western Europe - is greater than its domestic one. Most Cabo Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. Cabo Verde’s population descends from its first permanent inhabitants in the late 15th-century – a preponderance of West African slaves, a small share of Portuguese colonists, and even fewer Italians, Spaniards, and Portuguese Jews. Among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is variable. Islands in the east are very dry and are home to the country's growing tourism industry. The more western islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations, but agriculture and livestock grazing have damaged their soil fertility and vegetation. For centuries, the country’s overall population size has fluctuated significantly, as recurring periods of famine and epidemics have caused high death tolls and emigration." + "text": "The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cabo Verde subsequently became a trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. The fusing of European and various African cultural traditions is reflected in Cabo Verde's Krioulo language, music, and pano textiles. Following independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cabo Verde continues to sustain one of Africa's most stable democratic governments and one of its most stable economies, maintaining a currency formerly pegged to the Portuguese escudo and then the euro since 1998. Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result, Cabo Verde's expatriate population - concentrated in Boston and Western Europe - is greater than its domestic one. Most Cabo Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents. Cabo Verde's population descends from its first permanent inhabitants in the late 15th-century – a preponderance of West African slaves, a small share of Portuguese colonists, and even fewer Italians, Spaniards, and Portuguese Jews. Among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is variable. Islands in the east are very dry and are home to the country's growing tourism industry. The more western islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations, but agriculture and livestock grazing have damaged their soil fertility and vegetation. For centuries, the country's overall population size has fluctuated significantly, as recurring periods of famine and epidemics have caused high death tolls and emigration." } }, "Geography": { @@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ "text": "among the nine inhabited islands, population distribution is variable; islands in the east are very dry and are only sparsely settled to exploit their extensive salt deposits; the more southerly islands receive more precipitation and support larger populations, but agriculture and livestock grazing have damaged the soil fertility and vegetation; approximately half of the population lives on Sao Tiago Island, which is the location of the capital of Praia; Mindelo, on the northern island of Sao Vicente, also has a large urban population as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active\nvolcanism: Fogo (2,829 m), which last erupted in 1995, is Cabo Verde's only active volcano" + "text": "prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active ++ volcanism: Fogo (2,829 m), which last erupted in 1995, is Cabo Verde's only active volcano" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation due to demand for firewood; water shortages; prolonged droughts and improper use of land (overgrazing, crop cultivation on hillsides lead to desertification and erosion); environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing" @@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 77.3%, Protestant 4.6% (includes Church of the Nazarene 1.7%, Adventist 1.5%, Assembly of God 0.9%, Universal Kingdom of God 0.4%, and God and Love 0.1%), other Christian 3.4% (includes Christian Rationalism 1.9%, Jehovah's Witness 1%, and New Apostolic 0.5%), Muslim 1.8%, other 1.3%, none 10.8%, unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Cabo Verde’s population descends from its first permanent inhabitants in the late 15th-century – a preponderance of West African slaves, a small share of Portuguese colonists, and even fewer Italians, Spaniards, and Portuguese Jews. Over the centuries, the country’s overall population size has fluctuated significantly, as recurring periods of famine and epidemics have caused high death tolls and emigration.\nLabor migration historically reduced Cabo Verde’s population growth and still provides a key source of income through remittances. Expatriates probably outnumber Cabo Verde’s resident population, with most families having a member abroad. Cabo Verdeans have settled in the US, Europe, Africa, and South America. The largest diaspora community in New Bedford, Massachusetts, dating to the early 1800s, is a byproduct of the transatlantic whaling industry. Cabo Verdean men fleeing poverty at home joined the crews of US whaling ships that stopped in the islands. Many settled in New Bedford and stayed in the whaling or shipping trade, worked in the textile or cranberry industries, or operated their own transatlantic packet ships that transported compatriots to the US. Increased Cabo Verdean emigration to the US coincided with the gradual and eventually complete abolition of slavery in the archipelago in 1878.\nDuring the same period, Portuguese authorities coerced Cabo Verdeans to go to Sao Tome and Principe and other Portuguese colonies in Africa to work as indentured laborers on plantations. In the 1920s, when the US implemented immigration quotas, Cabo Verdean emigration shifted toward Portugal, West Africa (Senegal), and South America (Argentina). Growing numbers of Cabo Verdean labor migrants headed to Western Europe in the 1960s and 1970s. They filled unskilled jobs in Portugal, as many Portuguese sought out work opportunities in the more prosperous economies of northwest Europe. Cabo Verdeans eventually expanded their emigration to the Netherlands, where they worked in the shipping industry. Migration to the US resumed under relaxed migration laws. Cabo Verdean women also began migrating to southern Europe to become domestic workers, a trend that continues today and has shifted the gender balance of Cabo Verdean emigration.\nEmigration has declined in more recent decades due to the adoption of more restrictive migration policies in destination countries. Reduced emigration along with a large youth population, decreased mortality rates, and increased life expectancies, has boosted population growth, putting further pressure on domestic employment and resources. In addition, Cabo Verde has attracted increasing numbers of migrants in recent decades, consisting primarily of people from West Africa, Portuguese-speaking African countries, Portugal, and China. Since the 1990s, some West African migrants have used Cabo Verde as a stepping stone for illegal migration to Europe." + "text": "Cabo Verde's population descends from its first permanent inhabitants in the late 15th-century – a preponderance of West African slaves, a small share of Portuguese colonists, and even fewer Italians, Spaniards, and Portuguese Jews. Over the centuries, the country's overall population size has fluctuated significantly, as recurring periods of famine and epidemics have caused high death tolls and emigration. ++ Labor migration historically reduced Cabo Verde's population growth and still provides a key source of income through remittances. Expatriates probably outnumber Cabo Verde's resident population, with most families having a member abroad. Cabo Verdeans have settled in the US, Europe, Africa, and South America. The largest diaspora community in New Bedford, Massachusetts, dating to the early 1800s, is a byproduct of the transatlantic whaling industry. Cabo Verdean men fleeing poverty at home joined the crews of US whaling ships that stopped in the islands. Many settled in New Bedford and stayed in the whaling or shipping trade, worked in the textile or cranberry industries, or operated their own transatlantic packet ships that transported compatriots to the US. Increased Cabo Verdean emigration to the US coincided with the gradual and eventually complete abolition of slavery in the archipelago in 1878. ++ During the same period, Portuguese authorities coerced Cabo Verdeans to go to Sao Tome and Principe and other Portuguese colonies in Africa to work as indentured laborers on plantations. In the 1920s, when the US implemented immigration quotas, Cabo Verdean emigration shifted toward Portugal, West Africa (Senegal), and South America (Argentina). Growing numbers of Cabo Verdean labor migrants headed to Western Europe in the 1960s and 1970s. They filled unskilled jobs in Portugal, as many Portuguese sought out work opportunities in the more prosperous economies of northwest Europe. Cabo Verdeans eventually expanded their emigration to the Netherlands, where they worked in the shipping industry. Migration to the US resumed under relaxed migration laws. Cabo Verdean women also began migrating to southern Europe to become domestic workers, a trend that continues today and has shifted the gender balance of Cabo Verdean emigration. ++ Emigration has declined in more recent decades due to the adoption of more restrictive migration policies in destination countries. Reduced emigration along with a large youth population, decreased mortality rates, and increased life expectancies, has boosted population growth, putting further pressure on domestic employment and resources. In addition, Cabo Verde has attracted increasing numbers of migrants in recent decades, consisting primarily of people from West Africa, Portuguese-speaking African countries, Portugal, and China. Since the 1990s, some West African migrants have used Cabo Verde as a stepping stone for illegal migration to Europe." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -247,14 +247,11 @@ "text": "2.16 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 89.1% of population / total: 96.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "10.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "3.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 10.9% of population / total: 3.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -267,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "2.1 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 12.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 87.8% of population / rural: 64.9% of population / total: 79.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "35.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "20.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 12.2% of population / rural: 35.1% of population / total: 20.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -444,7 +438,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "rz African Party for Independence of Cabo Verde or PAICV [Janira Hopffer ALMADA]Democratic and Independent Cabo Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO]Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES]Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO]Movement for Democracy or MPD [Ulisses CORREIA E SILVA]Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO]Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Anibal MEDINA]Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM]" + "text": "rz African Party for Independence of Cabo Verde or PAICV [Janira Hopffer ALMADA] ++ Democratic and Independent Cabo Verdean Union or UCID [Antonio MONTEIRO] ++ Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES] ++ Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Victor FIDALGO] ++ Movement for Democracy or MPD [Ulisses CORREIA E SILVA] ++ Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO] ++ Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Anibal MEDINA] ++ Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -503,7 +497,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Cabo Verde’s economy depends on development aid, foreign investment, remittances, and tourism. The economy is service-oriented with commerce, transport, tourism, and public services accounting for about three-fourths of GDP. Tourism is the mainstay of the economy and depends on conditions in the euro-zone countries. Cabo Verde annually runs a high trade deficit financed by foreign aid and remittances from its large pool of emigrants; remittances as a share of GDP are one of the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although about 40% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. The island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages, exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought, and poor soil for growing food on several of the islands, requiring it to import most of what it consumes. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy and mitigate high unemployment. The government’s elevated debt levels have limited its capacity to finance any shortfalls." + "text": "Cabo Verde's economy depends on development aid, foreign investment, remittances, and tourism. The economy is service-oriented with commerce, transport, tourism, and public services accounting for about three-fourths of GDP. Tourism is the mainstay of the economy and depends on conditions in the euro-zone countries. Cabo Verde annually runs a high trade deficit financed by foreign aid and remittances from its large pool of emigrants; remittances as a share of GDP are one of the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. ++ Although about 40% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of food production in GDP is low. The island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base, including serious water shortages, exacerbated by cycles of long-term drought, and poor soil for growing food on several of the islands, requiring it to import most of what it consumes. The fishing potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. ++ Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy and mitigate high unemployment. The government's elevated debt levels have limited its capacity to finance any shortfalls." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$3.777 billion (2017 est.) / $3.631 billion (2016 est.) / $3.468 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/dj.json b/africa/dj.json index d795c496..50c89dc8 100644 --- a/africa/dj.json +++ b/africa/dj.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The region of present-day Djibouti was the site of the medieval Ifat and Adal Sultanates. In the late 19th century, treaties signed by the ruling Somali and Afar sultans with the French allowed the latter to establish the colony of French Somaliland. The designation continued in use until 1967, when the name was changed to the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. Upon independence in 1977, the country was named after its capital city of Djibouti. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afar minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 with a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Somali Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multiparty presidential election resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH as president; he was reelected to a second term in 2005 and extended his tenure in office via a constitutional amendment, which allowed him to serve a third term in 2011 and begin a fourth term in 2016. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the intersection of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Its ports handle 95% of Ethiopia’s trade. Djibouti’s ports also service transshipments between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The government holds longstanding ties to France, which maintains a military presence in the country, as does the US, Japan, Italy, Germany, Spain, and China." + "text": "The region of present-day Djibouti was the site of the medieval Ifat and Adal Sultanates. In the late 19th century, treaties signed by the ruling Somali and Afar sultans with the French allowed the latter to establish the colony of French Somaliland. The designation continued in use until 1967, when the name was changed to the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. Upon independence in 1977, the country was named after its capital city of Djibouti. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among the Afar minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in 2001 with a peace accord between Afar rebels and the Somali Issa-dominated government. In 1999, Djibouti's first multiparty presidential election resulted in the election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH as president; he was reelected to a second term in 2005 and extended his tenure in office via a constitutional amendment, which allowed him to serve a third term in 2011 and begin a fourth term in 2016. Djibouti occupies a strategic geographic location at the intersection of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Its ports handle 95% of Ethiopia's trade. Djibouti's ports also service transshipments between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The government holds longstanding ties to France, which maintains a military presence in the country, as does the US, Japan, Italy, Germany, Spain, and China." } }, "Geography": { @@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ "text": "most densely populated areas are in the east; the largest city is Djibouti, with a population over 600,000; no other city in the country has a total population over 50,000 as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods\nvolcanism: experiences limited volcanic activity; Ardoukoba (298 m) last erupted in 1978; Manda-Inakir, located along the Ethiopian border, is also historically active" + "text": "earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods ++ volcanism: experiences limited volcanic activity; Ardoukoba (298 m) last erupted in 1978; Manda-Inakir, located along the Ethiopian border, is also historically active" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution; limited arable land; deforestation (forests threatened by agriculture and the use of wood for fuel); desertification; endangered species" @@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ "text": "Sunni Muslim 94% (nearly all Djiboutians), Christian 6% (mainly foreign-born residents)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Djibouti is a poor, predominantly urban country, characterized by high rates of illiteracy, unemployment, and childhood malnutrition. More than 75% of the population lives in cities and towns (predominantly in the capital, Djibouti). The rural population subsists primarily on nomadic herding. Prone to droughts and floods, the country has few natural resources and must import more than 80% of its food from neighboring countries or Europe. Health care, particularly outside the capital, is limited by poor infrastructure, shortages of equipment and supplies, and a lack of qualified personnel. More than a third of health care recipients are migrants because the services are still better than those available in their neighboring home countries. The nearly universal practice of female genital cutting reflects Djibouti’s lack of gender equality and is a major contributor to obstetrical complications and its high rates of maternal and infant mortality. A 1995 law prohibiting the practice has never been enforced.\nBecause of its political stability and its strategic location at the confluence of East Africa and the Gulf States along the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, Djibouti is a key transit point for migrants and asylum seekers heading for the Gulf States and beyond. Each year some hundred thousand people, mainly Ethiopians and some Somalis, journey through Djibouti, usually to the port of Obock, to attempt a dangerous sea crossing to Yemen. However, with the escalation of the ongoing Yemen conflict, Yemenis began fleeing to Djibouti in March 2015, with almost 20,000 arriving by August 2017. Most Yemenis remain unregistered and head for Djibouti City rather than seeking asylum at one of Djibouti’s three spartan refugee camps. Djibouti has been hosting refugees and asylum seekers, predominantly Somalis and lesser numbers of Ethiopians and Eritreans, at camps for 20 years, despite lacking potable water, food shortages, and unemployment." + "text": "Djibouti is a poor, predominantly urban country, characterized by high rates of illiteracy, unemployment, and childhood malnutrition. More than 75% of the population lives in cities and towns (predominantly in the capital, Djibouti). The rural population subsists primarily on nomadic herding. Prone to droughts and floods, the country has few natural resources and must import more than 80% of its food from neighboring countries or Europe. Health care, particularly outside the capital, is limited by poor infrastructure, shortages of equipment and supplies, and a lack of qualified personnel. More than a third of health care recipients are migrants because the services are still better than those available in their neighboring home countries. The nearly universal practice of female genital cutting reflects Djibouti's lack of gender equality and is a major contributor to obstetrical complications and its high rates of maternal and infant mortality. A 1995 law prohibiting the practice has never been enforced. ++ Because of its political stability and its strategic location at the confluence of East Africa and the Gulf States along the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, Djibouti is a key transit point for migrants and asylum seekers heading for the Gulf States and beyond. Each year some hundred thousand people, mainly Ethiopians and some Somalis, journey through Djibouti, usually to the port of Obock, to attempt a dangerous sea crossing to Yemen. However, with the escalation of the ongoing Yemen conflict, Yemenis began fleeing to Djibouti in March 2015, with almost 20,000 arriving by August 2017. Most Yemenis remain unregistered and head for Djibouti City rather than seeking asylum at one of Djibouti's three spartan refugee camps. Djibouti has been hosting refugees and asylum seekers, predominantly Somalis and lesser numbers of Ethiopians and Eritreans, at camps for 20 years, despite lacking potable water, food shortages, and unemployment." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "19% (2012)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.3% of population / rural: 59.1% of population / total: 90.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "40.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "9.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.7% of population / rural: 40.9% of population / total: 9.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "1.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 16% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 84% of population / rural: 21.5% of population / total: 70.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "78.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "29.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 16% of population / rural: 78.5% of population / total: 29.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -444,7 +438,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Center for United Democrats or CDU [Ahmed Mohamed YOUSSOUF, chairman]Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]Djibouti Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]Front for Restoration of Unity and Democracy (Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique) or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]Movement for Democratic Renewal and Development [Daher Ahmed FARAH]Movement for Development and Liberty or MoDel [Ismail Ahmed WABERI]National Democratic Party or PND [Aden Robleh AWALEH]People's Rally for Progress or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party)Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Hasna Moumin BAHDON]Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Aden Mohamed ABDOU, interim president]Union for a Presidential Majority or UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD, PND, PPSD)Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [Ilya Ismail GUEDI Hared]" + "text": "Center for United Democrats or CDU [Ahmed Mohamed YOUSSOUF, chairman] ++ Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH] ++ Djibouti Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM] ++ Front for Restoration of Unity and Democracy (Front pour la Restauration de l'Unite Democratique) or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD] ++ Movement for Democratic Renewal and Development [Daher Ahmed FARAH] ++ Movement for Development and Liberty or MoDel [Ismail Ahmed WABERI] ++ National Democratic Party or PND [Aden Robleh AWALEH] ++ People's Rally for Progress or RPP [Ismail Omar GUELLEH] (governing party) ++ Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Hasna Moumin BAHDON] ++ Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Aden Mohamed ABDOU, interim president] ++ Union for a Presidential Majority or UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD, PND, PPSD) ++ Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [Ilya Ismail GUEDI Hared]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU (candidates), COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -500,7 +494,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Djibouti's economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location as a deepwater port on the Red Sea. Three-fourths of Djibouti's inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scant rainfall and less than 4% arable land limits crop production to small quantities of fruits and vegetables, and most food must be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling center. Imports, exports, and reexports represent 70% of port activity at Djibouti's container terminal. Reexports consist primarily of coffee from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia. Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An official unemployment rate of nearly 40% - with youth unemployment near 80% - continues to be a major problem. Inflation was a modest 3% in 2014-2017, due to low international food prices and a decline in electricity tariffs. Djibouti’s reliance on diesel-generated electricity and imported food and water leave average consumers vulnerable to global price shocks, though in mid-2015 Djibouti passed new legislation to liberalize the energy sector. The government has emphasized infrastructure development for transportation and energy and Djibouti – with the help of foreign partners, particularly China – has begun to increase and modernize its port capacity. In 2017, Djibouti opened two of the largest projects in its history, the Doraleh Port and Djibouti-Addis Ababa Railway, funded by China as part of the \"Belt and Road Initiative,\" which will increase the country’s ability to capitalize on its strategic location." + "text": "Djibouti's economy is based on service activities connected with the country's strategic location as a deepwater port on the Red Sea. Three-fourths of Djibouti's inhabitants live in the capital city; the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scant rainfall and less than 4% arable land limits crop production to small quantities of fruits and vegetables, and most food must be imported. ++ Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for the region and an international transshipment and refueling center. Imports, exports, and reexports represent 70% of port activity at Djibouti's container terminal. Reexports consist primarily of coffee from landlocked neighbor Ethiopia. Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to support its balance of payments and to finance development projects. An official unemployment rate of nearly 40% - with youth unemployment near 80% - continues to be a major problem. Inflation was a modest 3% in 2014-2017, due to low international food prices and a decline in electricity tariffs. ++ Djibouti's reliance on diesel-generated electricity and imported food and water leave average consumers vulnerable to global price shocks, though in mid-2015 Djibouti passed new legislation to liberalize the energy sector. The government has emphasized infrastructure development for transportation and energy and Djibouti – with the help of foreign partners, particularly China – has begun to increase and modernize its port capacity. In 2017, Djibouti opened two of the largest projects in its history, the Doraleh Port and Djibouti-Addis Ababa Railway, funded by China as part of the \"Belt and Road Initiative,\" which will increase the country's ability to capitalize on its strategic location." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$3.64 billion (2017 est.) / $3.411 billion (2016 est.) / $3.203 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/eg.json b/africa/eg.json index 5a6d0c95..2e10e4dc 100644 --- a/africa/eg.json +++ b/africa/eg.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 elevated Egypt as an important world transportation hub. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty from Britain in 1952. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have reaffirmed the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to meet the demands of Egypt's fast-growing population as it implements far-reaching economic reforms, including the reduction of select subsidies, large-scale infrastructure projects, energy cooperation, and foreign direct investment appeals. Inspired by the 2010 Tunisian revolution, Egyptian opposition groups led demonstrations and labor strikes countrywide, culminating in President Hosni MUBARAK's ouster in 2011. Egypt's military assumed national leadership until a new legislature was in place in early 2012; later that same year, Muhammad MURSI won the presidential election. Following protests throughout the spring of 2013 against MURSI's government and the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian Armed Forces intervened and removed MURSI from power in July 2013 and replaced him with interim president Adly MANSOUR. Simultaneously, the government began enacting laws to limit freedoms of assembly and expression. In January 2014, voters approved a new constitution by referendum and in May 2014 elected former defense minister Abdelfattah ELSISI president. Egypt elected a new legislature in December 2015, its first Hose of Representatives since 2012. ELSISI was reelected to a second four-year term in March 2018. In April 2019, Egypt approved via national referendum a set of constitutional amendments extending ELSISI’s term in office through 2024 and possibly through 2030 if re-elected for a third term. The amendments would also allow future presidents up to two consecutive six-year terms in office, re-establish an upper legislative house, allow for one or more vice presidents, establish a 25% quota for female legislators, reaffirm the military’s role as guardian of Egypt, and expand presidential authority to appoint the heads of judicial councils.    " + "text": "The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 elevated Egypt as an important world transportation hub. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty from Britain in 1952. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have reaffirmed the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to meet the demands of Egypt's fast-growing population as it implements far-reaching economic reforms, including the reduction of select subsidies, large-scale infrastructure projects, energy cooperation, and foreign direct investment appeals. ++ Inspired by the 2010 Tunisian revolution, Egyptian opposition groups led demonstrations and labor strikes countrywide, culminating in President Hosni MUBARAK's ouster in 2011. Egypt's military assumed national leadership until a new legislature was in place in early 2012; later that same year, Muhammad MURSI won the presidential election. Following protests throughout the spring of 2013 against MURSI's government and the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian Armed Forces intervened and removed MURSI from power in July 2013 and replaced him with interim president Adly MANSOUR. Simultaneously, the government began enacting laws to limit freedoms of assembly and expression. In January 2014, voters approved a new constitution by referendum and in May 2014 elected former defense minister Abdelfattah ELSISI president. Egypt elected a new legislature in December 2015, its first Hose of Representatives since 2012. ELSISI was reelected to a second four-year term in March 2018. In April 2019, Egypt approved via national referendum a set of constitutional amendments extending ELSISI's term in office through 2024 and possibly through 2030 if re-elected for a third term. The amendments would also allow future presidents up to two consecutive six-year terms in office, re-establish an upper legislative house, allow for one or more vice presidents, establish a 25% quota for female legislators, reaffirm the military's role as guardian of Egypt, and expand presidential authority to appoint the heads of judicial councils. ++   ++  " } }, "Geography": { @@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ "text": "Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 90%, Christian (majority Coptic Orthodox, other Christians include Armenian Apostolic, Catholic, Maronite, Orthodox, and Anglican) 10% (2015 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world and the third most populous country in Africa, behind Nigeria and Ethiopia. Most of the country is desert, so about 95% of the population is concentrated in a narrow strip of fertile land along the Nile River, which represents only about 5% of Egypt’s land area. Egypt’s rapid population growth – 46% between 1994 and 2014 – stresses limited natural resources, jobs, housing, sanitation, education, and health care.\nAlthough the country’s total fertility rate (TFR) fell from roughly 5.5 children per woman in 1980 to just over 3 in the late 1990s, largely as a result of state-sponsored family planning programs, the population growth rate dropped more modestly because of decreased mortality rates and longer life expectancies. During the last decade, Egypt’s TFR decline stalled for several years and then reversed, reaching 3.6 in 2011, and has plateaued the last few years. Contraceptive use has held steady at about 60%, while preferences for larger families and early marriage may have strengthened in the wake of the recent 2011 revolution. The large cohort of women of or nearing childbearing age will sustain high population growth for the foreseeable future (an effect called population momentum).\nNevertheless, post-MUBARAK governments have not made curbing population growth a priority. To increase contraceptive use and to prevent further overpopulation will require greater government commitment and substantial social change, including encouraging smaller families and better educating and empowering women. Currently, literacy, educational attainment, and labor force participation rates are much lower for women than men. In addition, the prevalence of violence against women, the lack of female political representation, and the perpetuation of the nearly universal practice of female genital cutting continue to keep women from playing a more significant role in Egypt’s public sphere.\nPopulation pressure, poverty, high unemployment, and the fragmentation of inherited land holdings have historically motivated Egyptians, primarily young men, to migrate internally from rural and smaller urban areas in the Nile Delta region and the poorer rural south to Cairo, Alexandria, and other urban centers in the north, while a much smaller number migrated to the Red Sea and Sinai areas. Waves of forced internal migration also resulted from the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and the floods caused by the completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1970. Limited numbers of students and professionals emigrated temporarily prior to the early 1970s, when economic problems and high unemployment pushed the Egyptian Government to lift restrictions on labor migration. At the same time, high oil revenues enabled Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and other Gulf states, as well as Libya and Jordan, to fund development projects, creating a demand for unskilled labor (mainly in construction), which attracted tens of thousands of young Egyptian men.\nBetween 1970 and 1974 alone, Egyptian migrants in the Gulf countries increased from approximately 70,000 to 370,000. Egyptian officials encouraged legal labor migration both to alleviate unemployment and to generate remittance income (remittances continue to be one of Egypt’s largest sources of foreign currency and GDP). During the mid-1980s, however, depressed oil prices resulting from the Iran-Iraq War, decreased demand for low-skilled labor, competition from less costly South Asian workers, and efforts to replace foreign workers with locals significantly reduced Egyptian migration to the Gulf States. The number of Egyptian migrants dropped from a peak of almost 3.3 million in 1983 to about 2.2 million at the start of the 1990s, but numbers gradually recovered.\nIn the 2000s, Egypt began facilitating more labor migration through bilateral agreements, notably with Arab countries and Italy, but illegal migration to Europe through overstayed visas or maritime human smuggling via Libya also rose. The Egyptian Government estimated there were 6.5 million Egyptian migrants in 2009, with roughly 75% being temporary migrants in other Arab countries (Libya, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates) and 25% being predominantly permanent migrants in the West (US, UK, Italy, France, and Canada).\nDuring the 2000s, Egypt became an increasingly important transit and destination country for economic migrants and asylum seekers, including Palestinians, East Africans, and South Asians and, more recently, Iraqis and Syrians. Egypt draws many refugees because of its resettlement programs with the West; Cairo has one of the largest urban refugee populations in the world. Many East African migrants are interned or live in temporary encampments along the Egypt-Israel border, and some have been shot and killed by Egyptian border guards." + "text": "Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world and the third most populous country in Africa, behind Nigeria and Ethiopia. Most of the country is desert, so about 95% of the population is concentrated in a narrow strip of fertile land along the Nile River, which represents only about 5% of Egypt's land area. Egypt's rapid population growth – 46% between 1994 and 2014 – stresses limited natural resources, jobs, housing, sanitation, education, and health care. ++ Although the country's total fertility rate (TFR) fell from roughly 5.5 children per woman in 1980 to just over 3 in the late 1990s, largely as a result of state-sponsored family planning programs, the population growth rate dropped more modestly because of decreased mortality rates and longer life expectancies. During the last decade, Egypt's TFR decline stalled for several years and then reversed, reaching 3.6 in 2011, and has plateaued the last few years. Contraceptive use has held steady at about 60%, while preferences for larger families and early marriage may have strengthened in the wake of the recent 2011 revolution. The large cohort of women of or nearing childbearing age will sustain high population growth for the foreseeable future (an effect called population momentum). ++ Nevertheless, post-MUBARAK governments have not made curbing population growth a priority. To increase contraceptive use and to prevent further overpopulation will require greater government commitment and substantial social change, including encouraging smaller families and better educating and empowering women. Currently, literacy, educational attainment, and labor force participation rates are much lower for women than men. In addition, the prevalence of violence against women, the lack of female political representation, and the perpetuation of the nearly universal practice of female genital cutting continue to keep women from playing a more significant role in Egypt's public sphere. ++ Population pressure, poverty, high unemployment, and the fragmentation of inherited land holdings have historically motivated Egyptians, primarily young men, to migrate internally from rural and smaller urban areas in the Nile Delta region and the poorer rural south to Cairo, Alexandria, and other urban centers in the north, while a much smaller number migrated to the Red Sea and Sinai areas. Waves of forced internal migration also resulted from the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and the floods caused by the completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1970. Limited numbers of students and professionals emigrated temporarily prior to the early 1970s, when economic problems and high unemployment pushed the Egyptian Government to lift restrictions on labor migration. At the same time, high oil revenues enabled Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and other Gulf states, as well as Libya and Jordan, to fund development projects, creating a demand for unskilled labor (mainly in construction), which attracted tens of thousands of young Egyptian men. ++ Between 1970 and 1974 alone, Egyptian migrants in the Gulf countries increased from approximately 70,000 to 370,000. Egyptian officials encouraged legal labor migration both to alleviate unemployment and to generate remittance income (remittances continue to be one of Egypt's largest sources of foreign currency and GDP). During the mid-1980s, however, depressed oil prices resulting from the Iran-Iraq War, decreased demand for low-skilled labor, competition from less costly South Asian workers, and efforts to replace foreign workers with locals significantly reduced Egyptian migration to the Gulf States. The number of Egyptian migrants dropped from a peak of almost 3.3 million in 1983 to about 2.2 million at the start of the 1990s, but numbers gradually recovered. ++ In the 2000s, Egypt began facilitating more labor migration through bilateral agreements, notably with Arab countries and Italy, but illegal migration to Europe through overstayed visas or maritime human smuggling via Libya also rose. The Egyptian Government estimated there were 6.5 million Egyptian migrants in 2009, with roughly 75% being temporary migrants in other Arab countries (Libya, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates) and 25% being predominantly permanent migrants in the West (US, UK, Italy, France, and Canada). ++ During the 2000s, Egypt became an increasingly important transit and destination country for economic migrants and asylum seekers, including Palestinians, East Africans, and South Asians and, more recently, Iraqis and Syrians. Egypt draws many refugees because of its resettlement programs with the West; Cairo has one of the largest urban refugee populations in the world. Many East African migrants are interned or live in temporary encampments along the Egypt-Israel border, and some have been shot and killed by Egyptian border guards." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -267,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "58.5% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 98.8% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 1.2% of population / total: 0.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -287,14 +284,11 @@ "text": "1.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.8% of population / rural: 97.6% of population / total: 98.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "2.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.2% of population / rural: 2.4% of population / total: 1.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -463,13 +457,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (Majlis Al-Shiyoukh) (300 seats; 100 members elected in single seat constituencies, 100 elected by closed party-list system, and 100 appointed by the president; note - the upper house, previously the Shura Council, was eliminated in the 2014 constitution, reestablished as the Senate, following passage in a 2019 constitutional referendum and approved by the House of Representatives in June 2020 House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nowaab) (596 seats; 448 members directly elected by individual candidacy system, 120 members - with quotas for women, youth, Christians and workers - elected in party-list constituencies by simple majority popular vote, and 28 members appointed by the president; members of both houses serve 5-year terms" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (Majlis Al-Shiyoukh) (300 seats; 100 members elected in single seat constituencies, 100 elected by closed party-list system, and 100 appointed by the president; note - the upper house, previously the Shura Council, was eliminated in the 2014 constitution, reestablished as the Senate, following passage in a 2019 constitutional referendum and approved by the House of Representatives in June 2020 ++ House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nowaab) (596 seats; 448 members directly elected by individual candidacy system, 120 members - with quotas for women, youth, Christians and workers - elected in party-list constituencies by simple majority popular vote, and 28 members appointed by the president; members of both houses serve 5-year terms" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - first round held on 11-12 August 2020 (9-10 August for diaspora); second round to be held on 8-9 September (6-7 September for diaspora) (next to be held in 2025)House of Representatives - last held from 17 October to 2 December 2015 (next to be held 24-25 October and 7-8 November 2020)" + "text": "Senate - first round held on 11-12 August 2020 (9-10 August for diaspora); second round to be held on 8-9 September (6-7 September for diaspora) (next to be held in 2025) ++ House of Representatives - last held from 17 October to 2 December 2015 (next to be held 24-25 October and 7-8 November 2020)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate first round results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Nation's Future Party 100, independent 100; composition - NA  House of Representatives (2015) - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Free Egyptians Party 65, Future of the Nation 53, New Wafd Party 36, Homeland's Protector Party 18, Republican People's Party 13, Congress Party 12, Al-Nour Party 11, Conservative Party 6, Democratic Peace Party 5, Egyptian National Movement 4, Egyptian Social Democratic Party 4, Modern Egypt Party 4, Freedom Party 3, My Homeland Egypt Party 3, Reform and Development Party 3, National Progressive Unionist Party 2, Arab Democratic Nasserist Party 1, El Serh El Masry el Hor 1, Revolutionary Guards Party 1, independent 351; composition - men 507, women 89, percent of women 14.9%" + "text": "Senate first round results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Nation's Future Party 100, independent 100; composition - NA  ++ House of Representatives (2015) - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Free Egyptians Party 65, Future of the Nation 53, New Wafd Party 36, Homeland's Protector Party 18, Republican People's Party 13, Congress Party 12, Al-Nour Party 11, Conservative Party 6, Democratic Peace Party 5, Egyptian National Movement 4, Egyptian Social Democratic Party 4, Modern Egypt Party 4, Freedom Party 3, My Homeland Egypt Party 3, Reform and Development Party 3, National Progressive Unionist Party 2, Arab Democratic Nasserist Party 1, El Serh El Masry el Hor 1, Revolutionary Guards Party 1, independent 351; composition - men 507, women 89, percent of women 14.9%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -484,7 +478,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Al-Nour [Yunis MAKHYUN]Arab Democratic Nasserist Party [Dr. Mohamed ABDUL ELLA ]Congress Party [Omar Al-Mokhtar SEMIDA]Conservative Party [Akmal KOURTAM]Democratic Peace Party [Ahmed FADALY]Egyptian National Movement Party [Gen. Raouf EL SAYED]Egyptian Social Democratic Party [Farid ZAHRAN]El Ghad Party [Moussa Mostafa MOUSSA]El Serh El Masry el Hor [Tarek Ahmed Abbas NADIM]Freedom Party [Salah HASSABALAH]Free Egyptians Party [Essam KHALIL]Homeland’s Protector Party [Lt. Gen. (retired) Galal AL-HARIDI]Modern Egypt Party [Nabil DEIBIS]Nation's Future Party (Mostaqbal Watan) [Mohamed Ashraf RASHAD]My Homeland Egypt Party [Gen. Seif El Islam ABDEL BARY ]National Progressive Unionist (Tagammu) Party [Sayed Abdel AAL]Reform and Development Party [Mohamad Anwar al-SADAT]Republican People’s Party [Hazim AMR]Revolutionary Guards Party [Magdy EL-SHARIF]Wafd Party note - party chairman Bahaa ABU SHOKA resigned in late September 2020" + "text": "Al-Nour [Yunis MAKHYUN] ++ Arab Democratic Nasserist Party [Dr. Mohamed ABDUL ELLA ] ++ Congress Party [Omar Al-Mokhtar SEMIDA] ++ Conservative Party [Akmal KOURTAM] ++ Democratic Peace Party [Ahmed FADALY] ++ Egyptian National Movement Party [Gen. Raouf EL SAYED] ++ Egyptian Social Democratic Party [Farid ZAHRAN] ++ El Ghad Party [Moussa Mostafa MOUSSA] ++ El Serh El Masry el Hor [Tarek Ahmed Abbas NADIM] ++ Freedom Party [Salah HASSABALAH] ++ Free Egyptians Party [Essam KHALIL] ++ Homeland's Protector Party [Lt. Gen. (retired) Galal AL-HARIDI] ++ Modern Egypt Party [Nabil DEIBIS] ++ Nation's Future Party (Mostaqbal Watan) [Mohamed Ashraf RASHAD] ++ My Homeland Egypt Party [Gen. Seif El Islam ABDEL BARY ] ++ National Progressive Unionist (Tagammu) Party [Sayed Abdel AAL] ++ Reform and Development Party [Mohamad Anwar al-SADAT] ++ Republican People's Party [Hazim AMR] ++ Revolutionary Guards Party [Magdy EL-SHARIF] ++ Wafd Party note - party chairman Bahaa ABU SHOKA resigned in late September 2020" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CD, CICA, COMESA, D-8, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -546,7 +540,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt is bisected by the highly fertile Nile valley where most economic activity takes place. Egypt's economy was highly centralized during the rule of former President Gamal Abdel NASSER but opened up considerably under former Presidents Anwar EL-SADAT and Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK. Agriculture, hydrocarbons, manufacturing, tourism, and other service sectors drove the country’s relatively diverse economic activity. Despite Egypt’s mixed record for attracting foreign investment over the past two decades, poor living conditions and limited job opportunities have contributed to public discontent. These socioeconomic pressures were a major factor leading to the January 2011 revolution that ousted MUBARAK. The uncertain political, security, and policy environment since 2011 has restricted economic growth and failed to alleviate persistent unemployment, especially among the young. In late 2016, persistent dollar shortages and waning aid from its Gulf allies led Cairo to turn to the IMF for a 3-year, $12 billion loan program. To secure the deal, Cairo floated its currency, introduced new taxes, and cut energy subsidies - all of which pushed inflation above 30% for most of 2017, a high that had not been seen in a generation. Since the currency float, foreign investment in Egypt’s high interest treasury bills has risen exponentially, boosting both dollar availability and central bank reserves. Cairo will be challenged to obtain foreign and local investment in manufacturing and other sectors without a sustained effort to implement a range of business reforms." + "text": "Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt is bisected by the highly fertile Nile valley where most economic activity takes place. Egypt's economy was highly centralized during the rule of former President Gamal Abdel NASSER but opened up considerably under former Presidents Anwar EL-SADAT and Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK. Agriculture, hydrocarbons, manufacturing, tourism, and other service sectors drove the country's relatively diverse economic activity. ++ Despite Egypt's mixed record for attracting foreign investment over the past two decades, poor living conditions and limited job opportunities have contributed to public discontent. These socioeconomic pressures were a major factor leading to the January 2011 revolution that ousted MUBARAK. The uncertain political, security, and policy environment since 2011 has restricted economic growth and failed to alleviate persistent unemployment, especially among the young. ++ In late 2016, persistent dollar shortages and waning aid from its Gulf allies led Cairo to turn to the IMF for a 3-year, $12 billion loan program. To secure the deal, Cairo floated its currency, introduced new taxes, and cut energy subsidies - all of which pushed inflation above 30% for most of 2017, a high that had not been seen in a generation. Since the currency float, foreign investment in Egypt's high interest treasury bills has risen exponentially, boosting both dollar availability and central bank reserves. Cairo will be challenged to obtain foreign and local investment in manufacturing and other sectors without a sustained effort to implement a range of business reforms." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.204 trillion (2017 est.) / $1.155 trillion (2016 est.) / $1.107 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -959,12 +953,12 @@ "text": "18-30 years of age for male conscript military service; service obligation - 18-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation; voluntary enlistment possible from age 15 (2017)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "since 2011, the Egyptian Armed Forces, police, and other security forces have been actively engaged in counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations in the North Sinai governorate against several militant groups, particularly the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Sinai Province; as of early 2020, Egypt reportedly had over 40,000 troops plus thousands of police and other security personnel deployed to the Sinai for internal security duties where more than 1,000 have been killedthe military has a large stake in the civilian economy, including running businesses, producing consumer and industrial goods, importing commodities, and building and managing infrastructure projects, such as bridges, roads, hospitals, and housing developments the Multinational Force & Observers (MFO) has operated in the Sinai since 1982 as a peacekeeping and monitoring force to supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace; the MFO is an independent international organization, created by agreement between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of Israel; it is composed of about 1,150 troops from 13 countries (2020)" + "text": "since 2011, the Egyptian Armed Forces, police, and other security forces have been actively engaged in counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations in the North Sinai governorate against several militant groups, particularly the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Sinai Province; as of early 2020, Egypt reportedly had over 40,000 troops plus thousands of police and other security personnel deployed to the Sinai for internal security duties where more than 1,000 have been killed ++ the military has a large stake in the civilian economy, including running businesses, producing consumer and industrial goods, importing commodities, and building and managing infrastructure projects, such as bridges, roads, hospitals, and housing developments the Multinational Force & Observers (MFO) has operated in the Sinai since 1982 as a peacekeeping and monitoring force to supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace; the MFO is an independent international organization, created by agreement between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of Israel; it is composed of about 1,150 troops from 13 countries (2020)" } }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { - "text": "Army of Islam; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Sinai Province; Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem; al-Qa’ida (2019)", + "text": "Army of Islam; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Sinai Province; Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem; al-Qa'ida (2019)", "note": { "text": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T" } @@ -984,7 +978,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Egypt is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; Egyptian children, including the large population of street children are vulnerable to forced labor in domestic service, begging and agriculture or may be victims of sex trafficking or child sex tourism, which occurs in Cairo, Alexandria, and Luxor; some Egyptian women and girls are sold into \"temporary\" or \"summer\" marriages with Gulf men, through the complicity of their parents or marriage brokers, and are exploited for prostitution or forced labor; Egyptian men are subject to forced labor in neighboring countries, while adults from South and Southeast Asia and East Africa – and increasingly Syrian refugees – are forced to work in domestic service, construction, cleaning, and begging in Egypt; women and girls, including migrants and refugees, from Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East are sex trafficked in Egypt; the Egyptian military cracked down on criminal group’s smuggling, abducting, trafficking, and extorting African migrants in the Sinai Peninsula, but the practice has reemerged along Egypt’s western border with Libya" + "text": "Egypt is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; Egyptian children, including the large population of street children are vulnerable to forced labor in domestic service, begging and agriculture or may be victims of sex trafficking or child sex tourism, which occurs in Cairo, Alexandria, and Luxor; some Egyptian women and girls are sold into \"temporary\" or \"summer\" marriages with Gulf men, through the complicity of their parents or marriage brokers, and are exploited for prostitution or forced labor; Egyptian men are subject to forced labor in neighboring countries, while adults from South and Southeast Asia and East Africa – and increasingly Syrian refugees – are forced to work in domestic service, construction, cleaning, and begging in Egypt; women and girls, including migrants and refugees, from Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East are sex trafficked in Egypt; the Egyptian military cracked down on criminal group's smuggling, abducting, trafficking, and extorting African migrants in the Sinai Peninsula, but the practice has reemerged along Egypt's western border with Libya" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Egypt does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government gathered data nationwide on trafficking cases to better allocate and prioritize anti-trafficking efforts, but overall it did not demonstrate increased progress; prosecutions increased in 2014, but no offenders were convicted for the second consecutive year; fewer trafficking victims were identified in 2014, which represents a significant and ongoing decrease from the previous two reporting periods; the government relied on NGOs and international organizations to identify and refer victims to protective services, and focused on Egyptian victims and refused to provide some services to foreign victims, at times including shelter (2015)" diff --git a/africa/ek.json b/africa/ek.json index 1f621b33..c9569581 100644 --- a/africa/ek.json +++ b/africa/ek.json @@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ "text": "only two large cities over 30,000 people (Bata on the mainland, and the capital Malabo on the island of Bioko); small communities are scattered throughout the mainland and the five inhabited islands as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "violent windstorms; flash floods\nvolcanism: Santa Isabel (3,007 m), which last erupted in 1923, is the country's only historically active volcano; Santa Isabel, along with two dormant volcanoes, form Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea" + "text": "violent windstorms; flash floods ++ volcanism: Santa Isabel (3,007 m), which last erupted in 1923, is the country's only historically active volcano; Santa Isabel, along with two dormant volcanoes, form Bioko Island in the Gulf of Guinea" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation (forests are threatened by agricultural expansion, fires, and grazing); desertification; water pollution (tap water is non-potable); wildlife preservation" @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ "text": "nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, Muslim, Baha'i, animist, indigenous" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Equatorial Guinea is one of the smallest and least populated countries in continental Africa and is the only independent African country where Spanish is an official language. Despite a boom in oil production in the 1990s, authoritarianism, corruption, and resource mismanagement have concentrated the benefits among a small elite. These practices have perpetuated income inequality and unbalanced development, such as low public spending on education and health care. Unemployment remains problematic because the oil-dominated economy employs a small labor force dependent on skilled foreign workers. The agricultural sector, Equatorial Guinea’s main employer, continues to deteriorate because of a lack of investment and the migration of rural workers to urban areas. About three-quarters of the population lives below the poverty line.\nEquatorial Guinea’s large and growing youth population – about 60% are under the age of 25 – is particularly affected because job creation in the non-oil sectors is limited, and young people often do not have the skills needed in the labor market. Equatorial Guinean children frequently enter school late, have poor attendance, and have high dropout rates. Thousands of Equatorial Guineans fled across the border to Gabon in the 1970s to escape the dictatorship of MACIAS NGUEMA; smaller numbers have followed in the decades since. Continued inequitable economic growth and high youth unemployment increases the likelihood of ethnic and regional violence." + "text": "Equatorial Guinea is one of the smallest and least populated countries in continental Africa and is the only independent African country where Spanish is an official language. Despite a boom in oil production in the 1990s, authoritarianism, corruption, and resource mismanagement have concentrated the benefits among a small elite. These practices have perpetuated income inequality and unbalanced development, such as low public spending on education and health care. Unemployment remains problematic because the oil-dominated economy employs a small labor force dependent on skilled foreign workers. The agricultural sector, Equatorial Guinea's main employer, continues to deteriorate because of a lack of investment and the migration of rural workers to urban areas. About three-quarters of the population lives below the poverty line. ++ Equatorial Guinea's large and growing youth population – about 60% are under the age of 25 – is particularly affected because job creation in the non-oil sectors is limited, and young people often do not have the skills needed in the labor market. Equatorial Guinean children frequently enter school late, have poor attendance, and have high dropout rates. Thousands of Equatorial Guineans fled across the border to Gabon in the 1970s to escape the dictatorship of MACIAS NGUEMA; smaller numbers have followed in the decades since. Continued inequitable economic growth and high youth unemployment increases the likelihood of ethnic and regional violence." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -252,14 +252,11 @@ "text": "12.6% (2011)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 18.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 81.7% of population / rural: 32.1% of population / total: 67.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "67.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "32.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 18.3% of population / rural: 67.9% of population / total: 32.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "2.1 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 18.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 81.2% of population / rural: 63.4% of population / total: 76.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "36.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "23.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 18.8% of population / rural: 36.6% of population / total: 23.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -426,13 +420,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Assembly or Asemblea Nacional consists of:Senate or Senado (70 seats; 55 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote and 15 appointed by the president) Chamber of Deputies or Camara de los Diputados (100 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed paryt-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Assembly or Asemblea Nacional consists of: Senate or Senado (70 seats; 55 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote and 15 appointed by the president) ++ Chamber of Deputies or Camara de los Diputados (100 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed paryt-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 12 November 2017 (next to be held in 2022/2023) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 12 November 2017 (next to be held in 2022/2023)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 12 November 2017 (next to be held in 2022/2023) ++ Chamber of Deputies - last held on 12 November 2017 (next to be held in 2022/2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE and aligned coalition 70; composition - men 60, women 10, percent of women 14.3% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 99, CI 1; composition - men 78, women 22, percent of women 22%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 18.8%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE and aligned coalition 70; composition - men 60, women 10, percent of women 14.3% ++ Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDGE 99, CI 1; composition - men 78, women 22, percent of women 22%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 18.8%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -447,7 +441,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Citizens for Innovation or CI [Gabriel Nse Obiang OBONO]Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Andres ESONO ONDO]Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE [Teodoro Obiang NGUEMA MBASOGO]Electoral Coalition or ECJuntos Podemos (coalition includes CPDS, FDR, UDC)National Congress of Equatorial Guinea [Agustin MASOKO ABEGUE]National Democratic Party [Benedicto OBIANG MANGUE]National Union for Democracy [Thomas MBA MONABANG]Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Carmelo MBA BACALE]Popular Union or UP [Daniel MARTINEZ AYECABA]Union for the Center right or UDC [Avelino MOCACHE MEHENGA]not officially registered parties:Democratic Republican Force or FDR [Guillermo NGUEMA ELA]Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]" + "text": "Citizens for Innovation or CI [Gabriel Nse Obiang OBONO] ++ Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Andres ESONO ONDO] ++ Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE [Teodoro Obiang NGUEMA MBASOGO] ++ Electoral Coalition or EC ++ Juntos Podemos (coalition includes CPDS, FDR, UDC) ++ National Congress of Equatorial Guinea [Agustin MASOKO ABEGUE] ++ National Democratic Party [Benedicto OBIANG MANGUE] ++ National Union for Democracy [Thomas MBA MONABANG] ++ Popular Action of Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Carmelo MBA BACALE] ++ Popular Union or UP [Daniel MARTINEZ AYECABA] ++ Union for the Center right or UDC [Avelino MOCACHE MEHENGA] ++ not officially registered parties: Democratic Republican Force or FDR [Guillermo NGUEMA ELA] ++ Party for Progress of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, CPLP (associate), FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO (observer)" @@ -503,7 +497,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Exploitation of oil and gas deposits, beginning in the 1990s, has driven economic growth in Equatorial Guinea; a recent rebasing of GDP resulted in an upward revision of the size of the economy by approximately 30%. Forestry and farming are minor components of GDP. Although preindependence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect of the rural economy since independence has diminished the potential for agriculture-led growth. Subsistence farming is the dominant form of livelihood. Declining revenue from hydrocarbon production, high levels of infrastructure expenditures, lack of economic diversification, and corruption have pushed the economy into decline in recent years and limited improvements in the general population’s living conditions. Equatorial Guinea’s real GDP growth has been weak in recent years, averaging -0.5% per year from 2010 to 2014, because of a declining hydrocarbon sector. Inflation remained very low in 2016, down from an average of 4% in 2014. As a middle income country, Equatorial Guinea is now ineligible for most low-income World Bank and the IMF funding. The government has been widely criticized for its lack of transparency and misuse of oil revenues and has attempted to address this issue by working toward compliance with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. US foreign assistance to Equatorial Guinea is limited in part because of US restrictions pursuant to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. Equatorial Guinea hosted two economic diversification symposia in 2014 that focused on attracting investment in five sectors: agriculture and animal ranching, fishing, mining and petrochemicals, tourism, and financial services. Undeveloped mineral resources include gold, zinc, diamonds, columbite-tantalite, and other base metals. In 2017 Equatorial Guinea signed a preliminary agreement with Ghana to sell liquefied natural gas (LNG); as oil production wanes, the government believes LNG could provide a boost to revenues, but it will require large investments and long lead times to develop." + "text": "Exploitation of oil and gas deposits, beginning in the 1990s, has driven economic growth in Equatorial Guinea; a recent rebasing of GDP resulted in an upward revision of the size of the economy by approximately 30%. Forestry and farming are minor components of GDP. Although preindependence Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect of the rural economy since independence has diminished the potential for agriculture-led growth. Subsistence farming is the dominant form of livelihood. Declining revenue from hydrocarbon production, high levels of infrastructure expenditures, lack of economic diversification, and corruption have pushed the economy into decline in recent years and limited improvements in the general population's living conditions. Equatorial Guinea's real GDP growth has been weak in recent years, averaging -0.5% per year from 2010 to 2014, because of a declining hydrocarbon sector. Inflation remained very low in 2016, down from an average of 4% in 2014. ++ As a middle income country, Equatorial Guinea is now ineligible for most low-income World Bank and the IMF funding. The government has been widely criticized for its lack of transparency and misuse of oil revenues and has attempted to address this issue by working toward compliance with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. US foreign assistance to Equatorial Guinea is limited in part because of US restrictions pursuant to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. ++ Equatorial Guinea hosted two economic diversification symposia in 2014 that focused on attracting investment in five sectors: agriculture and animal ranching, fishing, mining and petrochemicals, tourism, and financial services. Undeveloped mineral resources include gold, zinc, diamonds, columbite-tantalite, and other base metals. In 2017 Equatorial Guinea signed a preliminary agreement with Ghana to sell liquefied natural gas (LNG); as oil production wanes, the government believes LNG could provide a boost to revenues, but it will require large investments and long lead times to develop." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$31.52 billion (2017 est.) / $32.57 billion (2016 est.) / $35.62 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/er.json b/africa/er.json index 0713d877..e9d73999 100644 --- a/africa/er.json +++ b/africa/er.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "After independence from Italian colonial control in 1941 and 10 years of British administrative control, the UN established Eritrea as an autonomous region within the Ethiopian federation in 1952. Ethiopia's full annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a violent 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating government forces. Eritreans overwhelmingly approved independence in a 1993 referendum. ISAIAS Afwerki has been Eritrea's only president since independence; his rule, particularly since 2001, has been highly autocratic and repressive. His government has created a highly militarized society by pursuing an unpopular program of mandatory conscription into national service – divided between military and civilian service – of indefinite length. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices in December 2000. A subsequent 2007 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) demarcation was rejected by Ethiopia. More than a decade of a tense “no peace, no war” stalemate ended in 2018 after the newly elected Ethiopian prime minister accepted the EEBC’s 2007 ruling, and the two countries signed declarations of peace and friendship. Following the July 2018 peace agreement with Ethiopia, Eritrean leaders engaged in intensive diplomacy around the Horn of Africa, bolstering regional peace, security, and cooperation, as well as brokering rapprochements between governments and opposition groups. In November 2018, the UN Security Council lifted an arms embargo that had been imposed on Eritrea since 2009, after the UN Somalia-Eritrea Monitoring Group reported they had not found evidence of Eritrean support in recent years for Al-Shabaab. The country’s rapprochement with Ethiopia has led to a steady resumption of economic ties, with increased air transport, trade, tourism, and port activities, but the economy remains agriculture-dependent, and Eritrea is still one of Africa’s poorest nations. Despite the country's improved relations with its neighbors, ISAIAS has not let up on repression and conscription and militarization continue." + "text": "After independence from Italian colonial control in 1941 and 10 years of British administrative control, the UN established Eritrea as an autonomous region within the Ethiopian federation in 1952. Ethiopia's full annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a violent 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating government forces. Eritreans overwhelmingly approved independence in a 1993 referendum. ISAIAS Afwerki has been Eritrea's only president since independence; his rule, particularly since 2001, has been highly autocratic and repressive. His government has created a highly militarized society by pursuing an unpopular program of mandatory conscription into national service – divided between military and civilian service – of indefinite length. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices in December 2000. A subsequent 2007 Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EEBC) demarcation was rejected by Ethiopia. More than a decade of a tense “no peace, no war” stalemate ended in 2018 after the newly elected Ethiopian prime minister accepted the EEBC's 2007 ruling, and the two countries signed declarations of peace and friendship. Following the July 2018 peace agreement with Ethiopia, Eritrean leaders engaged in intensive diplomacy around the Horn of Africa, bolstering regional peace, security, and cooperation, as well as brokering rapprochements between governments and opposition groups. In November 2018, the UN Security Council lifted an arms embargo that had been imposed on Eritrea since 2009, after the UN Somalia-Eritrea Monitoring Group reported they had not found evidence of Eritrean support in recent years for Al-Shabaab. The country's rapprochement with Ethiopia has led to a steady resumption of economic ties, with increased air transport, trade, tourism, and port activities, but the economy remains agriculture-dependent, and Eritrea is still one of Africa's poorest nations. Despite the country's improved relations with its neighbors, ISAIAS has not let up on repression and conscription and militarization continue." } }, "Geography": { @@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ "text": "density is highest in the center of the country in and around the cities of Asmara (capital) and Keren; smaller settlements exist in the north and south as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "frequent droughts, rare earthquakes and volcanoes; locust swarms\nvolcanism: Dubbi (1,625 m), which last erupted in 1861, was the country's only historically active volcano until Nabro (2,218 m) came to life on 12 June 2011" + "text": "frequent droughts, rare earthquakes and volcanoes; locust swarms ++ volcanism: Dubbi (1,625 m), which last erupted in 1861, was the country's only historically active volcano until Nabro (2,218 m) came to life on 12 June 2011" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing" @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ "text": "Sunni Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Eritrea is a persistently poor country that has made progress in some socioeconomic categories but not in others. Education and human capital formation are national priorities for facilitating economic development and eradicating poverty. To this end, Eritrea has made great strides in improving adult literacy – doubling the literacy rate over the last 20 years – in large part because of its successful adult education programs. The overall literacy rate was estimated to be almost 74% in 2015; more work needs to be done to raise female literacy and school attendance among nomadic and rural communities. Subsistence farming fails to meet the needs of Eritrea’s growing population because of repeated droughts, dwindling arable land, overgrazing, soil erosion, and a shortage of farmers due to conscription and displacement. The government’s emphasis on spending on defense over agriculture and its lack of foreign exchange to import food also contribute to food insecurity.\nEritrea has been a leading refugee source country since at least the 1960s, when its 30-year war for independence from Ethiopia began. Since gaining independence in 1993, Eritreans have continued migrating to Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen, Egypt, or Israel because of a lack of basic human rights or political freedom, educational and job opportunities, or to seek asylum because of militarization. Eritrea’s large diaspora has been a source of vital remittances, funding its war for independence and providing 30% of the country’s GDP annually since it became independent.\nIn the last few years, Eritreans have increasingly been trafficked and held hostage by Bedouins in the Sinai Desert, where they are victims of organ harvesting, rape, extortion, and torture. Some Eritrean trafficking victims are kidnapped after being smuggled to Sudan or Ethiopia, while others are kidnapped from within or around refugee camps or crossing Eritrea’s borders. Eritreans composed approximately 90% of the conservatively estimated 25,000-30,000 victims of Sinai trafficking from 2009-2013, according to a 2013 consultancy firm report." + "text": "Eritrea is a persistently poor country that has made progress in some socioeconomic categories but not in others. Education and human capital formation are national priorities for facilitating economic development and eradicating poverty. To this end, Eritrea has made great strides in improving adult literacy – doubling the literacy rate over the last 20 years – in large part because of its successful adult education programs. The overall literacy rate was estimated to be almost 74% in 2015; more work needs to be done to raise female literacy and school attendance among nomadic and rural communities. Subsistence farming fails to meet the needs of Eritrea's growing population because of repeated droughts, dwindling arable land, overgrazing, soil erosion, and a shortage of farmers due to conscription and displacement. The government's emphasis on spending on defense over agriculture and its lack of foreign exchange to import food also contribute to food insecurity. ++ Eritrea has been a leading refugee source country since at least the 1960s, when its 30-year war for independence from Ethiopia began. Since gaining independence in 1993, Eritreans have continued migrating to Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen, Egypt, or Israel because of a lack of basic human rights or political freedom, educational and job opportunities, or to seek asylum because of militarization. Eritrea's large diaspora has been a source of vital remittances, funding its war for independence and providing 30% of the country's GDP annually since it became independent. ++ In the last few years, Eritreans have increasingly been trafficked and held hostage by Bedouins in the Sinai Desert, where they are victims of organ harvesting, rape, extortion, and torture. Some Eritrean trafficking victims are kidnapped after being smuggled to Sudan or Ethiopia, while others are kidnapped from within or around refugee camps or crossing Eritrea's borders. Eritreans composed approximately 90% of the conservatively estimated 25,000-30,000 victims of Sinai trafficking from 2009-2013, according to a 2013 consultancy firm report." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "8.4% (2010)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 26.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 73.2% of population / rural: 53.3% of population / total: 57.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "46.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "42.2% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 26.8% of population / rural: 46.7% of population / total: 42.2% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "0.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 55.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 44.5% of population / rural: 7.3% of population / total: 15.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "92.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "84.3% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 55.5% of population / rural: 92.7% of population / total: 84.3% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -520,7 +514,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Since formal independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has faced many economic problems, including lack of financial resources and chronic drought. Eritrea has a command economy under the control of the sole political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice. Like the economies of many African nations, a large share of the population - nearly 80% in Eritrea - is engaged in subsistence agriculture, but the sector only produces a small share of the country's total output. Mining accounts for the lion's share of output. The government has strictly controlled the use of foreign currency by limiting access and availability; new regulations in 2013 aimed at relaxing currency controls have had little economic effect. Few large private enterprises exist in Eritrea and most operate in conjunction with government partners, including a number of large international mining ventures, which began production in 2013. In late 2015, the Government of Eritrea introduced a new currency, retaining the name nakfa, and restricted the amount of hard currency individuals could withdraw from banks per month. The changeover has resulted in exchange fluctuations and the scarcity of hard currency available in the market. While reliable statistics on Eritrea are difficult to obtain, erratic rainfall and the large percentage of the labor force tied up in military service continue to interfere with agricultural production and economic development. Eritrea's harvests generally cannot meet the food needs of the country without supplemental grain purchases. Copper, potash, and gold production are likely to continue to drive limited economic growth and government revenue over the next few years, but military spending will continue to compete with development and investment plans." + "text": "Since formal independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has faced many economic problems, including lack of financial resources and chronic drought. Eritrea has a command economy under the control of the sole political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice. Like the economies of many African nations, a large share of the population - nearly 80% in Eritrea - is engaged in subsistence agriculture, but the sector only produces a small share of the country's total output. Mining accounts for the lion's share of output. ++ The government has strictly controlled the use of foreign currency by limiting access and availability; new regulations in 2013 aimed at relaxing currency controls have had little economic effect. Few large private enterprises exist in Eritrea and most operate in conjunction with government partners, including a number of large international mining ventures, which began production in 2013. In late 2015, the Government of Eritrea introduced a new currency, retaining the name nakfa, and restricted the amount of hard currency individuals could withdraw from banks per month. The changeover has resulted in exchange fluctuations and the scarcity of hard currency available in the market. ++ While reliable statistics on Eritrea are difficult to obtain, erratic rainfall and the large percentage of the labor force tied up in military service continue to interfere with agricultural production and economic development. Eritrea's harvests generally cannot meet the food needs of the country without supplemental grain purchases. Copper, potash, and gold production are likely to continue to drive limited economic growth and government revenue over the next few years, but military spending will continue to compete with development and investment plans." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$9.402 billion (2017 est.) / $8.953 billion (2016 est.) / $8.791 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -888,7 +882,7 @@ "text": "Eritrean Defense Forces: Eritrean Ground Forces, Eritrean Navy, Eritrean Air Force (includes Air Defense Force) (2019)" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "the Eritrean Defense Forces are comprised of approximately 200,000 personnel (est. 200,000 Army; 1,500 Naval; 500 Air); note – it is unclear how many of the Army’s 200,000 are on active duty; reportedly, some units are manned only with cadres during peacetime while many conscripts are not under arms (2019 est.)" + "text": "the Eritrean Defense Forces are comprised of approximately 200,000 personnel (est. 200,000 Army; 1,500 Naval; 500 Air); note – it is unclear how many of the Army's 200,000 are on active duty; reportedly, some units are manned only with cadres during peacetime while many conscripts are not under arms (2019 est.)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Eritrean Defense Forces inventory is comprised primarily of Soviet-era systems; Eritrea was under a UN arms embargo from 2009 to 2018; prior to 2009, Belarus, Bulgaria, and Russia were the leading arms suppliers (2019 est.)" @@ -903,7 +897,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Eritrea is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor domestically and, to a lesser extent, sex and labor trafficking abroad; the country’s national service program is often abused, with conscripts detained indefinitely and subjected to forced labor; Eritrean migrants, often fleeing national service, face strict exit control procedures and limited access to passports and visas, making them vulnerable to trafficking; Eritrean secondary school children are required to take part in public works projects during their summer breaks and must attend military and educational camp in their final year to obtain a high school graduation certificate and to gain access to higher education and some jobs; some Eritreans living in or near refugee camps, particularly in Sudan, are kidnapped by criminal groups and held for ransom in the Sinai Peninsula and Libya, where they are subjected to forced labor and abuse" + "text": "Eritrea is a source country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor domestically and, to a lesser extent, sex and labor trafficking abroad; the country's national service program is often abused, with conscripts detained indefinitely and subjected to forced labor; Eritrean migrants, often fleeing national service, face strict exit control procedures and limited access to passports and visas, making them vulnerable to trafficking; Eritrean secondary school children are required to take part in public works projects during their summer breaks and must attend military and educational camp in their final year to obtain a high school graduation certificate and to gain access to higher education and some jobs; some Eritreans living in or near refugee camps, particularly in Sudan, are kidnapped by criminal groups and held for ransom in the Sinai Peninsula and Libya, where they are subjected to forced labor and abuse" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 3 – Eritrea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government failed to investigate or prosecute any trafficking offenses or to identify or protect any victims; while the government continued to warn citizens of the dangers of human trafficking through awareness-raising events and poster campaigns, authorities lacked an understanding of the crime, conflating trafficking with transnational migration; Eritrea is not a party to the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2015)" diff --git a/africa/et.json b/africa/et.json index 16f0c42c..7ad5275f 100644 --- a/africa/et.json +++ b/africa/et.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. A border war with Eritrea in the late 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. In November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission (EEBC) issued specific coordinates as virtually demarcating the border and pronounced its work finished. Alleging that the EEBC acted beyond its mandate in issuing the coordinates, Ethiopia did not accept them and maintained troops in previously contested areas pronounced by the EEBC as belonging to Eritrea. This intransigence resulted in years of heightened tension between the two countries. In August 2012, longtime leader Prime Minister MELES Zenawi died in office and was replaced by his Deputy Prime Minister HAILEMARIAM Desalegn, marking the first peaceful transition of power in decades. Following a wave of popular dissent and anti-government protest that began in 2015, HAILEMARIAM resigned in February 2018 and ABIY Ahmed Ali took office in April 2018 as Ethiopia's first ethnic Oromo prime minister. In June 2018, ABIY announced Ethiopia would accept the border ruling of 2000, prompting rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea that was marked with a peace agreement in July 2018 and a reopening of the border in September 2018. In November 2019, Ethiopia's nearly 30-year ethnic-based ruling coalition - the EPRDF - merged into a single unity party called the Prosperity Party, however, one of the four constituent parties refused to join." + "text": "Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41. In 1974, a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994, and Ethiopia's first multiparty elections were held in 1995. ++ A border war with Eritrea in the late 1990s ended with a peace treaty in December 2000. In November 2007, the Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Commission (EEBC) issued specific coordinates as virtually demarcating the border and pronounced its work finished. Alleging that the EEBC acted beyond its mandate in issuing the coordinates, Ethiopia did not accept them and maintained troops in previously contested areas pronounced by the EEBC as belonging to Eritrea. This intransigence resulted in years of heightened tension between the two countries. In August 2012, longtime leader Prime Minister MELES Zenawi died in office and was replaced by his Deputy Prime Minister HAILEMARIAM Desalegn, marking the first peaceful transition of power in decades. Following a wave of popular dissent and anti-government protest that began in 2015, HAILEMARIAM resigned in February 2018 and ABIY Ahmed Ali took office in April 2018 as Ethiopia's first ethnic Oromo prime minister. In June 2018, ABIY announced Ethiopia would accept the border ruling of 2000, prompting rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea that was marked with a peace agreement in July 2018 and a reopening of the border in September 2018. In November 2019, Ethiopia's nearly 30-year ethnic-based ruling coalition - the EPRDF - merged into a single unity party called the Prosperity Party, however, one of the four constituent parties refused to join." } }, "Geography": { @@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ "text": "highest density is found in the highlands of the north and middle areas of the country, particularly around the centrally located capital city of Addis Ababa; the far east and southeast are sparsely populated as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts\nvolcanism: volcanic activity in the Great Rift Valley; Erta Ale (613 m), which has caused frequent lava flows in recent years, is the country's most active volcano; Dabbahu became active in 2005, forcing evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Alayta, Dalaffilla, Dallol, Dama Ali, Fentale, Kone, Manda Hararo, and Manda-Inakir" + "text": "geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts ++ volcanism: volcanic activity in the Great Rift Valley; Erta Ale (613 m), which has caused frequent lava flows in recent years, is the country's most active volcano; Dabbahu became active in 2005, forcing evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Alayta, Dalaffilla, Dallol, Dama Ali, Fentale, Kone, Manda Hararo, and Manda-Inakir" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; loss of biodiversity; water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor management; industrial pollution and pesticides contribute to air, water, and soil pollution" @@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; Ethiopia is, therefore, the most populous landlocked country in the world; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopianote 2: three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean" + "text": "note 1: landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; Ethiopia is, therefore, the most populous landlocked country in the world; the Blue Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia ++ note 2: three major crops are believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean" } } }, @@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ "text": "Ethiopian Orthodox 43.8%, Muslim 31.3%, Protestant 22.8%, Catholic 0.7%, traditional .6%, other 0.8% (2016 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Ethiopia is a predominantly agricultural country – more than 80% of the population lives in rural areas – that is in the early stages of demographic transition. Infant, child, and maternal mortality have fallen sharply over the past decade, but the total fertility rate has declined more slowly and the population continues to grow. The rising age of marriage and the increasing proportion of women remaining single have contributed to fertility reduction. While the use of modern contraceptive methods among married women has increased significantly from 6 percent in 2000 to 27 percent in 2012, the overall rate is still quite low.\nEthiopia’s rapid population growth is putting increasing pressure on land resources, expanding environmental degradation, and raising vulnerability to food shortages. With more than 40 percent of the population below the age of 15 and a fertility rate of over 5 children per woman (and even higher in rural areas), Ethiopia will have to make further progress in meeting its family planning needs if it is to achieve the age structure necessary for reaping a demographic dividend in the coming decades.\nPoverty, drought, political repression, and forced government resettlement have driven Ethiopia’s internal and external migration since the 1960s. Before the 1974 revolution, only small numbers of the Ethiopian elite went abroad to study and then returned home, but under the brutal Derg regime thousands fled the country, primarily as refugees. Between 1982 and 1991 there was a new wave of migration to the West for family reunification. Since the defeat of the Derg in 1991, Ethiopians have migrated to escape violence among some of the country’s myriad ethnic groups or to pursue economic opportunities. Internal and international trafficking of women and children for domestic work and prostitution is a growing problem." + "text": "Ethiopia is a predominantly agricultural country – more than 80% of the population lives in rural areas – that is in the early stages of demographic transition. Infant, child, and maternal mortality have fallen sharply over the past decade, but the total fertility rate has declined more slowly and the population continues to grow. The rising age of marriage and the increasing proportion of women remaining single have contributed to fertility reduction. While the use of modern contraceptive methods among married women has increased significantly from 6 percent in 2000 to 27 percent in 2012, the overall rate is still quite low. ++ Ethiopia's rapid population growth is putting increasing pressure on land resources, expanding environmental degradation, and raising vulnerability to food shortages. With more than 40 percent of the population below the age of 15 and a fertility rate of over 5 children per woman (and even higher in rural areas), Ethiopia will have to make further progress in meeting its family planning needs if it is to achieve the age structure necessary for reaping a demographic dividend in the coming decades. ++ Poverty, drought, political repression, and forced government resettlement have driven Ethiopia's internal and external migration since the 1960s. Before the 1974 revolution, only small numbers of the Ethiopian elite went abroad to study and then returned home, but under the brutal Derg regime thousands fled the country, primarily as refugees. Between 1982 and 1991 there was a new wave of migration to the West for family reunification. Since the defeat of the Derg in 1991, Ethiopians have migrated to escape violence among some of the country's myriad ethnic groups or to pursue economic opportunities. Internal and international trafficking of women and children for domestic work and prostitution is a growing problem." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -263,14 +263,11 @@ "text": "40.1% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97% of population / rural: 61.7% of population / total: 68.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "38.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "31.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3% of population / rural: 38.3% of population / total: 31.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -283,14 +280,11 @@ "text": "0.3 beds/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 50.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 49.7% of population / rural: 5.7% of population / total: 14.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "94.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "85.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 50.3% of population / rural: 94.3% of population / total: 85.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -471,13 +465,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:House of Federation or Yefedereshein Mikir Bete (153 seats; members indirectly elected by state assemblies to serve 5-year terms)House of People's Representatives or Yehizb Tewokayoch Mekir Bete (547 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; 22 seats reserved for minorities; all members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: House of Federation or Yefedereshein Mikir Bete (153 seats; members indirectly elected by state assemblies to serve 5-year terms) ++ House of People's Representatives or Yehizb Tewokayoch Mekir Bete (547 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; 22 seats reserved for minorities; all members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "House of Federation - last held 24 May 2015 (next originally scheduled on 29 August 2020 but postponed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic)House of People's Representatives - last held on 24 May 2015 (next originally scheduled on 29 August 2020 but postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic)" + "text": "House of Federation - last held 24 May 2015 (next originally scheduled on 29 August 2020 but postponed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic) ++ House of People's Representatives - last held on 24 May 2015 (next originally scheduled on 29 August 2020 but postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic)" }, "election results": { - "text": "House of Federation - percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - NA; composition - men 104, women 49, percent of women 32%House of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - EPRDF 501, SPDP 24, BGPDUP 9, ANDP 8, GPUDM 3, APDO 1, HNL 1; composition - men 335, women 212, percent of women  38.8%; note - total Parliament percent of women 37.3%" + "text": "House of Federation - percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - NA; composition - men 104, women 49, percent of women 32% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - EPRDF 501, SPDP 24, BGPDUP 9, ANDP 8, GPUDM 3, APDO 1, HNL 1; composition - men 335, women 212, percent of women  38.8%; note - total Parliament percent of women 37.3%" }, "note": { "text": "note: House of Federation is responsible for interpreting the constitution and federal-regional issues and the House of People's Representatives is responsible for passing legislation" @@ -495,7 +489,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [Taha AHMED]Argoba People Democratic Organization or APDOBenishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Party or BGPDUPEthiopian Federal Democratic Unity Forum or MEDREK or FORUM [Beyene PETROS] (includes ESD-SCUP, OFC, SLM, and UTDS)Ethiopia Citizens for Social Justice or ECSJ Party (formed in May 2019 from 7 other parties, including Patriotic Genbot 7, Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP), All Ethiopian Democratic Party (AEDP), Semayawi Party, New Generation Party, Gambella Regional Movement (GRM), Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) Party [Berhanu Negu])Prosperity Party or PP [ABIY Ahmed] (created in November 2019 from member parties of the former Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF, which included the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM),  Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO), Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement  (SEPDM), Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), plus other ERPRF allies Ethiopian Social Democracy-Southern Coalition Unity Party or ESD-SCUPGambella Peoples Unity Democratic Movement or GPUDMHarari National League or HNL [Murad ABDULHADI]Oromo Fderalist Congress or OFCSidama Liberaton Movement or SLMSomali People's Democratic Party or SPDPUnion of Tigraians for Democracy & Sovergnty or UTDSTigray Independence Party [Girmay BERHE] (2020)" + "text": "Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [Taha AHMED] ++ Argoba People Democratic Organization or APDO ++ Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Party or BGPDUP ++ Ethiopian Federal Democratic Unity Forum or MEDREK or FORUM [Beyene PETROS] (includes ESD-SCUP, OFC, SLM, and UTDS) ++ Ethiopia Citizens for Social Justice or ECSJ Party (formed in May 2019 from 7 other parties, including Patriotic Genbot 7, Ethiopian Democratic Party (EDP), All Ethiopian Democratic Party (AEDP), Semayawi Party, New Generation Party, Gambella Regional Movement (GRM), Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) Party [Berhanu Negu]) ++ Prosperity Party or PP [ABIY Ahmed] (created in November 2019 from member parties of the former Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF, which included the Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM),  Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO), Southern Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement  (SEPDM), Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), plus other ERPRF allies ++ Ethiopian Social Democracy-Southern Coalition Unity Party or ESD-SCUP ++ Gambella Peoples Unity Democratic Movement or GPUDM ++ Harari National League or HNL [Murad ABDULHADI] ++ Oromo Fderalist Congress or OFC ++ Sidama Liberaton Movement or SLM ++ Somali People's Democratic Party or SPDP ++ Union of Tigraians for Democracy & Sovergnty or UTDS ++ Tigray Independence Party [Girmay BERHE] (2020)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UN Security Council (temporary), UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -560,7 +554,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Ethiopia - the second most populous country in Africa - is a one-party state with a planned economy. For more than a decade before 2016, GDP grew at a rate between 8% and 11% annually – one of the fastest growing states among the 188 IMF member countries. This growth was driven by government investment in infrastructure, as well as sustained progress in the agricultural and service sectors. More than 70% of Ethiopia’s population is still employed in the agricultural sector, but services have surpassed agriculture as the principal source of GDP. Ethiopia has the lowest level of income-inequality in Africa and one of the lowest in the world, with a Gini coefficient comparable to that of the Scandinavian countries. Yet despite progress toward eliminating extreme poverty, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in the world, due both to rapid population growth and a low starting base. Changes in rainfall associated with world-wide weather patterns resulted in the worst drought in 30 years in 2015-16, creating food insecurity for millions of Ethiopians. The state is heavily engaged in the economy. Ongoing infrastructure projects include power production and distribution, roads, rails, airports and industrial parks. Key sectors are state-owned, including telecommunications, banking and insurance, and power distribution. Under Ethiopia's constitution, the state owns all land and provides long-term leases to tenants. Title rights in urban areas, particularly Addis Ababa, are poorly regulated, and subject to corruption. Ethiopia’s foreign exchange earnings are led by the services sector - primarily the state-run Ethiopian Airlines - followed by exports of several commodities. While coffee remains the largest foreign exchange earner, Ethiopia is diversifying exports, and commodities such as gold, sesame, khat, livestock and horticulture products are becoming increasingly important. Manufacturing represented less than 8% of total exports in 2016, but manufacturing exports should increase in future years due to a growing international presence. The banking, insurance, telecommunications, and micro-credit industries are restricted to domestic investors, but Ethiopia has attracted roughly $8.5 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), mostly from China, Turkey, India and the EU; US FDI is $567 million. Investment has been primarily in infrastructure, construction, agriculture/horticulture, agricultural processing, textiles, leather and leather products. To support industrialization in sectors where Ethiopia has a comparative advantage, such as textiles and garments, leather goods, and processed agricultural products, Ethiopia plans to increase installed power generation capacity by 8,320 MW, up from a capacity of 2,000 MW, by building three more major dams and expanding to other sources of renewable energy. In 2017, the government devalued the birr by 15% to increase exports and alleviate a chronic foreign currency shortage in the country." + "text": "Ethiopia - the second most populous country in Africa - is a one-party state with a planned economy. For more than a decade before 2016, GDP grew at a rate between 8% and 11% annually – one of the fastest growing states among the 188 IMF member countries. This growth was driven by government investment in infrastructure, as well as sustained progress in the agricultural and service sectors. More than 70% of Ethiopia's population is still employed in the agricultural sector, but services have surpassed agriculture as the principal source of GDP. ++ Ethiopia has the lowest level of income-inequality in Africa and one of the lowest in the world, with a Gini coefficient comparable to that of the Scandinavian countries. Yet despite progress toward eliminating extreme poverty, Ethiopia remains one of the poorest countries in the world, due both to rapid population growth and a low starting base. Changes in rainfall associated with world-wide weather patterns resulted in the worst drought in 30 years in 2015-16, creating food insecurity for millions of Ethiopians. ++ The state is heavily engaged in the economy. Ongoing infrastructure projects include power production and distribution, roads, rails, airports and industrial parks. Key sectors are state-owned, including telecommunications, banking and insurance, and power distribution. Under Ethiopia's constitution, the state owns all land and provides long-term leases to tenants. Title rights in urban areas, particularly Addis Ababa, are poorly regulated, and subject to corruption. ++ Ethiopia's foreign exchange earnings are led by the services sector - primarily the state-run Ethiopian Airlines - followed by exports of several commodities. While coffee remains the largest foreign exchange earner, Ethiopia is diversifying exports, and commodities such as gold, sesame, khat, livestock and horticulture products are becoming increasingly important. Manufacturing represented less than 8% of total exports in 2016, but manufacturing exports should increase in future years due to a growing international presence. ++ The banking, insurance, telecommunications, and micro-credit industries are restricted to domestic investors, but Ethiopia has attracted roughly $8.5 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), mostly from China, Turkey, India and the EU; US FDI is $567 million. Investment has been primarily in infrastructure, construction, agriculture/horticulture, agricultural processing, textiles, leather and leather products. ++ To support industrialization in sectors where Ethiopia has a comparative advantage, such as textiles and garments, leather goods, and processed agricultural products, Ethiopia plans to increase installed power generation capacity by 8,320 MW, up from a capacity of 2,000 MW, by building three more major dams and expanding to other sources of renewable energy. In 2017, the government devalued the birr by 15% to increase exports and alleviate a chronic foreign currency shortage in the country." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$200.6 billion (2017 est.) / $181 billion (2016 est.) / $167.6 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -933,7 +927,7 @@ "Military and security forces": { "text": "Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Ethiopian Air Force (Ye Ityopya Ayer Hayl, ETAF) (2020)", "note": { - "text": "note: in January 2020 the Ethiopian Government announced it had re-established a navy, which was disbanded in 1996; in March 2019 Ethiopia signed a defense cooperation agreement with France which stipulated that France would support the establishment of an Ethiopian navyin 2018, Ethiopia established a Republican Guard for protecting senior officials; the Republican Guard is a military unit accountable to the Prime Minister" + "text": "note: in January 2020 the Ethiopian Government announced it had re-established a navy, which was disbanded in 1996; in March 2019 Ethiopia signed a defense cooperation agreement with France which stipulated that France would support the establishment of an Ethiopian navy ++ in 2018, Ethiopia established a Republican Guard for protecting senior officials; the Republican Guard is a military unit accountable to the Prime Minister" } }, "Military expenditures": { diff --git a/africa/ga.json b/africa/ga.json index 75f2ae6b..8292d5fd 100644 --- a/africa/ga.json +++ b/africa/ga.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived Confederation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1991, the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, although tensions flared up intermittently during the regime of Yahya JAMMEH. JAMMEH led a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned political activity. A new constitution and presidential election in 1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEH was elected president in all subsequent elections including most recently in late 2011. After 22 years of increasingly authoritarian rule, President JAMMEH was defeated in free and fair elections in December 2016. Due to The Gambia’s poor human rights record under JAMMEH, international development partners had distanced themselves, and substantially reduced aid to the country. These channels have now reopened under the administration of President Adama BARROW, who took office in January 2017. The US and The Gambia currently enjoy improved relations. US assistance to the country has supported military education and training programs, as well as various capacity building and democracy strengthening activities.    " + "text": "The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived Confederation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1991, the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, although tensions flared up intermittently during the regime of Yahya JAMMEH. JAMMEH led a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned political activity. A new constitution and presidential election in 1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEH was elected president in all subsequent elections including most recently in late 2011. After 22 years of increasingly authoritarian rule, President JAMMEH was defeated in free and fair elections in December 2016. Due to The Gambia's poor human rights record under JAMMEH, international development partners had distanced themselves, and substantially reduced aid to the country. These channels have now reopened under the administration of President Adama BARROW, who took office in January 2017. The US and The Gambia currently enjoy improved relations. US assistance to the country has supported military education and training programs, as well as various capacity building and democracy strengthening activities.   ++  " } }, "Geography": { @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ "text": "Muslim 95.7%, Christian 4.2%, none 0.1%, no response 0.1% (2013 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "The Gambia’s youthful age structure – almost 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – is likely to persist because the country’s total fertility rate remains strong at nearly 4 children per woman. The overall literacy rate is around 55%, and is significantly lower for women than for men. At least 70% of the populace are farmers who are reliant on rain-fed agriculture and cannot afford improved seeds and fertilizers. Crop failures caused by droughts between 2011 and 2013 have increased poverty, food shortages, and malnutrition.\nThe Gambia is a source country for migrants and a transit and destination country for migrants and refugees. Since the 1980s, economic deterioration, drought, and high unemployment, especially among youths, have driven both domestic migration (largely urban) and migration abroad (legal and illegal). Emigrants are largely skilled workers, including doctors and nurses, and provide a significant amount of remittances. The top receiving countries for Gambian emigrants are Spain, the US, Nigeria, Senegal, and the UK. While the Gambia and Spain do not share historic, cultural, or trade ties, rural Gambians have migrated to Spain in large numbers because of its proximity and the availability of jobs in its underground economy (this flow slowed following the onset of Spain’s late 2007 economic crisis).\nThe Gambia’s role as a host country to refugees is a result of wars in several of its neighboring West African countries. Since 2006, refugees from the Casamance conflict in Senegal have replaced their pattern of flight and return with permanent settlement in The Gambia, often moving in with relatives along the Senegal-Gambia border. The strain of providing for about 7,400 Casamance refugees has increased poverty among Gambian villagers." + "text": "The Gambia's youthful age structure – almost 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – is likely to persist because the country's total fertility rate remains strong at nearly 4 children per woman. The overall literacy rate is around 55%, and is significantly lower for women than for men. At least 70% of the populace are farmers who are reliant on rain-fed agriculture and cannot afford improved seeds and fertilizers. Crop failures caused by droughts between 2011 and 2013 have increased poverty, food shortages, and malnutrition. ++ The Gambia is a source country for migrants and a transit and destination country for migrants and refugees. Since the 1980s, economic deterioration, drought, and high unemployment, especially among youths, have driven both domestic migration (largely urban) and migration abroad (legal and illegal). Emigrants are largely skilled workers, including doctors and nurses, and provide a significant amount of remittances. The top receiving countries for Gambian emigrants are Spain, the US, Nigeria, Senegal, and the UK. While the Gambia and Spain do not share historic, cultural, or trade ties, rural Gambians have migrated to Spain in large numbers because of its proximity and the availability of jobs in its underground economy (this flow slowed following the onset of Spain's late 2007 economic crisis). ++ The Gambia's role as a host country to refugees is a result of wars in several of its neighboring West African countries. Since 2006, refugees from the Casamance conflict in Senegal have replaced their pattern of flight and return with permanent settlement in The Gambia, often moving in with relatives along the Senegal-Gambia border. The strain of providing for about 7,400 Casamance refugees has increased poverty among Gambian villagers." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -270,14 +270,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 8.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 91.4% of population / rural: 80.4% of population / total: 87.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "19.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "12.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 8.6% of population / rural: 19.6% of population / total: 12.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -290,14 +287,11 @@ "text": "1.1 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 19.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 80.4% of population / rural: 44.5% of population / total: 66.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "55.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "33.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 19.6% of population / rural: 55.5% of population / total: 33.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -484,7 +478,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [Fabakary JATTA]Coalition 2016 [collective leadership] (electoral coalition includes UDP, PDOIS, NRP, GMC, GDC, PPP, and GPDP)Gambia Democratic Congress or GDC [Mama KANDEH]Gambia Moral Congress or GMC [Mai FATTY]Gambia Party for Democracy and Progress or GPDP [Sarja JARJOU]National Convention Party or NCP [Yaya  SANYANG and Majanko SAMUSA (both claiming leadership)]National Democratic Action Movement or NDAM [Lamin Yaa JUARA]National People's Party or NPP [Adama BARROW]National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat BAH]People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA]People's Progressive Party or PPP [Yaya CEESAY)]United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]" + "text": "Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [Fabakary JATTA] ++ Coalition 2016 [collective leadership] (electoral coalition includes UDP, PDOIS, NRP, GMC, GDC, PPP, and GPDP) ++ Gambia Democratic Congress or GDC [Mama KANDEH] ++ Gambia Moral Congress or GMC [Mai FATTY] ++ Gambia Party for Democracy and Progress or GPDP [Sarja JARJOU] ++ National Convention Party or NCP [Yaya  SANYANG and Majanko SAMUSA (both claiming leadership)] ++ National Democratic Action Movement or NDAM [Lamin Yaa JUARA] ++ National People's Party or NPP [Adama BARROW] ++ National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat BAH] ++ People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA] ++ People's Progressive Party or PPP [Yaya CEESAY)] ++ United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -540,7 +534,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The government has invested in the agriculture sector because three-quarters of the population depends on the sector for its livelihood and agriculture provides for about one-third of GDP, making The Gambia largely reliant on sufficient rainfall. The agricultural sector has untapped potential - less than half of arable land is cultivated and agricultural productivity is low. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of cashews, groundnuts, fish, and hides. The Gambia's reexport trade accounts for almost 80% of goods exports and China has been its largest trade partner for both exports and imports for several years. The Gambia has sparse natural resource deposits. It relies heavily on remittances from workers overseas and tourist receipts. Remittance inflows to The Gambia amount to about one-fifth of the country’s GDP. The Gambia's location on the ocean and proximity to Europe has made it one of the most frequented tourist destinations in West Africa, boosted by private sector investments in eco-tourism and facilities. Tourism normally brings in about 20% of GDP, but it suffered in 2014 from tourists’ fears of Ebola virus in neighboring West African countries. Unemployment and underemployment remain high. Economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, and on continued technical assistance from multilateral and bilateral donors. International donors and lenders were concerned about the quality of fiscal management under the administration of former President Yahya JAMMEH, who reportedly stole hundreds of millions of dollars of the country’s funds during his 22 years in power, but anticipate significant improvements under the new administration of President Adama BARROW, who assumed power in early 2017. As of April 2017, the IMF, the World Bank, the European Union, and the African Development Bank were all negotiating with the new government of The Gambia to provide financial support in the coming months to ease the country’s financial crisis. The country faces a limited availability of foreign exchange, weak agricultural output, a border closure with Senegal, a slowdown in tourism, high inflation, a large fiscal deficit, and a high domestic debt burden that has crowded out private sector investment and driven interest rates to new highs. The government has committed to taking steps to reduce the deficit, including through expenditure caps, debt consolidation, and reform of state-owned enterprises." + "text": "The government has invested in the agriculture sector because three-quarters of the population depends on the sector for its livelihood and agriculture provides for about one-third of GDP, making The Gambia largely reliant on sufficient rainfall. The agricultural sector has untapped potential - less than half of arable land is cultivated and agricultural productivity is low. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of cashews, groundnuts, fish, and hides. The Gambia's reexport trade accounts for almost 80% of goods exports and China has been its largest trade partner for both exports and imports for several years. ++ The Gambia has sparse natural resource deposits. It relies heavily on remittances from workers overseas and tourist receipts. Remittance inflows to The Gambia amount to about one-fifth of the country's GDP. The Gambia's location on the ocean and proximity to Europe has made it one of the most frequented tourist destinations in West Africa, boosted by private sector investments in eco-tourism and facilities. Tourism normally brings in about 20% of GDP, but it suffered in 2014 from tourists' fears of Ebola virus in neighboring West African countries. Unemployment and underemployment remain high. ++ Economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, and on continued technical assistance from multilateral and bilateral donors. International donors and lenders were concerned about the quality of fiscal management under the administration of former President Yahya JAMMEH, who reportedly stole hundreds of millions of dollars of the country's funds during his 22 years in power, but anticipate significant improvements under the new administration of President Adama BARROW, who assumed power in early 2017. As of April 2017, the IMF, the World Bank, the European Union, and the African Development Bank were all negotiating with the new government of The Gambia to provide financial support in the coming months to ease the country's financial crisis. ++ The country faces a limited availability of foreign exchange, weak agricultural output, a border closure with Senegal, a slowdown in tourism, high inflation, a large fiscal deficit, and a high domestic debt burden that has crowded out private sector investment and driven interest rates to new highs. The government has committed to taking steps to reduce the deficit, including through expenditure caps, debt consolidation, and reform of state-owned enterprises." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$5.556 billion (2017 est.) / $5.314 billion (2016 est.) / $5.292 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/gb.json b/africa/gb.json index eedf2c2a..1ab67815 100644 --- a/africa/gb.json +++ b/africa/gb.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Following, independence from France in 1960, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-ruling heads of state in the world - dominated the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009). President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in December 2002 and the presidential election in 2005 exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Following President BONGO's death in 2009, a new election brought his son, Ali BONGO Ondimba, to power. Despite constrained political conditions, Gabon's small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make it one of the more stable African countries.\nPresident Ali BONGO Ondimba’s controversial August 2016 reelection sparked unprecedented opposition protests that resulted in the burning of the parliament building. The election was contested by the opposition after fraudulent results were flagged by international election observers. Gabon’s Constitutional Court reviewed the election results but ruled in favor of President BONGO, upholding his win and extending his mandate to 2023." + "text": "Following, independence from France in 1960, El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-ruling heads of state in the world - dominated the country's political scene for four decades (1967-2009). President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, allegations of electoral fraud during local elections in December 2002 and the presidential election in 2005 exposed the weaknesses of formal political structures in Gabon. Following President BONGO's death in 2009, a new election brought his son, Ali BONGO Ondimba, to power. Despite constrained political conditions, Gabon's small population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign support have helped make it one of the more stable African countries. ++ President Ali BONGO Ondimba's controversial August 2016 reelection sparked unprecedented opposition protests that resulted in the burning of the parliament building. The election was contested by the opposition after fraudulent results were flagged by international election observers. Gabon's Constitutional Court reviewed the election results but ruled in favor of President BONGO, upholding his win and extending his mandate to 2023." } }, "Geography": { @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 42.3%, Protestant 12.3%, other Christian 27.4%, Muslim 9.8%, animist 0.6%, other 0.5%, none/no answer 7.1% (2012 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Gabon’s oil revenues have given it one of the highest per capita income levels in Sub-Saharan Africa, but the wealth is not evenly distributed and poverty is widespread. Unemployment is especially prevalent among the large youth population; more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25. With a fertility rate still averaging more than 4 children per woman, the youth population will continue to grow and further strain the mismatch between Gabon’s supply of jobs and the skills of its labor force.\nGabon has been a magnet to migrants from neighboring countries since the 1960s because of the discovery of oil, as well as the country’s political stability and timber, mineral, and natural gas resources. Nonetheless, income inequality and high unemployment have created slums in Libreville full of migrant workers from Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, and elsewhere in West Africa. In 2011, Gabon declared an end to refugee status for 9,500 remaining Congolese nationals to whom it had granted asylum during the Republic of the Congo’s civil war between 1997 and 2003. About 5,400 of these refugees received permits to reside in Gabon." + "text": "Gabon's oil revenues have given it one of the highest per capita income levels in Sub-Saharan Africa, but the wealth is not evenly distributed and poverty is widespread. Unemployment is especially prevalent among the large youth population; more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25. With a fertility rate still averaging more than 4 children per woman, the youth population will continue to grow and further strain the mismatch between Gabon's supply of jobs and the skills of its labor force. ++ Gabon has been a magnet to migrants from neighboring countries since the 1960s because of the discovery of oil, as well as the country's political stability and timber, mineral, and natural gas resources. Nonetheless, income inequality and high unemployment have created slums in Libreville full of migrant workers from Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, and elsewhere in West Africa. In 2011, Gabon declared an end to refugee status for 9,500 remaining Congolese nationals to whom it had granted asylum during the Republic of the Congo's civil war between 1997 and 2003. About 5,400 of these refugees received permits to reside in Gabon." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "31.1% (2012)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97% of population / rural: 68% of population / total: 93.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "32% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "6.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.3% of population / rural: 32% of population / total: 6.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "6.3 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 22.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 77.7% of population / rural: 51.9% of population / total: 74.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "48.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "25.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 22.3% of population / rural: 48.1% of population / total: 25.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -404,7 +398,7 @@ "text": "previous 1961; latest drafted May 1990, adopted 15 March 1991, promulgated 26 March 1991" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the president of the republic, by the Council of Ministers, or by one third of either house of Parliament; passage requires Constitutional Court evaluation, at least two-thirds majority vote of two thirds of the Parliament membership convened in joint session, and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on Gabon’s democratic form of government cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2011" + "text": "proposed by the president of the republic, by the Council of Ministers, or by one third of either house of Parliament; passage requires Constitutional Court evaluation, at least two-thirds majority vote of two thirds of the Parliament membership convened in joint session, and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on Gabon's democratic form of government cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2011" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -449,13 +443,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:Senate or Senat (102 seats; members indirectly elected by municipal councils and departmental assemblies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms)National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (143 seats; members elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of: Senate or Senat (102 seats; members indirectly elected by municipal councils and departmental assemblies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms) ++ National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (143 seats; members elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 13 December 2014 (next to be held on 31 December 2020)National Assembly - held in 2 rounds on 6 and 27 October 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 13 December 2014 (next to be held on 31 December 2020) ++ National Assembly - held in 2 rounds on 6 and 27 October 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 81, CLR 7, PSD 2, ADERE-UPG 1, UPG 1, PGCI 1, independent 7; composition - men 84, women 18, percent of women 17.6%National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 98, The Democrats or LD 11, RV 8, Social Democrats of Gabon 5, RH&M 4, other 9, independent 8; composition - men 123, women 20, percent of women 14%; note - total Parliament percent of women 15.5%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 81, CLR 7, PSD 2, ADERE-UPG 1, UPG 1, PGCI 1, independent 7; composition - men 84, women 18, percent of women 17.6% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 98, The Democrats or LD 11, RV 8, Social Democrats of Gabon 5, RH&M 4, other 9, independent 8; composition - men 123, women 20, percent of women 14%; note - total Parliament percent of women 15.5%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -470,7 +464,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [Gen. Jean-Boniface ASSELE]Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [DIDJOB Divungui di Ndinge]Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG [Ali BONGO Ondimba]Independent Center Party of Gabon or PGCI [Luccheri GAHILA]Legacy and Modernity Party or RH&MRally for Gabon or RPGRestoration of Republican Values or RVSocial Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]Social Democrats of GabonThe Democrats or LDUnion for the New Republic or UPRN [Louis Gaston MAYILA]Union of Gabonese People or UPG [Richard MOULOMBA]Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Jean PING]" + "text": "Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [Gen. Jean-Boniface ASSELE] ++ Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE [DIDJOB Divungui di Ndinge] ++ Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG [Ali BONGO Ondimba] ++ Independent Center Party of Gabon or PGCI [Luccheri GAHILA] ++ Legacy and Modernity Party or RH&M ++ Rally for Gabon or RPG ++ Restoration of Republican Values or RV ++ Social Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU] ++ Social Democrats of Gabon ++ The Democrats or LD ++ Union for the New Republic or UPRN [Louis Gaston MAYILA] ++ Union of Gabonese People or UPG [Richard MOULOMBA] ++ Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Jean PING]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -526,7 +520,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most Sub-Saharan African nations, but because of high income inequality, a large proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon relied on timber and manganese exports until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. From 2010 to 2016, oil accounted for approximately 80% of Gabon’s exports, 45% of its GDP, and 60% of its state budget revenues. Gabon faces fluctuating international prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. A rebound of oil prices from 2001 to 2013 helped growth, but declining production, as some fields passed their peak production, has hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. GDP grew nearly 6% per year over the 2010-14 period, but slowed significantly from 2014 to just 1% in 2017 as oil prices declined. Low oil prices also weakened government revenue and negatively affected the trade and current account balances. In the wake of lower revenue, Gabon signed a 3-year agreement with the IMF in June 2017. Despite an abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management and over-reliance on oil has stifled the economy. Power cuts and water shortages are frequent. Gabon is reliant on imports and the government heavily subsidizes commodities, including food, but will be hard pressed to tamp down public frustration with unemployment and corruption." + "text": "Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most Sub-Saharan African nations, but because of high income inequality, a large proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon relied on timber and manganese exports until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s. From 2010 to 2016, oil accounted for approximately 80% of Gabon's exports, 45% of its GDP, and 60% of its state budget revenues. ++ Gabon faces fluctuating international prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports. A rebound of oil prices from 2001 to 2013 helped growth, but declining production, as some fields passed their peak production, has hampered Gabon from fully realizing potential gains. GDP grew nearly 6% per year over the 2010-14 period, but slowed significantly from 2014 to just 1% in 2017 as oil prices declined. Low oil prices also weakened government revenue and negatively affected the trade and current account balances. In the wake of lower revenue, Gabon signed a 3-year agreement with the IMF in June 2017. ++ Despite an abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management and over-reliance on oil has stifled the economy. Power cuts and water shortages are frequent. Gabon is reliant on imports and the government heavily subsidizes commodities, including food, but will be hard pressed to tamp down public frustration with unemployment and corruption." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$36.66 billion (2017 est.) / $36.5 billion (2016 est.) / $35.75 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -930,7 +924,7 @@ "text": "Gabon is primarily a destination and transit country for adults and children from West and Central African countries subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; boys are forced to work as street vendors, mechanics, or in the fishing sector, while girls are subjected to domestic servitude or forced to work in markets or roadside restaurants; West African women are forced into domestic servitude or prostitution; men are reportedly forced to work on cattle farms; some foreign adults end up in forced labor in Gabon after initially seeking the help of human smugglers to help them migrate clandestinely; traffickers operate in loose, ethnic-based criminal networks, with female traffickers recruiting and facilitating the transport of victims from source countries; in some cases, families turn child victims over to traffickers, who promise paid jobs in Gabon" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Gabon does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; Gabon’s existing laws do not prohibit all forms of trafficking, and the government failed to pass a legal amendment drafted in 2013 to criminalize the trafficking of adults; anti-trafficking law enforcement decreased in 2014, dropping from 50 investigations to 16, and the only defendant to face prosecution fled the country; government efforts to identify and refer victims to protective services declined from 50 child victims in 2013 to just 3 in 2014, none of whom was referred to a care facility; the government provided support to four centers offering services to orphans and vulnerable children – 14 child victims identified by an NGO received government assistance; no adult victims have been identified since 2009 (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Gabon does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; Gabon's existing laws do not prohibit all forms of trafficking, and the government failed to pass a legal amendment drafted in 2013 to criminalize the trafficking of adults; anti-trafficking law enforcement decreased in 2014, dropping from 50 investigations to 16, and the only defendant to face prosecution fled the country; government efforts to identify and refer victims to protective services declined from 50 child victims in 2013 to just 3 in 2014, none of whom was referred to a care facility; the government provided support to four centers offering services to orphans and vulnerable children – 14 child victims identified by an NGO received government assistance; no adult victims have been identified since 2009 (2015)" } } } diff --git a/africa/gh.json b/africa/gh.json index b1a3e86a..985338a5 100644 --- a/africa/gh.json +++ b/africa/gh.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first Sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Ghana endured a series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS of the National Democratic Congress won the 2008 presidential election and took over as head of state. MILLS died in July 2012 and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president, John Dramani MAHAMA, who subsequently won the December 2012 presidential election. In 2016, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO of the NPP defeated MAHAMA, marking the third time that Ghana’s presidency has changed parties since the return to democracy." + "text": "Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first Sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Ghana endured a series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS of the National Democratic Congress won the 2008 presidential election and took over as head of state. MILLS died in July 2012 and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president, John Dramani MAHAMA, who subsequently won the December 2012 presidential election. In 2016, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO of the NPP defeated MAHAMA, marking the third time that Ghana's presidency has changed parties since the return to democracy." } }, "Geography": { @@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ "text": "Christian 71.2% (Pentecostal/Charismatic 28.3%, Protestant 18.4%, Catholic 13.1%, other 11.4%), Muslim 17.6%, traditional 5.2%, other 0.8%, none 5.2% (2010 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Ghana has a young age structure, with approximately 57% of the population under the age of 25. Its total fertility rate fell significantly during the 1980s and 1990s but has stalled at around four children per woman for the last few years. Fertility remains higher in the northern region than the Greater Accra region. On average, desired fertility has remained stable for several years; urban dwellers want fewer children than rural residents. Increased life expectancy, due to better health care, nutrition, and hygiene, and reduced fertility have increased Ghana’s share of elderly persons; Ghana’s proportion of persons aged 60+ is among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty has declined in Ghana, but it remains pervasive in the northern region, which is susceptible to droughts and floods and has less access to transportation infrastructure, markets, fertile farming land, and industrial centers. The northern region also has lower school enrollment, higher illiteracy, and fewer opportunities for women.\nGhana was a country of immigration in the early years after its 1957 independence, attracting labor migrants largely from Nigeria and other neighboring countries to mine minerals and harvest cocoa – immigrants composed about 12% of Ghana’s population in 1960. In the late 1960s, worsening economic and social conditions discouraged immigration, and hundreds of thousands of immigrants, mostly Nigerians, were expelled.\nDuring the 1970s, severe drought and an economic downturn transformed Ghana into a country of emigration; neighboring Cote d’Ivoire was the initial destination. Later, hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians migrated to Nigeria to work in its booming oil industry, but most were deported in 1983 and 1985 as oil prices plummeted. Many Ghanaians then turned to more distant destinations, including other parts of Africa, Europe, and North America, but the majority continued to migrate within West Africa. Since the 1990s, increased emigration of skilled Ghanaians, especially to the US and the UK, drained the country of its health care and education professionals. Internally, poverty and other developmental disparities continue to drive Ghanaians from the north to the south, particularly to its urban centers." + "text": "Ghana has a young age structure, with approximately 57% of the population under the age of 25. Its total fertility rate fell significantly during the 1980s and 1990s but has stalled at around four children per woman for the last few years. Fertility remains higher in the northern region than the Greater Accra region. On average, desired fertility has remained stable for several years; urban dwellers want fewer children than rural residents. Increased life expectancy, due to better health care, nutrition, and hygiene, and reduced fertility have increased Ghana's share of elderly persons; Ghana's proportion of persons aged 60+ is among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty has declined in Ghana, but it remains pervasive in the northern region, which is susceptible to droughts and floods and has less access to transportation infrastructure, markets, fertile farming land, and industrial centers. The northern region also has lower school enrollment, higher illiteracy, and fewer opportunities for women. ++ Ghana was a country of immigration in the early years after its 1957 independence, attracting labor migrants largely from Nigeria and other neighboring countries to mine minerals and harvest cocoa – immigrants composed about 12% of Ghana's population in 1960. In the late 1960s, worsening economic and social conditions discouraged immigration, and hundreds of thousands of immigrants, mostly Nigerians, were expelled. ++ During the 1970s, severe drought and an economic downturn transformed Ghana into a country of emigration; neighboring Cote d'Ivoire was the initial destination. Later, hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians migrated to Nigeria to work in its booming oil industry, but most were deported in 1983 and 1985 as oil prices plummeted. Many Ghanaians then turned to more distant destinations, including other parts of Africa, Europe, and North America, but the majority continued to migrate within West Africa. Since the 1990s, increased emigration of skilled Ghanaians, especially to the US and the UK, drained the country of its health care and education professionals. Internally, poverty and other developmental disparities continue to drive Ghanaians from the north to the south, particularly to its urban centers." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -270,14 +270,11 @@ "text": "30.8% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.4% of population / rural: 80.6% of population / total: 89.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "19.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "10.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.6% of population / rural: 19.4% of population / total: 10.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -290,14 +287,11 @@ "text": "0.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 15.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 84.2% of population / rural: 49.5% of population / total: 68.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "50.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "31.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 15.8% of population / rural: 50.5% of population / total: 31.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -551,7 +545,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Ghana has a market-based economy with relatively few policy barriers to trade and investment in comparison with other countries in the region, and Ghana is endowed with natural resources. Ghana's economy was strengthened by a quarter century of relatively sound management, a competitive business environment, and sustained reductions in poverty levels, but in recent years has suffered the consequences of loose fiscal policy, high budget and current account deficits, and a depreciating currency. Agriculture accounts for about 20% of GDP and employs more than half of the workforce, mainly small landholders. Gold, oil, and cocoa exports, and individual remittances, are major sources of foreign exchange. Expansion of Ghana’s nascent oil industry has boosted economic growth, but the fall in oil prices since 2015 reduced by half Ghana’s oil revenue. Production at Jubilee, Ghana's first commercial offshore oilfield, began in mid-December 2010. Production from two more fields, TEN and Sankofa, started in 2016 and 2017 respectively. The country’s first gas processing plant at Atuabo is also producing natural gas from the Jubilee field, providing power to several of Ghana’s thermal power plants. As of 2018, key economic concerns facing the government include the lack of affordable electricity, lack of a solid domestic revenue base, and the high debt burden. The AKUFO-ADDO administration has made some progress by committing to fiscal consolidation, but much work is still to be done. Ghana signed a $920 million extended credit facility with the IMF in April 2015 to help it address its growing economic crisis. The IMF fiscal targets require Ghana to reduce the deficit by cutting subsidies, decreasing the bloated public sector wage bill, strengthening revenue administration, boosting tax revenues, and improving the health of Ghana’s banking sector. Priorities for the new administration include rescheduling some of Ghana’s $31 billion debt, stimulating economic growth, reducing inflation, and stabilizing the currency. Prospects for new oil and gas production and follow through on tighter fiscal management are likely to help Ghana’s economy in 2018." + "text": "Ghana has a market-based economy with relatively few policy barriers to trade and investment in comparison with other countries in the region, and Ghana is endowed with natural resources. Ghana's economy was strengthened by a quarter century of relatively sound management, a competitive business environment, and sustained reductions in poverty levels, but in recent years has suffered the consequences of loose fiscal policy, high budget and current account deficits, and a depreciating currency. ++ Agriculture accounts for about 20% of GDP and employs more than half of the workforce, mainly small landholders. Gold, oil, and cocoa exports, and individual remittances, are major sources of foreign exchange. Expansion of Ghana's nascent oil industry has boosted economic growth, but the fall in oil prices since 2015 reduced by half Ghana's oil revenue. Production at Jubilee, Ghana's first commercial offshore oilfield, began in mid-December 2010. Production from two more fields, TEN and Sankofa, started in 2016 and 2017 respectively. The country's first gas processing plant at Atuabo is also producing natural gas from the Jubilee field, providing power to several of Ghana's thermal power plants. ++ As of 2018, key economic concerns facing the government include the lack of affordable electricity, lack of a solid domestic revenue base, and the high debt burden. The AKUFO-ADDO administration has made some progress by committing to fiscal consolidation, but much work is still to be done. Ghana signed a $920 million extended credit facility with the IMF in April 2015 to help it address its growing economic crisis. The IMF fiscal targets require Ghana to reduce the deficit by cutting subsidies, decreasing the bloated public sector wage bill, strengthening revenue administration, boosting tax revenues, and improving the health of Ghana's banking sector. Priorities for the new administration include rescheduling some of Ghana's $31 billion debt, stimulating economic growth, reducing inflation, and stabilizing the currency. Prospects for new oil and gas production and follow through on tighter fiscal management are likely to help Ghana's economy in 2018." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$134 billion (2017 est.) / $123.6 billion (2016 est.) / $119.2 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -957,7 +951,7 @@ "text": "Ghana is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the trafficking of Ghanians, particularly children, internally is more common than the trafficking of foreign nationals; Ghanian children are subjected to forced labor in fishing, domestic service, street hawking, begging, portering, mining, quarrying, herding, and agriculture, with girls, and to a lesser extent boys, forced into prostitution; Ghanian women, sometimes lured with legitimate job offers, and girls are sex trafficked in West Africa, the Middle East, and Europe; Ghanian men fraudulently recruited for work in the Middle East are subjected to forced labor or prostitution, and a few Ghanian adults have been identified as victims of false labor in the US; women and girls from Vietnam, China, and neighboring West African countries are sex trafficked in Ghana; the country is also a transit point for sex trafficking from West Africa to Europe" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List - Ghana does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; Ghana continued to investigate and prosecute trafficking offenses but was unable to ramp up its anti-trafficking efforts in 2014 because the government failed to provide law enforcement or protection agencies with operating budgets; victim protection efforts decreased in 2014, with significantly fewer victims identified; most child victims were referred to NGO-run facilities, but care for adults was lacking because the government did not provide any support to the country’s Human Trafficking Fund for victim services or its two shelters; anti-trafficking prevention measures increased modestly, including reconvening of the Human Trafficking Management Board, public awareness campaigns on child labor and trafficking, and anti-trafficking TV and radio programs (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List - Ghana does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; Ghana continued to investigate and prosecute trafficking offenses but was unable to ramp up its anti-trafficking efforts in 2014 because the government failed to provide law enforcement or protection agencies with operating budgets; victim protection efforts decreased in 2014, with significantly fewer victims identified; most child victims were referred to NGO-run facilities, but care for adults was lacking because the government did not provide any support to the country's Human Trafficking Fund for victim services or its two shelters; anti-trafficking prevention measures increased modestly, including reconvening of the Human Trafficking Management Board, public awareness campaigns on child labor and trafficking, and anti-trafficking TV and radio programs (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/africa/gv.json b/africa/gv.json index 818afc1d..2db46b74 100644 --- a/africa/gv.json +++ b/africa/gv.json @@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ "text": "Muslim 89.1%, Christian 6.8%, animist 1.6%, other .1%, none 2.4% (2014 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Guinea’s strong population growth is a result of declining mortality rates and sustained elevated fertility. The population growth rate was somewhat tempered in the 2000s because of a period of net outmigration. Although life expectancy and mortality rates have improved over the last two decades, the nearly universal practice of female genital cutting continues to contribute to high infant and maternal mortality rates. Guinea’s total fertility remains high at about 5 children per woman because of the ongoing preference for larger families, low contraceptive usage and availability, a lack of educational attainment and empowerment among women, and poverty. A lack of literacy and vocational training programs limit job prospects for youths, but even those with university degrees often have no option but to work in the informal sector. About 60% of the country’s large youth population is unemployed.\nTensions and refugees have spilled over Guinea’s borders with Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire. During the 1990s Guinea harbored as many as half a million refugees from Sierra Leone and Liberia, more refugees than any other African country for much of that decade. About half sought refuge in the volatile \"Parrot’s Beak\" region of southwest Guinea, a wedge of land jutting into Sierra Leone near the Liberian border. Many were relocated within Guinea in the early 2000s because the area suffered repeated cross-border attacks from various government and rebel forces, as well as anti-refugee violence." + "text": "Guinea's strong population growth is a result of declining mortality rates and sustained elevated fertility. The population growth rate was somewhat tempered in the 2000s because of a period of net outmigration. Although life expectancy and mortality rates have improved over the last two decades, the nearly universal practice of female genital cutting continues to contribute to high infant and maternal mortality rates. Guinea's total fertility remains high at about 5 children per woman because of the ongoing preference for larger families, low contraceptive usage and availability, a lack of educational attainment and empowerment among women, and poverty. A lack of literacy and vocational training programs limit job prospects for youths, but even those with university degrees often have no option but to work in the informal sector. About 60% of the country's large youth population is unemployed. ++ Tensions and refugees have spilled over Guinea's borders with Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cote d'Ivoire. During the 1990s Guinea harbored as many as half a million refugees from Sierra Leone and Liberia, more refugees than any other African country for much of that decade. About half sought refuge in the volatile \"Parrot's Beak\" region of southwest Guinea, a wedge of land jutting into Sierra Leone near the Liberian border. Many were relocated within Guinea in the early 2000s because the area suffered repeated cross-border attacks from various government and rebel forces, as well as anti-refugee violence." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "10.9% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.9% of population / rural: 69.8% of population / total: 79.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "27.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "20.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.1% of population / rural: 27.6% of population / total: 20.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "0.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 14.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 85.6% of population / rural: 34.8% of population / total: 53% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "65.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "47% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 14.4% of population / rural: 65.2% of population / total: 47% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -484,9 +478,9 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Bloc Liberal or BL [Faya MILLIMONO]National Party for Hope and Development or PEDN [Lansana KOUYATE]Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE]Union for the Progress of Guinea or UPGUnion of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO]Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]", + "text": "Bloc Liberal or BL [Faya MILLIMONO] ++ National Party for Hope and Development or PEDN [Lansana KOUYATE] ++ Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha CONDE] ++ Union for the Progress of Guinea or UPG ++ Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO] ++ Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]", "note": { - "text": "Ruling party Rally of the Guinean People (Rassemblement du Peuple Guinéen, RPG) Opposition parties African Democratic Party of Guinea (Parti démocratique africain de Guinée) Party of Unity and Progress (Parti de l'Unité et du Progrès, PUP) Union for Progress and Renewal (Union pour le Progrès et le Renouveau, UPR) Union for Progress of Guinea (Union pour le Progrès de la Guinée, UPG) Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally (Parti Démocratique de Guinée-Rassemblement Démocratique Africain, PDG-RDA) National Alliance for Progress (Alliance Nationale pour le Progrès, ANP) Party of the Union for Development (Parti de l’Union pour le Développement, PUD) Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea ( Union des Forces Démocratiques de Guinée, UFDG ), led by Cellou Dalein Diallo Union of Republican Forces (Union des Forces Républicaines, UFR) the Party of Democrats for Hope (\" PADES\") Led by Dr Ousmane Kaba" + "text": "Ruling party Rally of the Guinean People (Rassemblement du Peuple Guinéen, RPG) Opposition parties African Democratic Party of Guinea (Parti démocratique africain de Guinée) Party of Unity and Progress (Parti de l'Unité et du Progrès, PUP) Union for Progress and Renewal (Union pour le Progrès et le Renouveau, UPR) Union for Progress of Guinea (Union pour le Progrès de la Guinée, UPG) Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally (Parti Démocratique de Guinée-Rassemblement Démocratique Africain, PDG-RDA) National Alliance for Progress (Alliance Nationale pour le Progrès, ANP) Party of the Union for Development (Parti de l'Union pour le Développement, PUD) Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea ( Union des Forces Démocratiques de Guinée, UFDG ), led by Cellou Dalein Diallo Union of Republican Forces (Union des Forces Républicaines, UFR) the Party of Democrats for Hope (\" PADES\") Led by Dr Ousmane Kaba" } }, "International organization participation": { @@ -546,7 +540,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Guinea is a poor country of approximately 12.9 million people in 2016 that possesses the world's largest reserves of bauxite and largest untapped high-grade iron ore reserves, as well as gold and diamonds. In addition, Guinea has fertile soil, ample rainfall, and is the source of several West African rivers, including the Senegal, Niger, and Gambia. Guinea's hydro potential is enormous and the country could be a major exporter of electricity. The country also has tremendous agriculture potential. Gold, bauxite, and diamonds are Guinea’s main exports. International investors have shown interest in Guinea's unexplored mineral reserves, which have the potential to propel Guinea's future growth. Following the death of long-term President Lansana CONTE in 2008 and the coup that followed, international donors, including the G-8, the IMF, and the World Bank, significantly curtailed their development programs in Guinea. However, the IMF approved a 3-year Extended Credit Facility arrangement in 2012, following the December 2010 presidential elections. In September 2012, Guinea achieved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries completion point status. Future access to international assistance and investment will depend on the government’s ability to be transparent, combat corruption, reform its banking system, improve its business environment, and build infrastructure. In April 2013, the government amended its mining code to reduce taxes and royalties. In 2014, Guinea complied with requirements of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative by publishing its mining contracts. Guinea completed its program with the IMF in October 2016 even though some targeted reforms have been delayed. Currently Guinea is negotiating a new IMF program which will be based on Guinea’s new five-year economic plan, focusing on the development of higher value-added products, including from the agro-business sector and development of the rural economy. Political instability, a reintroduction of the Ebola virus epidemic, low international commodity prices, and an enduring legacy of corruption, inefficiency, and lack of government transparency are factors that could impact Guinea’s future growth. Economic recovery will be a long process while the government adjusts to lower inflows of international donor aid following the surge of Ebola-related emergency support. Ebola stalled promising economic growth in the 2014-15 period and impeded several projects, such as offshore oil exploration and the Simandou iron ore project. The economy, however, grew by 6.6% in 2016 and 6.7% in 2017, mainly due to growth from bauxite mining and thermal energy generation as well as the resiliency of the agricultural sector. The 240-megawatt Kaleta Dam, inaugurated in September 2015, has expanded access to electricity for residents of Conakry. An combined with fears of Ebola virus, continue to undermine Guinea's economic viability. Guinea’s iron ore industry took a hit in 2016 when investors in the Simandou iron ore project announced plans to divest from the project. In 2017, agriculture output and public investment boosted economic growth, while the mining sector continued to play a prominent role in economic performance. Successive governments have failed to address the country's crumbling infrastructure. Guinea suffers from chronic electricity shortages; poor roads, rail lines and bridges; and a lack of access to clean water - all of which continue to plague economic development. The present government, led by President Alpha CONDE, is working to create an environment to attract foreign investment and hopes to have greater participation from western countries and firms in Guinea's economic development." + "text": "Guinea is a poor country of approximately 12.9 million people in 2016 that possesses the world's largest reserves of bauxite and largest untapped high-grade iron ore reserves, as well as gold and diamonds. In addition, Guinea has fertile soil, ample rainfall, and is the source of several West African rivers, including the Senegal, Niger, and Gambia. Guinea's hydro potential is enormous and the country could be a major exporter of electricity. The country also has tremendous agriculture potential. Gold, bauxite, and diamonds are Guinea's main exports. International investors have shown interest in Guinea's unexplored mineral reserves, which have the potential to propel Guinea's future growth. ++ Following the death of long-term President Lansana CONTE in 2008 and the coup that followed, international donors, including the G-8, the IMF, and the World Bank, significantly curtailed their development programs in Guinea. However, the IMF approved a 3-year Extended Credit Facility arrangement in 2012, following the December 2010 presidential elections. In September 2012, Guinea achieved Heavily Indebted Poor Countries completion point status. Future access to international assistance and investment will depend on the government's ability to be transparent, combat corruption, reform its banking system, improve its business environment, and build infrastructure. In April 2013, the government amended its mining code to reduce taxes and royalties. In 2014, Guinea complied with requirements of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative by publishing its mining contracts. Guinea completed its program with the IMF in October 2016 even though some targeted reforms have been delayed. Currently Guinea is negotiating a new IMF program which will be based on Guinea's new five-year economic plan, focusing on the development of higher value-added products, including from the agro-business sector and development of the rural economy. ++ Political instability, a reintroduction of the Ebola virus epidemic, low international commodity prices, and an enduring legacy of corruption, inefficiency, and lack of government transparency are factors that could impact Guinea's future growth. Economic recovery will be a long process while the government adjusts to lower inflows of international donor aid following the surge of Ebola-related emergency support. Ebola stalled promising economic growth in the 2014-15 period and impeded several projects, such as offshore oil exploration and the Simandou iron ore project. The economy, however, grew by 6.6% in 2016 and 6.7% in 2017, mainly due to growth from bauxite mining and thermal energy generation as well as the resiliency of the agricultural sector. The 240-megawatt Kaleta Dam, inaugurated in September 2015, has expanded access to electricity for residents of Conakry. An combined with fears of Ebola virus, continue to undermine Guinea's economic viability. ++ Guinea's iron ore industry took a hit in 2016 when investors in the Simandou iron ore project announced plans to divest from the project. In 2017, agriculture output and public investment boosted economic growth, while the mining sector continued to play a prominent role in economic performance. ++ Successive governments have failed to address the country's crumbling infrastructure. Guinea suffers from chronic electricity shortages; poor roads, rail lines and bridges; and a lack of access to clean water - all of which continue to plague economic development. The present government, led by President Alpha CONDE, is working to create an environment to attract foreign investment and hopes to have greater participation from western countries and firms in Guinea's economic development." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$27.97 billion (2017 est.) / $25.84 billion (2016 est.) / $23.39 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -927,7 +921,7 @@ "text": "Guinea is a source, transit, and, to a lesser extent, a destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the majority of trafficking victims are Guinean children, and trafficking is more prevalent among Guineans than foreign national migrants; Guinean girls are subjected to domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation, while boys are forced to beg or to work as street vendors, shoe shiners, or miners; Guinea is a source country and transit point for West African children forced to work as miners in the region; Guinean women and girls are subjected to domestic servitude and sex trafficking in West Africa, the Middle East, the US, and increasingly Europe, while Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese women are forced into prostitution and some West Africans are forced into domestic servitude in Guinea" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Guinea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Guinea was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; no new investigations were conducted in 2014, and the one ongoing case led to the prosecution of four offenders for forced child labor, three of whom were convicted but given inadequate sentences for the crime; the government did not identify or provide protective services to victims and did not support NGOs that assisted victims but continued to refer child victims to NGOs on an ad hoc basis; Guinean law does not prohibit all forms of trafficking, excluding, for example, debt bondage; the 2014 Ebolavirus outbreak negatively affected Guinea’s ability to address human trafficking (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Guinea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Guinea was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; no new investigations were conducted in 2014, and the one ongoing case led to the prosecution of four offenders for forced child labor, three of whom were convicted but given inadequate sentences for the crime; the government did not identify or provide protective services to victims and did not support NGOs that assisted victims but continued to refer child victims to NGOs on an ad hoc basis; Guinean law does not prohibit all forms of trafficking, excluding, for example, debt bondage; the 2014 Ebolavirus outbreak negatively affected Guinea's ability to address human trafficking (2015)" } } } diff --git a/africa/iv.json b/africa/iv.json index cb6afefa..da3d31c0 100644 --- a/africa/iv.json +++ b/africa/iv.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Close ties to France following independence in 1960, the development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment all made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the West African states but did not protect it from political turmoil. In December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government. Junta leader Robert GUEI attempted to rig the elections held in late 2000 and declared himself the winner. Popular protest forced him to step aside and an election brought Laurent GBAGBO into power. Ivoirian dissidents and disaffected members of the military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002 that developed into a rebellion and then a civil war. In 2003, a cease-fire resulted in the country being divided with the rebels holding the north, the government the south, and peacekeeping forces a buffer zone between the two. In March 2007, President GBAGBO and former New Forces rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed an agreement in which SORO joined GBAGBO's government as prime minister and the two agreed to reunite the country by dismantling the buffer zone, integrating rebel forces into the national armed forces, and holding elections. Difficulties in preparing electoral registers delayed balloting until 2010. In November 2010, Alassane Dramane OUATTARA won the presidential election over GBAGBO, but GBAGBO refused to hand over power, resulting in a five-month resumption of violent conflict. In April 2011, after widespread fighting, GBAGBO was formally forced from office by armed OUATTARA supporters with the help of UN and French forces. OUATTARA won a second term in 2015 and is focused on rebuilding the country's economy and infrastructure while reforming the security forces. The UN peacekeeping mission departed in June 2017. GBAGBO was in The Hague on trial for crimes against humanity, but was acquitted in January 2019. Côte d’Ivoire is scheduled to hold presidential elections in November 2020.  " + "text": "Close ties to France following independence in 1960, the development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment all made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the West African states but did not protect it from political turmoil. In December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history - overthrew the government. Junta leader Robert GUEI attempted to rig the elections held in late 2000 and declared himself the winner. Popular protest forced him to step aside and an election brought Laurent GBAGBO into power. Ivoirian dissidents and disaffected members of the military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002 that developed into a rebellion and then a civil war. In 2003, a cease-fire resulted in the country being divided with the rebels holding the north, the government the south, and peacekeeping forces a buffer zone between the two. In March 2007, President GBAGBO and former New Forces rebel leader Guillaume SORO signed an agreement in which SORO joined GBAGBO's government as prime minister and the two agreed to reunite the country by dismantling the buffer zone, integrating rebel forces into the national armed forces, and holding elections. Difficulties in preparing electoral registers delayed balloting until 2010. In November 2010, Alassane Dramane OUATTARA won the presidential election over GBAGBO, but GBAGBO refused to hand over power, resulting in a five-month resumption of violent conflict. In April 2011, after widespread fighting, GBAGBO was formally forced from office by armed OUATTARA supporters with the help of UN and French forces. OUATTARA won a second term in 2015 and is focused on rebuilding the country's economy and infrastructure while reforming the security forces. The UN peacekeeping mission departed in June 2017. GBAGBO was in The Hague on trial for crimes against humanity, but was acquitted in January 2019. Côte d'Ivoire is scheduled to hold presidential elections in November 2020.  " } }, "Geography": { @@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ } }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Cote d’Ivoire’s population is likely to continue growing for the foreseeable future because almost 60% of the populace is younger than 25, the total fertility rate is holding steady at about 3.5 children per woman, and contraceptive use is under 20%. The country will need to improve education, health care, and gender equality in order to turn its large and growing youth cohort into human capital. Even prior to 2010 unrest that shuttered schools for months, access to education was poor, especially for women. As of 2015, only 53% of men and 33% of women were literate. The lack of educational attainment contributes to Cote d’Ivoire’s high rates of unskilled labor, adolescent pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS prevalence.\nFollowing its independence in 1960, Cote d’Ivoire’s stability and the blossoming of its labor-intensive cocoa and coffee industries in the southwest made it an attractive destination for migrants from other parts of the country and its neighbors, particularly Burkina Faso. The HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY administration continued the French colonial policy of encouraging labor immigration by offering liberal land ownership laws. Foreigners from West Africa, Europe (mainly France), and Lebanon composed about 25% of the population by 1998.\nOngoing economic decline since the 1980s and the power struggle after HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY’s death in 1993 ushered in the politics of \"Ivoirite,\" institutionalizing an Ivoirian identity that further marginalized northern Ivoirians and scapegoated immigrants. The hostile Muslim north-Christian south divide snowballed into a 2002 civil war, pushing tens of thousands of foreign migrants, Liberian refugees, and Ivoirians to flee to war-torn Liberia or other regional countries and more than a million people to be internally displaced. Subsequently, violence following the contested 2010 presidential election prompted some 250,000 people to seek refuge in Liberia and other neighboring countries and again internally displaced as many as a million people. By July 2012, the majority had returned home, but ongoing inter-communal tension and armed conflict continue to force people from their homes." + "text": "Cote d'Ivoire's population is likely to continue growing for the foreseeable future because almost 60% of the populace is younger than 25, the total fertility rate is holding steady at about 3.5 children per woman, and contraceptive use is under 20%. The country will need to improve education, health care, and gender equality in order to turn its large and growing youth cohort into human capital. Even prior to 2010 unrest that shuttered schools for months, access to education was poor, especially for women. As of 2015, only 53% of men and 33% of women were literate. The lack of educational attainment contributes to Cote d'Ivoire's high rates of unskilled labor, adolescent pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS prevalence. ++ Following its independence in 1960, Cote d'Ivoire's stability and the blossoming of its labor-intensive cocoa and coffee industries in the southwest made it an attractive destination for migrants from other parts of the country and its neighbors, particularly Burkina Faso. The HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY administration continued the French colonial policy of encouraging labor immigration by offering liberal land ownership laws. Foreigners from West Africa, Europe (mainly France), and Lebanon composed about 25% of the population by 1998. ++ Ongoing economic decline since the 1980s and the power struggle after HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY's death in 1993 ushered in the politics of \"Ivoirite,\" institutionalizing an Ivoirian identity that further marginalized northern Ivoirians and scapegoated immigrants. The hostile Muslim north-Christian south divide snowballed into a 2002 civil war, pushing tens of thousands of foreign migrants, Liberian refugees, and Ivoirians to flee to war-torn Liberia or other regional countries and more than a million people to be internally displaced. Subsequently, violence following the contested 2010 presidential election prompted some 250,000 people to seek refuge in Liberia and other neighboring countries and again internally displaced as many as a million people. By July 2012, the majority had returned home, but ongoing inter-communal tension and armed conflict continue to force people from their homes." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -267,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "23.3% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 9.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 90.4% of population / rural: 67.8% of population / total: 79.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "32.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "20.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 9.6% of population / rural: 32.2% of population / total: 20.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "0.23 physicians/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 24.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 75.9% of population / rural: 32.7% of population / total: 54.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "67.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "45.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 24.1% of population / rural: 67.3% of population / total: 45.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -407,7 +401,7 @@ "text": "UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "etymology: Yamoussoukro is named after Queen YAMOUSSOU, who ruled in the village of N'Gokro in 1929 at the time of French colonization; the village was renamed Yamoussoukro, the suffix \"-kro\" meaning \"town\" in the native Baoule language; Abidjan's name supposedly comes from a misunderstanding; tradition states that an old man carrying branches met a European explorer who asked for the name of the nearest village; the man, not understanding and terrified by this unexpected encounter, fled shouting \"min-chan m’bidjan,\" which in the Ebrie language means: \"I return from cutting leaves\"; the explorer, thinking that his question had been answered, recorded the name of the locale as Abidjan; a different version has the first colonists asking native women the name of the place and getting a similar response" + "text": "etymology: Yamoussoukro is named after Queen YAMOUSSOU, who ruled in the village of N'Gokro in 1929 at the time of French colonization; the village was renamed Yamoussoukro, the suffix \"-kro\" meaning \"town\" in the native Baoule language; Abidjan's name supposedly comes from a misunderstanding; tradition states that an old man carrying branches met a European explorer who asked for the name of the nearest village; the man, not understanding and terrified by this unexpected encounter, fled shouting \"min-chan m'bidjan,\" which in the Ebrie language means: \"I return from cutting leaves\"; the explorer, thinking that his question had been answered, recorded the name of the locale as Abidjan; a different version has the first colonists asking native women the name of the place and getting a similar response" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -469,16 +463,16 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate or Senat (99 seats; 66 members indirectly elected by the National Assembly and members of municipal, autonomous districts, and regional councils, and 33 members appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly (255 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate or Senat (99 seats; 66 members indirectly elected by the National Assembly and members of municipal, autonomous districts, and regional councils, and 33 members appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) ++ National Assembly (255 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - first ever held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023) National Assembly - last held on 18 December 2016 (next to be held in 2021)" + "text": "Senate - first ever held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held in 2023) ++ National Assembly - last held on 18 December 2016 (next to be held in 2021)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent by party NA; seats by party - RHDP 50, independent 16; composition - men 80, women 19, percent of women 19.2% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - RHDP 50.3%, FPI 5.8%, UDPCI 1%, other 1.4%, independent 38.5%; seats by party - RHDP, 167, UDPCI 6, FPI 3, UPCI 3, independent 76; composition - men 228, women 27, percent of women 10.6%; note - total Parliament percent of women 13%" + "text": "++ Senate - percent by party NA; seats by party - RHDP 50, independent 16; composition - men 80, women 19, percent of women 19.2% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party - RHDP 50.3%, FPI 5.8%, UDPCI 1%, other 1.4%, independent 38.5%; seats by party - RHDP, 167, UDPCI 6, FPI 3, UPCI 3, independent 76; composition - men 228, women 27, percent of women 10.6%; note - total Parliament percent of women 13%" }, "note": { - "text": "" + "text": "++" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -493,7 +487,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Henri Konan BEDIE]Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [former pres. Laurent GBAGBO]Liberty and Democracy for the Republic or LIDER [Mamadou KOULIBALY]Movement of the Future Forces or MFA [Innocent Augustin ANAKY KOBENA]Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace or RHDP [Alassane OUATTARA] (alliance includes MFA, PDCI, RDR, UDPCI, UPCI)Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Henriette DIABATE]Union for Cote d'Ivoire or UPCI [Gnamien KONAN]Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire or UDPCI [Albert Toikeusse MABRI]" + "text": "Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire or PDCI [Henri Konan BEDIE] ++ Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [former pres. Laurent GBAGBO] ++ Liberty and Democracy for the Republic or LIDER [Mamadou KOULIBALY] ++ Movement of the Future Forces or MFA [Innocent Augustin ANAKY KOBENA] ++ Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace or RHDP [Alassane OUATTARA] (alliance includes MFA, PDCI, RDR, UDPCI, UPCI) ++ Rally of the Republicans or RDR [Henriette DIABATE] ++ Union for Cote d'Ivoire or UPCI [Gnamien KONAN] ++ Union for Democracy and Peace in Cote d'Ivoire or UDPCI [Albert Toikeusse MABRI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -552,7 +546,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "For the last 5 years Cote d'Ivoire's growth rate has been among the highest in the world. Cote d'Ivoire is heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly two-thirds of the population. Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products and to climatic conditions. Cocoa, oil, and coffee are the country's top export revenue earners, but the country has targeted agricultural processing of cocoa, cashews, mangoes, and other commodities as a high priority. Mining gold and exporting electricity are growing industries outside agriculture. Following the end of more than a decade of civil conflict in 2011, Cote d’Ivoire has experienced a boom in foreign investment and economic growth. In June 2012, the IMF and the World Bank announced $4.4 billion in debt relief for Cote d'Ivoire under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative." + "text": "For the last 5 years Cote d'Ivoire's growth rate has been among the highest in the world. Cote d'Ivoire is heavily dependent on agriculture and related activities, which engage roughly two-thirds of the population. Cote d'Ivoire is the world's largest producer and exporter of cocoa beans and a significant producer and exporter of coffee and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these products and to climatic conditions. Cocoa, oil, and coffee are the country's top export revenue earners, but the country has targeted agricultural processing of cocoa, cashews, mangoes, and other commodities as a high priority. Mining gold and exporting electricity are growing industries outside agriculture. ++ Following the end of more than a decade of civil conflict in 2011, Cote d'Ivoire has experienced a boom in foreign investment and economic growth. In June 2012, the IMF and the World Bank announced $4.4 billion in debt relief for Cote d'Ivoire under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$97.16 billion (2017 est.) / $90.12 billion (2016 est.) / $83.19 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -932,13 +926,13 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (Forces Armees de Cote d'Ivoire, FACI; aka Republican Forces of Ivory Coast, FRCI): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale), Cote Air Force (Force Aerienne Cote), Special Forces (Forces Speciale)other security services include the National Gendarmerie (under the Ministry of Defense), the National Police (under the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection), and the Coordination Center for Operational Decisions (a mix of police, gendarmerie, and FACI personnel for assisting police in providing security in some large cities) (2019)" + "text": "Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire (Forces Armees de Cote d'Ivoire, FACI; aka Republican Forces of Ivory Coast, FRCI): Army (Armee de Terre), Navy (Marine Nationale), Cote Air Force (Force Aerienne Cote), Special Forces (Forces Speciale) ++ other security services include the National Gendarmerie (under the Ministry of Defense), the National Police (under the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection), and the Coordination Center for Operational Decisions (a mix of police, gendarmerie, and FACI personnel for assisting police in providing security in some large cities) (2019)" }, "Military expenditures": { "text": "1.1% of GDP (2019) / 1.4% of GDP (2018) / 1.3% of GDP (2017) / 1.7% of GDP (2016) / 1.7% of GDP (2015)" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "the Armed Forces of Cote d’Ivoire have approximately 25,000 active troops (23,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force) (2019 est.)" + "text": "the Armed Forces of Cote d'Ivoire have approximately 25,000 active troops (23,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force) (2019 est.)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the FACI is mostly equipped with second-hand weapons and equipment of Russian origin; the leading suppliers since 2000 are Belarus, Bulgaria, and Romania (2019 est.)" @@ -950,7 +944,7 @@ "text": "18-25 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service; conscription is not enforced; voluntary recruitment of former rebels into the new national army is restricted to ages 22-29 (2012)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "the military has mutinied several times since the late 1990s, most recently in 2017, and has had a large role in the country’s political turmoil; currently, the FACI is focused on internal security and the growing threat posed by Islamic militants associated with the al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) terrorist group operating across the border in southern Burkina Faso; AQIM militants conducted significant attacks in the country in 2016 and 2020; Côte d’Ivoire since 2016 has stepped up border security and built a joint terrorism training center with France near Abidjan in 2018the UN maintained a 9,000-strong peacekeeping force in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI) from 2004 until 2017 (2020)" + "text": "the military has mutinied several times since the late 1990s, most recently in 2017, and has had a large role in the country's political turmoil; currently, the FACI is focused on internal security and the growing threat posed by Islamic militants associated with the al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) terrorist group operating across the border in southern Burkina Faso; AQIM militants conducted significant attacks in the country in 2016 and 2020; Côte d'Ivoire since 2016 has stepped up border security and built a joint terrorism training center with France near Abidjan in 2018 ++ the UN maintained a 9,000-strong peacekeeping force in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) from 2004 until 2017 (2020)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/ke.json b/africa/ke.json index ce6f6ebd..03e73743 100644 --- a/africa/ke.json +++ b/africa/ke.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978, when Vice President Daniel Arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982, after which time the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) changed the constitution to make itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud. President MOI stepped down in December 2002 following fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic, united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA, the son of founding president Jomo KENYATTA, and assumed the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption platform. KIBAKI's reelection in December 2007 brought charges of vote rigging from Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Raila ODINGA and unleashed two months of violence in which approximately 1,100 people died. African Union-sponsored mediation led by former UN Secretary General Kofi ANNAN in late February 2008 resulted in a power-sharing accord bringing ODINGA into the government in the restored position of prime minister. The power sharing accord included a broad reform agenda, the centerpiece of which was constitutional reform. In August 2010, Kenyans overwhelmingly adopted a new constitution in a national referendum. The new constitution introduced additional checks and balances to executive power and devolved power and resources to 47 newly created counties. It also eliminated the position of prime minister. Uhuru KENYATTA won the first presidential election under the new constitution in March 2013, and was sworn into office the following month; he began a second term in November 2017 following a contentious, repeat election." + "text": "Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978, when Vice President Daniel Arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982, after which time the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) changed the constitution to make itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud. President MOI stepped down in December 2002 following fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic, united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA, the son of founding president Jomo KENYATTA, and assumed the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption platform. ++ KIBAKI's reelection in December 2007 brought charges of vote rigging from Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate Raila ODINGA and unleashed two months of violence in which approximately 1,100 people died. African Union-sponsored mediation led by former UN Secretary General Kofi ANNAN in late February 2008 resulted in a power-sharing accord bringing ODINGA into the government in the restored position of prime minister. The power sharing accord included a broad reform agenda, the centerpiece of which was constitutional reform. In August 2010, Kenyans overwhelmingly adopted a new constitution in a national referendum. The new constitution introduced additional checks and balances to executive power and devolved power and resources to 47 newly created counties. It also eliminated the position of prime minister. Uhuru KENYATTA won the first presidential election under the new constitution in March 2013, and was sworn into office the following month; he began a second term in November 2017 following a contentious, repeat election." } }, "Geography": { @@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ "text": "population heavily concentrated in the west along the shore of Lake Victoria; other areas of high density include the capital of Nairobi, and in the southeast along the Indian Ocean coast as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons\nvolcanism: limited volcanic activity; the Barrier (1,032 m) last erupted in 1921; South Island is the only other historically active volcano" + "text": "recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons ++ volcanism: limited volcanic activity; the Barrier (1,032 m) last erupted in 1921; South Island is the only other historically active volcano" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; water shortage and degraded water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; flooding; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching" @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ "text": "Christian 85.5% (Protestant 33.4%, Catholic 20.6%, Evangelical 20.4%, African Instituted Churches 7%, other Christian 4.1%), Muslim 10.9%, other 1.8%, none 1.6%, don't know/no answer 0.2% (2019 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Kenya has experienced dramatic population growth since the mid-20th century as a result of its high birth rate and its declining mortality rate. More than 40% of Kenyans are under the age of 15 because of sustained high fertility, early marriage and childbearing, and an unmet need for family planning. Kenya’s persistent rapid population growth strains the labor market, social services, arable land, and natural resources. Although Kenya in 1967 was the first Sub-Saharan country to launch a nationwide family planning program, progress in reducing the birth rate has largely stalled since the late 1990s, when the government decreased its support for family planning to focus on the HIV epidemic. Government commitment and international technical support spurred Kenyan contraceptive use, decreasing the fertility rate (children per woman) from about 8 in the late 1970s to less than 5 children twenty years later, but it has plateaued at just over 3 children today.\nKenya is a source of emigrants and a host country for refugees. In the 1960s and 1970s, Kenyans pursued higher education in the UK because of colonial ties, but as British immigration rules tightened, the US, the then Soviet Union, and Canada became attractive study destinations. Kenya’s stagnant economy and political problems during the 1980s and 1990s led to an outpouring of Kenyan students and professionals seeking permanent opportunities in the West and southern Africa. Nevertheless, Kenya’s relative stability since its independence in 1963 has attracted hundreds of thousands of refugees escaping violent conflicts in neighboring countries; Kenya shelters more than 300,000 Somali refugees as of April 2017." + "text": "Kenya has experienced dramatic population growth since the mid-20th century as a result of its high birth rate and its declining mortality rate. More than 40% of Kenyans are under the age of 15 because of sustained high fertility, early marriage and childbearing, and an unmet need for family planning. Kenya's persistent rapid population growth strains the labor market, social services, arable land, and natural resources. Although Kenya in 1967 was the first Sub-Saharan country to launch a nationwide family planning program, progress in reducing the birth rate has largely stalled since the late 1990s, when the government decreased its support for family planning to focus on the HIV epidemic. Government commitment and international technical support spurred Kenyan contraceptive use, decreasing the fertility rate (children per woman) from about 8 in the late 1970s to less than 5 children twenty years later, but it has plateaued at just over 3 children today. ++ Kenya is a source of emigrants and a host country for refugees. In the 1960s and 1970s, Kenyans pursued higher education in the UK because of colonial ties, but as British immigration rules tightened, the US, the then Soviet Union, and Canada became attractive study destinations. Kenya's stagnant economy and political problems during the 1980s and 1990s led to an outpouring of Kenyan students and professionals seeking permanent opportunities in the West and southern Africa. Nevertheless, Kenya's relative stability since its independence in 1963 has attracted hundreds of thousands of refugees escaping violent conflicts in neighboring countries; Kenya shelters more than 300,000 Somali refugees as of April 2017." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "60.5% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 11% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 89% of population / rural: 60.4% of population / total: 68% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "39.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "32% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 11% of population / rural: 39.6% of population / total: 32% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "1.4 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 21.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 78.8% of population / rural: 41.2% of population / total: 51.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "58.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "48.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 21.2% of population / rural: 58.8% of population / total: 48.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -418,7 +412,7 @@ "text": "previous 1963, 1969; latest drafted 6 May 2010, passed by referendum 4 August 2010, promulgated 27 August 2010" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by either house of Parliament or by petition of at least one million eligible voters; passage of amendments by Parliament requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses in each of two readings, approval in a referendum by majority of votes cast by at least 20% of eligible voters in at least one half of Kenya’s counties, and approval by the president; passage of amendments introduced by petition requires approval by a majority of county assemblies, approval by majority vote of both houses, and approval by the president" + "text": "proposed by either house of Parliament or by petition of at least one million eligible voters; passage of amendments by Parliament requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses in each of two readings, approval in a referendum by majority of votes cast by at least 20% of eligible voters in at least one half of Kenya's counties, and approval by the president; passage of amendments introduced by petition requires approval by a majority of county assemblies, approval by majority vote of both houses, and approval by the president" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -463,13 +457,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (67 seats; 47 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 20 directly elected by proportional representation vote - 16 women, 2 representing youth, and 2 representing the disabled; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly (349 seats; 290 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 47 women in single-seat constituencies elected by simple majority vote, and 12 members nominated by the National Assembly - 6 representing youth and 6 representing the disabled; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (67 seats; 47 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 20 directly elected by proportional representation vote - 16 women, 2 representing youth, and 2 representing the disabled; members serve 5-year terms) ++ National Assembly (349 seats; 290 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 47 women in single-seat constituencies elected by simple majority vote, and 12 members nominated by the National Assembly - 6 representing youth and 6 representing the disabled; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 8 August 2017 (next to be held in August 2022) National Assembly - last held on 8 August 2017 (next to be held in August 2022)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 8 August 2017 (next to be held in August 2022) ++ National Assembly - last held on 8 August 2017 (next to be held in August 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - Jubilee Party 24; National Super Alliance 28, other 14, independent 1; composition - men 46, women 41, percent of women is 31.3% National Assembly - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - Jubilee Party 165, National Super Alliance 119, other 51, independent 13; composition - men 273, women 76, percent of women 21.8%; note - total Parliament percent of women is 23%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - Jubilee Party 24; National Super Alliance 28, other 14, independent 1; composition - men 46, women 41, percent of women is 31.3% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - Jubilee Party 165, National Super Alliance 119, other 51, independent 13; composition - men 273, women 76, percent of women 21.8%; note - total Parliament percent of women is 23%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -484,7 +478,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance Party of Kenya or APK [Kiraitu MURUNGI]Amani National Congress or ANC [Musalia MUDAVADI]Federal Party of Kenya or FPK [Cyrus JIRONGA]Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-K [Moses WETANGULA]Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-P [Henry OBWOCHA]Jubilee Party [Uhuru KENYATTA]Kenya African National Union or KANU [Gideon MOI]National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Charity NGILU]Orange Democratic Movement Party of Kenya or ODM [Raila ODINGA]Wiper Democratic Movement-K or WDM-K (formerly Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-K) [Kalonzo MUSYOKA]" + "text": "Alliance Party of Kenya or APK [Kiraitu MURUNGI] ++ Amani National Congress or ANC [Musalia MUDAVADI] ++ Federal Party of Kenya or FPK [Cyrus JIRONGA] ++ Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-K [Moses WETANGULA] ++ Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-P [Henry OBWOCHA] ++ Jubilee Party [Uhuru KENYATTA] ++ Kenya African National Union or KANU [Gideon MOI] ++ National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Charity NGILU] ++ Orange Democratic Movement Party of Kenya or ODM [Raila ODINGA] ++ Wiper Democratic Movement-K or WDM-K (formerly Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-K) [Kalonzo MUSYOKA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WTO" @@ -546,7 +540,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Kenya is the economic, financial, and transport hub of East Africa. Kenya’s real GDP growth has averaged over 5% for the last decade. Since 2014, Kenya has been ranked as a lower middle income country because its per capita GDP crossed a World Bank threshold. While Kenya has a growing entrepreneurial middle class and steady growth, its economic development has been impaired by weak governance and corruption. Although reliable numbers are hard to find, unemployment and under-employment are extremely high, and could be near 40% of the population. In 2013, the country adopted a devolved system of government with the creation of 47 counties, and is in the process of devolving state revenues and responsibilities to the counties. Agriculture remains the backbone of the Kenyan economy, contributing one-third of GDP. About 75% of Kenya’s population of roughly 48.5 million work at least part-time in the agricultural sector, including livestock and pastoral activities. Over 75% of agricultural output is from small-scale, rain-fed farming or livestock production. Tourism also holds a significant place in Kenya’s economy. In spite of political turmoil throughout the second half of 2017, tourism was up 20%, showcasing the strength of this sector. Kenya has long been a target of terrorist activity and has struggled with instability along its northeastern borders. Some high visibility terrorist attacks during 2013-2015 (e.g., at Nairobi’s Westgate Mall and Garissa University) affected the tourism industry severely, but the sector rebounded strongly in 2016-2017 and appears poised to continue growing. Inadequate infrastructure continues to hamper Kenya’s efforts to improve its annual growth so that it can meaningfully address poverty and unemployment. The KENYATTA administration has been successful in courting external investment for infrastructure development. International financial institutions and donors remain important to Kenya's growth and development, but Kenya has also successfully raised capital in the global bond market issuing its first sovereign bond offering in mid-2014, with a second occurring in February 2018. The first phase of a Chinese-financed and constructed standard gauge railway connecting Mombasa and Nairobi opened in May 2017. In 2016 the government was forced to take over three small and undercapitalized banks when underlying weaknesses were exposed. The government also enacted legislation that limits interest rates banks can charge on loans and set a rate that banks must pay their depositors. This measure led to a sharp shrinkage of credit in the economy. A prolonged election cycle in 2017 hurt the economy, drained government resources, and slowed GDP growth. Drought-like conditions in parts of the country pushed 2017 inflation above 8%, but the rate had fallen to 4.5% in February 2018. The economy, however, is well placed to resume its decade-long 5%-6% growth rate. While fiscal deficits continue to pose risks in the medium term, other economic indicators, including foreign exchange reserves, interest rates, current account deficits, remittances and FDI are positive. The credit and drought-related impediments were temporary. Now In his second term, President KENYATTA has pledged to make economic growth and development a centerpiece of his second administration, focusing on his \"Big Four\" initiatives of universal healthcare, food security, affordable housing, and expansion of manufacturing." + "text": "Kenya is the economic, financial, and transport hub of East Africa. Kenya's real GDP growth has averaged over 5% for the last decade. Since 2014, Kenya has been ranked as a lower middle income country because its per capita GDP crossed a World Bank threshold. While Kenya has a growing entrepreneurial middle class and steady growth, its economic development has been impaired by weak governance and corruption. Although reliable numbers are hard to find, unemployment and under-employment are extremely high, and could be near 40% of the population. In 2013, the country adopted a devolved system of government with the creation of 47 counties, and is in the process of devolving state revenues and responsibilities to the counties. ++ Agriculture remains the backbone of the Kenyan economy, contributing one-third of GDP. About 75% of Kenya's population of roughly 48.5 million work at least part-time in the agricultural sector, including livestock and pastoral activities. Over 75% of agricultural output is from small-scale, rain-fed farming or livestock production. Tourism also holds a significant place in Kenya's economy. In spite of political turmoil throughout the second half of 2017, tourism was up 20%, showcasing the strength of this sector. Kenya has long been a target of terrorist activity and has struggled with instability along its northeastern borders. Some high visibility terrorist attacks during 2013-2015 (e.g., at Nairobi's Westgate Mall and Garissa University) affected the tourism industry severely, but the sector rebounded strongly in 2016-2017 and appears poised to continue growing. ++ Inadequate infrastructure continues to hamper Kenya's efforts to improve its annual growth so that it can meaningfully address poverty and unemployment. The KENYATTA administration has been successful in courting external investment for infrastructure development. International financial institutions and donors remain important to Kenya's growth and development, but Kenya has also successfully raised capital in the global bond market issuing its first sovereign bond offering in mid-2014, with a second occurring in February 2018. The first phase of a Chinese-financed and constructed standard gauge railway connecting Mombasa and Nairobi opened in May 2017. ++ In 2016 the government was forced to take over three small and undercapitalized banks when underlying weaknesses were exposed. The government also enacted legislation that limits interest rates banks can charge on loans and set a rate that banks must pay their depositors. This measure led to a sharp shrinkage of credit in the economy. A prolonged election cycle in 2017 hurt the economy, drained government resources, and slowed GDP growth. Drought-like conditions in parts of the country pushed 2017 inflation above 8%, but the rate had fallen to 4.5% in February 2018. ++ The economy, however, is well placed to resume its decade-long 5%-6% growth rate. While fiscal deficits continue to pose risks in the medium term, other economic indicators, including foreign exchange reserves, interest rates, current account deficits, remittances and FDI are positive. The credit and drought-related impediments were temporary. Now In his second term, President KENYATTA has pledged to make economic growth and development a centerpiece of his second administration, focusing on his \"Big Four\" initiatives of universal healthcare, food security, affordable housing, and expansion of manufacturing." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$163.7 billion (2017 est.) / $156 billion (2016 est.) / $147.4 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/li.json b/africa/li.json index 3be5ea73..36ba3062 100644 --- a/africa/li.json +++ b/africa/li.json @@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ "text": "Christian 85.6%, Muslim 12.2%, Traditional 0.6%, other 0.2%, none 1.5% (2008 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Liberia’s high fertility rate of nearly 5 children per woman and large youth cohort – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – will sustain a high dependency ratio for many years to come. Significant progress has been made in preventing child deaths, despite a lack of health care workers and infrastructure. Infant and child mortality have dropped nearly 70% since 1990; the annual reduction rate of about 5.4% is the highest in Africa.\nNevertheless, Liberia’s high maternal mortality rate remains among the world’s worst; it reflects a high unmet need for family planning services, frequency of early childbearing, lack of quality obstetric care, high adolescent fertility, and a low proportion of births attended by a medical professional. Female mortality is also increased by the prevalence of female genital cutting (FGC), which is practiced by 10 of Liberia’s 16 tribes and affects more than two-thirds of women and girls. FGC is an initiation ritual performed in rural bush schools, which teach traditional beliefs on marriage and motherhood and are an obstacle to formal classroom education for Liberian girls.\nLiberia has been both a source and a destination for refugees. During Liberia’s 14-year civil war (1989-2003), more than 250,000 people became refugees and another half million were internally displaced. Between 2004 and the cessation of refugee status for Liberians in June 2012, the UNHCR helped more than 155,000 Liberians to voluntarily repatriate, while others returned home on their own. Some Liberian refugees spent more than two decades living in other West African countries. Liberia hosted more than 125,000 Ivoirian refugees escaping post-election violence in 2010-11; as of mid-2017, about 12,000 Ivoirian refugees were still living in Liberia as of October 2017 because of instability." + "text": "Liberia's high fertility rate of nearly 5 children per woman and large youth cohort – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – will sustain a high dependency ratio for many years to come. Significant progress has been made in preventing child deaths, despite a lack of health care workers and infrastructure. Infant and child mortality have dropped nearly 70% since 1990; the annual reduction rate of about 5.4% is the highest in Africa. ++ Nevertheless, Liberia's high maternal mortality rate remains among the world's worst; it reflects a high unmet need for family planning services, frequency of early childbearing, lack of quality obstetric care, high adolescent fertility, and a low proportion of births attended by a medical professional. Female mortality is also increased by the prevalence of female genital cutting (FGC), which is practiced by 10 of Liberia's 16 tribes and affects more than two-thirds of women and girls. FGC is an initiation ritual performed in rural bush schools, which teach traditional beliefs on marriage and motherhood and are an obstacle to formal classroom education for Liberian girls. ++ Liberia has been both a source and a destination for refugees. During Liberia's 14-year civil war (1989-2003), more than 250,000 people became refugees and another half million were internally displaced. Between 2004 and the cessation of refugee status for Liberians in June 2012, the UNHCR helped more than 155,000 Liberians to voluntarily repatriate, while others returned home on their own. Some Liberian refugees spent more than two decades living in other West African countries. Liberia hosted more than 125,000 Ivoirian refugees escaping post-election violence in 2010-11; as of mid-2017, about 12,000 Ivoirian refugees were still living in Liberia as of October 2017 because of instability." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "31.2% (2016)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 6.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 93.8% of population / rural: 67.9% of population / total: 81% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "32.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "19% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 6.2% of population / rural: 32.1% of population / total: 19% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "0.8 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 35.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 64.1% of population / rural: 23.5% of population / total: 44.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "76.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "55.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 35.9% of population / rural: 76.5% of population / total: 55.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -437,13 +431,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Assembly consists of:The Liberian Senate (30 seats; members directly elected in 15 2-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 9-year staggered terms; each district elects 1 senator and elects the second senator 3 years later, followed by a 6-year hiatus, after which the first Senate seat is up for election) House of Representatives (73 seats; members directly elected in single-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms; eligible for a second term)" + "text": "bicameral National Assembly consists of: The Liberian Senate (30 seats; members directly elected in 15 2-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 9-year staggered terms; each district elects 1 senator and elects the second senator 3 years later, followed by a 6-year hiatus, after which the first Senate seat is up for election) ++ House of Representatives (73 seats; members directly elected in single-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms; eligible for a second term)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 20 December 2014 ; byelection to fill the senate seats vacated by WEAH and HOWARD-TAYLOR was held on 31 July 2018 (next general election to be held on 31 December 2020) House of Representatives - last held on 10 October 2017 (next to be held in October 2023)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 20 December 2014 ; byelection to fill the senate seats vacated by WEAH and HOWARD-TAYLOR was held on 31 July 2018 (next general election to be held on 31 December 2020) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 10 October 2017 (next to be held in October 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - CDC 29.8%, UP 10.3%, LP 11.5%, NPP 6.1%, PUP 4.9%, ANC 4.2%, NDC 1.3%, other 7.6%, independent 24.3%; seats by party - UP 4, CDC 2, LP 2, ANC 1, NDC 1, NPP 1, PUP 1, independent 3; composition - men 27, women 3, percent of women 10% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for Democratic Change 15.6%, UP 14%, LP 8.7%, ANC 6.1%, PUP 5.9%, ALP 5.1%, MDR 3.4%, other 41.2%; seats by coalition/party - Coalition for Democratic Change 21, UP 20, PUP 5, LP 3, ALP 3, MDR 2, independent 13, other 6; composition - men 64, women 9, percent of women 12.3%; total Parliament percent of women 11.7%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - CDC 29.8%, UP 10.3%, LP 11.5%, NPP 6.1%, PUP 4.9%, ANC 4.2%, NDC 1.3%, other 7.6%, independent 24.3%; seats by party - UP 4, CDC 2, LP 2, ANC 1, NDC 1, NPP 1, PUP 1, independent 3; composition - men 27, women 3, percent of women 10% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for Democratic Change 15.6%, UP 14%, LP 8.7%, ANC 6.1%, PUP 5.9%, ALP 5.1%, MDR 3.4%, other 41.2%; seats by coalition/party - Coalition for Democratic Change 21, UP 20, PUP 5, LP 3, ALP 3, MDR 2, independent 13, other 6; composition - men 64, women 9, percent of women 12.3%; total Parliament percent of women 11.7%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -458,7 +452,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Marcus S. G. DAHN]All Liberian Party or ALP [Benoi UREY]Alternative National Congress or ANC [Orishil GOULD]Coalition for Democratic Change [George WEAH] (includes CDC, NPP, and LPDP)Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH]Liberia Destiny Party or LDP [Nathaniel BARNES]Liberia National Union or LINU [Nathaniel BLAMA]Liberia Transformation Party or LTP [Julius SUKU]Liberian People Democratic Party or LPDP [Alex J. TYLER]Liberian People's Party or LPPLiberty Party or LP [J. Fonati KOFFA]Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction or MDR [Prince Y. JOHNSON]Movement for Economic Empowerment [J. Mill JONES, Dr.]Movement for Progressive Change or MPC [Simeon FREEMAN]National Democratic Coalition or NDC [Dew MAYSON]National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [D. Nyandeh SIEH]National Patriotic Party or NPP [Jewel HOWARD TAYLOR]National Reformist Party or NRP [Maximillian T. W. DIABE]National Union for Democratic Progress or NUDP [Victor BARNEY]People's Unification Party or PUP [Isobe GBORKORKOLLIE]Unity Party or UP [Varney SHERMAN]United People's Party [MacDonald WENTO]Victory for Change Party [Marcus R. JONES]" + "text": "Alliance for Peace and Democracy or APD [Marcus S. G. DAHN] ++ All Liberian Party or ALP [Benoi UREY] ++ Alternative National Congress or ANC [Orishil GOULD] ++ Coalition for Democratic Change [George WEAH] (includes CDC, NPP, and LPDP)Congress for Democratic Change or CDC [George WEAH] ++ Liberia Destiny Party or LDP [Nathaniel BARNES] ++ Liberia National Union or LINU [Nathaniel BLAMA] ++ Liberia Transformation Party or LTP [Julius SUKU] ++ Liberian People Democratic Party or LPDP [Alex J. TYLER] ++ Liberian People's Party or LPP ++ Liberty Party or LP [J. Fonati KOFFA] ++ Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction or MDR [Prince Y. JOHNSON] ++ Movement for Economic Empowerment [J. Mill JONES, Dr.] ++ Movement for Progressive Change or MPC [Simeon FREEMAN] ++ National Democratic Coalition or NDC [Dew MAYSON] ++ National Democratic Party of Liberia or NDPL [D. Nyandeh SIEH] ++ National Patriotic Party or NPP [Jewel HOWARD TAYLOR] ++ National Reformist Party or NRP [Maximillian T. W. DIABE] ++ National Union for Democratic Progress or NUDP [Victor BARNEY] ++ People's Unification Party or PUP [Isobe GBORKORKOLLIE] ++ Unity Party or UP [Varney SHERMAN] ++ United People's Party [MacDonald WENTO] ++ Victory for Change Party [Marcus R. JONES]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -520,7 +514,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Liberia is a low-income country that relies heavily on foreign assistance and remittances from the diaspora. It is richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture. Its principal exports are iron ore, rubber, diamonds, and gold. Palm oil and cocoa are emerging as new export products. The government has attempted to revive raw timber extraction and is encouraging oil exploration. In the 1990s and early 2000s, civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially infrastructure in and around the capital. Much of the conflict was fueled by control over Liberia’s natural resources. With the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically elected government in 2006, businesses that had fled the country began to return. The country achieved high growth during the period 2010-13 due to favorable world prices for its commodities. However, during the 2014-2015 Ebola crisis, the economy declined and many foreign-owned businesses departed with their capital and expertise. The epidemic forced the government to divert scarce resources to combat the spread of the virus, reducing funds available for needed public investment. The cost of addressing the Ebola epidemic coincided with decreased economic activity reducing government revenue, although higher donor support significantly offset this loss. During the same period, global commodities prices for key exports fell and have yet to recover to pre-Ebola levels. In 2017, gold was a key driver of growth, as a new mining project began its first full year of production; iron ore exports are also increased as Arcelor Mittal opened new mines at Mount Gangra. The completion of the rehabilitation of the Mount Coffee Hydroelectric Dam increased electricity production to support ongoing and future economic activity, although electricity tariffs remain high relative to other countries in the region and transmission infrastructure is limited. Presidential and legislative elections in October 2017 generated election-related spending pressures. Revitalizing the economy in the future will depend on economic diversification, increasing investment and trade, higher global commodity prices, sustained foreign aid and remittances, development of infrastructure and institutions, combating corruption, and maintaining political stability and security." + "text": "Liberia is a low-income country that relies heavily on foreign assistance and remittances from the diaspora. It is richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture. Its principal exports are iron ore, rubber, diamonds, and gold. Palm oil and cocoa are emerging as new export products. The government has attempted to revive raw timber extraction and is encouraging oil exploration. ++ In the 1990s and early 2000s, civil war and government mismanagement destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially infrastructure in and around the capital. Much of the conflict was fueled by control over Liberia's natural resources. With the conclusion of fighting and the installation of a democratically elected government in 2006, businesses that had fled the country began to return. The country achieved high growth during the period 2010-13 due to favorable world prices for its commodities. However, during the 2014-2015 Ebola crisis, the economy declined and many foreign-owned businesses departed with their capital and expertise. The epidemic forced the government to divert scarce resources to combat the spread of the virus, reducing funds available for needed public investment. The cost of addressing the Ebola epidemic coincided with decreased economic activity reducing government revenue, although higher donor support significantly offset this loss. During the same period, global commodities prices for key exports fell and have yet to recover to pre-Ebola levels. ++ In 2017, gold was a key driver of growth, as a new mining project began its first full year of production; iron ore exports are also increased as Arcelor Mittal opened new mines at Mount Gangra. The completion of the rehabilitation of the Mount Coffee Hydroelectric Dam increased electricity production to support ongoing and future economic activity, although electricity tariffs remain high relative to other countries in the region and transmission infrastructure is limited. Presidential and legislative elections in October 2017 generated election-related spending pressures. ++ Revitalizing the economy in the future will depend on economic diversification, increasing investment and trade, higher global commodity prices, sustained foreign aid and remittances, development of infrastructure and institutions, combating corruption, and maintaining political stability and security." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$6.112 billion (2017 est.) / $5.965 billion (2016 est.) / $6.064 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/lt.json b/africa/lt.json index 4a67ed5e..a6b034ff 100644 --- a/africa/lt.json +++ b/africa/lt.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Paramount chief MOSHOESHOE I consolidated what would become Basutoland in the early 19th century and made himself king in 1822. Continuing encroachments by Dutch settlers from the neighboring Orange Free State caused the king to enter into an 1868 agreement with the UK by which Basutoland became a British protectorate, and after 1884, a crown colony. Upon independence in 1966, the country was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho. The Basotho National Party ruled the country during its first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE II was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995 and subsequently succeeded by his son, King LETSIE III, in 1996. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswana military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections in 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties disputed how the electoral law was applied to award proportional seats in the Assembly. In 2012, competitive elections involving 18 parties saw Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas THABANE form a coalition government - the first in the country's history - that ousted the 14-year incumbent, Pakalitha MOSISILI, who peacefully transferred power the following month. MOSISILI returned to power in snap elections in February 2015 after the collapse of THABANE’s coalition government and an alleged attempted military coup. In June 2017, THABANE returned to become prime minister." + "text": "Paramount chief MOSHOESHOE I consolidated what would become Basutoland in the early 19th century and made himself king in 1822. Continuing encroachments by Dutch settlers from the neighboring Orange Free State caused the king to enter into an 1868 agreement with the UK by which Basutoland became a British protectorate, and after 1884, a crown colony. Upon independence in 1966, the country was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho. The Basotho National Party ruled the country during its first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE II was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and was reinstated in 1995 and subsequently succeeded by his son, King LETSIE III, in 1996. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after seven years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswana military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Subsequent constitutional reforms restored relative political stability. Peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002, but the National Assembly elections in 2007 were hotly contested and aggrieved parties disputed how the electoral law was applied to award proportional seats in the Assembly. In 2012, competitive elections involving 18 parties saw Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas THABANE form a coalition government - the first in the country's history - that ousted the 14-year incumbent, Pakalitha MOSISILI, who peacefully transferred power the following month. MOSISILI returned to power in snap elections in February 2015 after the collapse of THABANE's coalition government and an alleged attempted military coup. In June 2017, THABANE returned to become prime minister." } }, "Geography": { @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ "text": "Protestant 47.8% (Pentecostal 23.1%, Lesotho Evangelical 17.3%, Anglican 7.4%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, other Christian 9.1%, non-Christian 1.4%, none 2.3% (2014 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Lesotho faces great socioeconomic challenges. More than half of its population lives below the property line, and the country’s HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is the second highest in the world. In addition, Lesotho is a small, mountainous, landlocked country with little arable land, leaving its population vulnerable to food shortages and reliant on remittances. Lesotho’s persistently high infant, child, and maternal mortality rates have been increasing during the last decade, according to the last two Demographic and Health Surveys. Despite these significant shortcomings, Lesotho has made good progress in education; it is on-track to achieve universal primary education and has one of the highest adult literacy rates in Africa.\nLesotho’s migration history is linked to its unique geography; it is surrounded by South Africa with which it shares linguistic and cultural traits. Lesotho at one time had more of its workforce employed outside its borders than any other country. Today remittances equal about 17% of its GDP. With few job options at home, a high rate of poverty, and higher wages available across the border, labor migration to South Africa replaced agriculture as the prevailing Basotho source of income decades ago. The majority of Basotho migrants were single men contracted to work as gold miners in South Africa. However, migration trends changed in the 1990s, and fewer men found mining jobs in South Africa because of declining gold prices, stricter immigration policies, and a preference for South African workers.\nAlthough men still dominate cross-border labor migration, more women are working in South Africa, mostly as domestics, because they are widows or their husbands are unemployed. Internal rural-urban flows have also become more frequent, with more women migrating within the country to take up jobs in the garment industry or moving to care for loved ones with HIV/AIDS. Lesotho’s small population of immigrants is increasingly composed of Taiwanese and Chinese migrants who are involved in the textile industry and small retail businesses." + "text": "Lesotho faces great socioeconomic challenges. More than half of its population lives below the property line, and the country's HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is the second highest in the world. In addition, Lesotho is a small, mountainous, landlocked country with little arable land, leaving its population vulnerable to food shortages and reliant on remittances. Lesotho's persistently high infant, child, and maternal mortality rates have been increasing during the last decade, according to the last two Demographic and Health Surveys. Despite these significant shortcomings, Lesotho has made good progress in education; it is on-track to achieve universal primary education and has one of the highest adult literacy rates in Africa. ++ Lesotho's migration history is linked to its unique geography; it is surrounded by South Africa with which it shares linguistic and cultural traits. Lesotho at one time had more of its workforce employed outside its borders than any other country. Today remittances equal about 17% of its GDP. With few job options at home, a high rate of poverty, and higher wages available across the border, labor migration to South Africa replaced agriculture as the prevailing Basotho source of income decades ago. The majority of Basotho migrants were single men contracted to work as gold miners in South Africa. However, migration trends changed in the 1990s, and fewer men found mining jobs in South Africa because of declining gold prices, stricter immigration policies, and a preference for South African workers. ++ Although men still dominate cross-border labor migration, more women are working in South Africa, mostly as domestics, because they are widows or their husbands are unemployed. Internal rural-urban flows have also become more frequent, with more women migrating within the country to take up jobs in the garment industry or moving to care for loved ones with HIV/AIDS. Lesotho's small population of immigrants is increasingly composed of Taiwanese and Chinese migrants who are involved in the textile industry and small retail businesses." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "64.9% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 93% of population / rural: 72.4% of population / total: 78.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "27.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "21.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 7% of population / rural: 27.6% of population / total: 21.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "0.07 physicians/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 11.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 88.6% of population / rural: 52.3% of population / total: 62.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "47.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "37.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 11.4% of population / rural: 47.7% of population / total: 37.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -442,13 +436,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (33 seats; 22 principal chiefs and 11 other senators nominated by the king with the advice of the Council of State, a 13-member body of key government and non-government officials; members serve 5-year terms) National Assembly (120 seats; 80 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 40 elected through proportional representation; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (33 seats; 22 principal chiefs and 11 other senators nominated by the king with the advice of the Council of State, a 13-member body of key government and non-government officials; members serve 5-year terms) ++ National Assembly (120 seats; 80 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 40 elected through proportional representation; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last nominated by the king 11 July 2017 (next NA) National Assembly - last held on 3 June 2017 (next to be held in 2022)" + "text": "Senate - last nominated by the king 11 July 2017 (next NA) ++ National Assembly - last held on 3 June 2017 (next to be held in 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of votes by party - NA, seats by party - NA; composition - men 25, women 8, percent of women 24.2% National Assembly - percent of votes by party - ABC 40.5%, DC 25.8%, LCD 9%, AD 7.3%, MEC 5.1%, BNP 4.1, PFD 2.3%, other 5.9%; seats by party - ABC 51, DC 30, LCD 11, AD 9, MEC 6, BNP 5, PFD 3, other 5; composition - men 95, women 27, percent of women 22.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 22.9%" + "text": "Senate - percent of votes by party - NA, seats by party - NA; composition - men 25, women 8, percent of women 24.2% ++ National Assembly - percent of votes by party - ABC 40.5%, DC 25.8%, LCD 9%, AD 7.3%, MEC 5.1%, BNP 4.1, PFD 2.3%, other 5.9%; seats by party - ABC 51, DC 30, LCD 11, AD 9, MEC 6, BNP 5, PFD 3, other 5; composition - men 95, women 27, percent of women 22.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 22.9%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -463,7 +457,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas Motsoahae THABANE]Alliance of Democrats or AD [Monyane MOLELEKI]Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Thulo MAHLAKENG]Basotho National Party or BNP [Thesele MASERIBANE]Democratic Congress or DC [Pakalitha MOSISILI]Democratic Party of Lesotho or DPL [Limpho TAU]Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Mothetjoa METSING]Movement of Economic Change or MEC [Selibe MOCHOBOROANE]National Independent Party or NIP [Kimetso MATHABA]Popular Front for Democracy of PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]Reformed Congress of Lesotho or RCL [Keketso RANTSO]" + "text": "All Basotho Convention or ABC [Thomas Motsoahae THABANE] ++ Alliance of Democrats or AD [Monyane MOLELEKI] ++ Basotho Congress Party or BCP [Thulo MAHLAKENG] ++ Basotho National Party or BNP [Thesele MASERIBANE] ++ Democratic Congress or DC [Pakalitha MOSISILI] ++ Democratic Party of Lesotho or DPL [Limpho TAU] ++ Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Mothetjoa METSING] ++ Movement of Economic Change or MEC [Selibe MOCHOBOROANE] ++ National Independent Party or NIP [Kimetso MATHABA] ++ Popular Front for Democracy of PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE] ++ Reformed Congress of Lesotho or RCL [Keketso RANTSO]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -519,7 +513,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Small, mountainous, and completely landlocked by South Africa, Lesotho depends on a narrow economic base of textile manufacturing, agriculture, remittances, and regional customs revenue. About three-fourths of the people live in rural areas and engage in animal herding and subsistence agriculture, although Lesotho produces less than 20% of the nation's demand for food. Agriculture is vulnerable to weather and climate variability. Lesotho relies on South Africa for much of its economic activity; Lesotho imports 85% of the goods it consumes from South Africa, including most agricultural inputs. Households depend heavily on remittances from family members working in South Africa in mines, on farms, and as domestic workers, though mining employment has declined substantially since the 1990s. Lesotho is a member of the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU), and revenues from SACU accounted for roughly 26% of total GDP in 2016; however, SACU revenues are volatile and expected to decline over the next 5 years. Lesotho also gains royalties from the South African Government for water transferred to South Africa from a dam and reservoir system in Lesotho. However, the government continues to strengthen its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties and other transfers. The government maintains a large presence in the economy - government consumption accounted for about 26% of GDP in 2017. The government remains Lesotho's largest employer; in 2016, the government wage bill rose to 23% of GDP – the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Lesotho's largest private employer is the textile and garment industry - approximately 36,000 Basotho, mainly women, work in factories producing garments for export to South Africa and the US. Diamond mining in Lesotho has grown in recent years and accounted for nearly 35% of total exports in 2015. Lesotho managed steady GDP growth at an average of 4.5% from 2010 to 2014, dropping to about 2.5% in 2015-16, but poverty remains widespread around 57% of the total population." + "text": "Small, mountainous, and completely landlocked by South Africa, Lesotho depends on a narrow economic base of textile manufacturing, agriculture, remittances, and regional customs revenue. About three-fourths of the people live in rural areas and engage in animal herding and subsistence agriculture, although Lesotho produces less than 20% of the nation's demand for food. Agriculture is vulnerable to weather and climate variability. ++ Lesotho relies on South Africa for much of its economic activity; Lesotho imports 85% of the goods it consumes from South Africa, including most agricultural inputs. Households depend heavily on remittances from family members working in South Africa in mines, on farms, and as domestic workers, though mining employment has declined substantially since the 1990s. Lesotho is a member of the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU), and revenues from SACU accounted for roughly 26% of total GDP in 2016; however, SACU revenues are volatile and expected to decline over the next 5 years. Lesotho also gains royalties from the South African Government for water transferred to South Africa from a dam and reservoir system in Lesotho. However, the government continues to strengthen its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties and other transfers. ++ The government maintains a large presence in the economy - government consumption accounted for about 26% of GDP in 2017. The government remains Lesotho's largest employer; in 2016, the government wage bill rose to 23% of GDP – the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Lesotho's largest private employer is the textile and garment industry - approximately 36,000 Basotho, mainly women, work in factories producing garments for export to South Africa and the US. Diamond mining in Lesotho has grown in recent years and accounted for nearly 35% of total exports in 2015. Lesotho managed steady GDP growth at an average of 4.5% from 2010 to 2014, dropping to about 2.5% in 2015-16, but poverty remains widespread around 57% of the total population." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$6.656 billion (2017 est.) / $6.762 billion (2016 est.) / $6.561 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/ly.json b/africa/ly.json index 9a297b7e..e4ecf249 100644 --- a/africa/ly.json +++ b/africa/ly.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Berbers have inhabited central north Africa since ancient times, but the region has been settled and ruled by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Vandals. In the the 7th century, Islam spread through the region; in the mid-16th century, Ottoman rule began. The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when they were defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar al-QADHAFI assumed leadership and began to espouse his political system at home, which was a combination of socialism and Islam. During the 1970s, QADHAFI used oil revenues to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversive and terrorist activities that included the downing of two airliners - one over Scotland, another in Northern Africa - and a discotheque bombing in Berlin. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically and economically following the attacks; sanctions were lifted in 2003 following Libyan acceptance of responsibility for the bombings and agreement to claimant compensation. QADHAFI also agreed to end Libya's program to develop weapons of mass destruction, and he made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations. Unrest that began in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in late 2010 erupted in Libyan cities in early 2011. QADHAFI's brutal crackdown on protesters spawned a civil war that triggered UN authorization of air and naval intervention by the international community. After months of seesaw fighting between government and opposition forces, the QADHAFI regime was toppled in mid-2011 and replaced by a transitional government known as the National Transitional Council (NTC). In 2012, the NTC handed power to an elected parliament, the General National Congress (GNC). Voters chose a new parliament to replace the GNC in June 2014 - the House of Representatives (HoR), which relocated to the eastern city of Tobruk after fighting broke out in Tripoli and Benghazi in July 2014. In December 2015, the UN brokered an agreement among a broad array of Libyan political parties and social groups - known as the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA). Members of the Libyan Political Dialogue, including representatives of the HoR and GNC, signed the LPA in December 2015. The LPA called for the formation of an interim Government of National Accord or GNA, with a nine-member Presidency Council, the HoR, and an advisory High Council of State that most ex-GNC members joined. The LPA’s roadmap for a transition to a new constitution and elected government was subsequently endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2259, which also called upon member states to cease official contact with parallel institutions. In January 2016, the HoR voted to approve the LPA, including the Presidency Council, while voting against a controversial provision on security leadership positions and the Presidency Council’s proposed cabinet of ministers. In March 2016, the GNA Presidency Council seated itself in Tripoli. In 2016, the GNA twice announced a slate of ministers who operate in an acting capacity, but the HoR did not endorse the ministerial list. The HoR and defunct-GNC-affiliated political hardliners continued to oppose the GNA and hamper the LPA’s implementation. In September 2017, UN Special Representative Ghassan SALAME announced a new roadmap for national political reconciliation. SALAME’s plan called for amendments to the LPA, a national conference of Libyan leaders, and a constitutional referendum and general elections. In November 2018, the international partners supported SALAME’s recalibrated Action Plan for Libya that aimed to break the political deadlock by holding a National Conference in Libya in 2019 on a timeline for political transition.  The National Conference was delayed following a failure of the parties to implement an agreement mediated by SALAME in Abu Dhabi on February 27, and the subsequent military action by Khalifa HAFTAR’s Libyan National Army against GNA forces in Tripoli that began in April 2019. " + "text": "Berbers have inhabited central north Africa since ancient times, but the region has been settled and ruled by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Persians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Vandals. In the the 7th century, Islam spread through the region; in the mid-16th century, Ottoman rule began. The Italians supplanted the Ottoman Turks in the area around Tripoli in 1911 and did not relinquish their hold until 1943 when they were defeated in World War II. Libya then passed to UN administration and achieved independence in 1951. Following a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar al-QADHAFI assumed leadership and began to espouse his political system at home, which was a combination of socialism and Islam. During the 1970s, QADHAFI used oil revenues to promote his ideology outside Libya, supporting subversive and terrorist activities that included the downing of two airliners - one over Scotland, another in Northern Africa - and a discotheque bombing in Berlin. UN sanctions in 1992 isolated QADHAFI politically and economically following the attacks; sanctions were lifted in 2003 following Libyan acceptance of responsibility for the bombings and agreement to claimant compensation. QADHAFI also agreed to end Libya's program to develop weapons of mass destruction, and he made significant strides in normalizing relations with Western nations. ++ Unrest that began in several Middle Eastern and North African countries in late 2010 erupted in Libyan cities in early 2011. QADHAFI's brutal crackdown on protesters spawned a civil war that triggered UN authorization of air and naval intervention by the international community. After months of seesaw fighting between government and opposition forces, the QADHAFI regime was toppled in mid-2011 and replaced by a transitional government known as the National Transitional Council (NTC). In 2012, the NTC handed power to an elected parliament, the General National Congress (GNC). Voters chose a new parliament to replace the GNC in June 2014 - the House of Representatives (HoR), which relocated to the eastern city of Tobruk after fighting broke out in Tripoli and Benghazi in July 2014. ++ In December 2015, the UN brokered an agreement among a broad array of Libyan political parties and social groups - known as the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA). Members of the Libyan Political Dialogue, including representatives of the HoR and GNC, signed the LPA in December 2015. The LPA called for the formation of an interim Government of National Accord or GNA, with a nine-member Presidency Council, the HoR, and an advisory High Council of State that most ex-GNC members joined. The LPA's roadmap for a transition to a new constitution and elected government was subsequently endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2259, which also called upon member states to cease official contact with parallel institutions. In January 2016, the HoR voted to approve the LPA, including the Presidency Council, while voting against a controversial provision on security leadership positions and the Presidency Council's proposed cabinet of ministers. In March 2016, the GNA Presidency Council seated itself in Tripoli. In 2016, the GNA twice announced a slate of ministers who operate in an acting capacity, but the HoR did not endorse the ministerial list. The HoR and defunct-GNC-affiliated political hardliners continued to oppose the GNA and hamper the LPA's implementation. In September 2017, UN Special Representative Ghassan SALAME announced a new roadmap for national political reconciliation. SALAME's plan called for amendments to the LPA, a national conference of Libyan leaders, and a constitutional referendum and general elections. In November 2018, the international partners supported SALAME's recalibrated Action Plan for Libya that aimed to break the political deadlock by holding a National Conference in Libya in 2019 on a timeline for political transition.  The National Conference was delayed following a failure of the parties to implement an agreement mediated by SALAME in Abu Dhabi on February 27, and the subsequent military action by Khalifa HAFTAR's Libyan National Army against GNA forces in Tripoli that began in April 2019. " } }, "Geography": { @@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ } }, "Geography - note": { - "text": "note 1: more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesertnote 2: the volcano Waw an Namus lies in south central Libya in the middle of the Sahara; the caldera is an oasis - the name means \"oasis of mosquitoes\" - containing several small lakes surrounded by vegetation and hosting various insects and a large diversity of birds" + "text": "note 1: more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert ++ note 2: the volcano Waw an Namus lies in south central Libya in the middle of the Sahara; the caldera is an oasis - the name means \"oasis of mosquitoes\" - containing several small lakes surrounded by vegetation and hosting various insects and a large diversity of birds" } }, "People and Society": { @@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ } }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Despite continuing unrest, Libya remains a destination country for economic migrants. It is also a hub for transit migration to Europe because of its proximity to southern Europe and its lax border controls. Labor migrants have been drawn to Libya since the development of its oil sector in the 1960s. Until the latter part of the 1990s, most migrants to Libya were Arab (primarily Egyptians and Sudanese). However, international isolation stemming from Libya’s involvement in international terrorism and a perceived lack of support from Arab countries led QADHAFI in 1998 to adopt a decade-long pan-African policy that enabled large numbers of Sub-Saharan migrants to enter Libya without visas to work in the construction and agricultural industries. Although Sub-Saharan Africans provided a cheap labor source, they were poorly treated and were subjected to periodic mass expulsions.\nBy the mid-2000s, domestic animosity toward African migrants and a desire to reintegrate into the international community motivated QADHAFI to impose entry visas on Arab and African immigrants and to agree to joint maritime patrols and migrant repatriations with Italy, the main recipient of illegal migrants departing Libya. As his regime neared collapse in 2011, QADHAFI reversed his policy of cooperating with Italy to curb illegal migration and sent boats loaded with migrants and asylum seekers to strain European resources. Libya’s 2011 revolution decreased immigration drastically and prompted nearly 800,000 migrants to flee to third countries, mainly Tunisia and Egypt, or to their countries of origin. The inflow of migrants declined in 2012 but returned to normal levels by 2013, despite continued hostility toward Sub-Saharan Africans and a less-inviting job market.\nWhile Libya is not an appealing destination for migrants, since 2014, transiting migrants – primarily from East and West Africa – continue to exploit its political instability and weak border controls and use it as a primary departure area to migrate across the central Mediterranean to Europe in growing numbers. In addition, more than 200,000 people were displaced internally as of August 2017 by fighting between armed groups in eastern and western Libya and, to a lesser extent, by inter-tribal clashes in the country’s south." + "text": "Despite continuing unrest, Libya remains a destination country for economic migrants. It is also a hub for transit migration to Europe because of its proximity to southern Europe and its lax border controls. Labor migrants have been drawn to Libya since the development of its oil sector in the 1960s. Until the latter part of the 1990s, most migrants to Libya were Arab (primarily Egyptians and Sudanese). However, international isolation stemming from Libya's involvement in international terrorism and a perceived lack of support from Arab countries led QADHAFI in 1998 to adopt a decade-long pan-African policy that enabled large numbers of Sub-Saharan migrants to enter Libya without visas to work in the construction and agricultural industries. Although Sub-Saharan Africans provided a cheap labor source, they were poorly treated and were subjected to periodic mass expulsions. ++ By the mid-2000s, domestic animosity toward African migrants and a desire to reintegrate into the international community motivated QADHAFI to impose entry visas on Arab and African immigrants and to agree to joint maritime patrols and migrant repatriations with Italy, the main recipient of illegal migrants departing Libya. As his regime neared collapse in 2011, QADHAFI reversed his policy of cooperating with Italy to curb illegal migration and sent boats loaded with migrants and asylum seekers to strain European resources. Libya's 2011 revolution decreased immigration drastically and prompted nearly 800,000 migrants to flee to third countries, mainly Tunisia and Egypt, or to their countries of origin. The inflow of migrants declined in 2012 but returned to normal levels by 2013, despite continued hostility toward Sub-Saharan Africans and a less-inviting job market. ++ While Libya is not an appealing destination for migrants, since 2014, transiting migrants – primarily from East and West Africa – continue to exploit its political instability and weak border controls and use it as a primary departure area to migrate across the central Mediterranean to Europe in growing numbers. In addition, more than 200,000 people were displaced internally as of August 2017 by fighting between armed groups in eastern and western Libya and, to a lesser extent, by inter-tribal clashes in the country's south." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -261,8 +261,11 @@ "text": "27.7% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 98.5% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 1.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Physicians density": { @@ -272,8 +275,11 @@ "text": "3.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -424,7 +430,7 @@ "text": "NA; note - government is in transition" }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "NA" + "text": "NA ++" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BDEAC, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -480,7 +486,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Libya's economy, almost entirely dependent on oil and gas exports, has struggled since 2014 given security and political instability, disruptions in oil production, and decline in global oil prices. The Libyan dinar has lost much of its value since 2014 and the resulting gap between official and black market exchange rates has spurred the growth of a shadow economy and contributed to inflation. The country suffers from widespread power outages, caused by shortages of fuel for power generation. Living conditions, including access to clean drinking water, medical services, and safe housing have all declined since 2011. Oil production in 2017 reached a five-year high, driving GDP growth, with daily average production rising to 879,000 barrels per day. However, oil production levels remain below the average pre-Revolution highs of 1.6 million barrels per day. The Central Bank of Libya continued to pay government salaries to a majority of the Libyan workforce and to fund subsidies for fuel and food, resulting in an estimated budget deficit of about 17% of GDP in 2017. Low consumer confidence in the banking sector and the economy as a whole has driven a severe liquidity shortage." + "text": "Libya's economy, almost entirely dependent on oil and gas exports, has struggled since 2014 given security and political instability, disruptions in oil production, and decline in global oil prices. The Libyan dinar has lost much of its value since 2014 and the resulting gap between official and black market exchange rates has spurred the growth of a shadow economy and contributed to inflation. The country suffers from widespread power outages, caused by shortages of fuel for power generation. Living conditions, including access to clean drinking water, medical services, and safe housing have all declined since 2011. Oil production in 2017 reached a five-year high, driving GDP growth, with daily average production rising to 879,000 barrels per day. However, oil production levels remain below the average pre-Revolution highs of 1.6 million barrels per day. ++ The Central Bank of Libya continued to pay government salaries to a majority of the Libyan workforce and to fund subsidies for fuel and food, resulting in an estimated budget deficit of about 17% of GDP in 2017. Low consumer confidence in the banking sector and the economy as a whole has driven a severe liquidity shortage." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$61.97 billion (2017 est.) / $37.78 billion (2016 est.) / $40.8 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -866,7 +872,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "note - in transition; the Government of National Accord (GNA) has various ground, air, naval, and coast guard forces under its command; the forces are comprised of a mix of semi-regular military units, tribal militias, civilian volunteers, and foreign troops and mercenariesforces under Khalifa HAFTER, known as the Libyan National Army (LNA), also include various ground, air, and naval units comprised of semi-regular military personnel, tribal militias, and foreign troops and mercenaries (2019)" + "text": "note - in transition; the Government of National Accord (GNA) has various ground, air, naval, and coast guard forces under its command; the forces are comprised of a mix of semi-regular military units, tribal militias, civilian volunteers, and foreign troops and mercenaries ++ forces under Khalifa HAFTER, known as the Libyan National Army (LNA), also include various ground, air, and naval units comprised of semi-regular military personnel, tribal militias, and foreign troops and mercenaries (2019)" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "the sizes of the forces of both the Government of National Accord and the Libyan National Army are unknown (2020 est.)" @@ -897,10 +903,10 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Libya is a destination and transit country for men and women from Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia subjected to forced labor and forced prostitution; migrants who seek employment in Libya as laborers and domestic workers or who transit Libya en route to Europe are vulnerable to forced labor; private employers also exploit migrants from detention centers as forced laborers on farms and construction sites, returning them to detention when they are no longer needed; some Sub-Saharan women are reportedly forced to work in Libyan brothels, particularly in the country’s south; since 2013, militia groups and other informal armed groups, including some affiliated with the government, are reported to conscript Libyan children under the age of 18; large-scale violence driven by militias, civil unrest, and increased lawlessness increased in 2014, making it more difficult to obtain information on human trafficking" + "text": "Libya is a destination and transit country for men and women from Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia subjected to forced labor and forced prostitution; migrants who seek employment in Libya as laborers and domestic workers or who transit Libya en route to Europe are vulnerable to forced labor; private employers also exploit migrants from detention centers as forced laborers on farms and construction sites, returning them to detention when they are no longer needed; some Sub-Saharan women are reportedly forced to work in Libyan brothels, particularly in the country's south; since 2013, militia groups and other informal armed groups, including some affiliated with the government, are reported to conscript Libyan children under the age of 18; large-scale violence driven by militias, civil unrest, and increased lawlessness increased in 2014, making it more difficult to obtain information on human trafficking" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 3 - the Libyan Government does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, the government’s capacity to address human trafficking was hampered by the ongoing power struggle and violence; the judicial system was not functioning, preventing any efforts to investigate, prosecute, or convict traffickers, complicit detention camp guards or government officials, or militias or armed groups that used child soldiers; the government failed to identify or provide protection to trafficking victims, including child conscripts, and continued to punish victims for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked; no public anti-trafficking awareness campaigns were conducted (2015)" + "text": "Tier 3 - the Libyan Government does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, the government's capacity to address human trafficking was hampered by the ongoing power struggle and violence; the judicial system was not functioning, preventing any efforts to investigate, prosecute, or convict traffickers, complicit detention camp guards or government officials, or militias or armed groups that used child soldiers; the government failed to identify or provide protection to trafficking victims, including child conscripts, and continued to punish victims for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked; no public anti-trafficking awareness campaigns were conducted (2015)" } } } diff --git a/africa/ma.json b/africa/ma.json index b9087875..99cd2e87 100644 --- a/africa/ma.json +++ b/africa/ma.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Madagascar was one of the last major habitable landmasses on earth settled by humans. While there is some evidence of human presence on the island in the millennia B.C., large-scale settlement began between A.D. 350 and 550 with settlers from present-day Indonesia. The island attracted Arab and Persian traders as early as the 7th century, and migrants from Africa arrived around A.D. 1000. Madagascar was a pirate stronghold during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and served as a slave trading center into the 19th century. From the 16th to the late 19th century, a native Merina Kingdom dominated much of Madagascar. The island was conquered by the French in 1896 who made it a colony; independence was regained in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. RAVALOMANANA won a second term in 2006 but, following protests in 2009, handed over power to the military, which then conferred the presidency on the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA, in what amounted to a coup d'etat. Following a lengthy mediation process led by the Southern African Development Community, Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA won a runoff election in December 2013 and was inaugurated in January 2014. In January 2019, RAJOELINA was declared the winner of a runoff election against RAVALOMANANA; both RATSIRAKA and RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA also ran in the first round of the election, which took place in November 2018." + "text": "Madagascar was one of the last major habitable landmasses on earth settled by humans. While there is some evidence of human presence on the island in the millennia B.C., large-scale settlement began between A.D. 350 and 550 with settlers from present-day Indonesia. The island attracted Arab and Persian traders as early as the 7th century, and migrants from Africa arrived around A.D. 1000. Madagascar was a pirate stronghold during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and served as a slave trading center into the 19th century. From the 16th to the late 19th century, a native Merina Kingdom dominated much of Madagascar. The island was conquered by the French in 1896 who made it a colony; independence was regained in 1960. ++ During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner. RAVALOMANANA won a second term in 2006 but, following protests in 2009, handed over power to the military, which then conferred the presidency on the mayor of Antananarivo, Andry RAJOELINA, in what amounted to a coup d'etat. Following a lengthy mediation process led by the Southern African Development Community, Madagascar held UN-supported presidential and parliamentary elections in 2013. Former de facto finance minister Hery RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA won a runoff election in December 2013 and was inaugurated in January 2014. In January 2019, RAJOELINA was declared the winner of a runoff election against RAVALOMANANA; both RATSIRAKA and RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA also ran in the first round of the election, which took place in November 2018." } }, "Geography": { @@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ "text": "most of population lives on the eastern half of the island; significant clustering is found in the central highlands and eastern coastline as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation\nvolcanism: Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in historical times" + "text": "periodic cyclones; drought; and locust infestation ++ volcanism: Madagascar's volcanoes have not erupted in historical times" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "erosion and soil degredation results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; agricultural fires; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; wildlife preservation (endangered species of flora and fauna unique to the island)" @@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ } }, "Geography - note": { - "text": "world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel; despite Madagascar’s close proximity to the African continent, ocean currents isolate the island resulting in high rates of endemic plant and animal species; approximately 90% of the flora and fauna on the island are found nowhere else" + "text": "world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel; despite Madagascar's close proximity to the African continent, ocean currents isolate the island resulting in high rates of endemic plant and animal species; approximately 90% of the flora and fauna on the island are found nowhere else" } }, "People and Society": { @@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ "text": "Christian, indigenous, Muslim" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Madagascar’s youthful population – just over 60% are under the age of 25 – and high total fertility rate of more than 4 children per women ensures that the Malagasy population will continue its rapid growth trajectory for the foreseeable future. The population is predominantly rural and poor; chronic malnutrition is prevalent, and large families are the norm. Many young Malagasy girls are withdrawn from school, marry early (often pressured to do so by their parents), and soon begin having children. Early childbearing, coupled with Madagascar’s widespread poverty and lack of access to skilled health care providers during delivery, increases the risk of death and serious health problems for young mothers and their babies.\nChild marriage perpetuates gender inequality and is prevalent among the poor, the uneducated, and rural households – as of 2013, of Malagasy women aged 20 to 24, more than 40% were married and more than a third had given birth by the age of 18. Although the legal age for marriage is 18, parental consent is often given for earlier marriages or the law is flouted, especially in rural areas that make up nearly 65% of the country. Forms of arranged marriage whereby young girls are married to older men in exchange for oxen or money are traditional. If a union does not work out, a girl can be placed in another marriage, but the dowry paid to her family diminishes with each unsuccessful marriage.\nMadagascar’s population consists of 18 main ethnic groups, all of whom speak the same Malagasy language. Most Malagasy are multi-ethnic, however, reflecting the island’s diversity of settlers and historical contacts (see Background). Madagascar’s legacy of hierarchical societies practicing domestic slavery (most notably the Merina Kingdom of the 16th to the 19th century) is evident today in persistent class tension, with some ethnic groups maintaining a caste system. Slave descendants are vulnerable to unequal access to education and jobs, despite Madagascar’s constitutional guarantee of free compulsory primary education and its being party to several international conventions on human rights. Historical distinctions also remain between central highlanders and coastal people." + "text": "Madagascar's youthful population – just over 60% are under the age of 25 – and high total fertility rate of more than 4 children per women ensures that the Malagasy population will continue its rapid growth trajectory for the foreseeable future. The population is predominantly rural and poor; chronic malnutrition is prevalent, and large families are the norm. Many young Malagasy girls are withdrawn from school, marry early (often pressured to do so by their parents), and soon begin having children. Early childbearing, coupled with Madagascar's widespread poverty and lack of access to skilled health care providers during delivery, increases the risk of death and serious health problems for young mothers and their babies. ++ Child marriage perpetuates gender inequality and is prevalent among the poor, the uneducated, and rural households – as of 2013, of Malagasy women aged 20 to 24, more than 40% were married and more than a third had given birth by the age of 18. Although the legal age for marriage is 18, parental consent is often given for earlier marriages or the law is flouted, especially in rural areas that make up nearly 65% of the country. Forms of arranged marriage whereby young girls are married to older men in exchange for oxen or money are traditional. If a union does not work out, a girl can be placed in another marriage, but the dowry paid to her family diminishes with each unsuccessful marriage. ++ Madagascar's population consists of 18 main ethnic groups, all of whom speak the same Malagasy language. Most Malagasy are multi-ethnic, however, reflecting the island's diversity of settlers and historical contacts (see Background). Madagascar's legacy of hierarchical societies practicing domestic slavery (most notably the Merina Kingdom of the 16th to the 19th century) is evident today in persistent class tension, with some ethnic groups maintaining a caste system. Slave descendants are vulnerable to unequal access to education and jobs, despite Madagascar's constitutional guarantee of free compulsory primary education and its being party to several international conventions on human rights. Historical distinctions also remain between central highlanders and coastal people." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -259,14 +259,11 @@ "text": "44.3% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 12.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 87.9% of population / rural: 36.3% of population / total: 55.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "63.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "44.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 12.1% of population / rural: 63.7% of population / total: 44.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -279,14 +276,11 @@ "text": "0.2 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 57.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 42.5% of population / rural: 16.6% of population / total: 26.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "83.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "73.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 57.5% of population / rural: 83.4% of population / total: 73.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -413,7 +407,7 @@ "text": "previous 1992; latest passed by referendum 17 November 2010, promulgated 11 December 2010" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the president of the republic in consultation with the cabinet or supported by a least two thirds of both the Senate and National Assembly membership; passage requires at least three-fourths approval of both the Senate and National Assembly and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles, including the form and powers of government, the sovereignty of the state, and the autonomy of Madagascar’s collectivities, cannot be amended" + "text": "proposed by the president of the republic in consultation with the cabinet or supported by a least two thirds of both the Senate and National Assembly membership; passage requires at least three-fourths approval of both the Senate and National Assembly and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles, including the form and powers of government, the sovereignty of the state, and the autonomy of Madagascar's collectivities, cannot be amended" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -458,13 +452,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate or Antenimieran-Doholona (reestablished on 22 January 2016, following the December 2015 senatorial election) (63 seats; 42 members indirectly elected by an electoral college of municipal, communal, regional, and provincial leaders and 21 appointed by the president of the republic; members serve 5-year terms)National Assembly or Antenimierampirenena (151 seats; 87 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 64 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate or Antenimieran-Doholona (reestablished on 22 January 2016, following the December 2015 senatorial election) (63 seats; 42 members indirectly elected by an electoral college of municipal, communal, regional, and provincial leaders and 21 appointed by the president of the republic; members serve 5-year terms) ++ National Assembly or Antenimierampirenena (151 seats; 87 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 64 directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held 29 December 2015 (next to be held in 2021)National Assembly - last held on 27 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024)" + "text": "Senate - last held 29 December 2015 (next to be held in 2021) ++ National Assembly - last held on 27 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HVM 34, TIM 3, MAPAR 2, LEADER-Fanilo 1, independent 2, appointed by the president 21; composition - men 51, women 12, percent of women 19%National Assembly - percent of vote by party -Independent Pro-HVM 18%, MAPAR 17%, MAPAR pro-HVM 16%, VPM-MMM 10%, VERTS 3%, LEADER FANILO 3%, HIARAKA ISIKA 3%, GPS/ARD 7%,  INDEPENDENT 9%, TAMBATRA 1%, TIM 13%;  composition - men 120, women 31, percent of women 20.5%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 20.1%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HVM 34, TIM 3, MAPAR 2, LEADER-Fanilo 1, independent 2, appointed by the president 21; composition - men 51, women 12, percent of women 19% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party -Independent Pro-HVM 18%, MAPAR 17%, MAPAR pro-HVM 16%, VPM-MMM 10%, VERTS 3%, LEADER FANILO 3%, HIARAKA ISIKA 3%, GPS/ARD 7%,  INDEPENDENT 9%, TAMBATRA 1%, TIM 13%;  composition - men 120, women 31, percent of women 20.5%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 20.1%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -479,7 +473,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Economic liberalism and democratic action for national recovery or LEADER FANILO [Jean Max RAKOTOMAMONJY]FOMBA [Ny Rado RAFALIMANANA]Gideons fighting against poverty in Madagascar (Gedeona Miady amin'ny Fahantrana eto Madagascar) or GFFM [Andre Christian Dieu Donne MAILHOL]Green party or VERTS (Antoko Maintso) [Alexandre GEORGET]I Love Madagascar (Tiako I Madagasikara) or TIM [Marc RAVALOMANANA]Malagasy aware (Malagasy Tonga Saina) or MTS [Roland RATSIRAKA]Malagasy raising together (Malagasy Miara-Miainga) or MMM [Hajo ANDRIANAINARIVELO]New Force for Madagascar (Hery Vaovao ho an'ny Madagasikara) or HVM [Hery Martial RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA Rakotoarimanana]Total Refoundation of Madagascar (Refondation Totale de Madagascar) or RTM [Joseph Martin RANDRIAMAMPIONONA]Vanguard for the renovation of Madagascar (Avant-Garde pour la renovation de Madagascar) or AREMA [Didier RATSIRAKA]Young Malagasies Determined (Malagasy: Tanora malaGasy Vonona) or TGV [Andry RAJOELINA]and MAPAR [Andry RAJOELINA], and IRD (We are all with Andy Rajoelina) [Andry RAJOELINA]" + "text": "Economic liberalism and democratic action for national recovery or LEADER FANILO [Jean Max RAKOTOMAMONJY] ++ FOMBA [Ny Rado RAFALIMANANA] ++ Gideons fighting against poverty in Madagascar (Gedeona Miady amin'ny Fahantrana eto Madagascar) or GFFM [Andre Christian Dieu Donne MAILHOL] ++ Green party or VERTS (Antoko Maintso) [Alexandre GEORGET] ++ I Love Madagascar (Tiako I Madagasikara) or TIM [Marc RAVALOMANANA] ++ Malagasy aware (Malagasy Tonga Saina) or MTS [Roland RATSIRAKA] ++ Malagasy raising together (Malagasy Miara-Miainga) or MMM [Hajo ANDRIANAINARIVELO] ++ New Force for Madagascar (Hery Vaovao ho an'ny Madagasikara) or HVM [Hery Martial RAJAONARIMAMPIANINA Rakotoarimanana] ++ Total Refoundation of Madagascar (Refondation Totale de Madagascar) or RTM [Joseph Martin RANDRIAMAMPIONONA] ++ Vanguard for the renovation of Madagascar (Avant-Garde pour la renovation de Madagascar) or AREMA [Didier RATSIRAKA] ++ Young Malagasies Determined (Malagasy: Tanora malaGasy Vonona) or TGV [Andry RAJOELINA]and MAPAR [Andry RAJOELINA], and IRD (We are all with Andy Rajoelina) [Andry RAJOELINA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, COMESA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -538,7 +532,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Madagascar is a mostly unregulated economy with many untapped natural resources, but no capital markets, a weak judicial system, poorly enforced contracts, and rampant government corruption. The country faces challenges to improve education, healthcare, and the environment to boost long-term economic growth. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing roughly 80% of the population. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by bushfires, slash-and-burn clearing techniques, and the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns to the agriculture dependent economy. After discarding socialist economic policies in the mid-1990s, Madagascar followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization until a 2009 coup d’état led many nations, including the United States, to suspend non-humanitarian aid until a democratically-elected president was inaugurated in 2014. The pre-coup strategy had placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low starting point. Exports of apparel boomed after gaining duty-free access to the US market in 2000 under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA); however, Madagascar's failure to comply with the requirements of the AGOA led to the termination of the country's duty-free access in January 2010, a sharp fall in textile production, a loss of more than 100,000 jobs, and a GDP drop of nearly 11%. Madagascar regained AGOA access in January 2015 and ensuing growth has been slow and fragile. Madagascar produces around 80% of the world’s vanilla and its reliance on this commodity for most of its foreign exchange is a significant source of vulnerability. Economic reforms have been modest and the country’s financial sector remains weak, limiting the use of monetary policy to control inflation. An ongoing IMF program aims to strengthen financial and investment management capacity." + "text": "Madagascar is a mostly unregulated economy with many untapped natural resources, but no capital markets, a weak judicial system, poorly enforced contracts, and rampant government corruption. The country faces challenges to improve education, healthcare, and the environment to boost long-term economic growth. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing roughly 80% of the population. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by bushfires, slash-and-burn clearing techniques, and the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel, are serious concerns to the agriculture dependent economy. ++ After discarding socialist economic policies in the mid-1990s, Madagascar followed a World Bank- and IMF-led policy of privatization and liberalization until a 2009 coup d'état led many nations, including the United States, to suspend non-humanitarian aid until a democratically-elected president was inaugurated in 2014. The pre-coup strategy had placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low starting point. Exports of apparel boomed after gaining duty-free access to the US market in 2000 under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA); however, Madagascar's failure to comply with the requirements of the AGOA led to the termination of the country's duty-free access in January 2010, a sharp fall in textile production, a loss of more than 100,000 jobs, and a GDP drop of nearly 11%. ++ Madagascar regained AGOA access in January 2015 and ensuing growth has been slow and fragile. Madagascar produces around 80% of the world's vanilla and its reliance on this commodity for most of its foreign exchange is a significant source of vulnerability. Economic reforms have been modest and the country's financial sector remains weak, limiting the use of monetary policy to control inflation. An ongoing IMF program aims to strengthen financial and investment management capacity." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$39.85 billion (2017 est.) / $38.25 billion (2016 est.) / $36.72 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/mi.json b/africa/mi.json index 5e289fbb..4ad8347a 100644 --- a/africa/mi.json +++ b/africa/mi.json @@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ "text": "Protestant 33.5% (includes Church of Central Africa Presbyterian 14.2%, Seventh Day Adventist/Baptist 9.4%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 2.3%), Roman Catholic 17.2%, other Christian 26.6%, Muslim 13.8%, traditionalist 1.1%, other 5.6%, none 2.1% (2018 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Malawi has made great improvements in maternal and child health, but has made less progress in reducing its high fertility rate. In both rural and urban areas, very high proportions of mothers are receiving prenatal care and skilled birth assistance, and most children are being vaccinated. Malawi’s fertility rate, however, has only declined slowly, decreasing from more than 7 children per woman in the 1980s to about 5.5 today. Nonetheless, Malawians prefer smaller families than in the past, and women are increasingly using contraceptives to prevent or space pregnancies. Rapid population growth and high population density is putting pressure on Malawi’s land, water, and forest resources. Reduced plot sizes and increasing vulnerability to climate change, further threaten the sustainability of Malawi’s agriculturally based economy and will worsen food shortages. About 80% of the population is employed in agriculture.\nHistorically, Malawians migrated abroad in search of work, primarily to South Africa and present-day Zimbabwe, but international migration became uncommon after the 1970s, and most migration in recent years has been internal. During the colonial period, Malawians regularly migrated to southern Africa as contract farm laborers, miners, and domestic servants. In the decade and a half after independence in 1964, the Malawian Government sought to transform its economy from one dependent on small-scale farms to one based on estate agriculture. The resulting demand for wage labor induced more than 300,000 Malawians to return home between the mid-1960s and the mid-1970s. In recent times, internal migration has generally been local, motivated more by marriage than economic reasons." + "text": "Malawi has made great improvements in maternal and child health, but has made less progress in reducing its high fertility rate. In both rural and urban areas, very high proportions of mothers are receiving prenatal care and skilled birth assistance, and most children are being vaccinated. Malawi's fertility rate, however, has only declined slowly, decreasing from more than 7 children per woman in the 1980s to about 5.5 today. Nonetheless, Malawians prefer smaller families than in the past, and women are increasingly using contraceptives to prevent or space pregnancies. Rapid population growth and high population density is putting pressure on Malawi's land, water, and forest resources. Reduced plot sizes and increasing vulnerability to climate change, further threaten the sustainability of Malawi's agriculturally based economy and will worsen food shortages. About 80% of the population is employed in agriculture. ++ Historically, Malawians migrated abroad in search of work, primarily to South Africa and present-day Zimbabwe, but international migration became uncommon after the 1970s, and most migration in recent years has been internal. During the colonial period, Malawians regularly migrated to southern Africa as contract farm laborers, miners, and domestic servants. In the decade and a half after independence in 1964, the Malawian Government sought to transform its economy from one dependent on small-scale farms to one based on estate agriculture. The resulting demand for wage labor induced more than 300,000 Malawians to return home between the mid-1960s and the mid-1970s. In recent times, internal migration has generally been local, motivated more by marriage than economic reasons." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "59.2% (2015/16)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95.9% of population / rural: 87.3% of population / total: 88.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "12.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "11.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 4.1% of population / rural: 12.7% of population / total: 11.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "1.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 41.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 58.2% of population / rural: 35.9% of population / total: 39.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "64.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "60.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 41.8% of population / rural: 64.1% of population / total: 60.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -455,7 +449,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 June 2020 (next to be held in 2025)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Lazarus CHAKWERA elected president; Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 59.3%, Peter Mutharika (DPP) 39.9%, other 0.7%        " + "text": "Lazarus CHAKWERA elected president; Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 59.3%, Peter Mutharika (DPP) 39.9%, other 0.7% ++        " } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -481,7 +475,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Peter MUTHARIKA]Malawi Congress Party or MCP [Lazarus CHAKWERA]Peoples Party or PP [Joyce BANDA]United Democratic Front or UDF [Atupele MULUZI]United Transformation Movement or UTM [Saulos CHILIMA]" + "text": "Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Peter MUTHARIKA] ++ Malawi Congress Party or MCP [Lazarus CHAKWERA] ++ Peoples Party or PP [Joyce BANDA] ++ United Democratic Front or UDF [Atupele MULUZI] ++ United Transformation Movement or UTM [Saulos CHILIMA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -537,7 +531,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The country’s economic performance has historically been constrained by policy inconsistency, macroeconomic instability, poor infrastructure, rampant corruption, high population growth, and poor health and education outcomes that limit labor productivity. The economy is predominately agricultural with about 80% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for about one-third of GDP and 80% of export revenues. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for more than half of exports, although Malawi is looking to diversify away from tobacco to other cash crops. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. Donors halted direct budget support from 2013 to 2016 because of concerns about corruption and fiscal carelessness, but the World Bank resumed budget support in May 2017. In 2006, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program but recent increases in domestic borrowing mean that debt servicing in 2016 exceeded the levels prior to HIPC debt relief. Heavily dependent on rain-fed agriculture, with corn being the staple crop, Malawi’s economy was hit hard by the El Nino-driven drought in 2015 and 2016, and now faces threat from the fall armyworm. The drought also slowed economic activity, led to two consecutive years of declining economic growth, and contributed to high inflation rates. Depressed food prices over 2017 led to a significant drop in inflation (from an average of 21.7% in 2016 to 12.3% in 2017), with a similar drop in interest rates." + "text": "Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The country's economic performance has historically been constrained by policy inconsistency, macroeconomic instability, poor infrastructure, rampant corruption, high population growth, and poor health and education outcomes that limit labor productivity. The economy is predominately agricultural with about 80% of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for about one-third of GDP and 80% of export revenues. The performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as tobacco accounts for more than half of exports, although Malawi is looking to diversify away from tobacco to other cash crops. ++ The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. Donors halted direct budget support from 2013 to 2016 because of concerns about corruption and fiscal carelessness, but the World Bank resumed budget support in May 2017. In 2006, Malawi was approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program but recent increases in domestic borrowing mean that debt servicing in 2016 exceeded the levels prior to HIPC debt relief. ++ Heavily dependent on rain-fed agriculture, with corn being the staple crop, Malawi's economy was hit hard by the El Nino-driven drought in 2015 and 2016, and now faces threat from the fall armyworm. The drought also slowed economic activity, led to two consecutive years of declining economic growth, and contributed to high inflation rates. Depressed food prices over 2017 led to a significant drop in inflation (from an average of 21.7% in 2016 to 12.3% in 2017), with a similar drop in interest rates." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$22.42 billion (2017 est.) / $21.56 billion (2016 est.) / $21.08 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -900,7 +894,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Malawi Defense Force (MDF): Army (includes Air Wing, Marine Unit); note - a 2017 amendment to Malawi’s Defense Force Act established a separate Army, Air Force, and Maritime Force within the MDF, but these services have yet to develop independent budgets, chains of command, and training institutions (2019)" + "text": "Malawi Defense Force (MDF): Army (includes Air Wing, Marine Unit); note - a 2017 amendment to Malawi's Defense Force Act established a separate Army, Air Force, and Maritime Force within the MDF, but these services have yet to develop independent budgets, chains of command, and training institutions (2019)" }, "Military expenditures": { "text": "0.9% of GDP (2019) / 0.9% of GDP (2018) / 0.8% of GDP (2017) / 0.6% of GDP (2016) / 0.6% of GDP (2015)" diff --git a/africa/ml.json b/africa/ml.json index 59f8ebd4..91285d66 100644 --- a/africa/ml.json +++ b/africa/ml.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Present-day Mali is named for the Mali Empire that at its peak in the 14th century covered an area about twice the size of modern-day France and stretched to the west coast of Africa. In the late 19th century, France seized control of Mali. The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a military coup that ushered in a period of democratic rule. President Alpha Oumar KONARE won Mali's first two democratic presidential elections in 1992 and 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou Toumani TOURE, who was elected to a second term in a 2007 election that was widely judged to be free and fair. Malian returnees from Libya in 2011 exacerbated tensions in northern Mali, and Tuareg ethnic militias rebelled in January 2012. Low- and mid-level soldiers, frustrated with the poor handling of the rebellion, overthrew TOURE on 22 March. Intensive mediation efforts led by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) returned power to a civilian administration in April with the appointment of Interim President Dioncounda TRAORE. The post-coup chaos led to rebels expelling the Malian military from the country's three northern regions and allowed Islamic militants to set up strongholds. Hundreds of thousands of northern Malians fled the violence to southern Mali and neighboring countries, exacerbating regional food shortages in host communities. A French-led international military intervention to retake the three northern regions began in January 2013 and within a month, most of the north had been retaken. In a democratic presidential election conducted in July and August of 2013, Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA was elected president. The Malian Government and northern armed groups signed an internationally mediated peace accord in June 2015, however, the parties to the peace accord have made little progress in the accord's implementation, despite a June 2017 target for its completion. Furthermore, extremist groups outside the peace process made steady inroads into rural areas of central Mali following the consolidation of three major terrorist organizations in March 2017. In central and northern Mali, terrorist groups have exploited age-old ethnic rivalries between pastoralists and sedentary communities and inflicted serious losses on the Malian military. Intercommunal violence incidents such as targeted killings occur with increasing regularity. KEITA was reelected president in 2018 in an election that was deemed credible by international observers, despite some security and logistic shortfalls." + "text": "Present-day Mali is named for the Mali Empire that at its peak in the 14th century covered an area about twice the size of modern-day France and stretched to the west coast of Africa. In the late 19th century, France seized control of Mali. The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a military coup that ushered in a period of democratic rule. President Alpha Oumar KONARE won Mali's first two democratic presidential elections in 1992 and 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou Toumani TOURE, who was elected to a second term in a 2007 election that was widely judged to be free and fair. Malian returnees from Libya in 2011 exacerbated tensions in northern Mali, and Tuareg ethnic militias rebelled in January 2012. Low- and mid-level soldiers, frustrated with the poor handling of the rebellion, overthrew TOURE on 22 March. Intensive mediation efforts led by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) returned power to a civilian administration in April with the appointment of Interim President Dioncounda TRAORE. ++ The post-coup chaos led to rebels expelling the Malian military from the country's three northern regions and allowed Islamic militants to set up strongholds. Hundreds of thousands of northern Malians fled the violence to southern Mali and neighboring countries, exacerbating regional food shortages in host communities. A French-led international military intervention to retake the three northern regions began in January 2013 and within a month, most of the north had been retaken. In a democratic presidential election conducted in July and August of 2013, Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA was elected president. The Malian Government and northern armed groups signed an internationally mediated peace accord in June 2015, however, the parties to the peace accord have made little progress in the accord's implementation, despite a June 2017 target for its completion. Furthermore, extremist groups outside the peace process made steady inroads into rural areas of central Mali following the consolidation of three major terrorist organizations in March 2017. In central and northern Mali, terrorist groups have exploited age-old ethnic rivalries between pastoralists and sedentary communities and inflicted serious losses on the Malian military. Intercommunal violence incidents such as targeted killings occur with increasing regularity. KEITA was reelected president in 2018 in an election that was deemed credible by international observers, despite some security and logistic shortfalls. ++ ++" } }, "Geography": { @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ "text": "Muslim 93.9%, Christian 2.8%, animist .7%, none 2.5% (2018 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Mali’s total population is expected to double by 2035; its capital Bamako is one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa. A young age structure, a declining mortality rate, and a sustained high total fertility rate of 6 children per woman – the third highest in the world – ensure continued rapid population growth for the foreseeable future. Significant outmigration only marginally tempers this growth. Despite decreases, Mali’s infant, child, and maternal mortality rates remain among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa because of limited access to and adoption of family planning, early childbearing, short birth intervals, the prevalence of female genital cutting, infrequent use of skilled birth attendants, and a lack of emergency obstetrical and neonatal care.\nMali’s high total fertility rate has been virtually unchanged for decades, as a result of the ongoing preference for large families, early childbearing, the lack of female education and empowerment, poverty, and extremely low contraceptive use. Slowing Mali’s population growth by lowering its birth rate will be essential for poverty reduction, improving food security, and developing human capital and the economy.\nMali has a long history of seasonal migration and emigration driven by poverty, conflict, demographic pressure, unemployment, food insecurity, and droughts. Many Malians from rural areas migrate during the dry period to nearby villages and towns to do odd jobs or to adjoining countries to work in agriculture or mining. Pastoralists and nomads move seasonally to southern Mali or nearby coastal states. Others migrate long term to Mali’s urban areas, Cote d’Ivoire, other neighboring countries, and in smaller numbers to France, Mali’s former colonial ruler. Since the early 1990s, Mali’s role has grown as a transit country for regional migration flows and illegal migration to Europe. Human smugglers and traffickers exploit the same regional routes used for moving contraband drugs, arms, and cigarettes.\nBetween early 2012 and 2013, renewed fighting in northern Mali between government forces and Tuareg secessionists and their Islamist allies, a French-led international military intervention, as well as chronic food shortages, caused the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Malians. Most of those displaced domestically sought shelter in urban areas of southern Mali, except for pastoralist and nomadic groups, who abandoned their traditional routes, gave away or sold their livestock, and dispersed into the deserts of northern Mali or crossed into neighboring countries. Almost all Malians who took refuge abroad (mostly Tuareg and Maure pastoralists) stayed in the region, largely in Mauritania, Niger, and Burkina Faso." + "text": "Mali's total population is expected to double by 2035; its capital Bamako is one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa. A young age structure, a declining mortality rate, and a sustained high total fertility rate of 6 children per woman – the third highest in the world – ensure continued rapid population growth for the foreseeable future. Significant outmigration only marginally tempers this growth. Despite decreases, Mali's infant, child, and maternal mortality rates remain among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa because of limited access to and adoption of family planning, early childbearing, short birth intervals, the prevalence of female genital cutting, infrequent use of skilled birth attendants, and a lack of emergency obstetrical and neonatal care. ++ Mali's high total fertility rate has been virtually unchanged for decades, as a result of the ongoing preference for large families, early childbearing, the lack of female education and empowerment, poverty, and extremely low contraceptive use. Slowing Mali's population growth by lowering its birth rate will be essential for poverty reduction, improving food security, and developing human capital and the economy. ++ Mali has a long history of seasonal migration and emigration driven by poverty, conflict, demographic pressure, unemployment, food insecurity, and droughts. Many Malians from rural areas migrate during the dry period to nearby villages and towns to do odd jobs or to adjoining countries to work in agriculture or mining. Pastoralists and nomads move seasonally to southern Mali or nearby coastal states. Others migrate long term to Mali's urban areas, Cote d'Ivoire, other neighboring countries, and in smaller numbers to France, Mali's former colonial ruler. Since the early 1990s, Mali's role has grown as a transit country for regional migration flows and illegal migration to Europe. Human smugglers and traffickers exploit the same regional routes used for moving contraband drugs, arms, and cigarettes. ++ Between early 2012 and 2013, renewed fighting in northern Mali between government forces and Tuareg secessionists and their Islamist allies, a French-led international military intervention, as well as chronic food shortages, caused the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Malians. Most of those displaced domestically sought shelter in urban areas of southern Mali, except for pastoralist and nomadic groups, who abandoned their traditional routes, gave away or sold their livestock, and dispersed into the deserts of northern Mali or crossed into neighboring countries. Almost all Malians who took refuge abroad (mostly Tuareg and Maure pastoralists) stayed in the region, largely in Mauritania, Niger, and Burkina Faso." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "17.2% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.1% of population / rural: 72.8% of population / total: 82.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "27.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "17.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.9% of population / rural: 27.2% of population / total: 17.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "0.1 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 17.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 82.5% of population / rural: 34.1% of population / total: 54.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "65.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "45.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 17.5% of population / rural: 65.9% of population / total: 45.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -460,7 +454,7 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members directly elected in single and multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; 13 seats reserved for citizens living abroad; members serve 5-year terms)note - the National Assembly was dissolved on 18 August 2020 following a military coup and the resignation of President KEITA" + "text": "unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members directly elected in single and multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; 13 seats reserved for citizens living abroad; members serve 5-year terms) ++ note - the National Assembly was dissolved on 18 August 2020 following a military coup and the resignation of President KEITA" }, "elections": { "text": "last held on 30 March and 19 April 2020 (prior to the August 2020 coup, the next election was scheduled to be held in 2025)" @@ -481,7 +475,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO]Alliance for Democracy in Mali-Pan-African Party for Liberty, Solidarity, and Justice or ADEMA-PASJ [Tiemoko SANGARE]Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP-Maliba [Amadou THIAM]Alliance for the Solidarity of Mali-Convergence of Patriotic Forces or ASMA-CFP [Soumeylou Boubeye MAIGA]Alternative Forces for Renewal and Emergence or FARE [Modibo SIDIBE]Convergence for the Development of Mali or CODEM [Housseyni Amion GUINDO]Democratic Alliance for Peace or ADP-Maliba [Aliou Boubacar DIALLO]Economic and Social Development Party or PDES [Jamille BITTAR]Front for Democracy and the Republic or FDR (coalition of smaller opposition parties)National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL]Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME]Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR [Choguel Kokalla MAIGA]Rally for Mali or RPM [Boucary TRETA]Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Younoussi TOURE]" + "text": "African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO] ++ Alliance for Democracy in Mali-Pan-African Party for Liberty, Solidarity, and Justice or ADEMA-PASJ [Tiemoko SANGARE] ++ Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP-Maliba [Amadou THIAM] ++ Alliance for the Solidarity of Mali-Convergence of Patriotic Forces or ASMA-CFP [Soumeylou Boubeye MAIGA] ++ Alternative Forces for Renewal and Emergence or FARE [Modibo SIDIBE] ++ Convergence for the Development of Mali or CODEM [Housseyni Amion GUINDO] ++ Democratic Alliance for Peace or ADP-Maliba [Aliou Boubacar DIALLO] ++ Economic and Social Development Party or PDES [Jamille BITTAR] ++ Front for Democracy and the Republic or FDR (coalition of smaller opposition parties) ++ National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL] ++ Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME] ++ Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR [Choguel Kokalla MAIGA] ++ Rally for Mali or RPM [Boucary TRETA] ++ Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Younoussi TOURE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -540,7 +534,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Among the 25 poorest countries in the world, landlocked Mali depends on gold mining and agricultural exports for revenue. The country's fiscal status fluctuates with gold and agricultural commodity prices and the harvest; cotton and gold exports make up around 80% of export earnings. Mali remains dependent on foreign aid. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger River; about 65% of Mali’s land area is desert or semidesert. About 10% of the population is nomadic and about 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. The government subsidizes the production of cereals to decrease the country’s dependence on imported foodstuffs and to reduce its vulnerability to food price shocks. Mali is developing its iron ore extraction industry to diversify foreign exchange earnings away from gold, but the pace will depend on global price trends. Although the political coup in 2012 slowed Mali’s growth, the economy has since bounced back, with GDP growth above 5% in 2014-17, although physical insecurity, high population growth, corruption, weak infrastructure, and low levels of human capital continue to constrain economic development. Higher rainfall helped to boost cotton output in 2017, and the country’s 2017 budget increased spending more than 10%, much of which was devoted to infrastructure and agriculture. Corruption and political turmoil are strong downside risks in 2018 and beyond." + "text": "Among the 25 poorest countries in the world, landlocked Mali depends on gold mining and agricultural exports for revenue. The country's fiscal status fluctuates with gold and agricultural commodity prices and the harvest; cotton and gold exports make up around 80% of export earnings. Mali remains dependent on foreign aid. ++ Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger River; about 65% of Mali's land area is desert or semidesert. About 10% of the population is nomadic and about 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. The government subsidizes the production of cereals to decrease the country's dependence on imported foodstuffs and to reduce its vulnerability to food price shocks. ++ Mali is developing its iron ore extraction industry to diversify foreign exchange earnings away from gold, but the pace will depend on global price trends. Although the political coup in 2012 slowed Mali's growth, the economy has since bounced back, with GDP growth above 5% in 2014-17, although physical insecurity, high population growth, corruption, weak infrastructure, and low levels of human capital continue to constrain economic development. Higher rainfall helped to boost cotton output in 2017, and the country's 2017 budget increased spending more than 10%, much of which was devoted to infrastructure and agriculture. Corruption and political turmoil are strong downside risks in 2018 and beyond." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$41.22 billion (2017 est.) / $39.1 billion (2016 est.) / $36.97 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -893,7 +887,7 @@ "Military and security forces": { "text": "Malian Armed Forces (FAMa): Army (Armee de Terre), Republic of Mali Air Force (Force Aerienne de la Republique du Mali, FARM); National Gendarmerie; National Guard (Garde National du Mali) (2019)", "note": { - "text": "note(s): the Gendarmerie and the National Guard are under the authority of the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs (Ministere De La Defense Et Des Anciens Combattants, MDAC), but operational control is shared between the MDAC and the Ministry of Internal Security and Civil Protectionthe Gendarmerie's primary mission is internal security and public order; its duties also include territorial defense, humanitarian operations, intelligence gathering, and protecting private property, mainly in rural areasthe National Guard is a military force responsible for providing security to government facilities and institutions, prison service, public order, humanitarian operations, some border security, and intelligence gathering; it has special units on camels (the Camel Corps) for patrolling the deserts and borders of northern Mali" + "text": "note(s): the Gendarmerie and the National Guard are under the authority of the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs (Ministere De La Defense Et Des Anciens Combattants, MDAC), but operational control is shared between the MDAC and the Ministry of Internal Security and Civil Protection ++ the Gendarmerie's primary mission is internal security and public order; its duties also include territorial defense, humanitarian operations, intelligence gathering, and protecting private property, mainly in rural areas ++ the National Guard is a military force responsible for providing security to government facilities and institutions, prison service, public order, humanitarian operations, some border security, and intelligence gathering; it has special units on camels (the Camel Corps) for patrolling the deserts and borders of northern Mali" } }, "Military expenditures": { @@ -909,7 +903,7 @@ "text": "18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service (men and women); 2-year conscript service obligation (2014)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "prior to the August 2020 coup, the Malian military had intervened in the political arena at least five times since the country gained independence in 1960; two attempts failed (1976 and 1978), while three succeeded (1968, 1991, and 2012); the military collapsed in 2012 during the fighting against Tuareg rebels and Islamic militants since 2017, the FAMa, along with other government security and paramilitary forces, has conducted multiple major operations against militants in the eastern, central, and northern parts of the country; up to 4,000 troops reportedly have been deployed; the stated objectives for the most recent operation (Operation Maliko in early 2020) was to end terrorist activity and restore government authority in seven of the country’s 10 regions, including Mopti, Ségou, Gao, Kidal, Ménaka, Taoudénit, and Timbuktu Mali is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania, and Niger; it has committed 1,100 troops and 200 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane  the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has operated in the country since 2013; the Mission's responsibilities include providing security, rebuilding Malian security forces, supporting national political dialogue, and assisting in the reestablishment of Malian government authority; as of March 2020, MINUSMA had around 15,500 military, police, and civilian personnel deployedthe European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM-M) also has operated in the country since 2013; the EUTM-M provides advice and training to the Malian Armed Forces and military assistance to the G5 Sahel Joint Force; as of August 2020, the mission included more than 600 personnel from 28 European countries (2020)" + "text": "prior to the August 2020 coup, the Malian military had intervened in the political arena at least five times since the country gained independence in 1960; two attempts failed (1976 and 1978), while three succeeded (1968, 1991, and 2012); the military collapsed in 2012 during the fighting against Tuareg rebels and Islamic militants ++ since 2017, the FAMa, along with other government security and paramilitary forces, has conducted multiple major operations against militants in the eastern, central, and northern parts of the country; up to 4,000 troops reportedly have been deployed; the stated objectives for the most recent operation (Operation Maliko in early 2020) was to end terrorist activity and restore government authority in seven of the country's 10 regions, including Mopti, Ségou, Gao, Kidal, Ménaka, Taoudénit, and Timbuktu Mali is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania, and Niger; it has committed 1,100 troops and 200 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane  ++ the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) has operated in the country since 2013; the Mission's responsibilities include providing security, rebuilding Malian security forces, supporting national political dialogue, and assisting in the reestablishment of Malian government authority; as of March 2020, MINUSMA had around 15,500 military, police, and civilian personnel deployed ++ the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM-M) also has operated in the country since 2013; the EUTM-M provides advice and training to the Malian Armed Forces and military assistance to the G5 Sahel Joint Force; as of August 2020, the mission included more than 600 personnel from 28 European countries (2020)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/mo.json b/africa/mo.json index 43c76481..66e56ea0 100644 --- a/africa/mo.json +++ b/africa/mo.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, a series of Moroccan Muslim dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad al-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age. The Alaouite Dynasty, to which the current Moroccan royal family belongs, dates from the 17th century. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half-century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new country that same year. Sultan MOHAMMED V, the current monarch's grandfather, organized the new state as a constitutional monarchy and in 1957 assumed the title of king. Since Spain's 1976 withdrawal from what is today called Western Sahara, Morocco has extended its de facto administrative control to roughly 75% of this territory; however, the UN does not recognize Morocco as the administering power for Western Sahara. The UN since 1991 has monitored a cease-fire between Morocco and the Polisario Front - an organization advocating the territory’s independence - and restarted negotiations over the status of the territory in December 2018. King MOHAMMED VI in early 2011 responded to the spread of pro-democracy protests in the region by implementing a reform program that included a new constitution, passed by popular referendum in July 2011, under which some new powers were extended to parliament and the prime minister, but ultimate authority remains in the hands of the monarch. In November 2011, the Justice and Development Party (PJD) - a moderate Islamist party - won the largest number of seats in parliamentary elections, becoming the first Islamist party to lead the Moroccan Government. In September 2015, Morocco held its first direct elections for regional councils, one of the reforms included in the 2011 constitution. The PJD again won the largest number of seats in nationwide parliamentary elections in October 2016." + "text": "In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, a series of Moroccan Muslim dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad al-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age. The Alaouite Dynasty, to which the current Moroccan royal family belongs, dates from the 17th century. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half-century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new country that same year. Sultan MOHAMMED V, the current monarch's grandfather, organized the new state as a constitutional monarchy and in 1957 assumed the title of king. Since Spain's 1976 withdrawal from what is today called Western Sahara, Morocco has extended its de facto administrative control to roughly 75% of this territory; however, the UN does not recognize Morocco as the administering power for Western Sahara. The UN since 1991 has monitored a cease-fire between Morocco and the Polisario Front - an organization advocating the territory's independence - and restarted negotiations over the status of the territory in December 2018. ++ King MOHAMMED VI in early 2011 responded to the spread of pro-democracy protests in the region by implementing a reform program that included a new constitution, passed by popular referendum in July 2011, under which some new powers were extended to parliament and the prime minister, but ultimate authority remains in the hands of the monarch. In November 2011, the Justice and Development Party (PJD) - a moderate Islamist party - won the largest number of seats in parliamentary elections, becoming the first Islamist party to lead the Moroccan Government. In September 2015, Morocco held its first direct elections for regional councils, one of the reforms included in the 2011 constitution. The PJD again won the largest number of seats in nationwide parliamentary elections in October 2016." } }, "Geography": { @@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ "text": "Muslim 99% (official; virtually all Sunni, <0.1% Shia), other 1% (includes Christian, Jewish, and Baha'i); note - Jewish about 6,000 (2010 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Morocco is undergoing a demographic transition. Its population is growing but at a declining rate, as people live longer and women have fewer children. Infant, child, and maternal mortality rates have been reduced through better health care, nutrition, hygiene, and vaccination coverage, although disparities between urban and rural and rich and poor households persist. Morocco’s shrinking child cohort reflects the decline of its total fertility rate from 5 in mid-1980s to 2.2 in 2010, which is a result of increased female educational attainment, higher contraceptive use, delayed marriage, and the desire for smaller families. Young adults (persons aged 15-29) make up almost 26% of the total population and represent a potential economic asset if they can be gainfully employed. Currently, however, many youths are unemployed because Morocco’s job creation rate has not kept pace with the growth of its working-age population. Most youths who have jobs work in the informal sector with little security or benefits.\nDuring the second half of the 20th century, Morocco became one of the world’s top emigration countries, creating large, widely dispersed migrant communities in Western Europe. The Moroccan Government has encouraged emigration since its independence in 1956, both to secure remittances for funding national development and as an outlet to prevent unrest in rebellious (often Berber) areas. Although Moroccan labor migrants earlier targeted Algeria and France, the flood of Moroccan \"guest workers\" from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s spread widely across northwestern Europe to fill unskilled jobs in the booming manufacturing, mining, construction, and agriculture industries. Host societies and most Moroccan migrants expected this migration to be temporary, but deteriorating economic conditions in Morocco related to the 1973 oil crisis and tighter European immigration policies resulted in these stays becoming permanent.\nA wave of family migration followed in the 1970s and 1980s, with a growing number of second generation Moroccans opting to become naturalized citizens of their host countries. Spain and Italy emerged as new destination countries in the mid-1980s, but their introduction of visa restrictions in the early 1990s pushed Moroccans increasingly to migrate either legally by marrying Moroccans already in Europe or illegally to work in the underground economy. Women began to make up a growing share of these labor migrants. At the same time, some higher-skilled Moroccans went to the US and Quebec, Canada.\nIn the mid-1990s, Morocco developed into a transit country for asylum seekers from Sub-Saharan Africa and illegal labor migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia trying to reach Europe via southern Spain, Spain’s Canary Islands, or Spain’s North African enclaves, Ceuta and Melilla. Forcible expulsions by Moroccan and Spanish security forces have not deterred these illegal migrants or calmed Europe’s security concerns. Rabat remains unlikely to adopt an EU agreement to take back third-country nationals who have entered the EU illegally via Morocco. Thousands of other illegal migrants have chosen to stay in Morocco until they earn enough money for further travel or permanently as a \"second-best\" option. The launching of a regularization program in 2014 legalized the status of some migrants and granted them equal access to education, health care, and work, but xenophobia and racism remain obstacles." + "text": "Morocco is undergoing a demographic transition. Its population is growing but at a declining rate, as people live longer and women have fewer children. Infant, child, and maternal mortality rates have been reduced through better health care, nutrition, hygiene, and vaccination coverage, although disparities between urban and rural and rich and poor households persist. Morocco's shrinking child cohort reflects the decline of its total fertility rate from 5 in mid-1980s to 2.2 in 2010, which is a result of increased female educational attainment, higher contraceptive use, delayed marriage, and the desire for smaller families. Young adults (persons aged 15-29) make up almost 26% of the total population and represent a potential economic asset if they can be gainfully employed. Currently, however, many youths are unemployed because Morocco's job creation rate has not kept pace with the growth of its working-age population. Most youths who have jobs work in the informal sector with little security or benefits. ++ During the second half of the 20th century, Morocco became one of the world's top emigration countries, creating large, widely dispersed migrant communities in Western Europe. The Moroccan Government has encouraged emigration since its independence in 1956, both to secure remittances for funding national development and as an outlet to prevent unrest in rebellious (often Berber) areas. Although Moroccan labor migrants earlier targeted Algeria and France, the flood of Moroccan \"guest workers\" from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s spread widely across northwestern Europe to fill unskilled jobs in the booming manufacturing, mining, construction, and agriculture industries. Host societies and most Moroccan migrants expected this migration to be temporary, but deteriorating economic conditions in Morocco related to the 1973 oil crisis and tighter European immigration policies resulted in these stays becoming permanent. ++ A wave of family migration followed in the 1970s and 1980s, with a growing number of second generation Moroccans opting to become naturalized citizens of their host countries. Spain and Italy emerged as new destination countries in the mid-1980s, but their introduction of visa restrictions in the early 1990s pushed Moroccans increasingly to migrate either legally by marrying Moroccans already in Europe or illegally to work in the underground economy. Women began to make up a growing share of these labor migrants. At the same time, some higher-skilled Moroccans went to the US and Quebec, Canada. ++ In the mid-1990s, Morocco developed into a transit country for asylum seekers from Sub-Saharan Africa and illegal labor migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia trying to reach Europe via southern Spain, Spain's Canary Islands, or Spain's North African enclaves, Ceuta and Melilla. Forcible expulsions by Moroccan and Spanish security forces have not deterred these illegal migrants or calmed Europe's security concerns. Rabat remains unlikely to adopt an EU agreement to take back third-country nationals who have entered the EU illegally via Morocco. Thousands of other illegal migrants have chosen to stay in Morocco until they earn enough money for further travel or permanently as a \"second-best\" option. The launching of a regularization program in 2014 legalized the status of some migrants and granted them equal access to education, health care, and work, but xenophobia and racism remain obstacles." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "70.8% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.3% of population / rural: 79.1% of population / total: 91% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "20.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.7% of population / rural: 20.9% of population / total: 9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "1 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.1% of population / rural: 81.1% of population / total: 92.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "18.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "7.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.9% of population / rural: 18.9% of population / total: 7.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -454,13 +448,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Chamber of Advisors (120 seats; members indirectly elected by an electoral college of local councils, professional organizations, and labor unions; members serve 6-year terms) Chamber of Representatives (395 seats; 305 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 90 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - in the national constituency, 60 seats are reserved for women and 30 reserved for those under age 40" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Chamber of Advisors (120 seats; members indirectly elected by an electoral college of local councils, professional organizations, and labor unions; members serve 6-year terms) ++ Chamber of Representatives (395 seats; 305 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 90 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - in the national constituency, 60 seats are reserved for women and 30 reserved for those under age 40" }, "elections": { - "text": "Chamber of Advisors - last held on 2 October 2015 (next to be held in fall 2021) Chamber of Representatives - last held on 7 October 2016 (next to be held in fall 2021)" + "text": "Chamber of Advisors - last held on 2 October 2015 (next to be held in fall 2021) ++ Chamber of Representatives - last held on 7 October 2016 (next to be held in fall 2021)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Chamber of Advisors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 106, women 14, percent of women 11.7% Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party - PJD 125, PAM 102, PI 46, RNI 37, MP 27, USFP 20, UC 19, PPS 12, MDS 3, other 4; composition - men 314, women 81, percent of women 20.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 18.4%" + "text": "Chamber of Advisors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 106, women 14, percent of women 11.7% ++ Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party - PJD 125, PAM 102, PI 46, RNI 37, MP 27, USFP 20, UC 19, PPS 12, MDS 3, other 4; composition - men 314, women 81, percent of women 20.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 18.4%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -475,7 +469,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Action Party or PA [Mohammed EL IDRISSI]Amal (hope) Party [Mohamed BANI]An-Nahj Ad-Dimocrati or An-Nahj [Mustapha BRAHMA]Authenticity and Modernity Party or PAM [Ilyas al-OMARI]Constitutional Union Party or UC [Mohamed SAJID]Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Abdessamad ARCHANE]Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Mustapha BENALI]Democratic Oath Party or SDDemocratic Socialist Vanguard Party or PADS [Abderrahman BENAMROU]Democratic Society Party [Zhour CHAKKAFI]Environment and Development Party or PED [Karim HRITAN]Green Left Party [Mohamed FARES]Istiqlal (Independence) Party or PI [Nizar BARAKA]Ittihadi National Congress or CNI [Abdesalam EL AZIZ]Labor Party or PTMoroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohammed ZIANE]Moroccan Union for Democracy or UMD [Jamal MANDRI]National Rally of Independents or RNI [Aziz AKHANNOUCH]Neo-Democrats Party [Mohamed DARIF]Party of Development Reform or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOHEN]Party of Justice and Development or PJD [Saad Eddine al-OTHMANI]Party of Liberty and Social Justice [Miloud MOUSSAOUI]Popular Movement or MP [Mohand LAENSER]Progress and Socialism Party or PPS [Nabil BENABDELLAH]Renaissance and Virtue Party [Mohamed KHALIDI]Renaissance Party [Said EL GHENNIOUI]Renewal and Equity Party or PRE [Chakir ACHEHABAR]Shoura (consultation) and Istiqlal Party [Ahmed BELGHAZI]Social Center Party or PCS [Lahcen MADIH]Socialist Party [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Driss LACHGAR]Unified Socialist Party or GSU [Nabila MOUNIB]Unity and Democracy Party [Ahmed FITRI]" + "text": "Action Party or PA [Mohammed EL IDRISSI] ++ Amal (hope) Party [Mohamed BANI] ++ An-Nahj Ad-Dimocrati or An-Nahj [Mustapha BRAHMA] ++ Authenticity and Modernity Party or PAM [Ilyas al-OMARI] ++ Constitutional Union Party or UC [Mohamed SAJID] ++ Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Abdessamad ARCHANE] ++ Democratic Forces Front or FFD [Mustapha BENALI] ++ Democratic Oath Party or SD ++ Democratic Socialist Vanguard Party or PADS [Abderrahman BENAMROU] ++ Democratic Society Party [Zhour CHAKKAFI] ++ Environment and Development Party or PED [Karim HRITAN] ++ Green Left Party [Mohamed FARES] ++ Istiqlal (Independence) Party or PI [Nizar BARAKA] ++ Ittihadi National Congress or CNI [Abdesalam EL AZIZ] ++ Labor Party or PT ++ Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohammed ZIANE] ++ Moroccan Union for Democracy or UMD [Jamal MANDRI] ++ National Rally of Independents or RNI [Aziz AKHANNOUCH] ++ Neo-Democrats Party [Mohamed DARIF] ++ Party of Development Reform or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOHEN] ++ Party of Justice and Development or PJD [Saad Eddine al-OTHMANI] ++ Party of Liberty and Social Justice [Miloud MOUSSAOUI] ++ Popular Movement or MP [Mohand LAENSER] ++ Progress and Socialism Party or PPS [Nabil BENABDELLAH] ++ Renaissance and Virtue Party [Mohamed KHALIDI] ++ Renaissance Party [Said EL GHENNIOUI] ++ Renewal and Equity Party or PRE [Chakir ACHEHABAR] ++ Shoura (consultation) and Istiqlal Party [Ahmed BELGHAZI] ++ Social Center Party or PCS [Lahcen MADIH] ++ Socialist Party [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA] ++ Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Driss LACHGAR] ++ Unified Socialist Party or GSU [Nabila MOUNIB] ++ Unity and Democracy Party [Ahmed FITRI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CD, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -537,7 +531,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Morocco has capitalized on its proximity to Europe and relatively low labor costs to work towards building a diverse, open, market-oriented economy. Key sectors of the economy include agriculture, tourism, aerospace, automotive, phosphates, textiles, apparel, and subcomponents. Morocco has increased investment in its port, transportation, and industrial infrastructure to position itself as a center and broker for business throughout Africa. Industrial development strategies and infrastructure improvements - most visibly illustrated by a new port and free trade zone near Tangier - are improving Morocco's competitiveness. In the 1980s, Morocco was a heavily indebted country before pursuing austerity measures and pro-market reforms, overseen by the IMF. Since taking the throne in 1999, King MOHAMMED VI has presided over a stable economy marked by steady growth, low inflation, and gradually falling unemployment, although poor harvests and economic difficulties in Europe contributed to an economic slowdown. To boost exports, Morocco entered into a bilateral Free Trade Agreement with the US in 2006 and an Advanced Status agreement with the EU in 2008. In late 2014, Morocco eliminated subsidies for gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil, dramatically reducing outlays that weighed on the country’s budget and current account. Subsidies on butane gas and certain food products remain in place. Morocco also seeks to expand its renewable energy capacity with a goal of making renewable more than 50% of installed electricity generation capacity by 2030. Despite Morocco's economic progress, the country suffers from high unemployment, poverty, and illiteracy, particularly in rural areas. Key economic challenges for Morocco include reforming the education system and the judiciary." + "text": "Morocco has capitalized on its proximity to Europe and relatively low labor costs to work towards building a diverse, open, market-oriented economy. Key sectors of the economy include agriculture, tourism, aerospace, automotive, phosphates, textiles, apparel, and subcomponents. Morocco has increased investment in its port, transportation, and industrial infrastructure to position itself as a center and broker for business throughout Africa. Industrial development strategies and infrastructure improvements - most visibly illustrated by a new port and free trade zone near Tangier - are improving Morocco's competitiveness. ++ In the 1980s, Morocco was a heavily indebted country before pursuing austerity measures and pro-market reforms, overseen by the IMF. Since taking the throne in 1999, King MOHAMMED VI has presided over a stable economy marked by steady growth, low inflation, and gradually falling unemployment, although poor harvests and economic difficulties in Europe contributed to an economic slowdown. To boost exports, Morocco entered into a bilateral Free Trade Agreement with the US in 2006 and an Advanced Status agreement with the EU in 2008. In late 2014, Morocco eliminated subsidies for gasoline, diesel, and fuel oil, dramatically reducing outlays that weighed on the country's budget and current account. Subsidies on butane gas and certain food products remain in place. Morocco also seeks to expand its renewable energy capacity with a goal of making renewable more than 50% of installed electricity generation capacity by 2030. ++ Despite Morocco's economic progress, the country suffers from high unemployment, poverty, and illiteracy, particularly in rural areas. Key economic challenges for Morocco include reforming the education system and the judiciary." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$298.6 billion (2017 est.) / $286.8 billion (2016 est.) / $283.6 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/mp.json b/africa/mp.json index 26d9e2f4..c6feb655 100644 --- a/africa/mp.json +++ b/africa/mp.json @@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ "text": "Hindu 48.5%, Roman Catholic 26.3%, Muslim 17.3%, other Christian 6.4%, other 0.6%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Mauritius has transitioned from a country of high fertility and high mortality rates in the 1950s and mid-1960s to one with among the lowest population growth rates in the developing world today. After World War II, Mauritius’ population began to expand quickly due to increased fertility and a dramatic drop in mortality rates as a result of improved health care and the eradication of malaria. This period of heightened population growth – reaching about 3% a year – was followed by one of the world’s most rapid birth rate declines.\nThe total fertility rate fell from 6.2 children per women in 1963 to 3.2 in 1972 – largely the result of improved educational attainment, especially among young women, accompanied by later marriage and the adoption of family planning methods. The family planning programs’ success was due to support from the government and eventually the traditionally pronatalist religious communities, which both recognized that controlling population growth was necessary because of Mauritius’ small size and limited resources. Mauritius’ fertility rate has consistently been below replacement level since the late 1990s, a rate that is substantially lower than nearby countries in southern Africa.\nWith no indigenous population, Mauritius’ ethnic mix is a product of more than two centuries of European colonialism and continued international labor migration. Sugar production relied on slave labor mainly from Madagascar, Mozambique, and East Africa from the early 18th century until its abolition in 1835, when slaves were replaced with indentured Indians. Most of the influx of indentured labor – peaking between the late 1830s and early 1860 – settled permanently creating massive population growth of more than 7% a year and reshaping the island’s social and cultural composition. While Indians represented about 12% of Mauritius’ population in 1837, they and their descendants accounted for roughly two-thirds by the end of the 19th century. Most were Hindus, but the majority of the free Indian traders were Muslims.\nMauritius again turned to overseas labor when its success in clothing and textile exports led to a labor shortage in the mid-1980s. Clothing manufacturers brought in contract workers (increasingly women) from China, India, and, to a lesser extent Bangladesh and Madagascar, who worked longer hours for lower wages under poor conditions and were viewed as more productive than locals. Downturns in the sugar and textile industries in the mid-2000s and a lack of highly qualified domestic workers for Mauritius’ growing services sector led to the emigration of low-skilled workers and a reliance on skilled foreign labor. Since 2007, Mauritius has pursued a circular migration program to enable citizens to acquire new skills and savings abroad and then return home to start businesses and to invest in the country’s development." + "text": "Mauritius has transitioned from a country of high fertility and high mortality rates in the 1950s and mid-1960s to one with among the lowest population growth rates in the developing world today. After World War II, Mauritius' population began to expand quickly due to increased fertility and a dramatic drop in mortality rates as a result of improved health care and the eradication of malaria. This period of heightened population growth – reaching about 3% a year – was followed by one of the world's most rapid birth rate declines. ++ The total fertility rate fell from 6.2 children per women in 1963 to 3.2 in 1972 – largely the result of improved educational attainment, especially among young women, accompanied by later marriage and the adoption of family planning methods. The family planning programs' success was due to support from the government and eventually the traditionally pronatalist religious communities, which both recognized that controlling population growth was necessary because of Mauritius' small size and limited resources. Mauritius' fertility rate has consistently been below replacement level since the late 1990s, a rate that is substantially lower than nearby countries in southern Africa. ++ With no indigenous population, Mauritius' ethnic mix is a product of more than two centuries of European colonialism and continued international labor migration. Sugar production relied on slave labor mainly from Madagascar, Mozambique, and East Africa from the early 18th century until its abolition in 1835, when slaves were replaced with indentured Indians. Most of the influx of indentured labor – peaking between the late 1830s and early 1860 – settled permanently creating massive population growth of more than 7% a year and reshaping the island's social and cultural composition. While Indians represented about 12% of Mauritius' population in 1837, they and their descendants accounted for roughly two-thirds by the end of the 19th century. Most were Hindus, but the majority of the free Indian traders were Muslims. ++ Mauritius again turned to overseas labor when its success in clothing and textile exports led to a labor shortage in the mid-1980s. Clothing manufacturers brought in contract workers (increasingly women) from China, India, and, to a lesser extent Bangladesh and Madagascar, who worked longer hours for lower wages under poor conditions and were viewed as more productive than locals. Downturns in the sugar and textile industries in the mid-2000s and a lack of highly qualified domestic workers for Mauritius' growing services sector led to the emigration of low-skilled workers and a reliance on skilled foreign labor. Since 2007, Mauritius has pursued a circular migration program to enable citizens to acquire new skills and savings abroad and then return home to start businesses and to invest in the country's development." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -256,14 +256,11 @@ "text": "63.8% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -276,14 +273,11 @@ "text": "3.4 beds/1,000 population (2019)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.9% of population / rural: 99.2% of population / total: 99.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.1% of population / rural: 0.8% of population / total: 0.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -456,7 +450,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance Lepep (Alliance of the People) [Pravind JUGNAUTH] (coalition includes MSM and ML)Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PTR or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]Mauritian Militant Movement (Mouvement Militant Mauricien) or MMM [Paul BERENGER]Mauritian Social Democratic Party (Parti Mauricien Social Democrate) or PMSD [Xavier Luc DUVAL]Mauritian Solidarity Front (Front Solidarite Mauricienne) or FSM [Cehl FAKEERMEEAH, aka Cehl MEEAH]Militant Socialist Movement (Mouvement Socialist Mauricien) or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH]Muvman Liberater or ML [Ivan COLLENDAVELLOO]Patriotic Movement (Mouvement Patriotic) [Alan GANOO]Rodrigues Peoples Organization (Organisation du Peuple Rodriguais) or OPR [Serge CLAIR]" + "text": "Alliance Lepep (Alliance of the People) [Pravind JUGNAUTH] (coalition includes MSM and ML) ++ Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PTR or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM] ++ Mauritian Militant Movement (Mouvement Militant Mauricien) or MMM [Paul BERENGER] ++ Mauritian Social Democratic Party (Parti Mauricien Social Democrate) or PMSD [Xavier Luc DUVAL] ++ Mauritian Solidarity Front (Front Solidarite Mauricienne) or FSM [Cehl FAKEERMEEAH, aka Cehl MEEAH] ++ Militant Socialist Movement (Mouvement Socialist Mauricien) or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] ++ Muvman Liberater or ML [Ivan COLLENDAVELLOO] ++ Patriotic Movement (Mouvement Patriotic) [Alan GANOO] ++ Rodrigues Peoples Organization (Organisation du Peuple Rodriguais) or OPR [Serge CLAIR]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, C, CD, COMESA, CPLP (associate), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SAARC (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -515,7 +509,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has undergone a remarkable economic transformation from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a diversified, upper middle-income economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. Mauritius has achieved steady growth over the last several decades, resulting in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure.   The economy currently depends on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial services, but is expanding into fish processing, information and communications technology, education, and hospitality and property development. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area but sugar makes up only around 3-4% of national GDP. Authorities plan to emphasize services and innovation in the coming years. After several years of slow growth, government policies now seek to stimulate economic growth in five areas: serving as a gateway for international investment into Africa; increasing the use of renewable energy; developing smart cities; growing the ocean economy; and upgrading and modernizing infrastructure, including public transportation, the port, and the airport.   Mauritius has attracted more than 32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India, South Africa, and China. The Mauritius International Financial Center is under scrutiny by international bodies promoting fair tax competition and Mauritius has been cooperating with the European Union and the United states in the automatic exchange of account information. Mauritius is also a member of the OECD/G20’s Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting and is under pressure to review its Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements. The offshore sector is vulnerable to changes in the tax framework and authorities have been working on a Financial Services Sector Blueprint to enable Mauritius to transition to a jurisdiction of higher value added. Mauritius’ textile sector has taken advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, a preferential trade program that allows duty free access to the US market, with Mauritian exports to the US growing by 35.6 % from 2000 to 2014. However, lack of local labor as well as rising labor costs eroding the competitiveness of textile firms in Mauritius.   Mauritius' sound economic policies and prudent banking practices helped mitigate negative effects of the global financial crisis in 2008-09. GDP grew in the 3-4% per year range in 2010-17, and the country continues to expand its trade and investment outreach around the globe. Growth in the US and Europe fostered goods and services exports, including tourism, while lower oil prices kept inflation low. Mauritius continues to rank as one of the most business-friendly environments on the continent and passed a Business Facilitation Act to improve competitiveness and long-term growth prospects. A new National Economic Development Board was set up in 2017-2018 to spearhead efforts to promote exports and attract inward investment." + "text": "Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has undergone a remarkable economic transformation from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a diversified, upper middle-income economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. Mauritius has achieved steady growth over the last several decades, resulting in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. ++   ++ The economy currently depends on sugar, tourism, textiles and apparel, and financial services, but is expanding into fish processing, information and communications technology, education, and hospitality and property development. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area but sugar makes up only around 3-4% of national GDP. Authorities plan to emphasize services and innovation in the coming years. After several years of slow growth, government policies now seek to stimulate economic growth in five areas: serving as a gateway for international investment into Africa; increasing the use of renewable energy; developing smart cities; growing the ocean economy; and upgrading and modernizing infrastructure, including public transportation, the port, and the airport. ++   ++ Mauritius has attracted more than 32,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India, South Africa, and China. The Mauritius International Financial Center is under scrutiny by international bodies promoting fair tax competition and Mauritius has been cooperating with the European Union and the United states in the automatic exchange of account information. Mauritius is also a member of the OECD/G20's Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting and is under pressure to review its Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements. The offshore sector is vulnerable to changes in the tax framework and authorities have been working on a Financial Services Sector Blueprint to enable Mauritius to transition to a jurisdiction of higher value added. Mauritius' textile sector has taken advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, a preferential trade program that allows duty free access to the US market, with Mauritian exports to the US growing by 35.6 % from 2000 to 2014. However, lack of local labor as well as rising labor costs eroding the competitiveness of textile firms in Mauritius. ++   ++ Mauritius' sound economic policies and prudent banking practices helped mitigate negative effects of the global financial crisis in 2008-09. GDP grew in the 3-4% per year range in 2010-17, and the country continues to expand its trade and investment outreach around the globe. Growth in the US and Europe fostered goods and services exports, including tourism, while lower oil prices kept inflation low. Mauritius continues to rank as one of the most business-friendly environments on the continent and passed a Business Facilitation Act to improve competitiveness and long-term growth prospects. A new National Economic Development Board was set up in 2017-2018 to spearhead efforts to promote exports and attract inward investment." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$28.27 billion (2017 est.) / $27.23 billion (2016 est.) / $26.23 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -878,7 +872,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Mauritius is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Mauritian girls are induced or sold into prostitution, often by peers, family members, or businessmen offering other forms of employment; Mauritian adults have been identified as labor trafficking victims in the UK, Belgium, and Canada, while Mauritian women from Rodrigues Island are also subject to domestic servitude in Mauritius; Malagasy women transit Mauritius en route to the Middle East for jobs as domestic servants and subsequently are subjected to forced labor; Cambodian men are victims of forced labor on foreign fishing vessels in Mauritius’ territorial waters; other migrant workers from East and South Asia and Madagascar are also subject to forced labor in Mauritius’ manufacturing and construction sectors" + "text": "Mauritius is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Mauritian girls are induced or sold into prostitution, often by peers, family members, or businessmen offering other forms of employment; Mauritian adults have been identified as labor trafficking victims in the UK, Belgium, and Canada, while Mauritian women from Rodrigues Island are also subject to domestic servitude in Mauritius; Malagasy women transit Mauritius en route to the Middle East for jobs as domestic servants and subsequently are subjected to forced labor; Cambodian men are victims of forced labor on foreign fishing vessels in Mauritius' territorial waters; other migrant workers from East and South Asia and Madagascar are also subject to forced labor in Mauritius' manufacturing and construction sectors" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Mauritius does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, the government made modest efforts to address child sex trafficking but none related to adult forced labor; law enforcement lacks an understanding of trafficking crimes outside of child sex trafficking, despite increasing evidence of other forms of human trafficking; authorities made no trafficking prosecutions or convictions and made modest efforts to assist a couple of child sex trafficking victims; officials sustained an extensive public awareness campaign to prevent child sex trafficking, but no efforts were made to raise awareness or reduce demand for forced adult or child labor (2015)" diff --git a/africa/mr.json b/africa/mr.json index 99f560c1..88e19d26 100644 --- a/africa/mr.json +++ b/africa/mr.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Berbers moved south into the area of today's Mauritania beginning in the 3rd century. Beginning in the 8th century, Mauritania experienced a slow but constant infiltration of Arabs and Arab influence from the north, pressing the Berbers, who resisted assimilation, to move farther south. One particular Arab group, the Bani Hassan, continued to migrate southward until, by the end of the 17th century, they dominated the entire country. Having finally been defeated, Berber groups turned to clericalism to regain a degree of ascendancy. At the bottom of the social structure were the slaves, subservient to both the Arabic warriors and Islamic Berber holy men. All of the social rivalries were fully exploited by the French as they colonized Mauritania in the late 19th century. Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976 but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984 and ruled Mauritania with a heavy hand for more than two decades. A series of presidential elections that he held were widely seen as flawed. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council that oversaw a transition to democratic rule. Independent candidate Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDALLAHI was inaugurated in April 2007 as Mauritania's first freely and fairly elected president. His term ended prematurely in August 2008 when a military junta led by General Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ deposed him and installed a military council government. AZIZ was subsequently elected president in 2009 and reelected in 2014 to a second and final term. He was replaced in 2019 by Mohamed Cheikh El GHAZOUANI. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions among three major groups: Arabic-speaking descendants of slaves (Haratines), Arabic-speaking \"White Moors\" (Beydane), and members of Sub-Saharan ethnic groups mostly originating in the Senegal River valley (Halpulaar, Soninke, and Wolof). Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) launched a series of attacks in Mauritania between 2005 and 2011, murdering American and foreign tourists and aid workers, attacking diplomatic and government facilities, and ambushing Mauritanian soldiers and gendarmes. A successful strategy against terrorism that combines dialogue with the terrorists and military actions has prevented the country from further terrorist attacks since 2011. However, AQIM and similar groups remain active in neighboring Mali and elsewhere in the Sahel region and continue to pose a threat to Mauritanians and foreign visitors." + "text": "Berbers moved south into the area of today's Mauritania beginning in the 3rd century. Beginning in the 8th century, Mauritania experienced a slow but constant infiltration of Arabs and Arab influence from the north, pressing the Berbers, who resisted assimilation, to move farther south. One particular Arab group, the Bani Hassan, continued to migrate southward until, by the end of the 17th century, they dominated the entire country. Having finally been defeated, Berber groups turned to clericalism to regain a degree of ascendancy. At the bottom of the social structure were the slaves, subservient to both the Arabic warriors and Islamic Berber holy men. All of the social rivalries were fully exploited by the French as they colonized Mauritania in the late 19th century. Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976 but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984 and ruled Mauritania with a heavy hand for more than two decades. A series of presidential elections that he held were widely seen as flawed. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council that oversaw a transition to democratic rule. Independent candidate Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDALLAHI was inaugurated in April 2007 as Mauritania's first freely and fairly elected president. His term ended prematurely in August 2008 when a military junta led by General Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ deposed him and installed a military council government. AZIZ was subsequently elected president in 2009 and reelected in 2014 to a second and final term. He was replaced in 2019 by Mohamed Cheikh El GHAZOUANI. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions among three major groups: Arabic-speaking descendants of slaves (Haratines), Arabic-speaking \"White Moors\" (Beydane), and members of Sub-Saharan ethnic groups mostly originating in the Senegal River valley (Halpulaar, Soninke, and Wolof). ++ Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) launched a series of attacks in Mauritania between 2005 and 2011, murdering American and foreign tourists and aid workers, attacking diplomatic and government facilities, and ambushing Mauritanian soldiers and gendarmes. A successful strategy against terrorism that combines dialogue with the terrorists and military actions has prevented the country from further terrorist attacks since 2011. However, AQIM and similar groups remain active in neighboring Mali and elsewhere in the Sahel region and continue to pose a threat to Mauritanians and foreign visitors." } }, "Geography": { @@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ "text": "Muslim (official) 100%" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "With a sustained total fertility rate of about 4 children per woman and almost 60% of the population under the age of 25, Mauritania's population is likely to continue growing for the foreseeable future. Mauritania's large youth cohort is vital to its development prospects, but available schooling does not adequately prepare students for the workplace. Girls continue to be underrepresented in the classroom, educational quality remains poor, and the dropout rate is high. The literacy rate is only about 50%, even though access to primary education has improved since the mid-2000s. Women's restricted access to education and discriminatory laws maintain gender inequality - worsened by early and forced marriages and female genital cutting. The denial of education to black Moors also helps to perpetuate slavery. Although Mauritania abolished slavery in 1981 (the last country in the world to do so) and made it a criminal offense in 2007, the millenniums-old practice persists largely because anti-slavery laws are rarely enforced and the custom is so ingrained.  According to a 2018 nongovernmental organization's report, a little more than 2% of Mauritania's population is enslaved, which includes individuals sujbected to forced labor and forced marriage, although many thousands of individuals who are legally free contend with discrimination, poor education, and a lack of identity papers and, therefore, live in de facto slavery.  The UN and international press outlets have claimed that up to 20% of Mauritania's population is enslaved, which would be the highest rate worldwide. Drought, poverty, and unemployment have driven outmigration from Mauritania since the 1970s. Early flows were directed toward other West African countries, including Senegal, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, and Gambia. The 1989 Mauritania-Senegal conflict forced thousands of black Mauritanians to take refuge in Senegal and pushed labor migrants toward the Gulf, Libya, and Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Mauritania has accepted migrants from neighboring countries to fill labor shortages since its independence in 1960 and more recently has received refugees escaping civil wars, including tens of thousands of Tuaregs who fled Mali in 2012. Mauritania was an important transit point for Sub-Saharan migrants moving illegally to North Africa and Europe. In the mid-2000s, as border patrols increased in the Strait of Gibraltar, security increased around Spain's North African enclaves (Ceuta and Melilla), and Moroccan border controls intensified, illegal migration flows shifted from the Western Mediterranean to Spain's Canary Islands. In 2006, departure points moved southward along the West African coast from Morocco and Western Sahara to Mauritania's two key ports (Nouadhibou and the capital Nouakchott), and illegal migration to the Canaries peaked at almost 32,000. The numbers fell dramatically in the following years because of joint patrolling off the West African coast by Frontex (the EU's border protection agency), Spain, Mauritania, and Senegal; the expansion of Spain's border surveillance system; and the 2008 European economic downturn." + "text": "With a sustained total fertility rate of about 4 children per woman and almost 60% of the population under the age of 25, Mauritania's population is likely to continue growing for the foreseeable future. Mauritania's large youth cohort is vital to its development prospects, but available schooling does not adequately prepare students for the workplace. Girls continue to be underrepresented in the classroom, educational quality remains poor, and the dropout rate is high. The literacy rate is only about 50%, even though access to primary education has improved since the mid-2000s. Women's restricted access to education and discriminatory laws maintain gender inequality - worsened by early and forced marriages and female genital cutting. ++ The denial of education to black Moors also helps to perpetuate slavery. Although Mauritania abolished slavery in 1981 (the last country in the world to do so) and made it a criminal offense in 2007, the millenniums-old practice persists largely because anti-slavery laws are rarely enforced and the custom is so ingrained.  According to a 2018 nongovernmental organization's report, a little more than 2% of Mauritania's population is enslaved, which includes individuals sujbected to forced labor and forced marriage, although many thousands of individuals who are legally free contend with discrimination, poor education, and a lack of identity papers and, therefore, live in de facto slavery.  The UN and international press outlets have claimed that up to 20% of Mauritania's population is enslaved, which would be the highest rate worldwide. ++ Drought, poverty, and unemployment have driven outmigration from Mauritania since the 1970s. Early flows were directed toward other West African countries, including Senegal, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, and Gambia. The 1989 Mauritania-Senegal conflict forced thousands of black Mauritanians to take refuge in Senegal and pushed labor migrants toward the Gulf, Libya, and Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Mauritania has accepted migrants from neighboring countries to fill labor shortages since its independence in 1960 and more recently has received refugees escaping civil wars, including tens of thousands of Tuaregs who fled Mali in 2012. ++ Mauritania was an important transit point for Sub-Saharan migrants moving illegally to North Africa and Europe. In the mid-2000s, as border patrols increased in the Strait of Gibraltar, security increased around Spain's North African enclaves (Ceuta and Melilla), and Moroccan border controls intensified, illegal migration flows shifted from the Western Mediterranean to Spain's Canary Islands. In 2006, departure points moved southward along the West African coast from Morocco and Western Sahara to Mauritania's two key ports (Nouadhibou and the capital Nouakchott), and illegal migration to the Canaries peaked at almost 32,000. The numbers fell dramatically in the following years because of joint patrolling off the West African coast by Frontex (the EU's border protection agency), Spain, Mauritania, and Senegal; the expansion of Spain's border surveillance system; and the 2008 European economic downturn." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "17.8% (2015)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.7% of population / rural: 68.4% of population / total: 84.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "31.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "15.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.3% of population / rural: 31.6% of population / total: 15.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "0.18 physicians/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 16.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 83.5% of population / rural: 25.2% of population / total: 56% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "74.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "44% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 16.5% of population / rural: 74.8% of population / total: 44% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -478,7 +472,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal or AJD/MR [Ibrahima Moctar SARR]Burst of Youth for the Nation [Lalla Mint CHERIF]Coalition of Majority Parties or CPM (includes UPR, UDP)El Karama Party [Cheikhna Ould Mohamed Ould HAJBOU]El Vadila Party [Ethmane Ould Ahmed ABOULMAALY]National Forum for Democracy and Unity or FNDU [Mohamed Ould MAOLOUD] (coalition of hard-line opposition parties, includes RNRD-TAWASSOUL)National Rally for Reform and Development or RNRD-TAWASSOUL [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould SEYIDI]Party of Unity and Development or PUD [Mohamed BARO]Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messaoud Ould BOULKHEIR]Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]Ravah Party [ Mohamed Ould VALL]Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Mintata Mint HEDEID]Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]Union of Progress Forces [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]Union for the Republic or UPR [Seyidna Ali Ould MOHAMED KHOUNA]" + "text": "Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal or AJD/MR [Ibrahima Moctar SARR] ++ Burst of Youth for the Nation [Lalla Mint CHERIF] ++ Coalition of Majority Parties or CPM (includes UPR, UDP) ++ El Karama Party [Cheikhna Ould Mohamed Ould HAJBOU] ++ El Vadila Party [Ethmane Ould Ahmed ABOULMAALY] ++ National Forum for Democracy and Unity or FNDU [Mohamed Ould MAOLOUD] (coalition of hard-line opposition parties, includes RNRD-TAWASSOUL) ++ National Rally for Reform and Development or RNRD-TAWASSOUL [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould SEYIDI] ++ Party of Unity and Development or PUD [Mohamed BARO] ++ Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messaoud Ould BOULKHEIR] ++ Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH] ++ Ravah Party [ Mohamed Ould VALL] ++ Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Mintata Mint HEDEID] ++ Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS] ++ Union of Progress Forces [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD] ++ Union for the Republic or UPR [Seyidna Ali Ould MOHAMED KHOUNA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU (candidate), EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MIUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -505,7 +499,7 @@ "text": "[222] 4525-2660 or [222] 2660-2663" }, "embassy": { - "text": "Avenue Al Quds, Nouadhibou, Nouadhibou Road, Nouakchott  " + "text": "Avenue Al Quds, Nouadhibou, Nouadhibou Road, Nouakchott ++  " }, "mailing address": { "text": "use embassy street address" @@ -534,7 +528,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Mauritania's economy is dominated by extractive industries (oil and mines), fisheries, livestock, agriculture, and services. Half the population still depends on farming and raising livestock, even though many nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s, 1980s, 2000s, and 2017. Recently, GDP growth has been driven largely by foreign investment in the mining and oil sectors. Mauritania's extensive mineral resources include iron ore, gold, copper, gypsum, and phosphate rock, and exploration is ongoing for tantalum, uranium, crude oil, and natural gas. Extractive commodities make up about three-quarters of Mauritania's total exports, subjecting the economy to price swings in world commodity markets. Mining is also a growing source of government revenue, rising from 13% to 30% of total revenue from 2006 to 2014. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, and fishing accounts for about 15% of budget revenues, 45% of foreign currency earnings. Mauritania processes a total of 1,800,000 tons of fish per year, but overexploitation by foreign and national fleets threaten the sustainability of this key source of revenue. The economy is highly sensitive to international food and extractive commodity prices. Other risks to Mauritania's economy include its recurring droughts, dependence on foreign aid and investment, and insecurity in neighboring Mali, as well as significant shortages of infrastructure, institutional capacity, and human capital. In December 2017, Mauritania and the IMF agreed to a three year agreement under the Extended Credit Facility to foster economic growth, maintain macroeconomic stability, and reduce poverty. Investment in agriculture and infrastructure are the largest components of the country’s public expenditures." + "text": "Mauritania's economy is dominated by extractive industries (oil and mines), fisheries, livestock, agriculture, and services. Half the population still depends on farming and raising livestock, even though many nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s, 1980s, 2000s, and 2017. Recently, GDP growth has been driven largely by foreign investment in the mining and oil sectors. ++ Mauritania's extensive mineral resources include iron ore, gold, copper, gypsum, and phosphate rock, and exploration is ongoing for tantalum, uranium, crude oil, and natural gas. Extractive commodities make up about three-quarters of Mauritania's total exports, subjecting the economy to price swings in world commodity markets. Mining is also a growing source of government revenue, rising from 13% to 30% of total revenue from 2006 to 2014. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, and fishing accounts for about 15% of budget revenues, 45% of foreign currency earnings. Mauritania processes a total of 1,800,000 tons of fish per year, but overexploitation by foreign and national fleets threaten the sustainability of this key source of revenue. ++ The economy is highly sensitive to international food and extractive commodity prices. Other risks to Mauritania's economy include its recurring droughts, dependence on foreign aid and investment, and insecurity in neighboring Mali, as well as significant shortages of infrastructure, institutional capacity, and human capital. In December 2017, Mauritania and the IMF agreed to a three year agreement under the Extended Credit Facility to foster economic growth, maintain macroeconomic stability, and reduce poverty. Investment in agriculture and infrastructure are the largest components of the country's public expenditures." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$17.28 billion (2017 est.) / $16.7 billion (2016 est.) / $16.4 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -923,7 +917,7 @@ "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "since a spate of terrorist attacks in the 2000s, including a 2008 attack on a military base in the country’s north that resulted in the deaths of 12 soldiers, the Mauritanian Government has increased the defense budget and military equipment acquisitions, enhanced military training, heightened security cooperation with its neighbors and the international community, and built up the military’s special operations and civil-military affairs forcesMauritania is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Niger; it has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane (2020)" + "text": "since a spate of terrorist attacks in the 2000s, including a 2008 attack on a military base in the country's north that resulted in the deaths of 12 soldiers, the Mauritanian Government has increased the defense budget and military equipment acquisitions, enhanced military training, heightened security cooperation with its neighbors and the international community, and built up the military's special operations and civil-military affairs forces ++ Mauritania is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Niger; it has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane (2020)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/africa/mz.json b/africa/mz.json index aab1520e..3c898a5d 100644 --- a/africa/mz.json +++ b/africa/mz.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "In the first half of the second millennium A.D., northern Mozambican port towns were frequented by traders from Somalia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Arabia, Persia, and India. The Portuguese were able to wrest much of the coastal trade from Arab Muslims in the centuries after 1500 and to set up their own colonies. Portugal did not relinquish Mozambique until 1975. Large-scale emigration, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development until the mid-1990s. The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His elected successor, Armando GUEBUZA, served two terms and then passed executive power to Filipe NYUSI in 2015. RENAMO’s residual armed forces intermittently engaged in a low-level insurgency after 2012, but a late December 2016 ceasefire eventually led to the two sides signing a comprehensive peace deal in August 2019. Elections in October 2019, challenged by Western observers and civil society as being problematic, resulted in resounding wins for NYUSI and FRELIMO across the country. Since October 2017, violent extremists - who an official ISIS media outlet recognized as ISIS's network in Mozambique for the first time in June 2019 - have been conducting attacks against civilians and security services in the northern province of Cabo Delgado." + "text": "In the first half of the second millennium A.D., northern Mozambican port towns were frequented by traders from Somalia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Arabia, Persia, and India. The Portuguese were able to wrest much of the coastal trade from Arab Muslims in the centuries after 1500 and to set up their own colonies. Portugal did not relinquish Mozambique until 1975. Large-scale emigration, economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development until the mid-1990s. The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His elected successor, Armando GUEBUZA, served two terms and then passed executive power to Filipe NYUSI in 2015. RENAMO's residual armed forces intermittently engaged in a low-level insurgency after 2012, but a late December 2016 ceasefire eventually led to the two sides signing a comprehensive peace deal in August 2019. Elections in October 2019, challenged by Western observers and civil society as being problematic, resulted in resounding wins for NYUSI and FRELIMO across the country. Since October 2017, violent extremists - who an official ISIS media outlet recognized as ISIS's network in Mozambique for the first time in June 2019 - have been conducting attacks against civilians and security services in the northern province of Cabo Delgado." } }, "Geography": { @@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 27.2%, Muslim 18.9%, Zionist Christian 15.6%, Evangelical/Pentecostal 15.3%, Anglican 1.7%, other 4.8%, none 13.9%, unspecified 2.5% (2017 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Mozambique is a poor, sparsely populated country with high fertility and mortality rates and a rapidly growing youthful population – 45% of the population is younger than 15. Mozambique’s high poverty rate is sustained by natural disasters, disease, high population growth, low agricultural productivity, and the unequal distribution of wealth. The country’s birth rate is among the world’s highest, averaging around more than 5 children per woman (and higher in rural areas) for at least the last three decades. The sustained high level of fertility reflects gender inequality, low contraceptive use, early marriages and childbearing, and a lack of education, particularly among women. The high population growth rate is somewhat restrained by the country’s high HIV/AIDS and overall mortality rates. Mozambique ranks among the worst in the world for HIV/AIDS prevalence, HIV/AIDS deaths, and life expectancy at birth.\nMozambique is predominantly a country of emigration, but internal, rural-urban migration has begun to grow. Mozambicans, primarily from the country’s southern region, have been migrating to South Africa for work for more than a century. Additionally, approximately 1.7 million Mozambicans fled to Malawi, South Africa, and other neighboring countries between 1979 and 1992 to escape from civil war. Labor migrants have usually been men from rural areas whose crops have failed or who are unemployed and have headed to South Africa to work as miners; multiple generations of the same family often become miners. Since the abolition of apartheid in South Africa in 1991, other job opportunities have opened to Mozambicans, including in the informal and manufacturing sectors, but mining remains their main source of employment." + "text": "Mozambique is a poor, sparsely populated country with high fertility and mortality rates and a rapidly growing youthful population – 45% of the population is younger than 15. Mozambique's high poverty rate is sustained by natural disasters, disease, high population growth, low agricultural productivity, and the unequal distribution of wealth. The country's birth rate is among the world's highest, averaging around more than 5 children per woman (and higher in rural areas) for at least the last three decades. The sustained high level of fertility reflects gender inequality, low contraceptive use, early marriages and childbearing, and a lack of education, particularly among women. The high population growth rate is somewhat restrained by the country's high HIV/AIDS and overall mortality rates. Mozambique ranks among the worst in the world for HIV/AIDS prevalence, HIV/AIDS deaths, and life expectancy at birth. ++ Mozambique is predominantly a country of emigration, but internal, rural-urban migration has begun to grow. Mozambicans, primarily from the country's southern region, have been migrating to South Africa for work for more than a century. Additionally, approximately 1.7 million Mozambicans fled to Malawi, South Africa, and other neighboring countries between 1979 and 1992 to escape from civil war. Labor migrants have usually been men from rural areas whose crops have failed or who are unemployed and have headed to South Africa to work as miners; multiple generations of the same family often become miners. Since the abolition of apartheid in South Africa in 1991, other job opportunities have opened to Mozambicans, including in the informal and manufacturing sectors, but mining remains their main source of employment." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "27.1% (2015)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 6.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 93.2% of population / rural: 58.3% of population / total: 70.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "41.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "29.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 6.8% of population / rural: 41.7% of population / total: 29.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "0.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 38.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 61.8% of population (2015 est.) / rural: 18.8% of population / total: 34.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "81.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "65.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 38.2% of population / rural: 81.2% of population / total: 65.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -443,7 +437,7 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "President Filipe Jacinto NYUSI (since 15 January 2015, re-elected 15 Oct 2019)   (2019)" + "text": "President Filipe Jacinto NYUSI (since 15 January 2015, re-elected 15 Oct 2019) ++   (2019)" }, "head of government": { "text": "President Filipe Jacinto NYUSI (since 15 January 2015); Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho DO ROSARIO (since 17 January 2015; reconfirmed DO ROSARIO 17 January 2020) (2020)" @@ -481,7 +475,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Movement of Mozambique (Movimento Democratico de Mocambique) or MDM [Daviz SIMANGO]Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRELIMO [Filipe NYUSI]Mozambican National Resistance (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana) or RENAMO [Ossufo MOMADE]Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique or Podemos [Helder Mendonca]" + "text": "Democratic Movement of Mozambique (Movimento Democratico de Mocambique) or MDM [Daviz SIMANGO] ++ Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRELIMO [Filipe NYUSI] ++ Mozambican National Resistance (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana) or RENAMO [Ossufo MOMADE] ++ Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique or Podemos [Helder Mendonca]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, CPLP, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF (observer), OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -540,7 +534,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest countries. Socialist policies, economic mismanagement, and a brutal civil war from 1977 to 1992 further impoverished the country. In 1987, the government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, propelled the country’s GDP, in purchasing power parity terms, from $4 billion in 1993 to about $37 billion in 2017. Fiscal reforms, including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service, have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In spite of these gains, about half the population remains below the poverty line and subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the country's work force. Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt was reduced through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives. However, in 2016, information surfaced revealing that the Mozambican Government was responsible for over $2 billion in government-backed loans secured between 2012-14 by state-owned defense and security companies without parliamentary approval or national budget inclusion; this prompted the IMF and international donors to halt direct budget support to the Government of Mozambique. An international audit was performed on Mozambique’s debt in 2016-17, but debt restructuring and resumption of donor support have yet to occur. Mozambique grew at an average annual rate of 6%-8% in the decade leading up to 2015, one of Africa's strongest performances, but the sizable external debt burden, donor withdrawal, elevated inflation, and currency depreciation contributed to slower growth in 2016-17. Two major International consortiums, led by American companies ExxonMobil and Anadarko, are seeking approval to develop massive natural gas deposits off the coast of Cabo Delgado province, in what has the potential to become the largest infrastructure project in Africa. . The government predicts sales of liquefied natural gas from these projects could generate several billion dollars in revenues annually sometime after 2022." + "text": "At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest countries. Socialist policies, economic mismanagement, and a brutal civil war from 1977 to 1992 further impoverished the country. In 1987, the government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, propelled the country's GDP, in purchasing power parity terms, from $4 billion in 1993 to about $37 billion in 2017. Fiscal reforms, including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service, have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In spite of these gains, about half the population remains below the poverty line and subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the country's work force. ++ Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt was reduced through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives. However, in 2016, information surfaced revealing that the Mozambican Government was responsible for over $2 billion in government-backed loans secured between 2012-14 by state-owned defense and security companies without parliamentary approval or national budget inclusion; this prompted the IMF and international donors to halt direct budget support to the Government of Mozambique. An international audit was performed on Mozambique's debt in 2016-17, but debt restructuring and resumption of donor support have yet to occur. ++ Mozambique grew at an average annual rate of 6%-8% in the decade leading up to 2015, one of Africa's strongest performances, but the sizable external debt burden, donor withdrawal, elevated inflation, and currency depreciation contributed to slower growth in 2016-17. ++ Two major International consortiums, led by American companies ExxonMobil and Anadarko, are seeking approval to develop massive natural gas deposits off the coast of Cabo Delgado province, in what has the potential to become the largest infrastructure project in Africa. . The government predicts sales of liquefied natural gas from these projects could generate several billion dollars in revenues annually sometime after 2022." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$37.09 billion (2017 est.) / $35.76 billion (2016 est.) / $34.46 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -923,7 +917,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Armed Defense Forces of Mozambique (Forcas Armadas de Defesa de Mocambique, FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique Navy (Marinha de Guerra de Mocambique, MGM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de Mocambique, FAM)Ministry of Interior: National Police (PRM), the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC), Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR; police special forces), Border Security Force (2019)", + "text": "Armed Defense Forces of Mozambique (Forcas Armadas de Defesa de Mocambique, FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique Navy (Marinha de Guerra de Mocambique, MGM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de Mocambique, FAM) ++ Ministry of Interior: National Police (PRM), the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC), Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR; police special forces), Border Security Force (2019)", "note": { "text": "note: the FADM and Ministry of Interior forces are referred to collectively as the Defense and Security Forces (DFS)" } diff --git a/africa/ng.json b/africa/ng.json index 9a26a068..3fbb52ae 100644 --- a/africa/ng.json +++ b/africa/ng.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "In the late 19th century, the British and French agreed to partition the middle regions of the Niger River into British Nigeria and French Niger. In subsequent decades French administration spread until in 1922 Niger officially became a colony. Following independence from France in 1960, the country experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999, BARE was killed in a counter coup by military officers who restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and in 2009 spearheaded a constitutional amendment allowing him to extend his term as president. In February 2010, military officers led a coup that deposed TANDJA and suspended the constitution. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou was elected in April 2011 following the coup and reelected to a second term in early 2016. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base, and is ranked last in the world on the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Index. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. The Nigerien Government continues its attempts to diversify the economy through increased oil production and mining projects. A Tuareg rebellion emerged in 2007 and ended in 2009. Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria." + "text": "In the late 19th century, the British and French agreed to partition the middle regions of the Niger River into British Nigeria and French Niger. In subsequent decades French administration spread until in 1922 Niger officially became a colony. Following independence from France in 1960, the country experienced single-party and military rule until 1991, when Gen. Ali SAIBOU was forced by public pressure to allow multiparty elections, which resulted in a democratic government in 1993. Political infighting brought the government to a standstill and in 1996 led to a coup by Col. Ibrahim BARE. In 1999, BARE was killed in a counter coup by military officers who restored democratic rule and held elections that brought Mamadou TANDJA to power in December of that year. TANDJA was reelected in 2004 and in 2009 spearheaded a constitutional amendment allowing him to extend his term as president. In February 2010, military officers led a coup that deposed TANDJA and suspended the constitution. ISSOUFOU Mahamadou was elected in April 2011 following the coup and reelected to a second term in early 2016. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base, and is ranked last in the world on the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Index. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa. The Nigerien Government continues its attempts to diversify the economy through increased oil production and mining projects. A Tuareg rebellion emerged in 2007 and ended in 2009. Niger is facing increased security concerns on its borders from various external threats including insecurity in Libya, spillover from the conflict in Mali, and violent extremism in northeastern Nigeria." } }, "Geography": { @@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ "text": "Muslim 99.3%, Christian 0.3%, animist 0.2%, none 0.1% (2012 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Niger has the highest total fertility rate (TFR) of any country in the world, averaging close to 7 children per woman in 2016. A slight decline in fertility over the last few decades has stalled. This leveling off of the high fertility rate is in large part a product of the continued desire for large families. In Niger, the TFR is lower than the desired fertility rate, which makes it unlikely that contraceptive use will increase. The high TFR sustains rapid population growth and a large youth population – almost 70% of the populace is under the age of 25. Gender inequality, including a lack of educational opportunities for women and early marriage and childbirth, also contributes to high population growth.\nBecause of large family sizes, children are inheriting smaller and smaller parcels of land. The dependence of most Nigeriens on subsistence farming on increasingly small landholdings, coupled with declining rainfall and the resultant shrinkage of arable land, are all preventing food production from keeping up with population growth.\nFor more than half a century, Niger's lack of economic development has led to steady net outmigration. In the 1960s, Nigeriens mainly migrated to coastal West African countries to work on a seasonal basis. Some headed to Libya and Algeria in the 1970s to work in the booming oil industry until its decline in the 1980s. Since the 1990s, the principal destinations for Nigerien labor migrants have been West African countries, especially Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire, while emigration to Europe and North America has remained modest. During the same period, Niger’s desert trade route town Agadez became a hub for West African and other Sub-Saharan migrants crossing the Sahara to North Africa and sometimes onward to Europe.\nMore than 60,000 Malian refugees have fled to Niger since violence between Malian government troops and armed rebels began in early 2012. Ongoing attacks by the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency, dating to 2013 in northern Nigeria and February 2015 in southeastern Niger, have pushed tens of thousands of Nigerian refugees and Nigerien returnees across the border to Niger and to displace thousands of locals in Niger’s already impoverished Diffa region." + "text": "Niger has the highest total fertility rate (TFR) of any country in the world, averaging close to 7 children per woman in 2016. A slight decline in fertility over the last few decades has stalled. This leveling off of the high fertility rate is in large part a product of the continued desire for large families. In Niger, the TFR is lower than the desired fertility rate, which makes it unlikely that contraceptive use will increase. The high TFR sustains rapid population growth and a large youth population – almost 70% of the populace is under the age of 25. Gender inequality, including a lack of educational opportunities for women and early marriage and childbirth, also contributes to high population growth. ++ Because of large family sizes, children are inheriting smaller and smaller parcels of land. The dependence of most Nigeriens on subsistence farming on increasingly small landholdings, coupled with declining rainfall and the resultant shrinkage of arable land, are all preventing food production from keeping up with population growth. ++ For more than half a century, Niger's lack of economic development has led to steady net outmigration. In the 1960s, Nigeriens mainly migrated to coastal West African countries to work on a seasonal basis. Some headed to Libya and Algeria in the 1970s to work in the booming oil industry until its decline in the 1980s. Since the 1990s, the principal destinations for Nigerien labor migrants have been West African countries, especially Burkina Faso and Cote d'Ivoire, while emigration to Europe and North America has remained modest. During the same period, Niger's desert trade route town Agadez became a hub for West African and other Sub-Saharan migrants crossing the Sahara to North Africa and sometimes onward to Europe. ++ More than 60,000 Malian refugees have fled to Niger since violence between Malian government troops and armed rebels began in early 2012. Ongoing attacks by the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency, dating to 2013 in northern Nigeria and February 2015 in southeastern Niger, have pushed tens of thousands of Nigerian refugees and Nigerien returnees across the border to Niger and to displace thousands of locals in Niger's already impoverished Diffa region." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "11% (2017/18)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95.7% of population / rural: 59.2% of population / total: 65.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "40.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "34.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 4.3% of population / rural: 40.8% of population / total: 34.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 23.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 76.6% of population / rural: 12.9% of population / total: 23.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "87.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "76.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 23.4% of population / rural: 87.1% of population / total: 76.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -478,7 +472,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance of Movements for the Emergence of Niger or AMEN AMIN [Omar Hamidou TCHIANA]Congress for the Republic or CPR-Inganci [Kassoum MOCTAR]Democratic Alliance for Niger or ADN-Fusaha [Habi Mahamadou SALISSOU]Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Abdou LABO]National Movement for the Development of Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Seini OUMAROU]Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moussa Moumouni DJERMAKOYE]Nigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation or MODEN/FA Lumana [Hama AMADOU]Nigerien Movement for Democratic Renewal or MNRD-Hankuri [Mahamane OUSMANE]Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]Nigerien Patriotic Movement or MPN-Kishin Kassa [Ibrahim YACOUBA]Party for Socialism and Democracy in Niger or PSDN-AlheriPatriotic Movement for the Republic or MPR-Jamhuriya [Albade ABOUBA]Rally for Democracy and Progress-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]Social and Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya [Amadou CHEIFFOU]Social Democratic Party or PSD-Bassira [Mohamed BEN OMAR]Union for Democracy and the Republic-Tabbat or UDR-Tabbat [Amadou Boubacar CISSE]", + "text": "Alliance of Movements for the Emergence of Niger or AMEN AMIN [Omar Hamidou TCHIANA] ++ Congress for the Republic or CPR-Inganci [Kassoum MOCTAR] ++ Democratic Alliance for Niger or ADN-Fusaha [Habi Mahamadou SALISSOU] ++ Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Abdou LABO] ++ National Movement for the Development of Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Seini OUMAROU] ++ Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDP-Zaman Lahiya [Moussa Moumouni DJERMAKOYE] ++ Nigerien Democratic Movement for an African Federation or MODEN/FA Lumana [Hama AMADOU] ++ Nigerien Movement for Democratic Renewal or MNRD-Hankuri [Mahamane OUSMANE] ++ Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism or PNDS-Tarrayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU] ++ Nigerien Patriotic Movement or MPN-Kishin Kassa [Ibrahim YACOUBA] ++ Party for Socialism and Democracy in Niger or PSDN-Alheri ++ Patriotic Movement for the Republic or MPR-Jamhuriya [Albade ABOUBA] ++ Rally for Democracy and Progress-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID] ++ Social and Democratic Rally or RSD-Gaskiyya [Amadou CHEIFFOU] ++ Social Democratic Party or PSD-Bassira [Mohamed BEN OMAR] ++ Union for Democracy and the Republic-Tabbat or UDR-Tabbat [Amadou Boubacar CISSE]", "note": { "text": "note: the SPLM and SPLM-DC are banned political parties" } @@ -540,7 +534,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Niger is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Agriculture contributes approximately 40% of GDP and provides livelihood for over 80% of the population. The UN ranked Niger as the second least developed country in the world in 2016 due to multiple factors such as food insecurity, lack of industry, high population growth, a weak educational sector, and few prospects for work outside of subsistence farming and herding. Since 2011 public debt has increased due to efforts to scale-up public investment, particularly that related to infrastructure, as well as due to increased security spending. The government relies on foreign donor resources for a large portion of its fiscal budget. The economy in recent years has been hurt by terrorist activity near its uranium mines and by instability in Mali and in the Diffa region of the country; concerns about security have resulted in increased support from regional and international partners on defense. Low uranium prices, demographics, and security expenditures may continue to put pressure on the government’s finances. The Government of Niger plans to exploit oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources to sustain future growth. Although Niger has sizable reserves of oil, the prolonged drop in oil prices has reduced profitability. Food insecurity and drought remain perennial problems for Niger, and the government plans to invest more in irrigation. Niger’s three-year $131 million IMF Extended Credit Facility (ECF) agreement for the years 2012-15 was extended until the end of 2016. In February 2017, the IMF approved a new 3-year $134 million ECF. In June 2017, The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) granted Niger $1 billion over three years for IDA18, a program to boost the country’s development and alleviate poverty. A $437 million Millennium Challenge Account compact for Niger, commencing in FY18, will focus on large-scale irrigation infrastructure development and community-based, climate-resilient agriculture, while promoting sustainable increases in agricultural productivity and sales. Formal private sector investment needed for economic diversification and growth remains a challenge, given the country’s limited domestic markets, access to credit, and competitiveness. Although President ISSOUFOU is courting foreign investors, including those from the US, as of April 2017, there were no US firms operating in Niger. In November 2017, the National Assembly passed the 2018 Finance Law that was geared towards raising government revenues and moving away from international support." + "text": "Niger is a landlocked, Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Agriculture contributes approximately 40% of GDP and provides livelihood for over 80% of the population. The UN ranked Niger as the second least developed country in the world in 2016 due to multiple factors such as food insecurity, lack of industry, high population growth, a weak educational sector, and few prospects for work outside of subsistence farming and herding. ++ Since 2011 public debt has increased due to efforts to scale-up public investment, particularly that related to infrastructure, as well as due to increased security spending. The government relies on foreign donor resources for a large portion of its fiscal budget. The economy in recent years has been hurt by terrorist activity near its uranium mines and by instability in Mali and in the Diffa region of the country; concerns about security have resulted in increased support from regional and international partners on defense. Low uranium prices, demographics, and security expenditures may continue to put pressure on the government's finances. ++ The Government of Niger plans to exploit oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources to sustain future growth. Although Niger has sizable reserves of oil, the prolonged drop in oil prices has reduced profitability. Food insecurity and drought remain perennial problems for Niger, and the government plans to invest more in irrigation. Niger's three-year $131 million IMF Extended Credit Facility (ECF) agreement for the years 2012-15 was extended until the end of 2016. In February 2017, the IMF approved a new 3-year $134 million ECF. In June 2017, The World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) granted Niger $1 billion over three years for IDA18, a program to boost the country's development and alleviate poverty. A $437 million Millennium Challenge Account compact for Niger, commencing in FY18, will focus on large-scale irrigation infrastructure development and community-based, climate-resilient agriculture, while promoting sustainable increases in agricultural productivity and sales. ++ Formal private sector investment needed for economic diversification and growth remains a challenge, given the country's limited domestic markets, access to credit, and competitiveness. Although President ISSOUFOU is courting foreign investors, including those from the US, as of April 2017, there were no US firms operating in Niger. In November 2017, the National Assembly passed the 2018 Finance Law that was geared towards raising government revenues and moving away from international support." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$21.86 billion (2017 est.) / $20.84 billion (2016 est.) / $19.87 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -919,7 +913,7 @@ "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory or voluntary military service; enlistees must be Nigerien citizens and unmarried; 2-year service term; women may serve in health care (2017)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "as of September 2020, the FAN was conducting counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations against Islamic militants on two fronts; in the Diffa region, the Nigeria-based Boko Haram terrorist group has conducted dozens of attacks on security forces, army bases, and civilians; on Niger’s western border with Mali, the Islamic State-West Africa (ISWA) has conducted numerous attacks on security personnel; a series of ISWA attacks on FAN forces near the Malian border in December of 2019 and January of 2020 resulted in the deaths of more than 170 soldiersNiger is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Chad; it has committed 1,100 troops and 200 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation BarkhaneNiger also has about 1,000 troops committed to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically (2020)" + "text": "as of September 2020, the FAN was conducting counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism operations against Islamic militants on two fronts; in the Diffa region, the Nigeria-based Boko Haram terrorist group has conducted dozens of attacks on security forces, army bases, and civilians; on Niger's western border with Mali, the Islamic State-West Africa (ISWA) has conducted numerous attacks on security personnel; a series of ISWA attacks on FAN forces near the Malian border in December of 2019 and January of 2020 resulted in the deaths of more than 170 soldiers ++ Niger is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, and Chad; it has committed 1,100 troops and 200 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane ++ Niger also has about 1,000 troops committed to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically (2020)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/ni.json b/africa/ni.json index 2ce64acc..e88cf0ca 100644 --- a/africa/ni.json +++ b/africa/ni.json @@ -27,6 +27,957 @@ }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "about six times the size of Georgia; slightly more than twice the size of California" + }, + "Land boundaries": { + "total": { + "text": "4,477 km" + }, + "border countries": { + "text": "Benin 809 km, Cameroon 1975 km, Chad 85 km, Niger 1608 km" + } + }, + "Coastline": { + "text": "853 km" + }, + "Maritime claims": { + "territorial sea": { + "text": "12 nm" + }, + "exclusive economic zone": { + "text": "200 nm" + }, + "continental shelf": { + "text": "200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation" + } + }, + "Climate": { + "text": "varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north" + }, + "Terrain": { + "text": "southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains in southeast, plains in north" + }, + "Elevation": { + "mean elevation": { + "text": "380 m" + }, + "lowest point": { + "text": "Atlantic Ocean 0 m" + }, + "highest point": { + "text": "Chappal Waddi 2,419 m" + } + }, + "Natural resources": { + "text": "natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, arable land" + }, + "Land use": { + "agricultural land": { + "text": "78% (2011 est.)" + }, + "arable land / permanent crops / permanent pasture": { + "text": "37.3% (2011 est.) / 7.4% (2011 est.) / 33.3% (2011 est.)" + }, + "forest": { + "text": "9.5% (2011 est.)" + }, + "other": { + "text": "12.5% (2011 est.)" + } + }, + "Irrigated land": { + "text": "2,930 sq km (2012)" + }, + "Population distribution": { + "text": "largest population of any African nation; significant population clusters are scattered throughout the country, with the highest density areas being in the south and southwest as shown in this population distribution map" + }, + "Natural hazards": { + "text": "periodic droughts; flooding" + }, + "Environment - current issues": { + "text": "serious overpopulation and rapid urbanization have led to numerous environmental problems; urban air and water pollution; rapid deforestation; soil degradation; loss of arable land; oil pollution - water, air, and soil have suffered serious damage from oil spills" + }, + "Environment - international agreements": { + "party to": { + "text": "Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands" + }, + "signed, but not ratified": { + "text": "none of the selected agreements" + } + }, + "Geography - note": { + "text": "the Niger River enters the country in the northwest and flows southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of Guinea" + } + }, + "People and Society": { + "Population": { + "text": "214,028,302 (July 2020 est.)", + "note": { + "text": "note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected" + } + }, + "Nationality": { + "noun": { + "text": "Nigerian(s)" + }, + "adjective": { + "text": "Nigerian" + } + }, + "Ethnic groups": { + "text": "Hausa 30%, Yoruba 15.5%, Igbo (Ibo) 15.2%, Fulani 6%, Tiv 2.4%, Kanuri/Beriberi 2.4%, Ibibio 1.8%, Ijaw/Izon 1.8%, other 24.7% (2018 est.)", + "note": { + "text": "note: Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups" + } + }, + "Languages": { + "text": "English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani, over 500 additional indigenous languages" + }, + "Religions": { + "text": "Muslim 53.5%, Roman Catholic 10.6%, other Christian 35.3%, other .6% (2018 est.)" + }, + "Demographic profile": { + "text": "Nigeria's population is projected to grow from more than 186 million people in 2016 to 392 million in 2050, becoming the world's fourth most populous country. Nigeria's sustained high population growth rate will continue for the foreseeable future because of population momentum and its high birth rate. Abuja has not successfully implemented family planning programs to reduce and space births because of a lack of political will, government financing, and the availability and affordability of services and products, as well as a cultural preference for large families. Increased educational attainment, especially among women, and improvements in health care are needed to encourage and to better enable parents to opt for smaller families. ++ Nigeria needs to harness the potential of its burgeoning youth population in order to boost economic development, reduce widespread poverty, and channel large numbers of unemployed youth into productive activities and away from ongoing religious and ethnic violence. While most movement of Nigerians is internal, significant emigration regionally and to the West provides an outlet for Nigerians looking for economic opportunities, seeking asylum, and increasingly pursuing higher education. Immigration largely of West Africans continues to be insufficient to offset emigration and the loss of highly skilled workers. Nigeria also is a major source, transit, and destination country for forced labor and sex trafficking." + }, + "Age structure": { + "0-14 years": { + "text": "41.7% (male 45,571,738/female 43,674,769)" + }, + "15-24 years": { + "text": "20.27% (male 22,022,660/female 21,358,753)" + }, + "25-54 years": { + "text": "30.6% (male 32,808,913/female 32,686,474)" + }, + "55-64 years": { + "text": "4.13% (male 4,327,847/female 4,514,264)" + }, + "65 years and over": { + "text": "3.3% (male 3,329,083/female 3,733,801) (2020 est.)" + } + }, + "Dependency ratios": { + "total dependency ratio": { + "text": "86" + }, + "youth dependency ratio": { + "text": "80.9" + }, + "elderly dependency ratio": { + "text": "5.1" + }, + "potential support ratio": { + "text": "19.6 (2020 est.)" + } + }, + "Median age": { + "total": { + "text": "18.6 years" + }, + "male": { + "text": "18.4 years" + }, + "female": { + "text": "18.9 years (2020 est.)" + } + }, + "Population growth rate": { + "text": "2.53% (2020 est.)" + }, + "Birth rate": { + "text": "34.6 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)" + }, + "Death rate": { + "text": "9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.)" + }, + "Net migration rate": { + "text": "-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.)" + }, + "Population distribution": { + "text": "largest population of any African nation; significant population clusters are scattered throughout the country, with the highest density areas being in the south and southwest as shown in this population distribution map" + }, + "Urbanization": { + "urban population": { + "text": "52% of total population (2020)" + }, + "rate of urbanization": { + "text": "4.23% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)" + } + }, + "Major urban areas - population": { + "text": "14.368 million Lagos, 3.999 million Kano, 3.552 million Ibadan, 3.278 million ABUJA (capital), 3.020 million Port Harcourt, 1.727 million Benin City (2020)" + }, + "Sex ratio": { + "at birth": { + "text": "1.06 male(s)/female" + }, + "0-14 years": { + "text": "1.04 male(s)/female" + }, + "15-24 years": { + "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" + }, + "25-54 years": { + "text": "1 male(s)/female" + }, + "55-64 years": { + "text": "0.96 male(s)/female" + }, + "65 years and over": { + "text": "0.89 male(s)/female" + }, + "total population": { + "text": "1.02 male(s)/female (2020 est.)" + } + }, + "Mother's mean age at first birth": { + "text": "20.3 years (2013 est.)", + "note": { + "text": "note: median age at first birth among women 25-29" + } + }, + "Maternal mortality rate": { + "text": "917 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)" + }, + "Infant mortality rate": { + "total": { + "text": "59.8 deaths/1,000 live births" + }, + "male": { + "text": "65.4 deaths/1,000 live births" + }, + "female": { + "text": "54 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)" + } + }, + "Life expectancy at birth": { + "total population": { + "text": "60.4 years" + }, + "male": { + "text": "58.6 years" + }, + "female": { + "text": "62.3 years (2020 est.)" + } + }, + "Total fertility rate": { + "text": "4.72 children born/woman (2020 est.)" + }, + "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { + "text": "16.6% (2018)" + }, + "Drinking water source": { + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 92.6% of population / rural: 63.6% of population / total: 77.9% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 7.4% of population / rural: 36.4% of population / total: 22.1% of population (2017 est.)" + } + }, + "Current Health Expenditure": { + "text": "3.8% (2017)" + }, + "Physicians density": { + "text": "0.45 physicians/1,000 population (2016)" + }, + "Sanitation facility access": { + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 80.2% of population / rural: 39.5% of population / total: 59.7% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 19.8% of population / rural: 60.5% of population / total: 40.3% of population (2017 est.)" + } + }, + "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { + "text": "1.3% (2019 est.)" + }, + "HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS": { + "text": "1.8 million (2019 est.)" + }, + "HIV/AIDS - deaths": { + "text": "45,000 (2019 est.)" + }, + "Major infectious diseases": { + "degree of risk": { + "text": "very high (2020)" + }, + "food or waterborne diseases": { + "text": "bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever" + }, + "vectorborne diseases": { + "text": "malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever" + }, + "water contact disease": { + "text": "leptospirosis and schistosomiasis" + }, + "animal contact diseases": { + "text": "rabies" + }, + "respiratory diseases": { + "text": "meningococcal meningitis" + }, + "aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases": { + "text": "Lassa fever" + }, + "note": { + "text": "note: on 7 October 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Travel Health Notice for a Yellow Fever outbreak in Nigeria; a large, ongoing outbreak of yellow fever in Nigeria began in September 2017; the outbreak is now spread throughout the country with the Nigerian Ministry of Health reporting cases of the disease in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory; the CDC recommends travelers going to Nigeria should receive vaccination against yellow fever at least 10 days before travel and should take steps to prevent mosquito bites while there; those never vaccinated against yellow fever should avoid travel to Nigeria during the outbreak ++ note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Nigeria; as of 10 November 2020, Nigeria has reported a total of 63,790 cases of COVID-19 or 309 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 1 million population with 6 cumulative deaths per 1 million population; as of 19 March 2020, the Government of Nigeria has restricted entry into Nigeria for travelers from the following high incidence countries: China, Italy, Iran, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, US, UK, Netherlands, and Switzerland" + } + }, + "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { + "text": "8.9% (2016)" + }, + "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { + "text": "21.8% (2018)" + }, + "Education expenditures": { + "text": "NA" + }, + "Literacy": { + "definition": { + "text": "age 15 and over can read and write" + }, + "total population": { + "text": "62%" + }, + "male": { + "text": "71.3%" + }, + "female": { + "text": "52.7% (2018)" + } + }, + "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { + "total": { + "text": "9 years" + }, + "male": { + "text": "9 years" + }, + "female": { + "text": "8 years (2011)" + } + }, + "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": { + "total": { + "text": "13.8%" + }, + "male": { + "text": "NA" + }, + "female": { + "text": "NA (2016 est.)" + } + } + }, + "Government": { + "Country name": { + "conventional long form": { + "text": "Federal Republic of Nigeria" + }, + "conventional short form": { + "text": "Nigeria" + }, + "etymology": { + "text": "named for the Niger River that flows through the west of the country to the Atlantic Ocean; from a native term \"Ni Gir\" meaning \"River Gir\"" + } + }, + "Government type": { + "text": "federal presidential republic" + }, + "Capital": { + "name": { + "text": "Abuja" + }, + "geographic coordinates": { + "text": "9 05 N, 7 32 E" + }, + "time difference": { + "text": "UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" + }, + "note": { + "text": "etymology: Abuja is a planned capital city, it replaced Lagos in 1991; situated in the center of the country, Abuja takes its name from a nearby town, now renamed Suleja" + } + }, + "Administrative divisions": { + "text": "36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara" + }, + "Independence": { + "text": "1 October 1960 (from the UK)" + }, + "National holiday": { + "text": "Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)" + }, + "Constitution": { + "history": { + "text": "several previous; latest adopted 5 May 1999, effective 29 May 1999" + }, + "amendments": { + "text": "proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses and approval by the Houses of Assembly of at least two thirds of the states; amendments to constitutional articles on the creation of a new state, fundamental constitutional rights, or constitution-amending procedures requires at least four-fifths majority vote by both houses of the National Assembly and approval by the Houses of Assembly in at least two thirds of the states; passage of amendments limited to the creation of a new state require at least two-thirds majority vote by the proposing National Assembly house and approval by the Houses of Assembly in two thirds of the states; amended several times, last in 2018" + } + }, + "Legal system": { + "text": "mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law" + }, + "International law organization participation": { + "text": "accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction" + }, + "Citizenship": { + "citizenship by birth": { + "text": "no" + }, + "citizenship by descent only": { + "text": "at least one parent must be a citizen of Nigeria" + }, + "dual citizenship recognized": { + "text": "yes" + }, + "residency requirement for naturalization": { + "text": "15 years" + } + }, + "Suffrage": { + "text": "18 years of age; universal" + }, + "Executive branch": { + "chief of state": { + "text": "President Maj. Gen. (ret.) Muhammadu BUHARI (since 29 May 2015); Vice President Oluyemi \"Yemi\" OSINBAJO (since 29 May 2015); note - the president is both chief of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces" + }, + "head of government": { + "text": "President Maj.Gen. (ret.) Muhammadu BUHARI (since 29 May 2015); Vice President Oluyemi \"Yemi\" OSINBAJO (since 29 May 2015)" + }, + "cabinet": { + "text": "Federal Executive Council appointed by the president but constrained constitutionally to include at least one member from each of the 36 states" + }, + "elections/appointments": { + "text": "president directly elected by qualified majority popular vote and at least 25% of the votes cast in 24 of Nigeria's 36 states; president elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 February 2019 (next to be held in February 2023); note: the election was scheduled for 16 February 2019, but postponed on 16 February 2019" + }, + "election results": { + "text": "Muhammadu BUHARI elected president; percent of vote - Muhammadu BUHARI (APC) 53%, Atiku ABUBAKER (PDP) 39%, other 8%" + } + }, + "Legislative branch": { + "description": { + "text": "bicameral National Assembly consists of: Senate (109 seats - 3 each for the 36 states and 1 for Abuja-Federal Capital Territory; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) ++ House of Representatives (360 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)" + }, + "elections": { + "text": "Senate - last held on 23 February 2019 (next to be held on 23 February 2023); note: election was scheduled for 16 February 2019 but was postponed on 15 February 2019 ++ House of Representatives - last held on 23 February 2019 (next to be held on 23 February 2023); note: election was scheduled for 16 February 2019 but was postponed on 15 February 2019" + }, + "election results": { + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 65, PDP 39, YPP 1, TBD 3; composition - men 103, women 6, percent of women 5.5% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 217, PDP 115, other 20, TBD 8; composition - men 346, women 14, percent of women 3.9%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 4.3%" + } + }, + "Judicial branch": { + "highest courts": { + "text": "Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 15 justices)" + }, + "judge selection and term of office": { + "text": "judges appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, a 23-member independent body of federal and state judicial officials; judge appointments confirmed by the Senate; judges serve until age 70" + }, + "subordinate courts": { + "text": "Court of Appeal; Federal High Court; High Court of the Federal Capital Territory; Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory; state court system similar in structure to federal system" + } + }, + "Political parties and leaders": { + "text": "Accord Party or ACC [Mohammad Lawal MALADO] ++ All Progressives Congress or APC [Adams OSHIOMHOLE] ++ All Progressives Grand Alliance or APGA [Victor Ike OYE] ++ Democratic Peoples Party or DPP [Biodun OGUNBIYI] ++ Labor Party or LP [Alhai Abdulkadir ABDULSALAM] ++ Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Uche SECONDUS] ++ Young Progressive Party or YPP [Kingsley MOGHALU]" + }, + "International organization participation": { + "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, D-8, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" + }, + "Diplomatic representation in the US": { + "chief of mission": { + "text": "Ambassador Sylvanus Adiewere NSOFOR (since 29 November 2017)" + }, + "chancery": { + "text": "3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008" + }, + "telephone": { + "text": "[1] (202) 516-4277" + }, + "FAX": { + "text": "[1] (202) 362-6541" + }, + "consulate(s) general": { + "text": "Atlanta, New York" + } + }, + "Diplomatic representation from the US": { + "chief of mission": { + "text": "Ambassador Mary Beth LEONARD (since 24 December 2019)" + }, + "telephone": { + "text": "[234] (9) 461-4000" + }, + "embassy": { + "text": "Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja" + }, + "mailing address": { + "text": "P. O. Box 5760, Garki, Abuja" + }, + "FAX": { + "text": "[234] (9) 461-4036" + }, + "consulate(s)": { + "text": "Lagos" + } + }, + "Flag description": { + "text": "three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green; the color green represents the forests and abundant natural wealth of the country, white stands for peace and unity" + }, + "National symbol(s)": { + "text": "eagle; national colors: green, white" + }, + "National anthem": { + "name": { + "text": "Arise Oh Compatriots, Nigeria's Call Obey" + }, + "lyrics/music": { + "text": "John A. ILECHUKWU, Eme Etim AKPAN, B.A. OGUNNAIKE, Sotu OMOIGUI and P.O. ADERIBIGBE/Benedict Elide ODIASE" + }, + "note": { + "text": "note: adopted 1978; lyrics are a mixture of the five top entries in a national contest" + } + } + }, + "Economy": { + "Economy - overview": { + "text": "Nigeria is Sub Saharan Africa's largest economy and relies heavily on oil as its main source of foreign exchange earnings and government revenues. Following the 2008-09 global financial crises, the banking sector was effectively recapitalized and regulation enhanced. Since then, Nigeria's economic growth has been driven by growth in agriculture, telecommunications, and services. Economic diversification and strong growth have not translated into a significant decline in poverty levels; over 62% of Nigeria's over 180 million people still live in extreme poverty. ++ Despite its strong fundamentals, oil-rich Nigeria has been hobbled by inadequate power supply, lack of infrastructure, delays in the passage of legislative reforms, an inefficient property registration system, restrictive trade policies, an inconsistent regulatory environment, a slow and ineffective judicial system, unreliable dispute resolution mechanisms, insecurity, and pervasive corruption. Regulatory constraints and security risks have limited new investment in oil and natural gas, and Nigeria's oil production had been contracting every year since 2012 until a slight rebound in 2017. ++ President BUHARI, elected in March 2015, has established a cabinet of economic ministers that includes several technocrats, and he has announced plans to increase transparency, diversify the economy away from oil, and improve fiscal management, but has taken a primarily protectionist approach that favors domestic producers at the expense of consumers. President BUHARI ran on an anti-corruption platform, and has made some headway in alleviating corruption, such as implementation of a Treasury Single Account that allows the government to better manage its resources and a more transparent government payroll and personnel system that eliminated duplicate and \"ghost workers.\" The government also is working to develop stronger public-private partnerships for roads, agriculture, and power. ++ Nigeria entered recession in 2016 as a result of lower oil prices and production, exacerbated by militant attacks on oil and gas infrastructure in the Niger Delta region, coupled with detrimental economic policies, including foreign exchange restrictions. GDP growth turned positive in 2017 as oil prices recovered and output stabilized." + }, + "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { + "text": "$1.121 trillion (2017 est.) / $1.112 trillion (2016 est.) / $1.13 trillion (2015 est.)", + "note": { + "text": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" + } + }, + "GDP (official exchange rate)": { + "text": "$376.4 billion (2017 est.)" + }, + "GDP - real growth rate": { + "text": "0.8% (2017 est.) / -1.6% (2016 est.) / 2.7% (2015 est.)" + }, + "GDP - per capita (PPP)": { + "text": "$5,900 (2017 est.) / $6,100 (2016 est.) / $6,300 (2015 est.)", + "note": { + "text": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" + } + }, + "Gross national saving": { + "text": "18.2% of GDP (2017 est.) / 16% of GDP (2016 est.) / 12.3% of GDP (2015 est.)" + }, + "GDP - composition, by end use": { + "household consumption": { + "text": "80% (2017 est.)" + }, + "government consumption": { + "text": "5.8% (2017 est.)" + }, + "investment in fixed capital": { + "text": "14.8% (2017 est.)" + }, + "investment in inventories": { + "text": "0.7% (2017 est.)" + }, + "exports of goods and services": { + "text": "11.9% (2017 est.)" + }, + "imports of goods and services": { + "text": "-13.2% (2017 est.)" + } + }, + "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { + "agriculture": { + "text": "21.1% (2016 est.)" + }, + "industry": { + "text": "22.5% (2016 est.)" + }, + "services": { + "text": "56.4% (2017 est.)" + } + }, + "Agriculture - products": { + "text": "cocoa, peanuts, cotton, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava (manioc, tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish" + }, + "Industries": { + "text": "crude oil, coal, tin, columbite; rubber products, wood; hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel" + }, + "Industrial production growth rate": { + "text": "2.2% (2017 est.)" + }, + "Labor force": { + "text": "60.08 million (2017 est.)" + }, + "Labor force - by occupation": { + "agriculture": { + "text": "70%" + }, + "industry": { + "text": "10%" + }, + "services": { + "text": "20% (1999 est.)" + } + }, + "Unemployment rate": { + "text": "16.5% (2017 est.) / 13.9% (2016 est.)" + }, + "Population below poverty line": { + "text": "70% (2010 est.)" + }, + "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { + "lowest 10%": { + "text": "1.8%" + }, + "highest 10%": { + "text": "38.2% (2010 est.)" + } + }, + "Budget": { + "revenues": { + "text": "12.92 billion (2017 est.)" + }, + "expenditures": { + "text": "19.54 billion (2017 est.)" + } + }, + "Taxes and other revenues": { + "text": "3.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" + }, + "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { + "text": "-1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" + }, + "Public debt": { + "text": "21.8% of GDP (2017 est.) / 19.6% of GDP (2016 est.)" + }, + "Fiscal year": { + "text": "calendar year" + }, + "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { + "text": "16.5% (2017 est.) / 15.7% (2016 est.)" + }, + "Current account balance": { + "text": "$10.38 billion (2017 est.) / $2.714 billion (2016 est.)" + }, + "Exports": { + "text": "$1.146 billion (2017 est.) / $34.7 billion (2016 est.)" + }, + "Exports - partners": { + "text": "India 30.6%, US 12.1%, Spain 6.6%, China 5.6%, France 5.5%, Netherlands 4.4%, Indonesia 4.4% (2017)" + }, + "Exports - commodities": { + "text": "petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber (2012 est.)" + }, + "Imports": { + "text": "$32.67 billion (2017 est.) / $35.24 billion (2016 est.)" + }, + "Imports - commodities": { + "text": "machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals" + }, + "Imports - partners": { + "text": "China 21.1%, Belgium 8.7%, US 8.4%, South Korea 7.5%, UK 4.4% (2017)" + }, + "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { + "text": "$38.77 billion (31 December 2017 est.) / $25.84 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" + }, + "Debt - external": { + "text": "$40.96 billion (31 December 2017 est.) / $31.41 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" + }, + "Exchange rates": { + "text": "nairas (NGN) per US dollar - / 323.5 (2017 est.) / 253 (2016 est.) / 253 (2015 est.) / 192.73 (2014 est.) / 158.55 (2013 est.)" + } + }, + "Energy": { + "Electricity access": { + "population without electricity": { + "text": "77 million (2017)" + }, + "electrification - total population": { + "text": "59.3% (2016)" + }, + "electrification - urban areas": { + "text": "86% (2016)" + }, + "electrification - rural areas": { + "text": "41.1% (2016)" + } + }, + "Electricity - production": { + "text": "29.35 billion kWh (2016 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - consumption": { + "text": "24.72 billion kWh (2016 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - exports": { + "text": "0 kWh (2016 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - imports": { + "text": "0 kWh (2016 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - installed generating capacity": { + "text": "10.52 million kW (2016 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - from fossil fuels": { + "text": "80% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": { + "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": { + "text": "19% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - from other renewable sources": { + "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" + }, + "Crude oil - production": { + "text": "1.989 million bbl/day (2018 est.)" + }, + "Crude oil - exports": { + "text": "2.096 million bbl/day (2015 est.)" + }, + "Crude oil - imports": { + "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" + }, + "Crude oil - proved reserves": { + "text": "37.45 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)" + }, + "Refined petroleum products - production": { + "text": "35,010 bbl/day (2017 est.)" + }, + "Refined petroleum products - consumption": { + "text": "325,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)" + }, + "Refined petroleum products - exports": { + "text": "2,332 bbl/day (2015 est.)" + }, + "Refined petroleum products - imports": { + "text": "223,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)" + }, + "Natural gas - production": { + "text": "44.48 billion cu m (2017 est.)" + }, + "Natural gas - consumption": { + "text": "17.24 billion cu m (2017 est.)" + }, + "Natural gas - exports": { + "text": "27.21 billion cu m (2017 est.)" + }, + "Natural gas - imports": { + "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" + }, + "Natural gas - proved reserves": { + "text": "5.475 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)" + }, + "Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy": { + "text": "104 million Mt (2017 est.)" + } + }, + "Communications": { + "Telephones - fixed lines": { + "total subscriptions": { + "text": "146,075" + }, + "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { + "text": "less than 1 (2019 est.)" + } + }, + "Telephones - mobile cellular": { + "total subscriptions": { + "text": "184,013,243" + }, + "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { + "text": "88.18 (2019 est.)" + } + }, + "Telecommunication systems": { + "general assessment": { + "text": "one of the larger telecom markets in Africa; most Internet connections are via mobile networks; foreign investment presence, particularly China; market competition; LTE-A technologies available but GSM technology dominate; mobile penetration rate of 123% and 173 million subscribers; unified licensing regime; government committed to expanding broadband penetration; in Q1 2018, the Nigerian Communications Commission approved seven licenses to telecom companies to deploy fiber optic cable in the six geopolitical zones and Lagos; operators invest in base stations to take care of network congestion (2020)" + }, + "domestic": { + "text": "fixed-line subscribership remains less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular services growing rapidly, in part responding to the shortcomings of the fixed-line network; multiple cellular providers operate nationally with subscribership base over 88 per 100 persons (2019)" + }, + "international": { + "text": "country code - 234; landing point for the SAT-3/WASC, NCSCS,  MainOne, Glo-1 & 2, ACE, and Equiano fiber-optic submarine cable that provides connectivity to Europe and South and West Africa; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) (2019)" + }, + "note": { + "text": "note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated" + } + }, + "Broadcast media": { + "text": "nearly 70 federal government-controlled national and regional TV stations; all 36 states operate TV stations; several private TV stations operational; cable and satellite TV subscription services are available; network of federal government-controlled national, regional, and state radio stations; roughly 40 state government-owned radio stations typically carry their own programs except for news broadcasts; about 20 private radio stations; transmissions of international broadcasters are available; digital broadcasting migration process completed in three states in 2018 (2019)" + }, + "Internet country code": { + "text": ".ng" + }, + "Internet users": { + "total": { + "text": "85,450,052" + }, + "percent of population": { + "text": "42% (July 2018 est.)" + } + }, + "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { + "total": { + "text": "73,965" + }, + "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { + "text": "less than 1 (2018 est.)" + } + } + }, + "Transportation": { + "National air transport system": { + "number of registered air carriers": { + "text": "13 (2020)" + }, + "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { + "text": "104" + }, + "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": { + "text": "8,169,192 (2018)" + }, + "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": { + "text": "19.42 million mt-km (2018)" + } + }, + "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { + "text": "5N (2016)" + }, + "Airports": { + "text": "54 (2013)" + }, + "Airports - with paved runways": { + "total": { + "text": "40 (2017)" + }, + "over 3,047 m": { + "text": "10 (2017)" + }, + "2,438 to 3,047 m": { + "text": "12 (2017)" + }, + "1,524 to 2,437 m": { + "text": "9 (2017)" + }, + "914 to 1,523 m": { + "text": "6 (2017)" + }, + "under 914 m": { + "text": "3 (2017)" + } + }, + "Airports - with unpaved runways": { + "total": { + "text": "14 (2013)" + }, + "1,524 to 2,437 m": { + "text": "2 (2013)" + }, + "914 to 1,523 m": { + "text": "9 (2013)" + }, + "under 914 m": { + "text": "3 (2013)" + } + }, + "Heliports": { + "text": "5 (2013)" + }, + "Pipelines": { + "text": "124 km condensate, 4045 km gas, 164 km liquid petroleum gas, 4441 km oil, 3940 km refined products (2013)" + }, + "Railways": { + "total": { + "text": "3,798 km (2014)" + }, + "standard gauge": { + "text": "293 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)" + }, + "narrow gauge": { + "text": "3,505 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)" + }, + "note": { + "text": "note: as of the end of 2018, there were only six operational locomotives in Nigeria primarily used for passenger service; the majority of the rail lines are in a severe state of disrepair and need to be replaced" + } + }, + "Roadways": { + "total": { + "text": "195,000 km (2017)" + }, + "paved": { + "text": "60,000 km (2017)" + }, + "unpaved": { + "text": "135,000 km (2017)" + } + }, + "Waterways": { + "text": "8,600 km (Niger and Benue Rivers and smaller rivers and creeks) (2011)" + }, + "Merchant marine": { + "total": { + "text": "677" + }, + "by type": { + "text": "general cargo 15, oil tanker 105, other 557 (2019)" + } + }, + "Ports and terminals": { + "major seaport(s)": { + "text": "Bonny Inshore Terminal, Calabar, Lagos" + }, + "LNG terminal(s) (export)": { + "text": "Bonny Island" + } + } + }, + "Military and Security": { + "Military and security forces": { + "text": "Nigerian Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard), Air Force; Ministry of Interior: Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC, a paramilitary agency commissioned to assist the military in the management of threats to internal security, including attacks and natural disasters) (2020)" + }, + "Military expenditures": { + "text": "0.5% of GDP (2019) / 0.5% of GDP (2018) / 0.4% of GDP (2017) / 0.4% of GDP (2016) / 0.4% of GDP (2015)" + }, + "Military and security service personnel strengths": { + "text": "size estimates for the Nigerian Armed Forces vary; approximately 135,000 active personnel (100,000 Army; 20,000 Navy/Coast Guard; 15,000 Air Force); est. 80,000 Security and Civil Defense Corps (2019 est.)" + }, + "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { + "text": "the Nigerian Armed Forces' inventory consists of a wide variety of imported weapons systems of Chinese, European, Middle Eastern, Russian (including Soviet-era), and US origin; since 2010, the leading suppliers include China, France, Italy, Russia, South Korea, Ukraine, and the US; Nigeria has been the largest arms importer in sub-Saharan Africa since 2014; Nigeria is also developing a defense-industry capacity, including small arms, armored personnel vehicle, and small-scale naval production (2019)" + }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "200 Ghana (ECOMIG); MNJTF (1 brigade or approximately 3,000 troops committed; note - the national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross‐border operations are conducted periodically) (2020)" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)" + }, + "Maritime threats": { + "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea as very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2018, 48 commercial vessels were boarded or attacked compared with 33 attacks in 2017; in 2018, 29 ships were boarded eight of which were underway, 12 were fired upon, and 78 crew members were abducted; Nigerian pirates have extended the range of their attacks to as far away as Cote d'Ivoire and as far as 170 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2019-010-Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 19 July 2019, which states in part \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom (KFR) continue to serve as significant threats to U.S. flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG). ...According to the Office of Naval Intelligence's “Weekly Piracy Reports” 72 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea occurred in the GoG region this year as of July 9, 2019. Attacks, kidnappings for ransom (KFR), and boardings to steal valuables from the ships and crews are the most common types of incidents with approximately 75 percent of all incidents taking place off Nigeria. During the first six months of 2019, there were 15 kidnapping and 3 hijackings in the GoG.\"" + }, + "Military - note": { + "text": "the Nigerian Armed Forces are used primarily for internal security operations; in the northeast, the military is conducting counterinsurgency/counter-terrorist operations against the Boko Haram (BH) and Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) terrorist groups, while in the northwest, it faces threats from criminal gangs, bandits, and militants associated with ongoing herder-farmer violence, as well as BH and ISWA terrorists; the military also focuses on the Niger Delta region to protect the oil industry against militants and criminal activity, although the levels of violence there have decreased in recent years (2020)" + } + }, + "Terrorism": { + "Terrorist group(s)": { + "text": "Boko Haram; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – West Africa; Jama'atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis-Sudan (Ansaru) (2020)", + "note": { + "text": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T" + } + } + }, + "Transnational Issues": { + "Disputes - international": { + "text": "Joint Border Commission with Cameroon reviewed 2002 ICJ ruling on the entire boundary and bilaterally resolved differences, including June 2006 Greentree Agreement that immediately cedes sovereignty of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon with a phaseout of Nigerian control within two years while resolving patriation issues; the ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River all contribute to the delay in implementation; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes the Chad-Niger and Niger-Nigeria boundaries; location of Benin-Niger-Nigeria tripoint is unresolved" + }, + "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { + "refugees (country of origin)": { + "text": "44,524 (Cameroon) (2019)" + }, + "IDPs": { + "text": "3,214,506 (northeast Nigeria; Boko Haram attacks and counterinsurgency efforts in northern Nigeria; communal violence between Christians and Muslims in the middle belt region, political violence; flooding; forced evictions; cattle rustling; competition for resources) (2020)" + } + }, + "Illicit drugs": { + "text": "a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; consumer of amphetamines; safe haven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity; Nigeria has improved some anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and Territories List in June 2006; Nigeria's anti-money-laundering regime continues to be monitored by FATF" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/africa/od.json b/africa/od.json index 07ad9798..cceb322a 100644 --- a/africa/od.json +++ b/africa/od.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "British explorer Samuel BAKER established the colony of Equatoria in 1870, in the name of the Ottoman Khedive of Egypt who claimed the territory. Headquartered in Gondokoro (near modern day Juba), Equatoria in theory composed most of what is now South Sudan. After being cut off from colonial administration during the Mahdist War from 1885-1898, Equatoria was made a state under the Anglo-Egyptian condominium in 1899. It was largely left to itself over the following decades, but Christian missionaries converted much of the population and facilitated the spread of English, rather than Arabic. Equatoria was ruled by British colonial administrators separately from what is now Sudan until the two colonies were combined at the 1947 Juba Conference, as part of British plans to prepare the region for independence. When Sudan gained its independence in 1956, it was with the understanding that the southerners would be able to participate fully in the political system. When the Arab Khartoum government reneged on its promises, a mutiny began that led to two prolonged periods of conflict (1955-1972 and 1983-2005) in which perhaps 2.5 million people died - mostly civilians - due to starvation and drought. Ongoing peace talks finally resulted in a Comprehensive Peace Agreement, signed in January 2005. As part of this agreement, the south was granted a six-year period of autonomy to be followed by a referendum on final status. The result of this referendum, held in January 2011, was a vote of 98% in favor of secession.Since independence on 9 July 2011, South Sudan has struggled with good governance and nation building and has attempted to control opposition forces operating in its territory. Economic conditions have deteriorated since January 2012 when the government decided to shut down oil production following bilateral disagreements with Sudan. In December 2013, conflict between government and opposition forces killed tens of thousands and led to a dire humanitarian crisis with millions of South Sudanese displaced and food insecure. The warring parties signed a peace agreement in August 2015 that created a transitional government of national unity in April 2016. However, in July 2016, fighting broke out in Juba between the two principal signatories, plunging the country back into conflict. A \"revitalized\" peace agreement was signed in September 2018 ending the fighting. Under the agreement, the government and various rebel groups agreed that the sides would form a unified national army and create a transitional government by May 2019. The agreement was extended until November 2019 and then subsequently to February 2020. However, implementation has been stalled, in part by a failure to agree on the country's internal political boundaries." + "text": "British explorer Samuel BAKER established the colony of Equatoria in 1870, in the name of the Ottoman Khedive of Egypt who claimed the territory. Headquartered in Gondokoro (near modern day Juba), Equatoria in theory composed most of what is now South Sudan. After being cut off from colonial administration during the Mahdist War from 1885-1898, Equatoria was made a state under the Anglo-Egyptian condominium in 1899. It was largely left to itself over the following decades, but Christian missionaries converted much of the population and facilitated the spread of English, rather than Arabic. Equatoria was ruled by British colonial administrators separately from what is now Sudan until the two colonies were combined at the 1947 Juba Conference, as part of British plans to prepare the region for independence. When Sudan gained its independence in 1956, it was with the understanding that the southerners would be able to participate fully in the political system. When the Arab Khartoum government reneged on its promises, a mutiny began that led to two prolonged periods of conflict (1955-1972 and 1983-2005) in which perhaps 2.5 million people died - mostly civilians - due to starvation and drought. Ongoing peace talks finally resulted in a Comprehensive Peace Agreement, signed in January 2005. As part of this agreement, the south was granted a six-year period of autonomy to be followed by a referendum on final status. The result of this referendum, held in January 2011, was a vote of 98% in favor of secession. ++ Since independence on 9 July 2011, South Sudan has struggled with good governance and nation building and has attempted to control opposition forces operating in its territory. Economic conditions have deteriorated since January 2012 when the government decided to shut down oil production following bilateral disagreements with Sudan. In December 2013, conflict between government and opposition forces killed tens of thousands and led to a dire humanitarian crisis with millions of South Sudanese displaced and food insecure. The warring parties signed a peace agreement in August 2015 that created a transitional government of national unity in April 2016. However, in July 2016, fighting broke out in Juba between the two principal signatories, plunging the country back into conflict. A \"revitalized\" peace agreement was signed in September 2018 ending the fighting. Under the agreement, the government and various rebel groups agreed that the sides would form a unified national army and create a transitional government by May 2019. The agreement was extended until November 2019 and then subsequently to February 2020. However, implementation has been stalled, in part by a failure to agree on the country's internal political boundaries." } }, "Geography": { @@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ "text": "animist, Christian, Muslim" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "South Sudan, independent from Sudan since July 2011 after decades of civil war, is one of the world’s poorest countries and ranks among the lowest in many socioeconomic categories. Problems are exacerbated by ongoing tensions with Sudan over oil revenues and land borders, fighting between government forces and rebel groups, and inter-communal violence. Most of the population lives off of farming, while smaller numbers rely on animal husbandry; more than 80% of the populace lives in rural areas. The maternal mortality rate is among the world’s highest for a variety of reasons, including a shortage of health care workers, facilities, and supplies; poor roads and a lack of transport; and cultural beliefs that prevent women from seeking obstetric care. Most women marry and start having children early, giving birth at home with the assistance of traditional birth attendants, who are unable to handle complications.\nEducational attainment is extremely poor due to the lack of schools, qualified teachers, and materials. Less than a third of the population is literate (the rate is even lower among women), and half live below the poverty line. Teachers and students are also struggling with the switch from Arabic to English as the language of instruction. Many adults missed out on schooling because of warfare and displacement.\nAlmost 2 million South Sudanese have sought refuge in neighboring countries since the current conflict began in December 2013. Another 1.96 million South Sudanese are internally displaced as of August 2017. Despite South Sudan’s instability and lack of infrastructure and social services, more than 240,000 people have fled to South Sudan to escape fighting in Sudan." + "text": "South Sudan, independent from Sudan since July 2011 after decades of civil war, is one of the world's poorest countries and ranks among the lowest in many socioeconomic categories. Problems are exacerbated by ongoing tensions with Sudan over oil revenues and land borders, fighting between government forces and rebel groups, and inter-communal violence. Most of the population lives off of farming, while smaller numbers rely on animal husbandry; more than 80% of the populace lives in rural areas. The maternal mortality rate is among the world's highest for a variety of reasons, including a shortage of health care workers, facilities, and supplies; poor roads and a lack of transport; and cultural beliefs that prevent women from seeking obstetric care. Most women marry and start having children early, giving birth at home with the assistance of traditional birth attendants, who are unable to handle complications. ++ Educational attainment is extremely poor due to the lack of schools, qualified teachers, and materials. Less than a third of the population is literate (the rate is even lower among women), and half live below the poverty line. Teachers and students are also struggling with the switch from Arabic to English as the language of instruction. Many adults missed out on schooling because of warfare and displacement. ++ Almost 2 million South Sudanese have sought refuge in neighboring countries since the current conflict began in December 2013. Another 1.96 million South Sudanese are internally displaced as of August 2017. Despite South Sudan's instability and lack of infrastructure and social services, more than 240,000 people have fled to South Sudan to escape fighting in Sudan." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -238,28 +238,22 @@ "text": "4% (2010)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 14.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 85.2% of population / rural: 71.7% of population / total: 74.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "28.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "25.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 14.8% of population / rural: 28.3% of population / total: 25.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { "text": "9.8% (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 45.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 54.1% of population / rural: 10.7% of population / total: 19.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "89.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "80.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 45.9% of population / rural: 89.3% of population / total: 80.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -408,13 +402,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Legislature consists of:Council of States, established by presidential decree in August 2011 (50 seats; 20 former members of the Council of States and 30 appointed representatives) Transitional National Legislative Assembly, established on 4 August 2016, in accordance with the August 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (400 seats; 170 members elected in April 2010, 96 members of the former National Assembly, 66 members appointed after independence, and 68 members added as a result of the 2016 Agreement); the TNLA will be expanded to 550 members after the transitional government forms" + "text": "bicameral National Legislature consists of: Council of States, established by presidential decree in August 2011 (50 seats; 20 former members of the Council of States and 30 appointed representatives) ++ Transitional National Legislative Assembly, established on 4 August 2016, in accordance with the August 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (400 seats; 170 members elected in April 2010, 96 members of the former National Assembly, 66 members appointed after independence, and 68 members added as a result of the 2016 Agreement); the TNLA will be expanded to 550 members after the transitional government forms" }, "elections": { - "text": "Council of States - established and members appointed 1 August 2011 National Legislative Assembly - last held 11-15 April 2010 but did not take office until July 2011; current parliamentary term extended until 2021)" + "text": "Council of States - established and members appointed 1 August 2011 ++ National Legislative Assembly - last held 11-15 April 2010 but did not take office until July 2011; current parliamentary term extended until 2021)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SPLM 20, unknown 30; composition - men 44, women 6, percent of women 12% National Legislative Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SPLM 251, DCP 10, independent 6, unknown 133; composition - men 291, women 109, percent of women 27.3%; note - total National Legislature percent of women 25.6%" + "text": "Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SPLM 20, unknown 30; composition - men 44, women 6, percent of women 12% ++ National Legislative Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SPLM 251, DCP 10, independent 6, unknown 133; composition - men 291, women 109, percent of women 27.3%; note - total National Legislature percent of women 25.6%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -429,7 +423,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Change or DC [Onyoti Adigo NYIKWEC] (formerly Sudan People's Liberation Movement-Democratic Movement or SPLM-DC)Sudan People's Liberation Movement or SPLM [Salva KIIR Mayardit]Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition or SPLM-IO [Riek MACHAR Teny Dhurgon]" + "text": "Democratic Change or DC [Onyoti Adigo NYIKWEC] (formerly Sudan People's Liberation Movement-Democratic Movement or SPLM-DC) ++ Sudan People's Liberation Movement or SPLM [Salva KIIR Mayardit] ++ Sudan People's Liberation Movement-In Opposition or SPLM-IO [Riek MACHAR Teny Dhurgon]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO" @@ -482,7 +476,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Industry and infrastructure in landlocked South Sudan are severely underdeveloped and poverty is widespread, following several decades of civil war with Sudan. Continued fighting within the new nation is disrupting what remains of the economy. The vast majority of the population is dependent on subsistence agriculture and humanitarian assistance. Property rights are insecure and price signals are weak, because markets are not well-organized. South Sudan has little infrastructure – about 10,000 kilometers of roads, but just 2% of them paved. Electricity is produced mostly by costly diesel generators, and indoor plumbing and potable water are scarce, so less than 2% of the population has access to electricity. About 90% of consumed goods, capital, and services are imported from neighboring countries – mainly Uganda, Kenya and Sudan. Chinese investment plays a growing role in the infrastructure and energy sectors. Nevertheless, South Sudan does have abundant natural resources. South Sudan holds one of the richest agricultural areas in Africa, with fertile soils and abundant water supplies. Currently the region supports 10-20 million head of cattle. At independence in 2011, South Sudan produced nearly three-fourths of former Sudan's total oil output of nearly a half million barrels per day. The Government of South Sudan relies on oil for the vast majority of its budget revenues, although oil production has fallen sharply since independence. South Sudan is one of the most oil-dependent countries in the world, with 98% of the government’s annual operating budget and 80% of its gross domestic product (GDP) derived from oil. Oil is exported through a pipeline that runs to refineries and shipping facilities at Port Sudan on the Red Sea. The economy of South Sudan will remain linked to Sudan for some time, given the existing oil infrastructure. The outbreak of conflict in December 2013, combined with falling crude oil production and prices, meant that GDP fell significantly between 2014 and 2017. Since the second half of 2017 oil production has risen, and is currently about 130,000 barrels per day. Poverty and food insecurity has risen due to displacement of people caused by the conflict. With famine spreading, 66% of the population in South Sudan is living on less than about $2 a day, up from 50.6% in 2009, according to the World Bank. About 80% of the population lives in rural areas, with agriculture, forestry and fishing providing the livelihood for a majority of the households. Much of rural sector activity is focused on low-input, low-output subsistence agriculture. South Sudan is burdened by considerable debt because of increased military spending and high levels of government corruption. Economic mismanagement is prevalent. Civil servants, including police and the military, are not paid on time, creating incentives to engage in looting and banditry. South Sudan has received more than $11 billion in foreign aid since 2005, largely from the US, the UK, and the EU. Inflation peaked at over 800% per year in October 2016 but dropped to 118% in 2017. The government has funded its expenditures by borrowing from the central bank and foreign sources, using forward sales of oil as collateral. The central bank’s decision to adopt a managed floating exchange rate regime in December 2015 triggered a 97% depreciation of the currency and spawned a growing black market. Long-term challenges include rooting out public sector corruption, improving agricultural productivity, alleviating poverty and unemployment, improving fiscal transparency - particularly in regard to oil revenues, taming inflation, improving government revenues, and creating a rules-based business environment." + "text": "Industry and infrastructure in landlocked South Sudan are severely underdeveloped and poverty is widespread, following several decades of civil war with Sudan. Continued fighting within the new nation is disrupting what remains of the economy. The vast majority of the population is dependent on subsistence agriculture and humanitarian assistance. Property rights are insecure and price signals are weak, because markets are not well-organized. ++ South Sudan has little infrastructure – about 10,000 kilometers of roads, but just 2% of them paved. Electricity is produced mostly by costly diesel generators, and indoor plumbing and potable water are scarce, so less than 2% of the population has access to electricity. About 90% of consumed goods, capital, and services are imported from neighboring countries – mainly Uganda, Kenya and Sudan. Chinese investment plays a growing role in the infrastructure and energy sectors. ++ Nevertheless, South Sudan does have abundant natural resources. South Sudan holds one of the richest agricultural areas in Africa, with fertile soils and abundant water supplies. Currently the region supports 10-20 million head of cattle. At independence in 2011, South Sudan produced nearly three-fourths of former Sudan's total oil output of nearly a half million barrels per day. The Government of South Sudan relies on oil for the vast majority of its budget revenues, although oil production has fallen sharply since independence. South Sudan is one of the most oil-dependent countries in the world, with 98% of the government's annual operating budget and 80% of its gross domestic product (GDP) derived from oil. Oil is exported through a pipeline that runs to refineries and shipping facilities at Port Sudan on the Red Sea. The economy of South Sudan will remain linked to Sudan for some time, given the existing oil infrastructure. The outbreak of conflict in December 2013, combined with falling crude oil production and prices, meant that GDP fell significantly between 2014 and 2017. Since the second half of 2017 oil production has risen, and is currently about 130,000 barrels per day. ++ Poverty and food insecurity has risen due to displacement of people caused by the conflict. With famine spreading, 66% of the population in South Sudan is living on less than about $2 a day, up from 50.6% in 2009, according to the World Bank. About 80% of the population lives in rural areas, with agriculture, forestry and fishing providing the livelihood for a majority of the households. Much of rural sector activity is focused on low-input, low-output subsistence agriculture. ++ South Sudan is burdened by considerable debt because of increased military spending and high levels of government corruption. Economic mismanagement is prevalent. Civil servants, including police and the military, are not paid on time, creating incentives to engage in looting and banditry. South Sudan has received more than $11 billion in foreign aid since 2005, largely from the US, the UK, and the EU. Inflation peaked at over 800% per year in October 2016 but dropped to 118% in 2017. The government has funded its expenditures by borrowing from the central bank and foreign sources, using forward sales of oil as collateral. The central bank's decision to adopt a managed floating exchange rate regime in December 2015 triggered a 97% depreciation of the currency and spawned a growing black market. ++ Long-term challenges include rooting out public sector corruption, improving agricultural productivity, alleviating poverty and unemployment, improving fiscal transparency - particularly in regard to oil revenues, taming inflation, improving government revenues, and creating a rules-based business environment." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$20.01 billion (2017 est.) / $21.1 billion (2016 est.) / $24.52 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -783,13 +777,13 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF): Ground Force, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Presidential Guard (2019)" + "text": "South Sudan People's Defence Force (SSPDF): Ground Force, Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Presidential Guard (2019)" }, "Military expenditures": { "text": "3.5% of GDP (2019) / 3.7% of GDP (2018) / 2.4% of GDP (2017) / 4.6% of GDP (2016) / 10% of GDP (2015)" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "the South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF) has an estimated 190,000 active personnel, including ground, air, and riverine forces (2019)" + "text": "the South Sudan People's Defense Force (SSPDF) has an estimated 190,000 active personnel, including ground, air, and riverine forces (2019)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the SSPDF inventory is primarily of Soviet origin; South Sudan was under a UN arms embargo through May 2020; from 2010 to 2015, Russian and the United Arab Emirates were the leading suppliers of arms and equipment (2020)" @@ -798,7 +792,7 @@ "text": "18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service; the Government of South Sudan signed agreements in March 2012 and August 2015 that included the demobilization of all child soldiers within the armed forces and opposition, but the recruitment of child soldiers by the warring parties continues; as of the end of 2018, UNICEF estimated that more than 19,000 child soldiers had been used in the country's civil war since it began in December 2013 (2018)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "under the September 2018 peace agreement, all armed groups in South Sudan were to assemble at designated sites where fighters could be either disarmed and demobilized, or integrated into unified military and police forces; the unified forces were then to be retrained and deployed prior to the formation of a national unity government; all fighters were ordered to these sites in July 2019; some progress toward merging the various armed forces into a national army has been made; for example, in May 2020, South Sudan announced that it was graduating some unified forces at various training centers across the country, and in June the SSPDF incorporated some senior officers from the main opposition force, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement Army - in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) into its rank structure; nevertheless, progress has been slow, and as of August 2020 armed clashes continued to occur between government forces and armed militant groupsthe United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has operated in the country since 2011 with the objectives of consolidating peace and security and helping establish conditions for the successful economic and political development of South Sudan; UNMISS had more than 18,000 personnel deployed in the country as of May 2020United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has operated in the disputed Abyei region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan since 2011; UNISFA's mission includes ensuring security, protecting civilians, strengthening the capacity of the Abyei Police Service, de-mining, monitoring/verifying the redeployment of armed forces from the area, and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid; UNISFA had about 4,000 personnel deployed as of March 2020 (2020)" + "text": "under the September 2018 peace agreement, all armed groups in South Sudan were to assemble at designated sites where fighters could be either disarmed and demobilized, or integrated into unified military and police forces; the unified forces were then to be retrained and deployed prior to the formation of a national unity government; all fighters were ordered to these sites in July 2019; some progress toward merging the various armed forces into a national army has been made; for example, in May 2020, South Sudan announced that it was graduating some unified forces at various training centers across the country, and in June the SSPDF incorporated some senior officers from the main opposition force, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement Army - in Opposition (SPLM/A-IO) into its rank structure; nevertheless, progress has been slow, and as of August 2020 armed clashes continued to occur between government forces and armed militant groups ++ the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has operated in the country since 2011 with the objectives of consolidating peace and security and helping establish conditions for the successful economic and political development of South Sudan; UNMISS had more than 18,000 personnel deployed in the country as of May 2020 ++ United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has operated in the disputed Abyei region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan since 2011; UNISFA's mission includes ensuring security, protecting civilians, strengthening the capacity of the Abyei Police Service, de-mining, monitoring/verifying the redeployment of armed forces from the area, and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid; UNISFA had about 4,000 personnel deployed as of March 2020 (2020)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { @@ -818,7 +812,7 @@ "text": "South Sudan is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; South Sudanese women and girls, particularly those who are internally displaced, orphaned, refugees, or from rural areas, are vulnerable to forced labor and sexual exploitation, often in urban centers; children may be victims of forced labor in construction, market vending, shoe shining, car washing, rock breaking, brick making, delivery cart pulling, and begging; girls are also forced into marriages and subsequently subjected to sexual slavery or domestic servitude; women and girls migrate willingly from Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to South Sudan with the promise of legitimate jobs and are forced into the sex trade; inter-ethnic abductions and abductions by criminal groups continue, with abductees subsequently forced into domestic servitude, herding, or sex trafficking; in 2014, the recruitment and use of child soldiers increased significantly within government security forces and was also prevalent among opposition forces" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 3 – South Sudan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; despite the government’s formal recommitment to an action plan to eliminate the recruitment and use of child soldiers by 2016, the practice expanded during 2014, and the government did not hold any officers criminally responsible; government officials reportedly are complicit in trafficking offenses but these activities continue to go uninvestigated; authorities reportedly identified five trafficking victims but did not transfer them to care facilities; law enforcement continued to arrest and imprison individuals for prostitution, including trafficking victims; no known steps were taken to address the exploitation of South Sudanese nationals working abroad or foreign workers in South Sudan (2015)" + "text": "Tier 3 – South Sudan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; despite the government's formal recommitment to an action plan to eliminate the recruitment and use of child soldiers by 2016, the practice expanded during 2014, and the government did not hold any officers criminally responsible; government officials reportedly are complicit in trafficking offenses but these activities continue to go uninvestigated; authorities reportedly identified five trafficking victims but did not transfer them to care facilities; law enforcement continued to arrest and imprison individuals for prostitution, including trafficking victims; no known steps were taken to address the exploitation of South Sudanese nationals working abroad or foreign workers in South Sudan (2015)" } } } diff --git a/africa/pu.json b/africa/pu.json index 9dd8fc89..7b9e6849 100644 --- a/africa/pu.json +++ b/africa/pu.json @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ "text": "Muslim 45.1%, Christian 22.1%, animist 14.9%, none 2%, unspecified 15.9% (2008 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Guinea-Bissau’s young and growing population is sustained by high fertility; approximately 60% of the population is under the age of 25. Its large reproductive-age population and total fertility rate of more than 4 children per woman offsets the country’s high infant and maternal mortality rates. The latter is among the world’s highest because of the prevalence of early childbearing, a lack of birth spacing, the high percentage of births outside of health care facilities, and a shortage of medicines and supplies.\nGuinea-Bissau’s history of political instability, a civil war, and several coups (the latest in 2012) have resulted in a fragile state with a weak economy, high unemployment, rampant corruption, widespread poverty, and thriving drug and child trafficking. With the country lacking educational infrastructure, school funding and materials, and qualified teachers, and with the cultural emphasis placed on religious education, parents frequently send boys to study in residential Koranic schools (daaras) in Senegal and The Gambia. They often are extremely deprived and are forced into street begging or agricultural work by marabouts (Muslim religious teachers), who enrich themselves at the expense of the children. Boys who leave their marabouts often end up on the streets of Dakar or other large Senegalese towns and are vulnerable to even worse abuse.\nSome young men lacking in education and job prospects become involved in the flourishing international drug trade. Local drug use and associated violent crime are growing." + "text": "Guinea-Bissau's young and growing population is sustained by high fertility; approximately 60% of the population is under the age of 25. Its large reproductive-age population and total fertility rate of more than 4 children per woman offsets the country's high infant and maternal mortality rates. The latter is among the world's highest because of the prevalence of early childbearing, a lack of birth spacing, the high percentage of births outside of health care facilities, and a shortage of medicines and supplies. ++ Guinea-Bissau's history of political instability, a civil war, and several coups (the latest in 2012) have resulted in a fragile state with a weak economy, high unemployment, rampant corruption, widespread poverty, and thriving drug and child trafficking. With the country lacking educational infrastructure, school funding and materials, and qualified teachers, and with the cultural emphasis placed on religious education, parents frequently send boys to study in residential Koranic schools (daaras) in Senegal and The Gambia. They often are extremely deprived and are forced into street begging or agricultural work by marabouts (Muslim religious teachers), who enrich themselves at the expense of the children. Boys who leave their marabouts often end up on the streets of Dakar or other large Senegalese towns and are vulnerable to even worse abuse. ++ Some young men lacking in education and job prospects become involved in the flourishing international drug trade. Local drug use and associated violent crime are growing." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -252,14 +252,11 @@ "text": "16% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 8.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 91.2% of population / rural: 60.3% of population / total: 73.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "39.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "26.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 8.5% of population / rural: 39.7% of population / total: 26.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "1 beds/1,000 population (2009)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 33.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 66.5% of population / rural: 13.4% of population / total: 36.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "86.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "63.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 33.5% of population / rural: 86.6% of population / total: 63.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -384,7 +378,7 @@ "text": "promulgated 16 May 1984; note - constitution suspended following military coup in April 2012 and restored in 2014" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the National People’s Assembly if supported by at least one third of its members, by the Council of State (a presidential consultant body), or by the government; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on the republican and secular form of government and national sovereignty cannot be amended; amended 1991, 1993, 1996" + "text": "proposed by the National People's Assembly if supported by at least one third of its members, by the Council of State (a presidential consultant body), or by the government; passage requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; constitutional articles on the republican and secular form of government and national sovereignty cannot be amended; amended 1991, 1993, 1996" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -450,7 +444,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde or PAIGC [Domingos SIMOES PEREIRA]Democratic Convergence Party or PCD [Vicente FERNANDES]Movement for Democratic Alternation Group of 15 or MADEM-G15 [Braima CAMARA]National People’s Assembly – Democratic Party of Guinea Bissau or APU-PDGB [Nuno Gomes NABIAM]New Democracy Party or PND [Mamadu Iaia DJALO]Party for Social Renewal or PRS [Alberto NAMBEIA]Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID [Aristides GOMES]Union for Change or UM [Agnelo REGALA]" + "text": "African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde or PAIGC [Domingos SIMOES PEREIRA] ++ Democratic Convergence Party or PCD [Vicente FERNANDES] ++ Movement for Democratic Alternation Group of 15 or MADEM-G15 [Braima CAMARA] ++ National People's Assembly – Democratic Party of Guinea Bissau or APU-PDGB [Nuno Gomes NABIAM] ++ New Democracy Party or PND [Mamadu Iaia DJALO] ++ Party for Social Renewal or PRS [Alberto NAMBEIA] ++ Republican Party for Independence and Development or PRID [Aristides GOMES] ++ Union for Change or UM [Agnelo REGALA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CPLP, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -484,7 +478,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Guinea-Bissau is highly dependent on subsistence agriculture, cashew nut exports, and foreign assistance. Two out of three Bissau-Guineans remain below the absolute poverty line. The legal economy is based on cashews and fishing. Illegal logging and trafficking in narcotics also play significant roles. The combination of limited economic prospects, weak institutions, and favorable geography have made this West African country a way station for drugs bound for Europe. Guinea-Bissau has substantial potential for development of mineral resources, including phosphates, bauxite, and mineral sands. Offshore oil and gas exploration has begun. The country’s climate and soil make it feasible to grow a wide range of cash crops, fruit, vegetables, and tubers; however, cashews generate more than 80% of export receipts and are the main source of income for many rural communities. The government was deposed in August 2015, and since then, a political stalemate has resulted in weak governance and reduced donor support. The country is participating in a three-year, IMF extended credit facility program that was suspended because of a planned bank bailout. The program was renewed in 2017, but the major donors of direct budget support (the EU, World Bank, and African Development Bank) have halted their programs indefinitely. Diversification of the economy remains a key policy goal, but Guinea-Bissau’s poor infrastructure and business climate will constrain this effort." + "text": "Guinea-Bissau is highly dependent on subsistence agriculture, cashew nut exports, and foreign assistance. Two out of three Bissau-Guineans remain below the absolute poverty line. The legal economy is based on cashews and fishing. Illegal logging and trafficking in narcotics also play significant roles. The combination of limited economic prospects, weak institutions, and favorable geography have made this West African country a way station for drugs bound for Europe. ++ Guinea-Bissau has substantial potential for development of mineral resources, including phosphates, bauxite, and mineral sands. Offshore oil and gas exploration has begun. The country's climate and soil make it feasible to grow a wide range of cash crops, fruit, vegetables, and tubers; however, cashews generate more than 80% of export receipts and are the main source of income for many rural communities. ++ The government was deposed in August 2015, and since then, a political stalemate has resulted in weak governance and reduced donor support. ++ The country is participating in a three-year, IMF extended credit facility program that was suspended because of a planned bank bailout. The program was renewed in 2017, but the major donors of direct budget support (the EU, World Bank, and African Development Bank) have halted their programs indefinitely. Diversification of the economy remains a key policy goal, but Guinea-Bissau's poor infrastructure and business climate will constrain this effort." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$3.171 billion (2017 est.) / $2.994 billion (2016 est.) / $2.817 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/rw.json b/africa/rw.json index 7dc2f0a0..b24450aa 100644 --- a/africa/rw.json +++ b/africa/rw.json @@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ "text": "one of Africa's most densely populated countries; large concentrations tend to be in the central regions and along the shore of Lake Kivu in the west as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga Mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo\nvolcanism: Visoke (3,711 m), located on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the country's only historically active volcano" + "text": "periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga Mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo ++ volcanism: Visoke (3,711 m), located on the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the country's only historically active volcano" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; land degradation; soil erosion; a decline in soil fertility (soil exhaustion); wetland degradation and loss of biodiversity; widespread poaching" @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ "text": "Protestant 49.5% (includes Adventist 11.8% and other Protestant 37.7%), Roman Catholic 43.7%, Muslim 2%, other 0.9% (includes Jehovah's Witness), none 2.5%, unspecified 1.3% (2012 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Rwanda’s fertility rate declined sharply during the last decade, as a result of the government’s commitment to family planning, the increased use of contraceptives, and a downward trend in ideal family size. Increases in educational attainment, particularly among girls, and exposure to social media also contributed to the reduction in the birth rate. The average number of births per woman decreased from a 5.6 in 2005 to 4.5 in 2016. Despite these significant strides in reducing fertility, Rwanda’s birth rate remains very high and will continue to for an extended period of time because of its large population entering reproductive age. Because Rwanda is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, its persistent high population growth and increasingly small agricultural landholdings will put additional strain on families’ ability to raise foodstuffs and access potable water. These conditions will also hinder the government’s efforts to reduce poverty and prevent environmental degradation.\nThe UNHCR recommended that effective 30 June 2013 countries invoke a cessation of refugee status for those Rwandans who fled their homeland between 1959 and 1998, including the 1994 genocide, on the grounds that the conditions that drove them to seek protection abroad no longer exist. The UNHCR’s decision is controversial because many Rwandan refugees still fear persecution if they return home, concerns that are supported by the number of Rwandans granted asylum since 1998 and by the number exempted from the cessation. Rwandan refugees can still seek an exemption or local integration, but host countries are anxious to send the refugees back to Rwanda and are likely to avoid options that enable them to stay. Conversely, Rwanda itself hosts almost 160,000 refugees as of 2017; virtually all of them fleeing conflict in neighboring Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo." + "text": "Rwanda's fertility rate declined sharply during the last decade, as a result of the government's commitment to family planning, the increased use of contraceptives, and a downward trend in ideal family size. Increases in educational attainment, particularly among girls, and exposure to social media also contributed to the reduction in the birth rate. The average number of births per woman decreased from a 5.6 in 2005 to 4.5 in 2016. Despite these significant strides in reducing fertility, Rwanda's birth rate remains very high and will continue to for an extended period of time because of its large population entering reproductive age. Because Rwanda is one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, its persistent high population growth and increasingly small agricultural landholdings will put additional strain on families' ability to raise foodstuffs and access potable water. These conditions will also hinder the government's efforts to reduce poverty and prevent environmental degradation. ++ The UNHCR recommended that effective 30 June 2013 countries invoke a cessation of refugee status for those Rwandans who fled their homeland between 1959 and 1998, including the 1994 genocide, on the grounds that the conditions that drove them to seek protection abroad no longer exist. The UNHCR's decision is controversial because many Rwandan refugees still fear persecution if they return home, concerns that are supported by the number of Rwandans granted asylum since 1998 and by the number exempted from the cessation. Rwandan refugees can still seek an exemption or local integration, but host countries are anxious to send the refugees back to Rwanda and are likely to avoid options that enable them to stay. Conversely, Rwanda itself hosts almost 160,000 refugees as of 2017; virtually all of them fleeing conflict in neighboring Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "53.2% (2014/15)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 92% of population / rural: 76.9% of population / total: 79.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "23.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "20.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 8% of population / rural: 23.1% of population / total: 20.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "0.14 physicians/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 11.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 88.4% of population / rural: 79.4% of population / total: 80.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "20.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "19.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 11.6% of population / rural: 20.6% of population / total: 19.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -451,13 +445,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate or Senat (26 seats; 12 members indirectly elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 appointed by the Political Organizations Forum - a body of registered political parties, and 2 selected by institutions of higher learning; members serve 8-year terms) Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (80 seats; 53 members directly elected by proportional representation vote, 24 women selected by special interest groups, and 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate or Senat (26 seats; 12 members indirectly elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 appointed by the Political Organizations Forum - a body of registered political parties, and 2 selected by institutions of higher learning; members serve 8-year terms) ++ Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (80 seats; 53 members directly elected by proportional representation vote, 24 women selected by special interest groups, and 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 16-18 September 2019 (next to be held in 2027) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 3 September 2018 (next to be held in September 2023)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 16-18 September 2019 (next to be held in 2027) ++ Chamber of Deputies - last held on 3 September 2018 (next to be held in September 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 16, women 10, percent of women 38.5%Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Rwandan Patriotic Front Coalition 40, PSD 5, PL 4, other 4 indirectly elected 27; composition - men 26, women 54, percent of women 67.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 60.4%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 16, women 10, percent of women 38.5% ++ Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Rwandan Patriotic Front Coalition 40, PSD 5, PL 4, other 4 indirectly elected 27; composition - men 26, women 54, percent of women 67.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 60.4%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -468,14 +462,14 @@ "text": "Supreme Court judges nominated by the president after consultation with the Cabinet and the Superior Council of the Judiciary (SCJ), a 27-member body of judges, other judicial officials, and legal professionals) and approved by the Senate; chief and deputy chief justices appointed for 8-year nonrenewable terms; tenure of judges NA; High Court president and vice president appointed by the president of the republic upon approval by the Senate; judges appointed by the Supreme Court chief justice upon approval of the SCJ; judge tenure NA" }, "subordinate courts": { - "text": "High Court of the Republic; commercial courts including the High Commercial Court; intermediate courts; primary courts; and military specialized courts" + "text": "High Court of the Republic; commercial courts including the High Commercial Court; intermediate courts; primary courts; and military specialized courts ++" }, "note": { "text": " " } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Green Party of Rwanda or DGPR [Frank HABINEZA]Liberal Party or PL [Donatille MUKABALISA]Party for Progress and Concord or PPC [Dr. Alivera MUKABARAMBA]Party Imberakuri or PS-Imberakuri [Christine MUKABUNANI]Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]Rwandan Patriotic Front Coalition (includes RPF, PPC) [Paul KAGAME]Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]" + "text": "Democratic Green Party of Rwanda or DGPR [Frank HABINEZA] ++ Liberal Party or PL [Donatille MUKABALISA] ++ Party for Progress and Concord or PPC [Dr. Alivera MUKABARAMBA] ++ Party Imberakuri or PS-Imberakuri [Christine MUKABUNANI] ++ Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME] ++ Rwandan Patriotic Front Coalition (includes RPF, PPC) [Paul KAGAME] ++ Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -531,7 +525,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with agriculture accounting for about 63% of export earnings, and with some mineral and agro-processing. Population density is high but, with the exception of the capital Kigali, is not concentrated in large cities – its 12 million people are spread out on a small amount of land (smaller than the state of Maryland). Tourism, minerals, coffee, and tea are Rwanda's main sources of foreign exchange. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with demand, requiring food imports. Energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap private sector growth. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and temporarily stalled the country's ability to attract private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy well beyond pre-1994 levels. GDP has rebounded with an average annual growth of 6%-8% since 2003 and inflation has been reduced to single digits. In 2015, 39% of the population lived below the poverty line, according to government statistics, compared to 57% in 2006. The government has embraced an expansionary fiscal policy to reduce poverty by improving education, infrastructure, and foreign and domestic investment. Rwanda consistently ranks well for ease of doing business and transparency. The Rwandan Government is seeking to become a regional leader in information and communication technologies and aims to reach middle-income status by 2020 by leveraging the service industry. In 2012, Rwanda completed the first modern Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Kigali. The SEZ seeks to attract investment in all sectors, but specifically in agribusiness, information and communications, trade and logistics, mining, and construction. In 2016, the government launched an online system to give investors information about public land and its suitability for agricultural development." + "text": "Rwanda is a rural, agrarian country with agriculture accounting for about 63% of export earnings, and with some mineral and agro-processing. Population density is high but, with the exception of the capital Kigali, is not concentrated in large cities – its 12 million people are spread out on a small amount of land (smaller than the state of Maryland). Tourism, minerals, coffee, and tea are Rwanda's main sources of foreign exchange. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with demand, requiring food imports. Energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap private sector growth. ++ The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and temporarily stalled the country's ability to attract private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy well beyond pre-1994 levels. GDP has rebounded with an average annual growth of 6%-8% since 2003 and inflation has been reduced to single digits. In 2015, 39% of the population lived below the poverty line, according to government statistics, compared to 57% in 2006. ++ The government has embraced an expansionary fiscal policy to reduce poverty by improving education, infrastructure, and foreign and domestic investment. Rwanda consistently ranks well for ease of doing business and transparency. ++ The Rwandan Government is seeking to become a regional leader in information and communication technologies and aims to reach middle-income status by 2020 by leveraging the service industry. In 2012, Rwanda completed the first modern Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Kigali. The SEZ seeks to attract investment in all sectors, but specifically in agribusiness, information and communications, trade and logistics, mining, and construction. In 2016, the government launched an online system to give investors information about public land and its suitability for agricultural development." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$24.68 billion (2017 est.) / $23.26 billion (2016 est.) / $21.94 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/se.json b/africa/se.json index 242601cd..54e7673e 100644 --- a/africa/se.json +++ b/africa/se.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Seychelles was uninhabited prior to being discovered by Europeans early in the 16th century. A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. During colonial rule, a plantation-based economy developed that relied on imported labor, primarily from European colonies in Africa. Independence came in 1976. Following a coup d’etat in 1977, the country was a socialist one-party state until adopting a new constitution and holding free elections in 1993. President France-Albert RENE, who had served since 1977, was reelected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James Alix MICHEL took over the presidency and in 2006 was elected to a new five-year term; he was reelected in 2011 and again in 2015. In 2016, James MICHEL resigned and handed over the presidency to his vice-president, Danny FAURE." + "text": "Seychelles was uninhabited prior to being discovered by Europeans early in the 16th century. A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. During colonial rule, a plantation-based economy developed that relied on imported labor, primarily from European colonies in Africa. Independence came in 1976. Following a coup d'etat in 1977, the country was a socialist one-party state until adopting a new constitution and holding free elections in 1993. President France-Albert RENE, who had served since 1977, was reelected in 2001, but stepped down in 2004. Vice President James Alix MICHEL took over the presidency and in 2006 was elected to a new five-year term; he was reelected in 2011 and again in 2015. In 2016, James MICHEL resigned and handed over the presidency to his vice-president, Danny FAURE." } }, "Geography": { @@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 10.5% (Anglican 6.1%, Pentecostal Assembly 1.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.2%, other Protestant 1.7%), other Christian 2.4%, Hindu 2.4%, Muslim 1.6%, other non-Christian 1.1%, unspecified 4.8%, none 0.9% (2010 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Seychelles has no indigenous population and was first permanently settled by a small group of French planters, African slaves, and South Indians in 1770. Seychelles’ modern population is composed of the descendants of French and later British settlers, Africans, and Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern traders and is concentrated on three of its 155 islands – the vast majority on Mahe and lesser numbers on Praslin and La Digue. Seychelles’ population grew rapidly during the second half of the 20th century, largely due to natural increase, but the pace has slowed because of fertility decline. The total fertility rate dropped sharply from 4.0 children per woman in 1980 to 1.9 in 2015, mainly as a result of a family planning program, free education and health care, and increased female labor force participation. Life expectancy has increased steadily, but women on average live 9 years longer than men, a difference that is higher than that typical of developed countries.\nThe combination of reduced fertility and increased longevity has resulted in an aging population, which will put pressure on the government’s provision of pensions and health care. Seychelles’ sustained investment in social welfare services, such as free primary health care and education up to the post-secondary level, have enabled the country to achieve a high human development index score – among the highest in Africa. Despite some of its health and education indicators being nearly on par with Western countries, Seychelles has a high level of income inequality.\nAn increasing number of migrant workers – mainly young men – have been coming to Seychelles in recent years to work in the construction and tourism industries. As of 2011, foreign workers made up nearly a quarter of the workforce. Indians are the largest non-Seychellois population – representing half of the country’s foreigners – followed by Malagasy." + "text": "Seychelles has no indigenous population and was first permanently settled by a small group of French planters, African slaves, and South Indians in 1770. Seychelles' modern population is composed of the descendants of French and later British settlers, Africans, and Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern traders and is concentrated on three of its 155 islands – the vast majority on Mahe and lesser numbers on Praslin and La Digue. Seychelles' population grew rapidly during the second half of the 20th century, largely due to natural increase, but the pace has slowed because of fertility decline. The total fertility rate dropped sharply from 4.0 children per woman in 1980 to 1.9 in 2015, mainly as a result of a family planning program, free education and health care, and increased female labor force participation. Life expectancy has increased steadily, but women on average live 9 years longer than men, a difference that is higher than that typical of developed countries. ++ The combination of reduced fertility and increased longevity has resulted in an aging population, which will put pressure on the government's provision of pensions and health care. Seychelles' sustained investment in social welfare services, such as free primary health care and education up to the post-secondary level, have enabled the country to achieve a high human development index score – among the highest in Africa. Despite some of its health and education indicators being nearly on par with Western countries, Seychelles has a high level of income inequality. ++ An increasing number of migrant workers – mainly young men – have been coming to Seychelles in recent years to work in the construction and tourism industries. As of 2011, foreign workers made up nearly a quarter of the workforce. Indians are the largest non-Seychellois population – representing half of the country's foreigners – followed by Malagasy." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -244,8 +244,11 @@ "text": "1.83 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 96.2% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 3.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -258,8 +261,11 @@ "text": "3.6 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -366,7 +372,7 @@ "text": "previous 1970, 1979; latest drafted May 1993, approved by referendum 18 June 1993, effective 23 June 1993" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting the country’s sovereignty, symbols and languages, the supremacy of the constitution, fundamental rights and freedoms, amendment procedures, and dissolution of the Assembly also requires approval by at least 60% of voters in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2017" + "text": "proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the National Assembly; passage of amendments affecting the country's sovereignty, symbols and languages, the supremacy of the constitution, fundamental rights and freedoms, amendment procedures, and dissolution of the Assembly also requires approval by at least 60% of voters in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2017" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -432,7 +438,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Lafors Seselwa Demokratik  or LSD [Martin AGLAE]One Seychelles [Alain St. ANGE]Seselwa (Seychelles) United Party or SUP [Robert ERNESTA] (formerly the New Democratic Party or NDP)Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO)Seychelles Party for Social Justice and Democracy or SPSD [Alexia AMESBURY]Seychelles Patriotic Movement or SPM [Vincent LARUER]Seychelloise Alliance (Lalyans Seselwa) [Patrick PILLAY]Seychellois Democratic Alliance (Linyon Demokratik Seselwa) or LDS [Roger MANCIENNE] (includes SNP, SPSD, and SUP)United Seychelles or US [Vincent MERITON] (formerly People's Party (Parti Lepep) or PL; (formerly SPPF)" + "text": "Lafors Seselwa Demokratik  or LSD [Martin AGLAE] ++ One Seychelles [Alain St. ANGE] ++ Seselwa (Seychelles) United Party or SUP [Robert ERNESTA] (formerly the New Democratic Party or NDP) ++ Seychelles National Party or SNP [Wavel RAMKALAWAN] (formerly the United Opposition or UO) ++ Seychelles Party for Social Justice and Democracy or SPSD [Alexia AMESBURY] ++ Seychelles Patriotic Movement or SPM [Vincent LARUER] ++ Seychelloise Alliance (Lalyans Seselwa) [Patrick PILLAY] ++ Seychellois Democratic Alliance (Linyon Demokratik Seselwa) or LDS [Roger MANCIENNE] (includes SNP, SPSD, and SUP) ++ United Seychelles or US [Vincent MERITON] (formerly People's Party (Parti Lepep) or PL; (formerly SPPF)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, C, CD, COMESA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -477,7 +483,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the pre-independence, near-subsistence level, moving the island into the high income group of countries. Growth has been led by the tourism sector, which directly employs about 26% of the labor force and directly and indirectly accounts for more than 55% of GDP, and by tuna fishing. In recent years, the government has encouraged foreign investment to upgrade hotels and tourism industry services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of the offshore financial, information, and communication sectors and renewable energy. In 2008, having depleted its foreign exchange reserves, Seychelles defaulted on interest payments due on a $230 million Eurobond, requested assistance from the IMF, and immediately enacted a number of significant structural reforms, including liberalization of the exchange rate, reform of the public sector to include layoffs, and the sale of some state assets. In December 2013, the IMF declared that Seychelles had successfully transitioned to a market-based economy with full employment and a fiscal surplus. However, state-owned enterprises still play a prominent role in the economy. Effective 1 January 2017, Seychelles was no longer eligible for trade benefits under the US African Growth and Opportunities Act after having gained developed country status. Seychelles grew at 5% in 2017 because of a strong tourism sector and low commodity prices. The Seychellois Government met the IMF’s performance criteria for 2017 but recognizes a need to make additional progress to reduce high income inequality, represented by a Gini coefficient of 46.8. As a very small open economy dependent on tourism, Seychelles remains vulnerable to developments such as economic downturns in countries that supply tourists, natural disasters, and changes in local climatic conditions and ocean temperature. One of the main challenges facing the government is implementing strategies that will increase Seychelles' long-term resilience to climate change without weakening economic growth." + "text": "Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the pre-independence, near-subsistence level, moving the island into the high income group of countries. Growth has been led by the tourism sector, which directly employs about 26% of the labor force and directly and indirectly accounts for more than 55% of GDP, and by tuna fishing. In recent years, the government has encouraged foreign investment to upgrade hotels and tourism industry services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of the offshore financial, information, and communication sectors and renewable energy. ++ In 2008, having depleted its foreign exchange reserves, Seychelles defaulted on interest payments due on a $230 million Eurobond, requested assistance from the IMF, and immediately enacted a number of significant structural reforms, including liberalization of the exchange rate, reform of the public sector to include layoffs, and the sale of some state assets. In December 2013, the IMF declared that Seychelles had successfully transitioned to a market-based economy with full employment and a fiscal surplus. However, state-owned enterprises still play a prominent role in the economy. Effective 1 January 2017, Seychelles was no longer eligible for trade benefits under the US African Growth and Opportunities Act after having gained developed country status. Seychelles grew at 5% in 2017 because of a strong tourism sector and low commodity prices. The Seychellois Government met the IMF's performance criteria for 2017 but recognizes a need to make additional progress to reduce high income inequality, represented by a Gini coefficient of 46.8. ++ As a very small open economy dependent on tourism, Seychelles remains vulnerable to developments such as economic downturns in countries that supply tourists, natural disasters, and changes in local climatic conditions and ocean temperature. One of the main challenges facing the government is implementing strategies that will increase Seychelles' long-term resilience to climate change without weakening economic growth." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.75 billion (2017 est.) / $2.612 billion (2016 est.) / $2.499 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -828,13 +834,13 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Seychelles People’s Defence Forces (SPDF): Army (includes infantry, Special Forces (Tazar), and Presidential Security Unit), Coast Guard, and Air Force (2019)" + "text": "Seychelles People's Defence Forces (SPDF): Army (includes infantry, Special Forces (Tazar), and Presidential Security Unit), Coast Guard, and Air Force (2019)" }, "Military expenditures": { "text": "1.3% of GDP (2019) / 1.44% of GDP (2018) / 1.57% of GDP (2017) / 1.29% of GDP (2016) / 1.21% of GDP (2015)" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "the Seychelles People’s Defence Forces (SPDF) is comprised of about 500 personnel (200 Land Forces; 200 Coast Guard; 100 Air Force) (2019)" + "text": "the Seychelles People's Defence Forces (SPDF) is comprised of about 500 personnel (200 Land Forces; 200 Coast Guard; 100 Air Force) (2019)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the SPDF's inventory primarily consists of Soviet-era equipment delivered in the 1970s and 1980s; since 2010, China and India are the leading suppliers of newer equipment (mostly donations of patrol boats and aircraft) (2019 est.)" diff --git a/africa/sf.json b/africa/sf.json index 893dbab4..f9b6f3df 100644 --- a/africa/sf.json +++ b/africa/sf.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Some of the earliest human remains in the fossil record are found in South Africa. By about A.D. 500, Bantu speaking groups began settling into what is now northeastern South Africa displacing Khoisan speaking groups to the southwest. Dutch traders landed at the southern tip of present-day South Africa in 1652 and established a stopover point on the spice route between the Netherlands and the Far East, founding the city of Cape Town. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the settlers of Dutch descent (Afrikaners, also called \"Boers\" (farmers) at the time) trekked north to found their own republics, Transvaal and Orange Free State. In the 1820s, several decades of wars began as the Zulus expanded their territory, moving out of what is today southeastern South Africa and clashing with other indigenous peoples and with expanding European settlements. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration from Europe.The Anglo-Zulu War (1879) resulted in the incorporation of the Zulu kingdom's territory into the British Empire. Subsequently, the Afrikaner republics were incorporated into the British Empire after their defeat in the Second South African War (1899-1902). However, the British and the Afrikaners ruled together beginning in 1910 under the Union of South Africa, which became a republic in 1961 after a whites-only referendum. In 1948, the National Party was voted into power and instituted a policy of apartheid – billed as \"separate development\" of the races - which favored the white minority at the expense of the black majority and other non-white groups. The African National Congress (ANC) led the opposition to apartheid and many top ANC leaders, such as Nelson MANDELA, spent decades in South Africa's prisons. Internal protests and insurgency, as well as boycotts by some Western nations and institutions, led to the regime's eventual willingness to negotiate a peaceful transition to majority rule. The first multi-racial elections in 1994 following the end of apartheid ushered in majority rule under an ANC-led government. South Africa has since struggled to address apartheid-era imbalances in wealth, housing, education, and health care. Jacob ZUMA became president in 2009 and was reelected in 2014, but resigned in February 2018 after numerous corruption scandals and gains by opposition parties in municipal elections in 2016. His successor, Cyril RAMAPHOSA, has made some progress in reigning in corruption, though many challenges persist. In May 2019 national elections, the country’s sixth since the end of apartheid, the ANC won a majority of parliamentary seats, delivering RAMAPHOSA a five-year term." + "text": "Some of the earliest human remains in the fossil record are found in South Africa. By about A.D. 500, Bantu speaking groups began settling into what is now northeastern South Africa displacing Khoisan speaking groups to the southwest. Dutch traders landed at the southern tip of present-day South Africa in 1652 and established a stopover point on the spice route between the Netherlands and the Far East, founding the city of Cape Town. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the settlers of Dutch descent (Afrikaners, also called \"Boers\" (farmers) at the time) trekked north to found their own republics, Transvaal and Orange Free State. In the 1820s, several decades of wars began as the Zulus expanded their territory, moving out of what is today southeastern South Africa and clashing with other indigenous peoples and with expanding European settlements. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration from Europe. ++ The Anglo-Zulu War (1879) resulted in the incorporation of the Zulu kingdom's territory into the British Empire. Subsequently, the Afrikaner republics were incorporated into the British Empire after their defeat in the Second South African War (1899-1902). However, the British and the Afrikaners ruled together beginning in 1910 under the Union of South Africa, which became a republic in 1961 after a whites-only referendum. In 1948, the National Party was voted into power and instituted a policy of apartheid – billed as \"separate development\" of the races - which favored the white minority at the expense of the black majority and other non-white groups. The African National Congress (ANC) led the opposition to apartheid and many top ANC leaders, such as Nelson MANDELA, spent decades in South Africa's prisons. Internal protests and insurgency, as well as boycotts by some Western nations and institutions, led to the regime's eventual willingness to negotiate a peaceful transition to majority rule. ++ The first multi-racial elections in 1994 following the end of apartheid ushered in majority rule under an ANC-led government. South Africa has since struggled to address apartheid-era imbalances in wealth, housing, education, and health care. Jacob ZUMA became president in 2009 and was reelected in 2014, but resigned in February 2018 after numerous corruption scandals and gains by opposition parties in municipal elections in 2016. His successor, Cyril RAMAPHOSA, has made some progress in reigning in corruption, though many challenges persist. In May 2019 national elections, the country's sixth since the end of apartheid, the ANC won a majority of parliamentary seats, delivering RAMAPHOSA a five-year term." } }, "Geography": { @@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ "text": "the population concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densly populated than the west as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "prolonged droughts\nvolcanism: the volcano forming Marion Island in the Prince Edward Islands, which last erupted in 2004, is South Africa's only active volcano" + "text": "prolonged droughts ++ volcanism: the volcano forming Marion Island in the Prince Edward Islands, which last erupted in 2004, is South Africa's only active volcano" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; desertification; solid waste pollution; disruption of fragile ecosystem has resulted in significant floral extinctions" @@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ "text": "Christian 86%, ancestral, tribal, animist, or other traditional African religions 5.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other 1.5%, nothing in particular 5.2% (2015 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "South Africa’s youthful population is gradually aging, as the country’s total fertility rate (TFR) has declined dramatically from about 6 children per woman in the 1960s to roughly 2.2 in 2014. This pattern is similar to fertility trends in South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, and sets South Africa apart from the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, where the average TFR remains higher than other regions of the world. Today, South Africa’s decreasing number of reproductive age women is having fewer children, as women increase their educational attainment, workforce participation, and use of family planning methods; delay marriage; and opt for smaller families.\nAs the proportion of working-age South Africans has grown relative to children and the elderly, South Africa has been unable to achieve a demographic dividend because persistent high unemployment and the prevalence of HIV/AIDs have created a larger-than-normal dependent population. HIV/AIDS was also responsible for South Africa’s average life expectancy plunging to less than 43 years in 2008; it has rebounded to 63 years as of 2017. HIV/AIDS continues to be a serious public health threat, although awareness-raising campaigns and the wider availability of anti-retroviral drugs is stabilizing the number of new cases, enabling infected individuals to live longer, healthier lives, and reducing mother-child transmissions.\nMigration to South Africa began in the second half of the 17th century when traders from the Dutch East India Company settled in the Cape and started using slaves from South and southeast Asia (mainly from India but also from present-day Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia) and southeast Africa (Madagascar and Mozambique) as farm laborers and, to a lesser extent, as domestic servants. The Indian subcontinent remained the Cape Colony’s main source of slaves in the early 18th century, while slaves were increasingly obtained from southeast Africa in the latter part of the 18th century and into the 19th century under British rule.\nAfter slavery was completely abolished in the British Empire in 1838, South Africa’s colonists turned to temporary African migrants and indentured labor through agreements with India and later China, countries that were anxious to export workers to alleviate domestic poverty and overpopulation. Of the more than 150,000 indentured Indian laborers hired to work in Natal’s sugar plantations between 1860 and 1911, most exercised the right as British subjects to remain permanently (a small number of Indian immigrants came freely as merchants). Because of growing resentment toward Indian workers, the 63,000 indentured Chinese workers who mined gold in Transvaal between 1904 and 1911 were under more restrictive contracts and generally were forced to return to their homeland.\nIn the late 19th century and nearly the entire 20th century, South Africa’s then British colonies’ and Dutch states’ enforced selective immigration policies that welcomed \"assimilable\" white Europeans as permanent residents but excluded or restricted other immigrants. Following the Union of South Africa’s passage of a law in 1913 prohibiting Asian and other non-white immigrants and its elimination of the indenture system in 1917, temporary African contract laborers from neighboring countries became the dominant source of labor in the burgeoning mining industries. Others worked in agriculture and smaller numbers in manufacturing, domestic service, transportation, and construction. Throughout the 20th century, at least 40% of South Africa’s miners were foreigners; the numbers peaked at over 80% in the late 1960s. Mozambique, Lesotho, Botswana, and Eswatini were the primary sources of miners, and Malawi and Zimbabwe were periodic suppliers.\nUnder apartheid, a \"two gates\" migration policy focused on policing and deporting illegal migrants rather than on managing migration to meet South Africa’s development needs. The exclusionary 1991 Aliens Control Act limited labor recruitment to the highly skilled as defined by the ruling white minority, while bilateral labor agreements provided exemptions that enabled the influential mining industry and, to a lesser extent, commercial farms, to hire temporary, low-paid workers from neighboring states. Illegal African migrants were often tacitly allowed to work for low pay in other sectors but were always under threat of deportation.\nThe abolishment of apartheid in 1994 led to the development of a new inclusive national identity and the strengthening of the country’s restrictive immigration policy. Despite South Africa’s protectionist approach to immigration, the downsizing and closing of mines, and rising unemployment, migrants from across the continent believed that the country held work opportunities. Fewer African labor migrants were issued temporary work permits and, instead, increasingly entered South Africa with visitors’ permits or came illegally, which drove growth in cross-border trade and the informal job market. A new wave of Asian immigrants has also arrived over the last two decades, many operating small retail businesses.\nIn the post-apartheid period, increasing numbers of highly skilled white workers emigrated, citing dissatisfaction with the political situation, crime, poor services, and a reduced quality of life. The 2002 Immigration Act and later amendments were intended to facilitate the temporary migration of skilled foreign labor to fill labor shortages, but instead the legislation continues to create regulatory obstacles. Although the education system has improved and brain drain has slowed in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, South Africa continues to face skills shortages in several key sectors, such as health care and technology.\nSouth Africa’s stability and economic growth has acted as a magnet for refugees and asylum seekers from nearby countries, despite the prevalence of discrimination and xenophobic violence. Refugees have included an estimated 350,000 Mozambicans during its 1980s civil war and, more recently, several thousand Somalis, Congolese, and Ethiopians. Nearly all of the tens of thousands of Zimbabweans who have applied for asylum in South Africa have been categorized as economic migrants and denied refuge." + "text": "South Africa's youthful population is gradually aging, as the country's total fertility rate (TFR) has declined dramatically from about 6 children per woman in the 1960s to roughly 2.2 in 2014. This pattern is similar to fertility trends in South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, and sets South Africa apart from the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, where the average TFR remains higher than other regions of the world. Today, South Africa's decreasing number of reproductive age women is having fewer children, as women increase their educational attainment, workforce participation, and use of family planning methods; delay marriage; and opt for smaller families. ++ As the proportion of working-age South Africans has grown relative to children and the elderly, South Africa has been unable to achieve a demographic dividend because persistent high unemployment and the prevalence of HIV/AIDs have created a larger-than-normal dependent population. HIV/AIDS was also responsible for South Africa's average life expectancy plunging to less than 43 years in 2008; it has rebounded to 63 years as of 2017. HIV/AIDS continues to be a serious public health threat, although awareness-raising campaigns and the wider availability of anti-retroviral drugs is stabilizing the number of new cases, enabling infected individuals to live longer, healthier lives, and reducing mother-child transmissions. ++ Migration to South Africa began in the second half of the 17th century when traders from the Dutch East India Company settled in the Cape and started using slaves from South and southeast Asia (mainly from India but also from present-day Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia) and southeast Africa (Madagascar and Mozambique) as farm laborers and, to a lesser extent, as domestic servants. The Indian subcontinent remained the Cape Colony's main source of slaves in the early 18th century, while slaves were increasingly obtained from southeast Africa in the latter part of the 18th century and into the 19th century under British rule. ++ After slavery was completely abolished in the British Empire in 1838, South Africa's colonists turned to temporary African migrants and indentured labor through agreements with India and later China, countries that were anxious to export workers to alleviate domestic poverty and overpopulation. Of the more than 150,000 indentured Indian laborers hired to work in Natal's sugar plantations between 1860 and 1911, most exercised the right as British subjects to remain permanently (a small number of Indian immigrants came freely as merchants). Because of growing resentment toward Indian workers, the 63,000 indentured Chinese workers who mined gold in Transvaal between 1904 and 1911 were under more restrictive contracts and generally were forced to return to their homeland. ++ In the late 19th century and nearly the entire 20th century, South Africa's then British colonies' and Dutch states' enforced selective immigration policies that welcomed \"assimilable\" white Europeans as permanent residents but excluded or restricted other immigrants. Following the Union of South Africa's passage of a law in 1913 prohibiting Asian and other non-white immigrants and its elimination of the indenture system in 1917, temporary African contract laborers from neighboring countries became the dominant source of labor in the burgeoning mining industries. Others worked in agriculture and smaller numbers in manufacturing, domestic service, transportation, and construction. Throughout the 20th century, at least 40% of South Africa's miners were foreigners; the numbers peaked at over 80% in the late 1960s. Mozambique, Lesotho, Botswana, and Eswatini were the primary sources of miners, and Malawi and Zimbabwe were periodic suppliers. ++ Under apartheid, a \"two gates\" migration policy focused on policing and deporting illegal migrants rather than on managing migration to meet South Africa's development needs. The exclusionary 1991 Aliens Control Act limited labor recruitment to the highly skilled as defined by the ruling white minority, while bilateral labor agreements provided exemptions that enabled the influential mining industry and, to a lesser extent, commercial farms, to hire temporary, low-paid workers from neighboring states. Illegal African migrants were often tacitly allowed to work for low pay in other sectors but were always under threat of deportation. ++ The abolishment of apartheid in 1994 led to the development of a new inclusive national identity and the strengthening of the country's restrictive immigration policy. Despite South Africa's protectionist approach to immigration, the downsizing and closing of mines, and rising unemployment, migrants from across the continent believed that the country held work opportunities. Fewer African labor migrants were issued temporary work permits and, instead, increasingly entered South Africa with visitors' permits or came illegally, which drove growth in cross-border trade and the informal job market. A new wave of Asian immigrants has also arrived over the last two decades, many operating small retail businesses. ++ In the post-apartheid period, increasing numbers of highly skilled white workers emigrated, citing dissatisfaction with the political situation, crime, poor services, and a reduced quality of life. The 2002 Immigration Act and later amendments were intended to facilitate the temporary migration of skilled foreign labor to fill labor shortages, but instead the legislation continues to create regulatory obstacles. Although the education system has improved and brain drain has slowed in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, South Africa continues to face skills shortages in several key sectors, such as health care and technology. ++ South Africa's stability and economic growth has acted as a magnet for refugees and asylum seekers from nearby countries, despite the prevalence of discrimination and xenophobic violence. Refugees have included an estimated 350,000 Mozambicans during its 1980s civil war and, more recently, several thousand Somalis, Congolese, and Ethiopians. Nearly all of the tens of thousands of Zimbabweans who have applied for asylum in South Africa have been categorized as economic migrants and denied refuge." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -270,14 +270,11 @@ "text": "54.6% (2016)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.9% of population / rural: 87.4% of population / total: 95.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "12.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "4.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.1% of population / rural: 12.6% of population / total: 4.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -290,14 +287,11 @@ "text": "2.3 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95.6% of population / rural: 80.9% of population / total: 90.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "19.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "9.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 4.4% of population / rural: 19.1% of population / total: 9.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -463,13 +457,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:National Council of Provinces (90 seats; 10-member delegations appointed by each of the 9 provincial legislatures to serve 5-year terms; note - the Council has special powers to protect regional interests, including safeguarding cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities) National Assembly (400 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: National Council of Provinces (90 seats; 10-member delegations appointed by each of the 9 provincial legislatures to serve 5-year terms; note - the Council has special powers to protect regional interests, including safeguarding cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities) ++ National Assembly (400 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "National Council of Provinces and National Assembly - last held on 8 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANC 29, DA 13, EFF 9, FF+ 2, IFP 1; note - 36 appointed seats not filled National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 57.5%, DA 20.8%, EFF 10.8%, IFP 3.8%, FF+ 2.4%, other 4.7%; seats by party - ANC 230, DA 84, EFF 44, IFP 14, FF+ 10, other 18; composition - men 237, women 163, percent of women 40.8%" + "text": "National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANC 29, DA 13, EFF 9, FF+ 2, IFP 1; note - 36 appointed seats not filled ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 57.5%, DA 20.8%, EFF 10.8%, IFP 3.8%, FF+ 2.4%, other 4.7%; seats by party - ANC 230, DA 84, EFF 44, IFP 14, FF+ 10, other 18; composition - men 237, women 163, percent of women 40.8%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -484,7 +478,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE]African Independent Congress or AIC [Mandla GALO]African National Congress or ANC [Cyril RAMAPHOSA]African People's Convention or APC [Themba GODI] Agang SA [Mike TSHISHONGA]Congress of the People or COPE [Mosiuoa LEKOTA]Democratic Alliance or DA [John STEENHUISEN]Economic Freedom Fighters or EFF [Julius Sello MALEMA]Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter GROENEWALD]GOOD [Patricia de LILLE]Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI]National Freedom Party or NFP [Zanele kaMAGWAZA-MSIBI]Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania or PAC [Luthanado MBINDA]United Christian Democratic Party or UCDP [Isaac Sipho MFUNDISI]United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]" + "text": "African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE] ++ African Independent Congress or AIC [Mandla GALO] ++ African National Congress or ANC [Cyril RAMAPHOSA] ++ African People's Convention or APC [Themba GODI] ++ Agang SA [Mike TSHISHONGA] ++ Congress of the People or COPE [Mosiuoa LEKOTA] ++ Democratic Alliance or DA [John STEENHUISEN] ++ Economic Freedom Fighters or EFF [Julius Sello MALEMA] ++ Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter GROENEWALD] ++ GOOD [Patricia de LILLE] ++ Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI] ++ National Freedom Party or NFP [Zanele kaMAGWAZA-MSIBI] ++ Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania or PAC [Luthanado MBINDA] ++ United Christian Democratic Party or UCDP [Isaac Sipho MFUNDISI] ++ United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, BRICS, C, CD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-24, G-5, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, NSG, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -549,7 +543,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "South Africa is a middle-income emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; and a stock exchange that is Africa’s largest and among the top 20 in the world. Economic growth has decelerated in recent years, slowing to an estimated 0.7% in 2017. Unemployment, poverty, and inequality - among the highest in the world - remain a challenge. Official unemployment is roughly 27% of the workforce, and runs significantly higher among black youth. Even though the country's modern infrastructure supports a relatively efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region, unstable electricity supplies retard growth. Eskom, the state-run power company, is building three new power stations and is installing new power demand management programs to improve power grid reliability but has been plagued with accusations of mismanagement and corruption and faces an increasingly high debt burden. South Africa's economic policy has focused on controlling inflation while empowering a broader economic base; however, the country faces structural constraints that also limit economic growth, such as skills shortages, declining global competitiveness, and frequent work stoppages due to strike action. The government faces growing pressure from urban constituencies to improve the delivery of basic services to low-income areas, to increase job growth, and to provide university level-education at affordable prices. Political infighting among South Africa’s ruling party and the volatility of the rand risks economic growth. International investors are concerned about the country’s long-term economic stability; in late 2016, most major international credit ratings agencies downgraded South Africa’s international debt to junk bond status." + "text": "South Africa is a middle-income emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; and a stock exchange that is Africa's largest and among the top 20 in the world. ++ Economic growth has decelerated in recent years, slowing to an estimated 0.7% in 2017. Unemployment, poverty, and inequality - among the highest in the world - remain a challenge. Official unemployment is roughly 27% of the workforce, and runs significantly higher among black youth. Even though the country's modern infrastructure supports a relatively efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region, unstable electricity supplies retard growth. Eskom, the state-run power company, is building three new power stations and is installing new power demand management programs to improve power grid reliability but has been plagued with accusations of mismanagement and corruption and faces an increasingly high debt burden. ++ South Africa's economic policy has focused on controlling inflation while empowering a broader economic base; however, the country faces structural constraints that also limit economic growth, such as skills shortages, declining global competitiveness, and frequent work stoppages due to strike action. The government faces growing pressure from urban constituencies to improve the delivery of basic services to low-income areas, to increase job growth, and to provide university level-education at affordable prices. Political infighting among South Africa's ruling party and the volatility of the rand risks economic growth. International investors are concerned about the country's long-term economic stability; in late 2016, most major international credit ratings agencies downgraded South Africa's international debt to junk bond status." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$767.2 billion (2017 est.) / $757.2 billion (2016 est.) / $752.9 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/sg.json b/africa/sg.json index d5106922..f80a1e17 100644 --- a/africa/sg.json +++ b/africa/sg.json @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ "text": "Muslim 95.9% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 4.1% (mostly Roman Catholic) (2016 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Senegal has a large and growing youth population but has not been successful in developing its potential human capital. Senegal’s high total fertility rate of almost 4.5 children per woman continues to bolster the country’s large youth cohort – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25. Fertility remains high because of the continued desire for large families, the low use of family planning, and early childbearing. Because of the country’s high illiteracy rate (more than 40%), high unemployment (even among university graduates), and widespread poverty, Senegalese youths face dim prospects; women are especially disadvantaged.\nSenegal historically was a destination country for economic migrants, but in recent years West African migrants more often use Senegal as a transit point to North Africa – and sometimes illegally onward to Europe. The country also has been host to several thousand black Mauritanian refugees since they were expelled from their homeland during its 1989 border conflict with Senegal. The country’s economic crisis in the 1970s stimulated emigration; departures accelerated in the 1990s. Destinations shifted from neighboring countries, which were experiencing economic decline, civil wars, and increasing xenophobia, to Libya and Mauritania because of their booming oil industries and to developed countries (most notably former colonial ruler France, as well as Italy and Spain). The latter became attractive in the 1990s because of job opportunities and their periodic regularization programs (legalizing the status of illegal migrants).\nAdditionally, about 16,000 Senegalese refugees still remain in The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau as a result of more than 30 years of fighting between government forces and rebel separatists in southern Senegal’s Casamance region." + "text": "Senegal has a large and growing youth population but has not been successful in developing its potential human capital. Senegal's high total fertility rate of almost 4.5 children per woman continues to bolster the country's large youth cohort – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25. Fertility remains high because of the continued desire for large families, the low use of family planning, and early childbearing. Because of the country's high illiteracy rate (more than 40%), high unemployment (even among university graduates), and widespread poverty, Senegalese youths face dim prospects; women are especially disadvantaged. ++ Senegal historically was a destination country for economic migrants, but in recent years West African migrants more often use Senegal as a transit point to North Africa – and sometimes illegally onward to Europe. The country also has been host to several thousand black Mauritanian refugees since they were expelled from their homeland during its 1989 border conflict with Senegal. The country's economic crisis in the 1970s stimulated emigration; departures accelerated in the 1990s. Destinations shifted from neighboring countries, which were experiencing economic decline, civil wars, and increasing xenophobia, to Libya and Mauritania because of their booming oil industries and to developed countries (most notably former colonial ruler France, as well as Italy and Spain). The latter became attractive in the 1990s because of job opportunities and their periodic regularization programs (legalizing the status of illegal migrants). ++ Additionally, about 16,000 Senegalese refugees still remain in The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau as a result of more than 30 years of fighting between government forces and rebel separatists in southern Senegal's Casamance region." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "27.8% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 6.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 92.3% of population / rural: 74.5% of population / total: 83.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "25.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "16.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 6.7% of population / rural: 25.5% of population / total: 16.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "0.3 beds/1,000 population (2008)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 8.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 91.2% of population / rural: 48.5% of population / total: 68.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "51.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "31.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 8.8% of population / rural: 51.5% of population / total: 31.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -487,7 +481,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for the Republic-Yakaar or APR-Yakaar [Macky SALL]Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]Alliance for Citizenship and Labor or ACT [Abdoul MBAYE]And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS [Mamadou DIOP Decriox]Benno Bokk Yakaar or BBY (United in Hope) [Macky SALL] (coalition includes AFP, APR, BGC, LD-MPT, PIT, PS, and UNP)Bokk Gis Gis coalition [Pape DIOP]Citizen Movement for National Reform or MCRN-Bes Du Nakk [Mansour Sy DJAMIL]Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Abdoulaye BATHILY]Dare the Future movement [Aissata Tall SALL]Front for Socialism and Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ [Cheikh Abdoulaye Bamba DIEYE]Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]General Alliance for the Interests of the Republic or AGIR [Thierno BOCOUM]Grand Party or GP [Malick GAKOU]Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Magatte THIAM]Madicke 2019 coalition [Madicke NIANG]National Union for the People or UNP [Souleymane Ndene NDIAYE]Only Senegal movement [Pierre Goudiaby ATEPA]Party for Truth and Development or PVD [Cheikh Ahmadou Kara MBAKE]Party of Unity and Rally or PUR [El Hadji SALL]Patriotic Convergence Kaddu Askan Wi or CP-Kaddu Askan Wi [Abdoulaye BALDE]Patriots of Senegal for Ethics, Work and Fraternity or (PASTEF) [Ousmane SONKO]Rewmi Party [Idrissa SECK]Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE]Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]Tekki Movement [Mamadou Lamine DIALLO]" + "text": "Alliance for the Republic-Yakaar or APR-Yakaar [Macky SALL] ++ Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE] ++ Alliance for Citizenship and Labor or ACT [Abdoul MBAYE] ++ And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS [Mamadou DIOP Decriox] ++ Benno Bokk Yakaar or BBY (United in Hope) [Macky SALL] (coalition includes AFP, APR, BGC, LD-MPT, PIT, PS, and UNP) ++ Bokk Gis Gis coalition [Pape DIOP] ++ Citizen Movement for National Reform or MCRN-Bes Du Nakk [Mansour Sy DJAMIL] ++ Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Abdoulaye BATHILY] ++ Dare the Future movement [Aissata Tall SALL] ++ Front for Socialism and Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ [Cheikh Abdoulaye Bamba DIEYE] ++ Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS] ++ General Alliance for the Interests of the Republic or AGIR [Thierno BOCOUM] ++ Grand Party or GP [Malick GAKOU] ++ Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Magatte THIAM] ++ Madicke 2019 coalition [Madicke NIANG] ++ National Union for the People or UNP [Souleymane Ndene NDIAYE] ++ Only Senegal movement [Pierre Goudiaby ATEPA] ++ Party for Truth and Development or PVD [Cheikh Ahmadou Kara MBAKE] ++ Party of Unity and Rally or PUR [El Hadji SALL] ++ Patriotic Convergence Kaddu Askan Wi or CP-Kaddu Askan Wi [Abdoulaye BALDE] ++ Patriots of Senegal for Ethics, Work and Fraternity or (PASTEF) [Ousmane SONKO] ++ Rewmi Party [Idrissa SECK] ++ Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE] ++ Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG] ++ Tekki Movement [Mamadou Lamine DIALLO]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, CPLP (associate), ECOWAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -549,7 +543,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Senegal’s economy is driven by mining, construction, tourism, fisheries and agriculture, which are the primary sources of employment in rural areas. The country's key export industries include phosphate mining, fertilizer production, agricultural products and commercial fishing and Senegal is also working on oil exploration projects. It relies heavily on donor assistance, remittances and foreign direct investment. Senegal reached a growth rate of 7% in 2017, due in part to strong performance in agriculture despite erratic rainfall. President Macky SALL, who was elected in March 2012 under a reformist policy agenda, inherited an economy with high energy costs, a challenging business environment, and a culture of overspending. President SALL unveiled an ambitious economic plan, the Emerging Senegal Plan (ESP), which aims to implement priority economic reforms and investment projects to increase economic growth while preserving macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability. Bureaucratic bottlenecks and a challenging business climate are among the perennial challenges that may slow the implementation of this plan. Senegal receives technical support from the IMF under a Policy Support Instrument (PSI) to assist with implementation of the ESP. The PSI implementation continues to be satisfactory as concluded by the IMF’s fifth review in December 2017. Financial markets have signaled confidence in Senegal through successful Eurobond issuances in 2014, 2017, and 2018. The government is focusing on 19 projects under the ESP to continue The government’s goal under the ESP is structural transformation of the economy. Key projects include the Thiès-Touba Highway, the new international airport opened in December 2017, and upgrades to energy infrastructure. The cost of electricity is a chief constraint for Senegal’s development. Electricity prices in Senegal are among the highest in the world. Power Africa, a US presidential initiative led by USAID, supports Senegal’s plans to improve reliability and increase generating capacity." + "text": "Senegal's economy is driven by mining, construction, tourism, fisheries and agriculture, which are the primary sources of employment in rural areas. The country's key export industries include phosphate mining, fertilizer production, agricultural products and commercial fishing and Senegal is also working on oil exploration projects. It relies heavily on donor assistance, remittances and foreign direct investment. Senegal reached a growth rate of 7% in 2017, due in part to strong performance in agriculture despite erratic rainfall. ++ President Macky SALL, who was elected in March 2012 under a reformist policy agenda, inherited an economy with high energy costs, a challenging business environment, and a culture of overspending. President SALL unveiled an ambitious economic plan, the Emerging Senegal Plan (ESP), which aims to implement priority economic reforms and investment projects to increase economic growth while preserving macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability. Bureaucratic bottlenecks and a challenging business climate are among the perennial challenges that may slow the implementation of this plan. ++ Senegal receives technical support from the IMF under a Policy Support Instrument (PSI) to assist with implementation of the ESP. The PSI implementation continues to be satisfactory as concluded by the IMF's fifth review in December 2017. Financial markets have signaled confidence in Senegal through successful Eurobond issuances in 2014, 2017, and 2018. ++ The government is focusing on 19 projects under the ESP to continue The government's goal under the ESP is structural transformation of the economy. Key projects include the Thiès-Touba Highway, the new international airport opened in December 2017, and upgrades to energy infrastructure. The cost of electricity is a chief constraint for Senegal's development. Electricity prices in Senegal are among the highest in the world. Power Africa, a US presidential initiative led by USAID, supports Senegal's plans to improve reliability and increase generating capacity." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$54.8 billion (2017 est.) / $51.15 billion (2016 est.) / $48.15 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/sh.json b/africa/sh.json index 5a5ef07d..4b35e070 100644 --- a/africa/sh.json +++ b/africa/sh.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha. Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903.; Saint Helena is one of the most remote populated places in the world. The British Government committed to building an airport on Saint Helena in 2005. After more than a decade of delays and construction, a commercial air service to South Africa via Namibia was inaugurated in October of 2017. The weekly service to Saint Helena from Johannesburg via Windhoek in Namibia takes just over six hours (including the refueling stop in Windhoek) and replaces the mail ship that had made a five-day journey to the island every three weeks.; Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena. It served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena. During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an airfield on Ascension in support of transatlantic flights to Africa and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In 1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces during the Falklands War. It remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.; The island hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system (the others are on Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory), Kwajalein (Marshall Islands), and at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US)). NASA and the US Air Force also operate a Meter-Class Autonomous Telescope (MCAT) on Ascension as part of the deep space surveillance system for tracking orbital debris, which can be a hazard to spacecraft and astronauts. Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough Islands. Tristan da Cunha, named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506), was garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a meteorological station on Gough Island." + "text": "Saint Helena is a British Overseas Territory consisting of Saint Helena and Ascension Islands, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha. ++ Saint Helena: Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. During the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa, several thousand Boer prisoners were confined on the island between 1900 and 1903.; ++ Saint Helena is one of the most remote populated places in the world. The British Government committed to building an airport on Saint Helena in 2005. After more than a decade of delays and construction, a commercial air service to South Africa via Namibia was inaugurated in October of 2017. The weekly service to Saint Helena from Johannesburg via Windhoek in Namibia takes just over six hours (including the refueling stop in Windhoek) and replaces the mail ship that had made a five-day journey to the island every three weeks.; ++ Ascension Island: This barren and uninhabited island was discovered and named by the Portuguese in 1503. The British garrisoned the island in 1815 to prevent a rescue of Napoleon from Saint Helena. It served as a provisioning station for the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron on anti-slavery patrol. The island remained under Admiralty control until 1922, when it became a dependency of Saint Helena. During World War II, the UK permitted the US to construct an airfield on Ascension in support of transatlantic flights to Africa and anti-submarine operations in the South Atlantic. In the 1960s the island became an important space tracking station for the US. In 1982, Ascension was an essential staging area for British forces during the Falklands War. It remains a critical refueling point in the air-bridge from the UK to the South Atlantic.; ++ The island hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system (the others are on Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory), Kwajalein (Marshall Islands), and at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US)). NASA and the US Air Force also operate a Meter-Class Autonomous Telescope (MCAT) on Ascension as part of the deep space surveillance system for tracking orbital debris, which can be a hazard to spacecraft and astronauts. ++ Tristan da Cunha: The island group consists of Tristan da Cunha, Nightingale, Inaccessible, and Gough Islands. Tristan da Cunha, named after its Portuguese discoverer (1506), was garrisoned by the British in 1816 to prevent any attempt to rescue Napoleon from Saint Helena. Gough and Inaccessible Islands have been designated World Heritage Sites. South Africa leases a site for a meteorological station on Gough Island." } }, "Geography": { @@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ "text": "islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa; Ascension Island lies 1,300 km (800 mi) northwest of Saint Helena; Tristan da Cunha lies 4,300 km (2,700 mi) southwest of Saint Helena" }, "Geographic coordinates": { - "text": "Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W; Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W; Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W" + "text": "Saint Helena: 15 57 S, 5 42 W; ++ Ascension Island: 7 57 S, 14 22 W; ++ Tristan da Cunha island group: 37 15 S, 12 30 W" }, "Map references": { "text": "Africa" @@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ }, "Coastline": { "note": { - "text": "Saint Helena: 60 km Ascension Island: NA Tristan da Cunha (island only): 34 km" + "text": "Saint Helena: 60 km ++ Ascension Island: NA ++ Tristan da Cunha (island only): 34 km" } }, "Maritime claims": { @@ -48,10 +48,10 @@ } }, "Climate": { - "text": "Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds; Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid; Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)" + "text": "Saint Helena: tropical marine; mild, tempered by trade winds; ++ Ascension Island: tropical marine; mild, semi-arid; ++ Tristan da Cunha: temperate marine; mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)" }, "Terrain": { - "text": "the islands of this group are of volcanic origin associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge\nSaint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains; Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volcanoes; terrain rises to the east; Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the coastal cliffs" + "text": "the islands of this group are of volcanic origin associated with the Atlantic Mid-Ocean Ridge ++ Saint Helena: rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains; ++ Ascension: surface covered by lava flows and cinder cones of 44 dormant volcanoes; terrain rises to the east; ++ Tristan da Cunha: sheer cliffs line the coastline of the nearly circular island; the flanks of the central volcanic peak are deeply dissected; narrow coastal plain lies between The Peak and the coastal cliffs" }, "Elevation": { "lowest point": { @@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ "text": "Saint Helena - population is concentrated in and around the capital Jamestown in the northwest, with another significant cluster in the interior Longwood area; Ascension - largest settlement, and location of most of the population, is Georgetown; Tristan da Cunha - most of the nearly 300 inhabitants live in the northern coastal town of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha\nvolcanism: the island volcanoes of Tristan da Cunha (2,060 m) and Nightingale Island (365 m) experience volcanic activity; Tristan da Cunha erupted in 1962 and Nightingale in 2004" + "text": "active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha ++ volcanism: the island volcanoes of Tristan da Cunha (2,060 m) and Nightingale Island (365 m) experience volcanic activity; Tristan da Cunha erupted in 1962 and Nightingale in 2004" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "development threatens unique biota on Saint Helena" @@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ } }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "The vast majority of the population of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha live on Saint Helena. Ascension has no indigenous or permanent residents and is inhabited only by persons contracted to work on the island (mainly with the UK and US military or in the space and communications industries) or their dependents, while Tristan da Cunha – the main island in a small archipelago – has fewer than 300 residents. The population of Saint Helena consists of the descendants of 17th century British sailors and settlers from the East India Company, African slaves, and indentured servants and laborers from India, Indonesia, and China. Most of the population of Ascension are Saint Helenians, Britons, and Americans, while that of Tristan da Cunha descends from shipwrecked sailors and Saint Helenians.\nChange in Saint Helena’s population size is driven by net outward migration. Since the 1980s, Saint Helena’s population steadily has shrunk and aged as the birth rate has decreased and many working-age residents left for better opportunities elsewhere. The restoration of British citizenship in 2002 accelerated family emigration; from 1998 to 2008 alone, population declined by about 20%.\nIn the last few years, population has experienced some temporary growth, as foreigners and returning Saint Helenians, have come to build an international airport, but numbers are beginning to fade as the project reaches completion and workers depart. In the long term, once the airport is fully operational, increased access to the remote island has the potential to boost tourism and fishing, provide more jobs for Saint Helenians domestically, and could encourage some ex-patriots to return home. In the meantime, however, Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha have to contend with the needs of an aging population. The elderly population of the islands has risen from an estimated 9.4% in 1998 to 20.4% in 2016." + "text": "The vast majority of the population of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha live on Saint Helena. Ascension has no indigenous or permanent residents and is inhabited only by persons contracted to work on the island (mainly with the UK and US military or in the space and communications industries) or their dependents, while Tristan da Cunha – the main island in a small archipelago – has fewer than 300 residents. The population of Saint Helena consists of the descendants of 17th century British sailors and settlers from the East India Company, African slaves, and indentured servants and laborers from India, Indonesia, and China. Most of the population of Ascension are Saint Helenians, Britons, and Americans, while that of Tristan da Cunha descends from shipwrecked sailors and Saint Helenians. ++ Change in Saint Helena's population size is driven by net outward migration. Since the 1980s, Saint Helena's population steadily has shrunk and aged as the birth rate has decreased and many working-age residents left for better opportunities elsewhere. The restoration of British citizenship in 2002 accelerated family emigration; from 1998 to 2008 alone, population declined by about 20%. ++ In the last few years, population has experienced some temporary growth, as foreigners and returning Saint Helenians, have come to build an international airport, but numbers are beginning to fade as the project reaches completion and workers depart. In the long term, once the airport is fully operational, increased access to the remote island has the potential to boost tourism and fishing, provide more jobs for Saint Helenians domestically, and could encourage some ex-patriots to return home. In the meantime, however, Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha have to contend with the needs of an aging population. The elderly population of the islands has risen from an estimated 9.4% in 1998 to 20.4% in 2016." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -230,13 +230,19 @@ "text": "1.6 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { diff --git a/africa/sl.json b/africa/sl.json index ac631e15..8c6ea8ea 100644 --- a/africa/sl.json +++ b/africa/sl.json @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ "text": "Muslim 78.6%, Christian 20.8%, other 0.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2013 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Sierra Leone’s youthful and growing population is driven by its high total fertility rate (TFR) of almost 5 children per woman, which has declined little over the last two decades. Its elevated TFR is sustained by the continued desire for large families, the low level of contraceptive use, and the early start of childbearing. Despite its high TFR, Sierra Leone’s population growth is somewhat tempered by high infant, child, and maternal mortality rates that are among the world’s highest and are a result of poverty, a lack of potable water and sanitation, poor nutrition, limited access to quality health care services, and the prevalence of female genital cutting.\nSierra Leone’s large youth cohort – about 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – continues to struggle with high levels of unemployment, which was one of the major causes of the country’s 1991-2002 civil war and remains a threat to stability today. Its estimated 60% youth unemployment rate is attributed to high levels of illiteracy and unskilled labor, a lack of private sector jobs, and low pay.\nSierra Leone has been a source of and destination for refugees. Sierra Leone’s civil war internally displaced as many as 2 million people, or almost half the population, and forced almost another half million to seek refuge in neighboring countries (370,000 Sierra Leoneans fled to Guinea and 120,000 to Liberia). The UNHCR has helped almost 180,000 Sierra Leoneans to return home, while more than 90,000 others have repatriated on their own. Of the more than 65,000 Liberians who took refuge in Sierra Leone during their country’s civil war (1989-2003), about 50,000 have been voluntarily repatriated by the UNHCR and others have returned home independently. As of 2015, less than 1,000 Liberians still reside in Sierra Leone." + "text": "Sierra Leone's youthful and growing population is driven by its high total fertility rate (TFR) of almost 5 children per woman, which has declined little over the last two decades. Its elevated TFR is sustained by the continued desire for large families, the low level of contraceptive use, and the early start of childbearing. Despite its high TFR, Sierra Leone's population growth is somewhat tempered by high infant, child, and maternal mortality rates that are among the world's highest and are a result of poverty, a lack of potable water and sanitation, poor nutrition, limited access to quality health care services, and the prevalence of female genital cutting. ++ Sierra Leone's large youth cohort – about 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – continues to struggle with high levels of unemployment, which was one of the major causes of the country's 1991-2002 civil war and remains a threat to stability today. Its estimated 60% youth unemployment rate is attributed to high levels of illiteracy and unskilled labor, a lack of private sector jobs, and low pay. ++ Sierra Leone has been a source of and destination for refugees. Sierra Leone's civil war internally displaced as many as 2 million people, or almost half the population, and forced almost another half million to seek refuge in neighboring countries (370,000 Sierra Leoneans fled to Guinea and 120,000 to Liberia). The UNHCR has helped almost 180,000 Sierra Leoneans to return home, while more than 90,000 others have repatriated on their own. Of the more than 65,000 Liberians who took refuge in Sierra Leone during their country's civil war (1989-2003), about 50,000 have been voluntarily repatriated by the UNHCR and others have returned home independently. As of 2015, less than 1,000 Liberians still reside in Sierra Leone." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "21.2% (2019)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 10.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 89.5% of population / rural: 55.7% of population / total: 69.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "44.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "30.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 10.5% of population / rural: 44.3% of population / total: 30.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "0.03 physicians/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 25.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 74.3% of population / rural: 31.9% of population / total: 49.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "68.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "50.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 25.7% of population / rural: 68.1% of population / total: 50.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -470,7 +464,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "All People's Congress or APC [Ernest Bai KOROMA]Coalition for Change or C4C [Tamba R. SANDY]National Grand Coalition or NGC [Dr. Dennis BRIGHT]Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Dr. Prince HARDING]numerous other parties" + "text": "All People's Congress or APC [Ernest Bai KOROMA] ++ Coalition for Change or C4C [Tamba R. SANDY] ++ National Grand Coalition or NGC [Dr. Dennis BRIGHT] ++ Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Dr. Prince HARDING] ++ numerous other parties" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -526,7 +520,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Sierra Leone is extremely poor and nearly half of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. The country possesses substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, but it is still recovering from a civil war that destroyed most institutions before ending in the early 2000s. In recent years, economic growth has been driven by mining - particularly iron ore. The country’s principal exports are iron ore, diamonds, and rutile, and the economy is vulnerable to fluctuations in international prices. Until 2014, the government had relied on external assistance to support its budget, but it was gradually becoming more independent. The Ebola outbreak of 2014 and 2015, combined with falling global commodities prices, caused a significant contraction of economic activity in all areas. While the World Health Organization declared an end to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone in November 2015, low commodity prices in 2015-2016 contributed to the country’s biggest fiscal shortfall since 2001. In 2017, increased iron ore exports, together with the end of the Ebola epidemic, supported a resumption of economic growth. Continued economic growth will depend on rising commodities prices and increased efforts to diversify the sources of growth. Non-mining activities will remain constrained by inadequate infrastructure, such as power and roads, even though power sector projects may provide some additional electricity capacity in the near term. Pervasive corruption and undeveloped human capital will continue to deter foreign investors. Sustained international donor support in the near future will partially offset these fiscal constraints." + "text": "Sierra Leone is extremely poor and nearly half of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. The country possesses substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, but it is still recovering from a civil war that destroyed most institutions before ending in the early 2000s. ++ In recent years, economic growth has been driven by mining - particularly iron ore. The country's principal exports are iron ore, diamonds, and rutile, and the economy is vulnerable to fluctuations in international prices. Until 2014, the government had relied on external assistance to support its budget, but it was gradually becoming more independent. The Ebola outbreak of 2014 and 2015, combined with falling global commodities prices, caused a significant contraction of economic activity in all areas. While the World Health Organization declared an end to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone in November 2015, low commodity prices in 2015-2016 contributed to the country's biggest fiscal shortfall since 2001. In 2017, increased iron ore exports, together with the end of the Ebola epidemic, supported a resumption of economic growth. ++ Continued economic growth will depend on rising commodities prices and increased efforts to diversify the sources of growth. Non-mining activities will remain constrained by inadequate infrastructure, such as power and roads, even though power sector projects may provide some additional electricity capacity in the near term. Pervasive corruption and undeveloped human capital will continue to deter foreign investors. Sustained international donor support in the near future will partially offset these fiscal constraints." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$11.55 billion (2017 est.) / $11.14 billion (2016 est.) / $10.48 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/so.json b/africa/so.json index 6fc8e233..c5cef742 100644 --- a/africa/so.json +++ b/africa/so.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Several powerful Somali states dominated the Indian Ocean trade from the 13th century onward. In the late 19th century, the area that would become Somalia was colonized by Britain in the north and Italy in the south. Britain withdrew from British Somaliland in 1960 to allow its protectorate to join with Italian Somaliland and form the new nation of Somalia. In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed SIAD Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule characterized by the persecution, jailing, and torture of political opponents and dissidents. After the regime's collapse early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. In May 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence and continues efforts to establish a constitutional democracy, including holding municipal, parliamentary, and presidential elections. The regions of Bari, Nugaal, and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring semi-autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998 but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing a legitimate, representative government but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims the regions of Sool and Sanaag, and portions of Togdheer. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in south-central Somalia) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. In 2000, the Somalia National Peace Conference (SNPC) held in Djibouti resulted in the formation of an interim government, known as the Transitional National Government (TNG). When the TNG failed to establish adequate security or governing institutions, the Government of Kenya, under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), led a subsequent peace process that concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of a second interim government, known as the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of the Somali Republic. The TFG included a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP). President YUSUF resigned late in 2008 while UN-sponsored talks between the TFG and the opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) were underway in Djibouti. In January 2009, following the creation of a TFG-ARS unity government, Ethiopian military forces, which had entered Somalia in December 2006 to support the TFG in the face of advances by the opposition Islamic Courts Union (ICU), withdrew from the country. The TFP was doubled in size to 550 seats with the addition of 200 ARS and 75 civil society members of parliament. The expanded parliament elected Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed, the former ICU and ARS chairman as president in January 2009. The creation of the TFG was based on the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC), which outlined a five-year mandate leading to the establishment of a new Somali constitution and a transition to a representative government following national elections. In 2009, the TFP amended the TFC to extend TFG's mandate until 2011 and in 2011 Somali principals agreed to institute political transition by August 2012. The transition process ended in September 2012 when clan elders replaced the TFP by appointing 275 members to a new parliament who subsequently elected a new president." + "text": "Several powerful Somali states dominated the Indian Ocean trade from the 13th century onward. In the late 19th century, the area that would become Somalia was colonized by Britain in the north and Italy in the south. Britain withdrew from British Somaliland in 1960 to allow its protectorate to join with Italian Somaliland and form the new nation of Somalia. In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed SIAD Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule characterized by the persecution, jailing, and torture of political opponents and dissidents. After the regime's collapse early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. In May 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence and continues efforts to establish a constitutional democracy, including holding municipal, parliamentary, and presidential elections. The regions of Bari, Nugaal, and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring semi-autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998 but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing a legitimate, representative government but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims the regions of Sool and Sanaag, and portions of Togdheer. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in south-central Somalia) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. ++ In 2000, the Somalia National Peace Conference (SNPC) held in Djibouti resulted in the formation of an interim government, known as the Transitional National Government (TNG). When the TNG failed to establish adequate security or governing institutions, the Government of Kenya, under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), led a subsequent peace process that concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as President of a second interim government, known as the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of the Somali Republic. The TFG included a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP). President YUSUF resigned late in 2008 while UN-sponsored talks between the TFG and the opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) were underway in Djibouti. In January 2009, following the creation of a TFG-ARS unity government, Ethiopian military forces, which had entered Somalia in December 2006 to support the TFG in the face of advances by the opposition Islamic Courts Union (ICU), withdrew from the country. The TFP was doubled in size to 550 seats with the addition of 200 ARS and 75 civil society members of parliament. The expanded parliament elected Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed, the former ICU and ARS chairman as president in January 2009. The creation of the TFG was based on the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC), which outlined a five-year mandate leading to the establishment of a new Somali constitution and a transition to a representative government following national elections. In 2009, the TFP amended the TFC to extend TFG's mandate until 2011 and in 2011 Somali principals agreed to institute political transition by August 2012. The transition process ended in September 2012 when clan elders replaced the TFP by appointing 275 members to a new parliament who subsequently elected a new president." } }, "Geography": { @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ "text": "Sunni Muslim (Islam) (official, according to the 2012 Transitional Federal Charter)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Somalia scores very low for most humanitarian indicators, suffering from poor governance, protracted internal conflict, underdevelopment, economic decline, poverty, social and gender inequality, and environmental degradation. Despite civil war and famine raising its mortality rate, Somalia’s high fertility rate and large proportion of people of reproductive age maintain rapid population growth, with each generation being larger than the prior one. More than 60% of Somalia’s population is younger than 25, and the fertility rate is among the world’s highest at almost 6 children per woman – a rate that has decreased little since the 1970s.\nA lack of educational and job opportunities is a major source of tension for Somalia’s large youth cohort, making them vulnerable to recruitment by extremist and pirate groups. Somalia has one of the world’s lowest primary school enrollment rates – just over 40% of children are in school – and one of world’s highest youth unemployment rates. Life expectancy is low as a result of high infant and maternal mortality rates, the spread of preventable diseases, poor sanitation, chronic malnutrition, and inadequate health services.\nDuring the two decades of conflict that followed the fall of the SIAD regime in 1991, hundreds of thousands of Somalis fled their homes. Today Somalia is the world’s third highest source country for refugees, after Syria and Afghanistan. Insecurity, drought, floods, food shortages, and a lack of economic opportunities are the driving factors.\nAs of 2016, more than 1.1 million Somali refugees were hosted in the region, mainly in Kenya, Yemen, Egypt, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Uganda, while more than 1.1 million Somalis were internally displaced. Since the implementation of a tripartite voluntary repatriation agreement among Kenya, Somalia, and the UNHCR in 2013, nearly 40,000 Somali refugees have returned home from Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp – still houses to approximately 260,000 Somalis. The flow sped up rapidly after the Kenyan Government in May 2016 announced its intention to close the camp, worsening security and humanitarian conditions in receiving communities in south-central Somalia. Despite the conflict in Yemen, thousands of Somalis and other refugees and asylum seekers from the Horn of Africa risk their lives crossing the Gulf of Aden to reach Yemen and beyond (often Saudi Arabia). Bossaso in Puntland overtook Obock, Djibouti, as the primary departure point in mid-2014." + "text": "Somalia scores very low for most humanitarian indicators, suffering from poor governance, protracted internal conflict, underdevelopment, economic decline, poverty, social and gender inequality, and environmental degradation. Despite civil war and famine raising its mortality rate, Somalia's high fertility rate and large proportion of people of reproductive age maintain rapid population growth, with each generation being larger than the prior one. More than 60% of Somalia's population is younger than 25, and the fertility rate is among the world's highest at almost 6 children per woman – a rate that has decreased little since the 1970s. ++ A lack of educational and job opportunities is a major source of tension for Somalia's large youth cohort, making them vulnerable to recruitment by extremist and pirate groups. Somalia has one of the world's lowest primary school enrollment rates – just over 40% of children are in school – and one of world's highest youth unemployment rates. Life expectancy is low as a result of high infant and maternal mortality rates, the spread of preventable diseases, poor sanitation, chronic malnutrition, and inadequate health services. ++ During the two decades of conflict that followed the fall of the SIAD regime in 1991, hundreds of thousands of Somalis fled their homes. Today Somalia is the world's third highest source country for refugees, after Syria and Afghanistan. Insecurity, drought, floods, food shortages, and a lack of economic opportunities are the driving factors. ++ As of 2016, more than 1.1 million Somali refugees were hosted in the region, mainly in Kenya, Yemen, Egypt, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Uganda, while more than 1.1 million Somalis were internally displaced. Since the implementation of a tripartite voluntary repatriation agreement among Kenya, Somalia, and the UNHCR in 2013, nearly 40,000 Somali refugees have returned home from Kenya's Dadaab refugee camp – still houses to approximately 260,000 Somalis. The flow sped up rapidly after the Kenyan Government in May 2016 announced its intention to close the camp, worsening security and humanitarian conditions in receiving communities in south-central Somalia. Despite the conflict in Yemen, thousands of Somalis and other refugees and asylum seekers from the Horn of Africa risk their lives crossing the Gulf of Aden to reach Yemen and beyond (often Saudi Arabia). Bossaso in Puntland overtook Obock, Djibouti, as the primary departure point in mid-2014." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -249,14 +249,11 @@ "text": "5.51 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.1% of population / rural: 72.5% of population / total: 83.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "27.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "16.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.9% of population / rural: 27.5% of population / total: 16.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Physicians density": { @@ -266,14 +263,11 @@ "text": "0.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 13.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 86.2% of population / rural: 27.1% of population / total: 53.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "72.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "46.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 13.8% of population / rural: 72.9% of population / total: 46.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -364,7 +358,7 @@ "text": "previous 1961, 1979; latest drafted 12 June 2012, approved 1 August 2012 (provisional)" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the federal government, by members of the state governments, the Federal Parliament, or by public petition; proposals require review by a joint committee of Parliament with inclusion of public comments and state legislatures’ comments; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in both houses of Parliament and approval by a majority of votes cast in a referendum; constitutional clauses on Islamic principles, the federal system, human rights and freedoms, powers and authorities of the government branches, and inclusion of women in national institutions cannot be amended" + "text": "proposed by the federal government, by members of the state governments, the Federal Parliament, or by public petition; proposals require review by a joint committee of Parliament with inclusion of public comments and state legislatures' comments; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in both houses of Parliament and approval by a majority of votes cast in a referendum; constitutional clauses on Islamic principles, the federal system, human rights and freedoms, powers and authorities of the government branches, and inclusion of women in national institutions cannot be amended" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -409,13 +403,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Federal Parliament to consist of:Upper House (54 seats; senators indirectly elected by state assemblies to serve 4-year terms)House of the People (275 seats; members indirectly elected by electoral colleges, each consisting of 51 delegates selected by the 136 Traditional Elders in consultation with sub-clan elders; members serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Federal Parliament to consist of: Upper House (54 seats; senators indirectly elected by state assemblies to serve 4-year terms) ++ House of the People (275 seats; members indirectly elected by electoral colleges, each consisting of 51 delegates selected by the 136 Traditional Elders in consultation with sub-clan elders; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Upper House - first held on 10 October 2016 (next to be held in November 2020)House of the People - first held 23 October - 10 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020)" + "text": "Upper House - first held on 10 October 2016 (next to be held in November 2020) ++ House of the People - first held 23 October - 10 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Upper House - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 41, women 13, percent of women 24.1%House of the People - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 208, women 67, percent of women 24.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women 24.3%" + "text": "Upper House - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 41, women 13, percent of women 24.1% ++ House of the People - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 208, women 67, percent of women 24.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women 24.3%" }, "note": { "text": "note: the inaugural House of the People was appointed in September 2012 by clan elders; in 2016 and 2017, the Federal Parliament became bicameral with elections scheduled for 10 October 2016 for the Upper House and 23 October to 10 November 2016 for the House of the People; while the elections were delayed, they were eventually held in most regions despite voting irregularities; on 27 December 2016, 41 Upper House senators and 242 House of the People members were sworn in" @@ -433,7 +427,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Cosmopolitan Democratic Party [Yarow Sharef ADEN]Daljir Party or DP [Hassan MOALIM]Democratic Green Party of Somalia or DGPS [Abdullahi Y. MAHAMOUD]Democratic Party of Somalia or DPS [Maslah Mohamed SIAD]Green Leaf for Democracy or GLEDHiil QaranJustice and Communist Party [Mohamed NUR]Justice and Development of Democracy and Self-Respectfulness Party or CAHDI [Abdirahman Abdigani IBRAHIM Bile]Justice Party [SAKARIYE Haji]Liberal Party of SomaliaNational Democratic Party [Abdirashid ALI]National Unity Party (Xisbiga MIdnimo-Quaran) [Abdurahman BAADIYOW]Peace and Development Party or PDPSomali Green Party (local chapter of Federation of Green Parties of Africa)Somali National Party or SNP [Mohammed Ameen Saeed AHMED]Somali People's Party [Salad JEELE]Somali Society Unity Party [Yasin MAALIM]Tayo or TPP [Mohamed Abdullahi MOHAMED]Tiir Party [Fadhil Sheik MOHAMUD]Union for Peace and Development or UPD [HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud]United and Democratic Party [FAUZIA Haji]United Somali ParliamentariansUnited Somali Republican Party [Ali TIMA-JLIC]inactive: Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia; reportedly inactive since 2009" + "text": "Cosmopolitan Democratic Party [Yarow Sharef ADEN] ++ Daljir Party or DP [Hassan MOALIM] ++ Democratic Green Party of Somalia or DGPS [Abdullahi Y. MAHAMOUD] ++ Democratic Party of Somalia or DPS [Maslah Mohamed SIAD] ++ Green Leaf for Democracy or GLED ++ Hiil Qaran ++ Justice and Communist Party [Mohamed NUR] ++ Justice and Development of Democracy and Self-Respectfulness Party or CAHDI [Abdirahman Abdigani IBRAHIM Bile] ++ Justice Party [SAKARIYE Haji] ++ Liberal Party of Somalia ++ National Democratic Party [Abdirashid ALI] ++ National Unity Party (Xisbiga MIdnimo-Quaran) [Abdurahman BAADIYOW] ++ Peace and Development Party or PDP ++ Somali Green Party (local chapter of Federation of Green Parties of Africa) ++ Somali National Party or SNP [Mohammed Ameen Saeed AHMED] ++ Somali People's Party [Salad JEELE] ++ Somali Society Unity Party [Yasin MAALIM] ++ Tayo or TPP [Mohamed Abdullahi MOHAMED] ++ Tiir Party [Fadhil Sheik MOHAMUD] ++ Union for Peace and Development or UPD [HASSAN SHEIKH Mohamud] ++ United and Democratic Party [FAUZIA Haji] ++ United Somali Parliamentarians ++ United Somali Republican Party [Ali TIMA-JLIC] ++ inactive: Alliance for the Reliberation of Somalia; reportedly inactive since 2009" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU (candidate), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO" @@ -460,7 +454,7 @@ "text": "Mogadishu, (reopened October 2019 on the grounds of the Mogadishu Airport)" }, "mailing address": { - "text": "P.O. Box 606 Village Market00621 Nairobi, Kenya" + "text": "P.O. Box 606 Village Market ++ 00621 Nairobi, Kenya" }, "FAX": { "text": "254 20 363-6157" @@ -489,7 +483,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Despite the lack of effective national governance, Somalia maintains an informal economy largely based on livestock, remittance/money transfer companies, and telecommunications. Somalia's government lacks the ability to collect domestic revenue and external debt – mostly in arrears – was estimated at about 77% of GDP in 2017. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and more than 50% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-pastoralists, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Economic activity is estimated to have increased by 2.4% in 2017 because of growth in the agriculture, construction and telecommunications sector. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and the machinery sold as scrap metal. In recent years, Somalia's capital city, Mogadishu, has witnessed the development of the city's first gas stations, supermarkets, and airline flights to Turkey since the collapse of central authority in 1991. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate and are supported with private-security militias. Formalized economic growth has yet to expand outside of Mogadishu and a few regional capitals, and within the city, security concerns dominate business. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money transfer/remittance services have sprouted throughout the country, handling up to $1.6 billion in remittances annually, although international concerns over the money transfers into Somalia continues to threaten these services’ ability to operate in Western nations. In 2017, Somalia elected a new president and collected a record amount of foreign aid and investment, a positive sign for economic recovery." + "text": "Despite the lack of effective national governance, Somalia maintains an informal economy largely based on livestock, remittance/money transfer companies, and telecommunications. Somalia's government lacks the ability to collect domestic revenue and external debt – mostly in arrears – was estimated at about 77% of GDP in 2017. ++ Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and more than 50% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-pastoralists, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Economic activity is estimated to have increased by 2.4% in 2017 because of growth in the agriculture, construction and telecommunications sector. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and the machinery sold as scrap metal. ++ In recent years, Somalia's capital city, Mogadishu, has witnessed the development of the city's first gas stations, supermarkets, and airline flights to Turkey since the collapse of central authority in 1991. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate and are supported with private-security militias. Formalized economic growth has yet to expand outside of Mogadishu and a few regional capitals, and within the city, security concerns dominate business. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money transfer/remittance services have sprouted throughout the country, handling up to $1.6 billion in remittances annually, although international concerns over the money transfers into Somalia continues to threaten these services' ability to operate in Western nations. In 2017, Somalia elected a new president and collected a record amount of foreign aid and investment, a positive sign for economic recovery." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$20.44 billion (2017 est.) / $19.98 billion (2016 est.) / $19.14 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -857,7 +851,7 @@ "text": "the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean as a region of significant risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; during 2018, two vessels were attacked compared with five in 2017; Operation Ocean Shield, the NATO naval task force established in 2009 to combat Somali piracy, concluded its operations in December 2016 as a result of the drop in reported incidents over the last few years; additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators, including the use of on-board armed security teams, have reduced piracy incidents in that body of water; Somali pirates tend to be heavily armed with automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades; the use of \"mother ships\" from which skiffs can be launched to attack vessels allows these pirates to extend the range of their operations hundreds of nautical miles offshore" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "Somali military forces are heavily engaged in operations against the al-Shabaab terrorist organization, including joint operations with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM); AMISOM has operated in the country with the approval of the United Nations (UN) since 2007; AMISOM's peacekeeping mission includes assisting Somali forces in providing security for a stable political process, enabling the gradual handing over of security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali security forces, and reducing the threat posed by Al-Shabaab and other armed opposition groups; as of early 2020, AMISOM had about 19,000 military troops and about 1,000 police personnel from six African countries deployed in Somalia  UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) is mandated by the Security Council to work with the Federal Government of Somalia to support national reconciliation, provide advice on peace-building and state-building, monitor the human rights situation, and help coordinate the efforts of the international communitythe UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) is responsible for providing logistical field support to AMISOM, UNSOM, the Somali National Army, and the Somali Police Force on joint operations with AMISOMthe European Union Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM-S) has operated in the country since 2010; the EUTM provides advice and training to the Somali militarythe US and Turkey maintain separate unilateral military training missions in Somalia (2020)" + "text": "Somali military forces are heavily engaged in operations against the al-Shabaab terrorist organization, including joint operations with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM); AMISOM has operated in the country with the approval of the United Nations (UN) since 2007; AMISOM's peacekeeping mission includes assisting Somali forces in providing security for a stable political process, enabling the gradual handing over of security responsibilities from AMISOM to the Somali security forces, and reducing the threat posed by Al-Shabaab and other armed opposition groups; as of early 2020, AMISOM had about 19,000 military troops and about 1,000 police personnel from six African countries deployed in Somalia  ++ UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) is mandated by the Security Council to work with the Federal Government of Somalia to support national reconciliation, provide advice on peace-building and state-building, monitor the human rights situation, and help coordinate the efforts of the international community ++ the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) is responsible for providing logistical field support to AMISOM, UNSOM, the Somali National Army, and the Somali Police Force on joint operations with AMISOM ++ the European Union Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM-S) has operated in the country since 2010; the EUTM provides advice and training to the Somali military ++ the US and Turkey maintain separate unilateral military training missions in Somalia (2020)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/su.json b/africa/su.json index 5574f4e2..c38d0d50 100644 --- a/africa/su.json +++ b/africa/su.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The region along the Nile River south of Egypt has long been referred to as Nubia. It was the site of the Kingdom of Kerma, which flourished for about a millennium (ca. 2500-1500 B.C.) until absorbed into the New Kingdom of Egypt. By the 11th century B.C., a Kingdom of Kush emerged and regained the region's independence from Egypt; it lasted in various forms until the middle of the fourth century A.D. After the fall of Kush, the Nubians formed three Christian kingdoms of Nobatia, Makuria, and Alodia, the latter two endured until around 1500. Between the 14th and 15th centuries much of Sudan was settled by Arab nomads, and between the 16th–19th centuries it underwent extensive Islamization. Egyptian occupation early in the 19th century was overthrown by a native Mahdist Sudan state (1885-99) that was crushed by the British who then set up an Anglo-Egyptian Sudan - nominally a condominium, but in effect a British colony.Following independence from Anglo-Egyptian co-rule in 1956, military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics. Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in northern economic, political, and social domination of largely non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972 but another broke out in 1983. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with the signing of several accords. The final North/South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in January 2005, granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years followed by a referendum on independence for Southern Sudan. The referendum was held in January 2011 and indicated overwhelming support for independence. South Sudan became independent on 9 July 2011. Sudan and South Sudan have yet to fully implement security and economic agreements signed in September 2012 relating to the normalization of relations between the two countries. The final disposition of the contested Abyei region has also to be decided. The 30-year reign of President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR ended in his ouster in April 2019, and a Sovereignty Council, a joint civilian-military-executive body, holds power as of November 2019. Following South Sudan's independence, conflict broke out between the government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states (together known as the Two Areas), resulting in a humanitarian crisis affecting more than a million people. A earlier conflict that broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003, displaced nearly 2 million people and caused thousands of deaths.  While some repatriation has taken place, about 1.83 million IDPs remain in Sudan as of May 2019. Fighting in both the Two Areas and Darfur between government forces and opposition has largely subsided, however the civilian populations are affected by low-level violence including inter-tribal conflict and banditry, largely a result of weak rule of law. The UN and the African Union have jointly commanded a Darfur peacekeeping operation (UNAMID) since 2007, but are slowly drawing down as the situation in Darfur becomes more stable. Sudan also has faced refugee influxes from neighboring countries, primarily Ethiopia, Eritrea, Chad, Central African Republic, and South Sudan. Armed conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and denial of access by both the government and armed opposition have impeded the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected populations. However, Sudan's new transitional government has stated its priority to allow greater humanitarian access, as the food security and humanitarian situation in Sudan worsens and as it appeals to the West for greater engagement." + "text": "The region along the Nile River south of Egypt has long been referred to as Nubia. It was the site of the Kingdom of Kerma, which flourished for about a millennium (ca. 2500-1500 B.C.) until absorbed into the New Kingdom of Egypt. By the 11th century B.C., a Kingdom of Kush emerged and regained the region's independence from Egypt; it lasted in various forms until the middle of the fourth century A.D. After the fall of Kush, the Nubians formed three Christian kingdoms of Nobatia, Makuria, and Alodia, the latter two endured until around 1500. Between the 14th and 15th centuries much of Sudan was settled by Arab nomads, and between the 16th–19th centuries it underwent extensive Islamization. Egyptian occupation early in the 19th century was overthrown by a native Mahdist Sudan state (1885-99) that was crushed by the British who then set up an Anglo-Egyptian Sudan - nominally a condominium, but in effect a British colony. ++ Following independence from Anglo-Egyptian co-rule in 1956, military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics. Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in northern economic, political, and social domination of largely non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972 but another broke out in 1983. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with the signing of several accords. The final North/South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in January 2005, granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years followed by a referendum on independence for Southern Sudan. The referendum was held in January 2011 and indicated overwhelming support for independence. South Sudan became independent on 9 July 2011. Sudan and South Sudan have yet to fully implement security and economic agreements signed in September 2012 relating to the normalization of relations between the two countries. The final disposition of the contested Abyei region has also to be decided. The 30-year reign of President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR ended in his ouster in April 2019, and a Sovereignty Council, a joint civilian-military-executive body, holds power as of November 2019. ++ Following South Sudan's independence, conflict broke out between the government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states (together known as the Two Areas), resulting in a humanitarian crisis affecting more than a million people. A earlier conflict that broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003, displaced nearly 2 million people and caused thousands of deaths.  While some repatriation has taken place, about 1.83 million IDPs remain in Sudan as of May 2019. Fighting in both the Two Areas and Darfur between government forces and opposition has largely subsided, however the civilian populations are affected by low-level violence including inter-tribal conflict and banditry, largely a result of weak rule of law. The UN and the African Union have jointly commanded a Darfur peacekeeping operation (UNAMID) since 2007, but are slowly drawing down as the situation in Darfur becomes more stable. Sudan also has faced refugee influxes from neighboring countries, primarily Ethiopia, Eritrea, Chad, Central African Republic, and South Sudan. Armed conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and denial of access by both the government and armed opposition have impeded the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected populations. However, Sudan's new transitional government has stated its priority to allow greater humanitarian access, as the food security and humanitarian situation in Sudan worsens and as it appeals to the West for greater engagement." } }, "Geography": { @@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ "text": "dust storms and periodic persistent droughts" }, "Environment - current issues": { - "text": "water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water scarcity and periodic drought; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification; deforestation; loss of biodiversity  " + "text": "water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water scarcity and periodic drought; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification; deforestation; loss of biodiversity ++  " }, "Environment - international agreements": { "party to": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "12.2% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99% of population / rural: 80.7% of population / total: 87% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "19.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "13% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1% of population / rural: 19.3% of population / total: 13% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "0.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 27.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 72.1% of population / rural: 30.6% of population / total: 44.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "69.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "55.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 27.9% of population / rural: 69.4% of population / total: 55.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -452,10 +446,10 @@ "text": "according to the August 2019 Constitutional Decree, which established Sudan's transitional government, the Transitional Legislative Council (TLC) will serve as the national legislature during the transitional period until elections can be held in 2022; as of early December 2019, the TLC had not been established" }, "elections": { - "text": "Council of State - last held 1 June 2015 National Assembly - last held on 13-15 April 2015 note - elections for an as yet defined new legislature to be held in 2022 at the expiry of the Transnational Legislative Council" + "text": "Council of State - last held 1 June 2015 ++ National Assembly - last held on 13-15 April 2015 ++ note - elections for an as yet defined new legislature to be held in 2022 at the expiry of the Transnational Legislative Council" }, "election results": { - "text": "Council of State - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 35, women 19, percent of women 35.2%National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NCP 323, DUP 25, Democratic Unionist Party 15, other 44, independent 19; composition - men 296 women 130, percent of women 30.5%; note - total National Legislature percent of women 31%" + "text": "Council of State - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 35, women 19, percent of women 35.2% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NCP 323, DUP 25, Democratic Unionist Party 15, other 44, independent 19; composition - men 296 women 130, percent of women 30.5%; note - total National Legislature percent of women 31%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -470,7 +464,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Unionist Party or DUP [Jalal al-DIGAIR]Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammad Uthman al-MIRGHANI]Federal Umma Party [Dr. Ahmed Babikir NAHAR]Muslim Brotherhood or MBNational Congress Party or NCP (in November 2019, Sudan's transitional government approved a law to \"dismantle\" the regime of former President Omar al-Bashir, including the dissolution of his political party, the NCP) National Umma Party or NUP [Saddiq al-MAHDI]Popular Congress Party or PCP [Hassan al-TURABI]Reform Movement Now [Dr. Ghazi Salahuddin al-ATABANI]Sudan National Front [Ali Mahmud HASANAYN]Sudanese Communist Party or SCP [Mohammed Moktar Al-KHATEEB]Sudanese Congress Party or SCoP [Ibrahim Al-SHEIKH]Umma Party for Reform and DevelopmentUnionist Movement Party or UMP" + "text": "Democratic Unionist Party or DUP [Jalal al-DIGAIR] ++ Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammad Uthman al-MIRGHANI] ++ Federal Umma Party [Dr. Ahmed Babikir NAHAR] ++ Muslim Brotherhood or MB ++ National Congress Party or NCP (in November 2019, Sudan's transitional government approved a law to \"dismantle\" the regime of former President Omar al-Bashir, including the dissolution of his political party, the NCP) ++ National Umma Party or NUP [Saddiq al-MAHDI] ++ Popular Congress Party or PCP [Hassan al-TURABI] ++ Reform Movement Now [Dr. Ghazi Salahuddin al-ATABANI]Sudan National Front [Ali Mahmud HASANAYN] ++ Sudanese Communist Party or SCP [Mohammed Moktar Al-KHATEEB] ++ Sudanese Congress Party or SCoP [Ibrahim Al-SHEIKH] ++ Umma Party for Reform and Development ++ Unionist Movement Party or UMP" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -526,7 +520,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Sudan has experienced protracted social conflict and the loss of three quarters of its oil production due to the secession of South Sudan. The oil sector had driven much of Sudan's GDP growth since 1999. For nearly a decade, the economy boomed on the back of rising oil production, high oil prices, and significant inflows of foreign direct investment. Since the economic shock of South Sudan's secession, Sudan has struggled to stabilize its economy and make up for the loss of foreign exchange earnings. The interruption of oil production in South Sudan in 2012 for over a year and the consequent loss of oil transit fees further exacerbated the fragile state of Sudan’s economy. Ongoing conflicts in Southern Kordofan, Darfur, and the Blue Nile states, lack of basic infrastructure in large areas, and reliance by much of the population on subsistence agriculture, keep close to half of the population at or below the poverty line. Sudan was subject to comprehensive US sanctions, which were lifted in October 2017. Sudan is attempting to develop non-oil sources of revenues, such as gold mining and agriculture, while carrying out an austerity program to reduce expenditures. The world’s largest exporter of gum Arabic, Sudan produces 75-80% of the world’s total output. Agriculture continues to employ 80% of the work force. Sudan introduced a new currency, still called the Sudanese pound, following South Sudan's secession, but the value of the currency has fallen since its introduction. Khartoum formally devalued the currency in June 2012, when it passed austerity measures that included gradually repealing fuel subsidies. Sudan also faces high inflation, which reached 47% on an annual basis in November 2012 but fell to about 35% per year in 2017. (2017)" + "text": "Sudan has experienced protracted social conflict and the loss of three quarters of its oil production due to the secession of South Sudan. The oil sector had driven much of Sudan's GDP growth since 1999. For nearly a decade, the economy boomed on the back of rising oil production, high oil prices, and significant inflows of foreign direct investment. Since the economic shock of South Sudan's secession, Sudan has struggled to stabilize its economy and make up for the loss of foreign exchange earnings. The interruption of oil production in South Sudan in 2012 for over a year and the consequent loss of oil transit fees further exacerbated the fragile state of Sudan's economy. Ongoing conflicts in Southern Kordofan, Darfur, and the Blue Nile states, lack of basic infrastructure in large areas, and reliance by much of the population on subsistence agriculture, keep close to half of the population at or below the poverty line. ++ Sudan was subject to comprehensive US sanctions, which were lifted in October 2017. Sudan is attempting to develop non-oil sources of revenues, such as gold mining and agriculture, while carrying out an austerity program to reduce expenditures. The world's largest exporter of gum Arabic, Sudan produces 75-80% of the world's total output. Agriculture continues to employ 80% of the work force. ++ Sudan introduced a new currency, still called the Sudanese pound, following South Sudan's secession, but the value of the currency has fallen since its introduction. Khartoum formally devalued the currency in June 2012, when it passed austerity measures that included gradually repealing fuel subsidies. Sudan also faces high inflation, which reached 47% on an annual basis in November 2012 but fell to about 35% per year in 2017. (2017)" }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$177.4 billion (2017 est.) / $174.9 billion (2016 est.) / $169.8 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -923,7 +917,7 @@ "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "size assessments for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) vary widely, ranging from about 100,000 to more than 200,000 active personnel, including approximately 1,500 Navy and 3,000 Air Force; est. 30-40,000 paramilitary Rapid Support Forces; est. 20,000 Reserve Department (formerly the paramilitary Popular Defense Forces) (2019)", "note": { - "text": "note: in August 2020, Sudan and the major rebel group Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) signed an agreement to integrate the group's fighters into the Sudanese Army by the end of 2023" + "text": "note: in August 2020, Sudan and the major rebel group Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) signed an agreement to integrate the group's fighters into the Sudanese Army by the end of 2023" } }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { @@ -936,7 +930,7 @@ "text": "18-33 years of age for male and female compulsory or voluntary military service; 1-2 year service obligation (2013)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has operated in the disputed Abyei region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan since 2011; UNISFA's mission includes ensuring security, protecting civilians, strengthening the capacity of the Abyei Police Service, de-mining, monitoring/verifying the redeployment of armed forces from the area, and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid; UNISFA had about 4,000 personnel deployed as of January 2020in addition, the United Nations African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) has operated in the war-torn Darfur region since 2007; UNAMID is a joint African Union-UN peacekeeping force with the mission of bringing stability to Darfur, including protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance, and promoting mediation efforts, while peace talks on a final settlement continue; as of March 2020, UNAMID had about 6,500 personnel deployed (2020)" + "text": "United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has operated in the disputed Abyei region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan since 2011; UNISFA's mission includes ensuring security, protecting civilians, strengthening the capacity of the Abyei Police Service, de-mining, monitoring/verifying the redeployment of armed forces from the area, and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid; UNISFA had about 4,000 personnel deployed as of January 2020 ++ in addition, the United Nations African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) has operated in the war-torn Darfur region since 2007; UNAMID is a joint African Union-UN peacekeeping force with the mission of bringing stability to Darfur, including protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance, and promoting mediation efforts, while peace talks on a final settlement continue; as of March 2020, UNAMID had about 6,500 personnel deployed (2020)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/africa/to.json b/africa/to.json index 8bf9510b..2b8cb3f0 100644 --- a/africa/to.json +++ b/africa/to.json @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ "text": "Christian 43.7%, folk 35.6%, Muslim 14%, Hindu <.1%, Buddhist <.1%, Jewish <.1%, other .5%, none 6.2% (2010 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Togo’s population is estimated to have grown to four times its size between 1960 and 2010. With nearly 60% of its populace under the age of 25 and a high annual growth rate attributed largely to high fertility, Togo’s population is likely to continue to expand for the foreseeable future. Reducing fertility, boosting job creation, and improving education will be essential to reducing the country’s high poverty rate. In 2008, Togo eliminated primary school enrollment fees, leading to higher enrollment but increased pressure on limited classroom space, teachers, and materials. Togo has a good chance of achieving universal primary education, but educational quality, the underrepresentation of girls, and the low rate of enrollment in secondary and tertiary schools remain concerns.\nTogo is both a country of emigration and asylum. In the early 1990s, southern Togo suffered from the economic decline of the phosphate sector and ethnic and political repression at the hands of dictator Gnassingbe EYADEMA and his northern, Kabye-dominated administration. The turmoil led 300,000 to 350,000 predominantly southern Togolese to flee to Benin and Ghana, with most not returning home until relative stability was restored in 1997. In 2005, another outflow of 40,000 Togolese to Benin and Ghana occurred when violence broke out between the opposition and security forces over the disputed election of EYADEMA’s son Faure GNASSINGBE to the presidency. About half of the refugees reluctantly returned home in 2006, many still fearing for their safety. Despite ethnic tensions and periods of political unrest, Togo in September 2017 was home to more than 9,600 refugees from Ghana." + "text": "Togo's population is estimated to have grown to four times its size between 1960 and 2010. With nearly 60% of its populace under the age of 25 and a high annual growth rate attributed largely to high fertility, Togo's population is likely to continue to expand for the foreseeable future. Reducing fertility, boosting job creation, and improving education will be essential to reducing the country's high poverty rate. In 2008, Togo eliminated primary school enrollment fees, leading to higher enrollment but increased pressure on limited classroom space, teachers, and materials. Togo has a good chance of achieving universal primary education, but educational quality, the underrepresentation of girls, and the low rate of enrollment in secondary and tertiary schools remain concerns. ++ Togo is both a country of emigration and asylum. In the early 1990s, southern Togo suffered from the economic decline of the phosphate sector and ethnic and political repression at the hands of dictator Gnassingbe EYADEMA and his northern, Kabye-dominated administration. The turmoil led 300,000 to 350,000 predominantly southern Togolese to flee to Benin and Ghana, with most not returning home until relative stability was restored in 1997. In 2005, another outflow of 40,000 Togolese to Benin and Ghana occurred when violence broke out between the opposition and security forces over the disputed election of EYADEMA's son Faure GNASSINGBE to the presidency. About half of the refugees reluctantly returned home in 2006, many still fearing for their safety. Despite ethnic tensions and periods of political unrest, Togo in September 2017 was home to more than 9,600 refugees from Ghana." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "23.9% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 7.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 92.3% of population / rural: 56% of population / total: 70.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "44% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "29.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 7.7% of population / rural: 44% of population / total: 29.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "0.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 19.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 80.4% of population (2015 est.) / rural: 16.2% of population / total: 41.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "83.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "57.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 19.6% of population / rural: 83.8% of population / total: 57.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -487,7 +481,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yaovi AGBOYIBO]Alliance of Democrats for Integral Development or ADDI [Tchaboure GOGUE]Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA [Brigitte ADJAMAGBO-JOHNSON]Democratic Forces for the Republic or FDR [Dodji APEVON]National Alliance for Change or ANC [Jean-Pierre FABRE]New Togolese Commitment [Gerry TAAMA]Pan-African National Party or PNP [Tikpi ATCHADAM]Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP [Edem KODJO]Patriotic Movement for Democracy and Development or MPDD [Agbeyome KODJO] Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR [Abi TCHESSA]The Togolese Party [Nathaniel OLYMPIO]Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO]Union for the Republic or UNIR [Faure GNASSINGBE]" + "text": "Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Yaovi AGBOYIBO] ++ Alliance of Democrats for Integral Development or ADDI [Tchaboure GOGUE] ++ Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA [Brigitte ADJAMAGBO-JOHNSON] ++ Democratic Forces for the Republic or FDR [Dodji APEVON] ++ National Alliance for Change or ANC [Jean-Pierre FABRE] ++ New Togolese Commitment [Gerry TAAMA] ++ Pan-African National Party or PNP [Tikpi ATCHADAM] ++ Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP [Edem KODJO] ++ Patriotic Movement for Democracy and Development or MPDD [Agbeyome KODJO] ++ Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR [Abi TCHESSA] ++ The Togolese Party [Nathaniel OLYMPIO] ++ Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Gilchrist OLYMPIO] ++ Union for the Republic or UNIR [Faure GNASSINGBE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -546,7 +540,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Togo has enjoyed a period of steady economic growth fueled by political stability and a concerted effort by the government to modernize the country’s commercial infrastructure, but discontent with President Faure GNASSINGBE has led to a rapid rise in protests, creating downside risks. The country completed an ambitious large-scale infrastructure improvement program, including new principal roads, a new airport terminal, and a new seaport. The economy depends heavily on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, providing employment for around 60% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton and other agricultural products generate about 20% of export earnings with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is among the world's largest producers of phosphate and seeks to develop its carbonate phosphate reserves, which provide more than 20% of export earnings. Supported by the World Bank and the IMF, the government's decade-long effort to implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly. Togo completed its IMF Extended Credit Facility in 2011 and reached a Heavily Indebted Poor Country debt relief completion point in 2010 at which 95% of the country's debt was forgiven. Togo continues to work with the IMF on structural reforms, and in January 2017, the IMF signed an Extended Credit Facility arrangement consisting of a three-year $238 million loan package. Progress depends on follow through on privatization, increased transparency in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors. Togo’s 2017 economic growth probably remained steady at 5.0%, largely driven by infusions of foreign aid, infrastructure investment in its port and mineral industry, and improvements in the business climate. Foreign direct investment inflows have slowed in recent years." + "text": "Togo has enjoyed a period of steady economic growth fueled by political stability and a concerted effort by the government to modernize the country's commercial infrastructure, but discontent with President Faure GNASSINGBE has led to a rapid rise in protests, creating downside risks. The country completed an ambitious large-scale infrastructure improvement program, including new principal roads, a new airport terminal, and a new seaport. The economy depends heavily on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, providing employment for around 60% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton and other agricultural products generate about 20% of export earnings with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is among the world's largest producers of phosphate and seeks to develop its carbonate phosphate reserves, which provide more than 20% of export earnings. ++ Supported by the World Bank and the IMF, the government's decade-long effort to implement economic reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in line with expenditures has moved slowly. Togo completed its IMF Extended Credit Facility in 2011 and reached a Heavily Indebted Poor Country debt relief completion point in 2010 at which 95% of the country's debt was forgiven. Togo continues to work with the IMF on structural reforms, and in January 2017, the IMF signed an Extended Credit Facility arrangement consisting of a three-year $238 million loan package. Progress depends on follow through on privatization, increased transparency in government financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and continued support from foreign donors. ++ Togo's 2017 economic growth probably remained steady at 5.0%, largely driven by infusions of foreign aid, infrastructure investment in its port and mineral industry, and improvements in the business climate. Foreign direct investment inflows have slowed in recent years." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$12.97 billion (2017 est.) / $12.42 billion (2016 est.) / $11.82 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -914,7 +908,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Togolese Army (l'Armee de Terre), Togolese Navy (Forces Naval Togolaises), Togolese Air Force (Armee de l’Air), National Gendarmerie (2020)" + "text": "Togolese Armed Forces (Forces Armees Togolaise, FAT): Togolese Army (l'Armee de Terre), Togolese Navy (Forces Naval Togolaises), Togolese Air Force (Armee de l'Air), National Gendarmerie (2020)" }, "Military expenditures": { "text": "3.1% of GDP (2019) / 2% of GDP (2018) / 1.9% of GDP (2017) / 1.9% of GDP (2016) / 1.7% of GDP (2015)" diff --git a/africa/tp.json b/africa/tp.json index 9d91dc34..99d9d8d9 100644 --- a/africa/tp.json +++ b/africa/tp.json @@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ "text": "Catholic 55.7%, Adventist 4.1%, Assembly of God 3.4%, New Apostolic 2.9%, Mana 2.3%, Universal Kingdom of God 2%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 6.2%, none 21.2%, unspecified 1% (2012 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Sao Tome and Principe’s youthful age structure – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – and high fertility rate ensure future population growth. Although Sao Tome has a net negative international migration rate, emigration is not a sufficient safety valve to reduce already high levels of unemployment and poverty. While literacy and primary school attendance have improved in recent years, Sao Tome still struggles to improve its educational quality and to increase its secondary school completion rate. Despite some improvements in education and access to healthcare, Sao Tome and Principe has much to do to decrease its high poverty rate, create jobs, and increase its economic growth.\nThe population of Sao Tome and Principe descends primarily from the islands’ colonial Portuguese settlers, who first arrived in the late 15th century, and the much larger number of African slaves brought in for sugar production and the slave trade. For about 100 years after the abolition of slavery in 1876, the population was further shaped by the widespread use of imported unskilled contract laborers from Portugal’s other African colonies, who worked on coffee and cocoa plantations. In the first decades after abolition, most workers were brought from Angola under a system similar to slavery. While Angolan laborers were technically free, they were forced or coerced into long contracts that were automatically renewed and extended to their children. Other contract workers from Mozambique and famine-stricken Cape Verde first arrived in the early 20th century under short-term contracts and had the option of repatriation, although some chose to remain in Sao Tome and Principe.\nToday’s Sao Tomean population consists of mesticos (creole descendants of the European immigrants and African slaves that first inhabited the islands), forros (descendants of freed African slaves), angolares (descendants of runaway African slaves that formed a community in the south of Sao Tome Island and today are fishermen), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (locally born children of contract laborers), and lesser numbers of Europeans and Asians." + "text": "Sao Tome and Principe's youthful age structure – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – and high fertility rate ensure future population growth. Although Sao Tome has a net negative international migration rate, emigration is not a sufficient safety valve to reduce already high levels of unemployment and poverty. While literacy and primary school attendance have improved in recent years, Sao Tome still struggles to improve its educational quality and to increase its secondary school completion rate. Despite some improvements in education and access to healthcare, Sao Tome and Principe has much to do to decrease its high poverty rate, create jobs, and increase its economic growth. ++ The population of Sao Tome and Principe descends primarily from the islands' colonial Portuguese settlers, who first arrived in the late 15th century, and the much larger number of African slaves brought in for sugar production and the slave trade. For about 100 years after the abolition of slavery in 1876, the population was further shaped by the widespread use of imported unskilled contract laborers from Portugal's other African colonies, who worked on coffee and cocoa plantations. In the first decades after abolition, most workers were brought from Angola under a system similar to slavery. While Angolan laborers were technically free, they were forced or coerced into long contracts that were automatically renewed and extended to their children. Other contract workers from Mozambique and famine-stricken Cape Verde first arrived in the early 20th century under short-term contracts and had the option of repatriation, although some chose to remain in Sao Tome and Principe. ++ Today's Sao Tomean population consists of mesticos (creole descendants of the European immigrants and African slaves that first inhabited the islands), forros (descendants of freed African slaves), angolares (descendants of runaway African slaves that formed a community in the south of Sao Tome Island and today are fishermen), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (locally born children of contract laborers), and lesser numbers of Europeans and Asians." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -256,14 +256,11 @@ "text": "40.6% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 88.4% of population / total: 96.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "11.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "3.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 11.6% of population / total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -276,14 +273,11 @@ "text": "2.9 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 45.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 54.4% of population / rural: 35.3% of population / total: 49.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "64.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "50.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 45.6% of population / rural: 64.7% of population / total: 50.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -470,7 +464,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Force for Democratic Change Movement or MDFM [Fradique Bandeira Melo DE MENEZES]Independent Democratic Action or ADI [vacant]Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Aurelio MARTINS]Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group or PCD-GR [Leonel Mario D'ALVA]other small parties" + "text": "Force for Democratic Change Movement or MDFM [Fradique Bandeira Melo DE MENEZES] ++ Independent Democratic Action or ADI [vacant] ++ Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Aurelio MARTINS] ++ Party for Democratic Convergence-Reflection Group or PCD-GR [Leonel Mario D'ALVA] ++ other small parties" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AOSIS, AU, CD, CEMAC, CPLP, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -515,7 +509,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The economy of São Tomé and Príncipe is small, based mainly on agricultural production, and, since independence in 1975, increasingly dependent on the export of cocoa beans. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement. Sao Tome depends heavily on imports of food, fuels, most manufactured goods, and consumer goods, and changes in commodity prices affect the country’s inflation rate. Maintaining control of inflation, fiscal discipline, and increasing flows of foreign direct investment into the nascent oil sector are major economic problems facing the country. In recent years the government has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. In 2017, several business-related laws were enacted that aim to improve the business climate. São Tomé and Príncipe has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. In April 2011, the country completed a Threshold Country Program with The Millennium Challenge Corporation to help increase tax revenues, reform customs, and improve the business environment. In 2016, Sao Tome and Portugal signed a five-year cooperation agreement worth approximately $64 million, some of which will be provided as loans. In 2017, China and São Tomé signed a mutual cooperation agreement in areas such as infrastructure, health, and agriculture worth approximately $146 million over five years. Considerable potential exists for development of tourism, and the government has taken steps to expand tourist facilities in recent years. Potential also exists for the development of petroleum resources in São Tomé and Príncipe's territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea, some of which are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split with Nigeria, but production is at least several years off. Volatile aid and investment inflows have limited growth, and poverty remains high. Restricteded capacity at the main port increases the periodic risk of shortages of consumer goods. Contract enforcement in the country’s judicial system is difficult. The IMF in late 2016 expressed concern about vulnerabilities in the country’s banking sector, although the country plans some austerity measures in line with IMF recommendations under their three year extended credit facility. Deforestation, coastal erosion, poor waste management, and misuse of natural resources also are challenging issues." + "text": "The economy of São Tomé and Príncipe is small, based mainly on agricultural production, and, since independence in 1975, increasingly dependent on the export of cocoa beans. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement. Sao Tome depends heavily on imports of food, fuels, most manufactured goods, and consumer goods, and changes in commodity prices affect the country's inflation rate. Maintaining control of inflation, fiscal discipline, and increasing flows of foreign direct investment into the nascent oil sector are major economic problems facing the country. In recent years the government has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. In 2017, several business-related laws were enacted that aim to improve the business climate. ++ São Tomé and Príncipe has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. In April 2011, the country completed a Threshold Country Program with The Millennium Challenge Corporation to help increase tax revenues, reform customs, and improve the business environment. In 2016, Sao Tome and Portugal signed a five-year cooperation agreement worth approximately $64 million, some of which will be provided as loans. In 2017, China and São Tomé signed a mutual cooperation agreement in areas such as infrastructure, health, and agriculture worth approximately $146 million over five years. ++ Considerable potential exists for development of tourism, and the government has taken steps to expand tourist facilities in recent years. Potential also exists for the development of petroleum resources in São Tomé and Príncipe's territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea, some of which are being jointly developed in a 60-40 split with Nigeria, but production is at least several years off. ++ Volatile aid and investment inflows have limited growth, and poverty remains high. Restricteded capacity at the main port increases the periodic risk of shortages of consumer goods. Contract enforcement in the country's judicial system is difficult. The IMF in late 2016 expressed concern about vulnerabilities in the country's banking sector, although the country plans some austerity measures in line with IMF recommendations under their three year extended credit facility. Deforestation, coastal erosion, poor waste management, and misuse of natural resources also are challenging issues." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$686 million (2017 est.) / $660.4 million (2016 est.) / $633.9 million (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/ts.json b/africa/ts.json index 4dd1380f..60f55653 100644 --- a/africa/ts.json +++ b/africa/ts.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Tunisia has been the nexus of many different colonizations including those of the Phoenicians (as early as the 12 century B.C.), the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, various Arab and Berber kingdoms, and the Ottomans (16th to late 19th centuries). Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades following World War I was finally successful in convincing the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's first president, Habib BOURGUIBA, established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. Street protests that began in Tunis in December 2010 over high unemployment, corruption, widespread poverty, and high food prices escalated in January 2011, culminating in rioting that led to hundreds of deaths. On 14 January 2011, the same day BEN ALI dismissed the government, he fled the country, and by late January 2011, a \"national unity government\" was formed. Elections for the new Constituent Assembly were held in late October 2011, and in December, it elected human rights activist Moncef MARZOUKI as interim president. The Assembly began drafting a new constitution in February 2012 and, after several iterations and a months-long political crisis that stalled the transition, ratified the document in January 2014. Parliamentary and presidential elections for a permanent government were held at the end of 2014. Beji CAID ESSEBSI was elected as the first president under the country's new constitution. Following ESSEBSI’s death in office in July 2019, Tunisia moved its scheduled presidential election forward two months and after two rounds of voting, Kais SAIED was sworn in as president in October 2019. Tunisia also held legislative elections on schedule in October 2019. SAIED's term, as well as that of Tunisia's 217-member parliament, expires in 2024." + "text": "Tunisia has been the nexus of many different colonizations including those of the Phoenicians (as early as the 12 century B.C.), the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, various Arab and Berber kingdoms, and the Ottomans (16th to late 19th centuries). Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades following World War I was finally successful in convincing the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's first president, Habib BOURGUIBA, established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. Street protests that began in Tunis in December 2010 over high unemployment, corruption, widespread poverty, and high food prices escalated in January 2011, culminating in rioting that led to hundreds of deaths. On 14 January 2011, the same day BEN ALI dismissed the government, he fled the country, and by late January 2011, a \"national unity government\" was formed. Elections for the new Constituent Assembly were held in late October 2011, and in December, it elected human rights activist Moncef MARZOUKI as interim president. The Assembly began drafting a new constitution in February 2012 and, after several iterations and a months-long political crisis that stalled the transition, ratified the document in January 2014. Parliamentary and presidential elections for a permanent government were held at the end of 2014. Beji CAID ESSEBSI was elected as the first president under the country's new constitution. Following ESSEBSI's death in office in July 2019, Tunisia moved its scheduled presidential election forward two months and after two rounds of voting, Kais SAIED was sworn in as president in October 2019. Tunisia also held legislative elections on schedule in October 2019. SAIED's term, as well as that of Tunisia's 217-member parliament, expires in 2024." } }, "Geography": { @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ "text": "Muslim (official; Sunni) 99.1%, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Shia Muslim, and Baha'i) 1%" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "The Tunisian Government took steps in the 1960s to decrease population growth and gender inequality in order to improve socioeconomic development. Through its introduction of a national family planning program (the first in Africa) and by raising the legal age of marriage, Tunisia rapidly reduced its total fertility rate from about 7 children per woman in 1960 to 2 today. Unlike many of its North African and Middle Eastern neighbors, Tunisia will soon be shifting from being a youth-bulge country to having a transitional age structure, characterized by lower fertility and mortality rates, a slower population growth rate, a rising median age, and a longer average life expectancy.\nCurrently, the sizable young working-age population is straining Tunisia’s labor market and education and health care systems. Persistent high unemployment among Tunisia’s growing workforce, particularly its increasing number of university graduates and women, was a key factor in the uprisings that led to the overthrow of the BEN ALI regime in 2011. In the near term, Tunisia’s large number of jobless young, working-age adults; deficiencies in primary and secondary education; and the ongoing lack of job creation and skills mismatches could contribute to future unrest. In the longer term, a sustained low fertility rate will shrink future youth cohorts and alleviate demographic pressure on Tunisia’s labor market, but employment and education hurdles will still need to be addressed.\nTunisia has a history of labor emigration. In the 1960s, workers migrated to European countries to escape poor economic conditions and to fill Europe’s need for low-skilled labor in construction and manufacturing. The Tunisian Government signed bilateral labor agreements with France, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, and the Netherlands, with the expectation that Tunisian workers would eventually return home. At the same time, growing numbers of Tunisians headed to Libya, often illegally, to work in the expanding oil industry. In the mid-1970s, with European countries beginning to restrict immigration and Tunisian-Libyan tensions brewing, Tunisian economic migrants turned toward the Gulf countries. After mass expulsions from Libya in 1983, Tunisian migrants increasingly sought family reunification in Europe or moved illegally to southern Europe, while Tunisia itself developed into a transit point for Sub-Saharan migrants heading to Europe.\nFollowing the ousting of BEN ALI in 2011, the illegal migration of unemployed Tunisian youths to Italy and onward to France soared into the tens of thousands. Thousands more Tunisian and foreign workers escaping civil war in Libya flooded into Tunisia and joined the exodus. A readmission agreement signed by Italy and Tunisia in April 2011 helped stem the outflow, leaving Tunisia and international organizations to repatriate, resettle, or accommodate some 1 million Libyans and third-country nationals." + "text": "The Tunisian Government took steps in the 1960s to decrease population growth and gender inequality in order to improve socioeconomic development. Through its introduction of a national family planning program (the first in Africa) and by raising the legal age of marriage, Tunisia rapidly reduced its total fertility rate from about 7 children per woman in 1960 to 2 today. Unlike many of its North African and Middle Eastern neighbors, Tunisia will soon be shifting from being a youth-bulge country to having a transitional age structure, characterized by lower fertility and mortality rates, a slower population growth rate, a rising median age, and a longer average life expectancy. ++ Currently, the sizable young working-age population is straining Tunisia's labor market and education and health care systems. Persistent high unemployment among Tunisia's growing workforce, particularly its increasing number of university graduates and women, was a key factor in the uprisings that led to the overthrow of the BEN ALI regime in 2011. In the near term, Tunisia's large number of jobless young, working-age adults; deficiencies in primary and secondary education; and the ongoing lack of job creation and skills mismatches could contribute to future unrest. In the longer term, a sustained low fertility rate will shrink future youth cohorts and alleviate demographic pressure on Tunisia's labor market, but employment and education hurdles will still need to be addressed. ++ Tunisia has a history of labor emigration. In the 1960s, workers migrated to European countries to escape poor economic conditions and to fill Europe's need for low-skilled labor in construction and manufacturing. The Tunisian Government signed bilateral labor agreements with France, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, and the Netherlands, with the expectation that Tunisian workers would eventually return home. At the same time, growing numbers of Tunisians headed to Libya, often illegally, to work in the expanding oil industry. In the mid-1970s, with European countries beginning to restrict immigration and Tunisian-Libyan tensions brewing, Tunisian economic migrants turned toward the Gulf countries. After mass expulsions from Libya in 1983, Tunisian migrants increasingly sought family reunification in Europe or moved illegally to southern Europe, while Tunisia itself developed into a transit point for Sub-Saharan migrants heading to Europe. ++ Following the ousting of BEN ALI in 2011, the illegal migration of unemployed Tunisian youths to Italy and onward to France soared into the tens of thousands. Thousands more Tunisian and foreign workers escaping civil war in Libya flooded into Tunisia and joined the exodus. A readmission agreement signed by Italy and Tunisia in April 2011 helped stem the outflow, leaving Tunisia and international organizations to repatriate, resettle, or accommodate some 1 million Libyans and third-country nationals." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "50.7% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 94.3% of population / total: 98.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "5.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 5.7% of population / total: 1.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "2.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.6% of population / rural: 92.4% of population / total: 95.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "7.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "4.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.4% of population / rural: 7.6% of population / total: 4.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -432,7 +426,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 15 September 2019 with a runoff on 13 October 2019 (next to be held in 2024); following legislative elections, the prime minister is selected by the winning party or winning coalition and appointed by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "first round - Kais SAIED (independent) 18.4%, Nabil KAROUI (Heart of Tunisia) 15.6%, Abdelfattah MOUROU (Nahda Movement) 12.9%, Abdelkrim ZBIDI(independent) 10.7%,Youssef CHAHED (Long Live Tunisia) 7.4%, Safi SAID (independent) 7.1%, Lotfi MRAIHI (Republican People's Union) 6.6%, other 21.3%; runoff - Kais SAIED elected president; Kais SAIED 72.7%, Nabil KAROUI 27.3%            " + "text": "first round - Kais SAIED (independent) 18.4%, Nabil KAROUI (Heart of Tunisia) 15.6%, Abdelfattah MOUROU (Nahda Movement) 12.9%, Abdelkrim ZBIDI(independent) 10.7%,Youssef CHAHED (Long Live Tunisia) 7.4%, Safi SAID (independent) 7.1%, Lotfi MRAIHI (Republican People's Union) 6.6%, other 21.3%; runoff - Kais SAIED elected president; Kais SAIED 72.7%, Nabil KAROUI 27.3% ++   ++   ++   ++   ++   ++  " } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -461,7 +455,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Afek Tounes [Yassine BRAHIM]Al Badil Al-Tounisi (The Tunisian Alternative) [Mehdi JOMAA]Call for Tunisia Party (Nidaa Tounes) [Hafedh CAID ESSEBSI]Congress for the Republic Party or CPR [Imed DAIMI]Current of Love [Hachemi HAMDI] (formerly the Popular Petition party)Democratic Alliance Party [Mohamed HAMDI]Democratic Current [Mohamed ABBOU]Democratic Patriots' Unified Party [Zied LAKHDHAR]Dignity Coalition [Seifeddine MAKHIOUF]Free Destourian Party [Abir MOUSSI]Free Patriotic Union (Union patriotique libre) or UPL  [Slim RIAHI]Green Tunisia Party [Abdelkader ZITOUNI]Heart of Tunisia (Qalb Tounes)Irada MovementLong Live Tunisia (Tahya Tounes) [Youssef CHAHED]Machrou Tounes (Tunisia Project) [Mohsen MARZOUK]Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ahmed KHASKHOUSSI]Ennahda Movement (The Renaissance) [Rachid GHANNOUCHI]National Destourian Initiative or El Moubadra [Kamel MORJANE]Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard [Ahmed JEDDICK, Kheireddine SOUABNI]People's Movement [Zouheir MAGHZAOUI]Popular Front (coalition includes Democratic Patriots' Unified Party, Workers' Party, Green Tunisia, Tunisian Ba'ath Movement, Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard)Republican Party [Maya JRIBI]Tunisian Ba'ath Movement [OMAR Othman BELHADJ]Tunisia First (Tunis Awlan) [Ridha BELHAJ]Workers' Party [Hamma HAMMAMI]" + "text": "Afek Tounes [Yassine BRAHIM]Al Badil Al-Tounisi (The Tunisian Alternative) [Mehdi JOMAA] ++ Call for Tunisia Party (Nidaa Tounes) [Hafedh CAID ESSEBSI] ++ Congress for the Republic Party or CPR [Imed DAIMI] ++ Current of Love [Hachemi HAMDI] (formerly the Popular Petition party) ++ Democratic Alliance Party [Mohamed HAMDI] ++ Democratic Current [Mohamed ABBOU] ++ Democratic Patriots' Unified Party [Zied LAKHDHAR] ++ Dignity Coalition [Seifeddine MAKHIOUF] ++ Free Destourian Party [Abir MOUSSI] ++ Free Patriotic Union (Union patriotique libre) or UPL  [Slim RIAHI] ++ Green Tunisia Party [Abdelkader ZITOUNI] ++ Heart of Tunisia (Qalb Tounes) ++ Irada Movement ++ Long Live Tunisia (Tahya Tounes) [Youssef CHAHED] ++ Machrou Tounes (Tunisia Project) [Mohsen MARZOUK] ++ Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ahmed KHASKHOUSSI] ++ Ennahda Movement (The Renaissance) [Rachid GHANNOUCHI] ++ National Destourian Initiative or El Moubadra [Kamel MORJANE] ++ Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard [Ahmed JEDDICK, Kheireddine SOUABNI] ++ People's Movement [Zouheir MAGHZAOUI] ++ Popular Front (coalition includes Democratic Patriots' Unified Party, Workers' Party, Green Tunisia, Tunisian Ba'ath Movement, Party of the Democratic Arab Vanguard) ++ Republican Party [Maya JRIBI] ++ Tunisian Ba'ath Movement [OMAR Othman BELHADJ] ++ Tunisia First (Tunis Awlan) [Ridha BELHAJ] ++ Workers' Party [Hamma HAMMAMI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CD, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -520,7 +514,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Tunisia's economy – structurally designed to favor vested interests – faced an array of challenges exposed by the 2008 global financial crisis that helped precipitate the 2011 Arab Spring revolution. After the revolution and a series of terrorist attacks, including on the country’s tourism sector, barriers to economic inclusion continued to add to slow economic growth and high unemployment. Following an ill-fated experiment with socialist economic policies in the 1960s, Tunisia focused on bolstering exports, foreign investment, and tourism, all of which have become central to the country's economy. Key exports now include textiles and apparel, food products, petroleum products, chemicals, and phosphates, with about 80% of exports bound for Tunisia's main economic partner, the EU. Tunisia's strategy, coupled with investments in education and infrastructure, fueled decades of 4-5% annual GDP growth and improved living standards. Former President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (1987-2011) continued these policies, but as his reign wore on cronyism and corruption stymied economic performance, unemployment rose, and the informal economy grew. Tunisia’s economy became less and less inclusive. These grievances contributed to the January 2011 overthrow of BEN ALI, further depressing Tunisia's economy as tourism and investment declined sharply. Tunisia’s government remains under pressure to boost economic growth quickly to mitigate chronic socio-economic challenges, especially high levels of youth unemployment, which has persisted since the 2011 revolution. Successive terrorist attacks against the tourism sector and worker strikes in the phosphate sector, which combined account for nearly 15% of GDP, slowed growth from 2015 to 2017. Tunis is seeking increased foreign investment and working with the IMF through an Extended Fund Facility agreement to fix fiscal deficiencies." + "text": "Tunisia's economy – structurally designed to favor vested interests – faced an array of challenges exposed by the 2008 global financial crisis that helped precipitate the 2011 Arab Spring revolution. After the revolution and a series of terrorist attacks, including on the country's tourism sector, barriers to economic inclusion continued to add to slow economic growth and high unemployment. ++ Following an ill-fated experiment with socialist economic policies in the 1960s, Tunisia focused on bolstering exports, foreign investment, and tourism, all of which have become central to the country's economy. Key exports now include textiles and apparel, food products, petroleum products, chemicals, and phosphates, with about 80% of exports bound for Tunisia's main economic partner, the EU. Tunisia's strategy, coupled with investments in education and infrastructure, fueled decades of 4-5% annual GDP growth and improved living standards. Former President Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (1987-2011) continued these policies, but as his reign wore on cronyism and corruption stymied economic performance, unemployment rose, and the informal economy grew. Tunisia's economy became less and less inclusive. These grievances contributed to the January 2011 overthrow of BEN ALI, further depressing Tunisia's economy as tourism and investment declined sharply. ++ Tunisia's government remains under pressure to boost economic growth quickly to mitigate chronic socio-economic challenges, especially high levels of youth unemployment, which has persisted since the 2011 revolution. Successive terrorist attacks against the tourism sector and worker strikes in the phosphate sector, which combined account for nearly 15% of GDP, slowed growth from 2015 to 2017. Tunis is seeking increased foreign investment and working with the IMF through an Extended Fund Facility agreement to fix fiscal deficiencies." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$137.7 billion (2017 est.) / $135 billion (2016 est.) / $133.5 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -914,7 +908,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Tunisia is a source, destination, and possible transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Tunisia’s increased number of street children, rural children working to support their families, and migrants who have fled unrest in neighboring countries are vulnerable to human trafficking; organized gangs force street children to serve as thieves, beggars, and drug transporters; Tunisian women have been forced into prostitution domestically and elsewhere in the region under false promises of legitimate work; East and West African women may be subjected to forced labor as domestic workers" + "text": "Tunisia is a source, destination, and possible transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Tunisia's increased number of street children, rural children working to support their families, and migrants who have fled unrest in neighboring countries are vulnerable to human trafficking; organized gangs force street children to serve as thieves, beggars, and drug transporters; Tunisian women have been forced into prostitution domestically and elsewhere in the region under false promises of legitimate work; East and West African women may be subjected to forced labor as domestic workers" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Tunisia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Tunisia was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; in early 2015, the government drafted a national anti-trafficking action plan outlining proposals to raise awareness and enact draft anti-trafficking legislation; authorities did not provide data on the prosecution and conviction of offenders but reportedly identified 24 victims, as opposed to none in 2013, and operated facilities specifically dedicated to trafficking victims, regardless of nationality and gender; the government did not fully implement its national victim referral mechanism; some unidentified victims were not protected from punishment for unlawful acts directly resulting from being trafficked (2015)" diff --git a/africa/tz.json b/africa/tz.json index aa873172..2256d000 100644 --- a/africa/tz.json +++ b/africa/tz.json @@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ "text": "the largest and most populous East African country; population distribution is extremely uneven, but greater population clusters occur in the northern half of country and along the east coast as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought\nvolcanism: limited volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years; other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru" + "text": "flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought ++ volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Ol Doinyo Lengai (2,962 m) has emitted lava in recent years; other historically active volcanoes include Kieyo and Meru" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "water polution; improper management of liquid waste; indoor air pollution caused by the burning of fuel wood or charcoal for cooking and heating is a large environmental health issue; soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory; loss of biodiversity; solid waste disposal" @@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ } }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Tanzania has the largest population in East Africa and the lowest population density; almost a third of the population is urban. Tanzania’s youthful population – about two-thirds of the population is under 25 – is growing rapidly because of the high total fertility rate of 4.8 children per woman. Progress in reducing the birth rate has stalled, sustaining the country’s nearly 3% annual growth. The maternal mortality rate has improved since 2000, yet it remains very high because of early and frequent pregnancies, inadequate maternal health services, and a lack of skilled birth attendants – problems that are worse among poor and rural women. Tanzania has made strides in reducing under-5 and infant mortality rates, but a recent drop in immunization threatens to undermine gains in child health. Malaria is a leading killer of children under 5, while HIV is the main source of adult mortality\nFor Tanzania, most migration is internal, rural to urban movement, while some temporary labor migration from towns to plantations takes place seasonally for harvests. Tanzania was Africa’s largest refugee-hosting country for decades, hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Great Lakes region, primarily Burundi, over the last fifty years. However, the assisted repatriation and naturalization of tens of thousands of Burundian refugees between 2002 and 2014 dramatically reduced the refugee population. Tanzania is increasingly a transit country for illegal migrants from the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region who are heading to southern Africa for security reasons and/or economic opportunities. Some of these migrants choose to settle in Tanzania." + "text": "Tanzania has the largest population in East Africa and the lowest population density; almost a third of the population is urban. Tanzania's youthful population – about two-thirds of the population is under 25 – is growing rapidly because of the high total fertility rate of 4.8 children per woman. Progress in reducing the birth rate has stalled, sustaining the country's nearly 3% annual growth. The maternal mortality rate has improved since 2000, yet it remains very high because of early and frequent pregnancies, inadequate maternal health services, and a lack of skilled birth attendants – problems that are worse among poor and rural women. Tanzania has made strides in reducing under-5 and infant mortality rates, but a recent drop in immunization threatens to undermine gains in child health. Malaria is a leading killer of children under 5, while HIV is the main source of adult mortality ++ For Tanzania, most migration is internal, rural to urban movement, while some temporary labor migration from towns to plantations takes place seasonally for harvests. Tanzania was Africa's largest refugee-hosting country for decades, hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Great Lakes region, primarily Burundi, over the last fifty years. However, the assisted repatriation and naturalization of tens of thousands of Burundian refugees between 2002 and 2014 dramatically reduced the refugee population. Tanzania is increasingly a transit country for illegal migrants from the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region who are heading to southern Africa for security reasons and/or economic opportunities. Some of these migrants choose to settle in Tanzania." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -270,14 +270,11 @@ "text": "38.4% (2015/16)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 7.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 92.3% of population / rural: 56.2% of population / total: 68.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "43.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "31.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 7.7% of population / rural: 43.8% of population / total: 31.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -290,14 +287,11 @@ "text": "0.7 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 17.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 82.1% of population / rural: 29.5% of population / total: 46.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "70.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "53.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 17.9% of population / rural: 70.5% of population / total: 53.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -478,7 +472,7 @@ "text": "Tanzania National Assembly and Zanzibar House of Representatives - elections last held on 25 October 2015 (next National Assembly election to be held in October 2020; next Zanzibar election either October 2020 or March 2021); note the Zanzibar Electoral Commission annulled the 2015 election; repoll held on 20 March 2016" }, "election results": { - "text": "National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CCM 55%, Chadema 31.8%, CUF 8.6%, other 4.6%; seats by party - CCM 253, Chadema 70, CUF 42, other 2; composition as of September 2018 - men 245, women 145, percent of women 37.2%Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA" + "text": "National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CCM 55%, Chadema 31.8%, CUF 8.6%, other 4.6%; seats by party - CCM 253, Chadema 70, CUF 42, other 2; composition as of September 2018 - men 245, women 145, percent of women 37.2% ++ Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -493,7 +487,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for Change and Transparency (Wazalendo) or ACT [Zitto KABWE]Alliance for Democratic Change or ADC [Miraji ABDALLAH] Civic United Front (Chama Cha Wananchi) or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]National Convention for Construction and Reform-Mageuzi or NCCR-M [James Francis MBATIA]National League for DemocracyParty of Democracy and Development (Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo) or Chadema [Freeman MBOWE]Revolutionary Party (Chama Cha Mapinduzi) or CCM [John MAGUFULI]Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine MREMA]United Democratic Party or UDP [John Momose CHEYO]", + "text": "Alliance for Change and Transparency (Wazalendo) or ACT [Zitto KABWE] ++ Alliance for Democratic Change or ADC [Miraji ABDALLAH] ++ Civic United Front (Chama Cha Wananchi) or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA] ++ National Convention for Construction and Reform-Mageuzi or NCCR-M [James Francis MBATIA] ++ National League for Democracy ++ Party of Democracy and Development (Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo) or Chadema [Freeman MBOWE] ++ Revolutionary Party (Chama Cha Mapinduzi) or CCM [John MAGUFULI] ++ Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine MREMA] ++ United Democratic Party or UDP [John Momose CHEYO]", "note": { "text": "note: in March 2014, four opposition parties (CUF, CHADEMA, NCCR-Mageuzi, and NLD) united to form Coalition for the People's Constitution (Umoja wa Katiba ya Wananchi) or UKAWA; during local elections held in October, 2014, UKAWA entered one candidate representing the three parties united in the coalition" } @@ -552,7 +546,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Tanzania has achieved high growth rates based on its vast natural resource wealth and tourism with GDP growth in 2009-17 averaging 6%-7% per year. Dar es Salaam used fiscal stimulus measures and easier monetary policies to lessen the impact of the global recession and in general, benefited from low oil prices. Tanzania has largely completed its transition to a market economy, though the government retains a presence in sectors such as telecommunications, banking, energy, and mining. The economy depends on agriculture, which accounts for slightly less than one-quarter of GDP and employs about 65% of the work force, although gold production in recent years has increased to about 35% of exports. All land in Tanzania is owned by the government, which can lease land for up to 99 years. Proposed reforms to allow for land ownership, particularly foreign land ownership, remain unpopular. The financial sector in Tanzania has expanded in recent years and foreign-owned banks account for about 48% of the banking industry's total assets. Competition among foreign commercial banks has resulted in significant improvements in the efficiency and quality of financial services, though interest rates are still relatively high, reflecting high fraud risk. Banking reforms have helped increase private-sector growth and investment. The World Bank, the IMF, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's aging infrastructure, including rail and port, which provide important trade links for inland countries. In 2013, Tanzania completed the world's largest Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) grant, worth $698 million, but in late 2015, the MCC Board of Directors deferred a decision to renew Tanzania’s eligibility because of irregularities in voting in Zanzibar and concerns over the government's use of a controversial cybercrime bill. The new government elected in 2015 has developed an ambitious development agenda focused on creating a better business environment through improved infrastructure, access to financing, and education progress, but implementing budgets remains challenging for the government. Recent policy moves by President MAGUFULI are aimed at protecting domestic industry and have caused concern among foreign investors." + "text": "Tanzania has achieved high growth rates based on its vast natural resource wealth and tourism with GDP growth in 2009-17 averaging 6%-7% per year. Dar es Salaam used fiscal stimulus measures and easier monetary policies to lessen the impact of the global recession and in general, benefited from low oil prices. Tanzania has largely completed its transition to a market economy, though the government retains a presence in sectors such as telecommunications, banking, energy, and mining. ++ The economy depends on agriculture, which accounts for slightly less than one-quarter of GDP and employs about 65% of the work force, although gold production in recent years has increased to about 35% of exports. All land in Tanzania is owned by the government, which can lease land for up to 99 years. Proposed reforms to allow for land ownership, particularly foreign land ownership, remain unpopular. ++ The financial sector in Tanzania has expanded in recent years and foreign-owned banks account for about 48% of the banking industry's total assets. Competition among foreign commercial banks has resulted in significant improvements in the efficiency and quality of financial services, though interest rates are still relatively high, reflecting high fraud risk. Banking reforms have helped increase private-sector growth and investment. ++ The World Bank, the IMF, and bilateral donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's aging infrastructure, including rail and port, which provide important trade links for inland countries. In 2013, Tanzania completed the world's largest Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) grant, worth $698 million, but in late 2015, the MCC Board of Directors deferred a decision to renew Tanzania's eligibility because of irregularities in voting in Zanzibar and concerns over the government's use of a controversial cybercrime bill. ++ The new government elected in 2015 has developed an ambitious development agenda focused on creating a better business environment through improved infrastructure, access to financing, and education progress, but implementing budgets remains challenging for the government. Recent policy moves by President MAGUFULI are aimed at protecting domestic industry and have caused concern among foreign investors." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$162.5 billion (2017 est.) / $153.3 billion (2016 est.) / $143.3 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -984,7 +978,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Tanzania is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the exploitation of young girls in domestic servitude continues to be Tanzania’s largest human trafficking problem; Tanzanian boys are subject to forced labor mainly on farms but also in mines and quarries, in the informal commercial sector, in factories, in the sex trade, and possibly on small fishing boats; Tanzanian children and adults are subjected to domestic servitude, other forms of forced labor, and sex trafficking in other African countries, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking and is usually facilitated by friends, family members, or intermediaries with false offers of education or legitimate jobs; trafficking victims from Burundi, Kenya, South Asia, and Yemen are forced to work in Tanzania’s agricultural, mining, and domestic service sectors or may be sex trafficked" + "text": "Tanzania is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; the exploitation of young girls in domestic servitude continues to be Tanzania's largest human trafficking problem; Tanzanian boys are subject to forced labor mainly on farms but also in mines and quarries, in the informal commercial sector, in factories, in the sex trade, and possibly on small fishing boats; Tanzanian children and adults are subjected to domestic servitude, other forms of forced labor, and sex trafficking in other African countries, the Middle East, Europe, and the US; internal trafficking is more prevalent than transnational trafficking and is usually facilitated by friends, family members, or intermediaries with false offers of education or legitimate jobs; trafficking victims from Burundi, Kenya, South Asia, and Yemen are forced to work in Tanzania's agricultural, mining, and domestic service sectors or may be sex trafficked" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Tanzania does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Tanzania was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; the government adopted a three-year national action plan and implementing regulations for the 2008 anti-trafficking law; authorities somewhat increased their number of trafficking investigations and prosecutions and convicted one offender, but the penalty was a fine in lieu of prison, which was inadequate given the severity of the crime; the government did not operate any shelters for victims and relied on NGOs to provide protective services (2015)" diff --git a/africa/ug.json b/africa/ug.json index d347b3a5..3dacfcce 100644 --- a/africa/ug.json +++ b/africa/ug.json @@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ "text": "Protestant 45.1% (Anglican 32.0%, Pentecostal/Born Again/Evangelical 11.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.7%, Baptist .3%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, Muslim 13.7%, other 1.6%, none 0.2% (2014 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Uganda has one of the youngest and most rapidly growing populations in the world; its total fertility rate is among the world’s highest at 5.8 children per woman. Except in urban areas, actual fertility exceeds women’s desired fertility by one or two children, which is indicative of the widespread unmet need for contraception, lack of government support for family planning, and a cultural preference for large families. High numbers of births, short birth intervals, and the early age of childbearing contribute to Uganda’s high maternal mortality rate. Gender inequities also make fertility reduction difficult; women on average are less-educated, participate less in paid employment, and often have little say in decisions over childbearing and their own reproductive health. However, even if the birth rate were significantly reduced, Uganda’s large pool of women entering reproductive age ensures rapid population growth for decades to come.\nUnchecked, population increase will further strain the availability of arable land and natural resources and overwhelm the country’s limited means for providing food, employment, education, health care, housing, and basic services. The country’s north and northeast lag even further behind developmentally than the rest of the country as a result of long-term conflict (the Ugandan Bush War 1981-1986 and more than 20 years of fighting between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and Ugandan Government forces), ongoing inter-communal violence, and periodic natural disasters.\nUganda has been both a source of refugees and migrants and a host country for refugees. In 1972, then President Idi AMIN, in his drive to return Uganda to Ugandans, expelled the South Asian population that composed a large share of the country’s business people and bankers. Since the 1970s, thousands of Ugandans have emigrated, mainly to southern Africa or the West, for security reasons, to escape poverty, to search for jobs, and for access to natural resources. The emigration of Ugandan doctors and nurses due to low wages is a particular concern given the country’s shortage of skilled health care workers. Africans escaping conflicts in neighboring states have found refuge in Uganda since the 1950s; the country currently struggles to host tens of thousands from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and other nearby countries." + "text": "Uganda has one of the youngest and most rapidly growing populations in the world; its total fertility rate is among the world's highest at 5.8 children per woman. Except in urban areas, actual fertility exceeds women's desired fertility by one or two children, which is indicative of the widespread unmet need for contraception, lack of government support for family planning, and a cultural preference for large families. High numbers of births, short birth intervals, and the early age of childbearing contribute to Uganda's high maternal mortality rate. Gender inequities also make fertility reduction difficult; women on average are less-educated, participate less in paid employment, and often have little say in decisions over childbearing and their own reproductive health. However, even if the birth rate were significantly reduced, Uganda's large pool of women entering reproductive age ensures rapid population growth for decades to come. ++ Unchecked, population increase will further strain the availability of arable land and natural resources and overwhelm the country's limited means for providing food, employment, education, health care, housing, and basic services. The country's north and northeast lag even further behind developmentally than the rest of the country as a result of long-term conflict (the Ugandan Bush War 1981-1986 and more than 20 years of fighting between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and Ugandan Government forces), ongoing inter-communal violence, and periodic natural disasters. ++ Uganda has been both a source of refugees and migrants and a host country for refugees. In 1972, then President Idi AMIN, in his drive to return Uganda to Ugandans, expelled the South Asian population that composed a large share of the country's business people and bankers. Since the 1970s, thousands of Ugandans have emigrated, mainly to southern Africa or the West, for security reasons, to escape poverty, to search for jobs, and for access to natural resources. The emigration of Ugandan doctors and nurses due to low wages is a particular concern given the country's shortage of skilled health care workers. Africans escaping conflicts in neighboring states have found refuge in Uganda since the 1950s; the country currently struggles to host tens of thousands from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and other nearby countries." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "41.8% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 7.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 92.9% of population / rural: 77.2% of population / total: 80.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "22.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "19.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 7.1% of population / rural: 22.8% of population / total: 19.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "0.5 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 32.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 67.8% of population / rural: 26.6% of population / total: 36.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "73.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "63.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 32.2% of population / rural: 73.4% of population / total: 63.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -466,7 +460,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for National Transformation or ANT [Ms. Alice ALASO, acting national coordinator]; note - Mugisha MUNTU resigned his position as ANT national coordinator in late June 2020 to run in the 2021 presidential electionDemocratic Party or DP [Norbert MAO]Forum for Democratic Change or FDC [Patrick Oboi AMURIAT]Justice Forum or JEEMA [Asuman BASALIRWA]National Resistance Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI]Uganda People's Congress or UPC [James AKENA]" + "text": "Alliance for National Transformation or ANT [Ms. Alice ALASO, acting national coordinator]; note - Mugisha MUNTU resigned his position as ANT national coordinator in late June 2020 to run in the 2021 presidential election ++ Democratic Party or DP [Norbert MAO] ++ Forum for Democratic Change or FDC [Patrick Oboi AMURIAT] ++ Justice Forum or JEEMA [Asuman BASALIRWA] ++ National Resistance Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI] ++ Uganda People's Congress or UPC [James AKENA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -522,7 +516,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, substantial reserves of recoverable oil, and small deposits of copper, gold, and other minerals. Agriculture is one of the most important sectors of the economy, employing 72% of the work force. The country’s export market suffered a major slump following the outbreak of conflict in South Sudan, but has recovered lately, largely due to record coffee harvests, which account for 16% of exports, and increasing gold exports, which account for 10% of exports. Uganda has a small industrial sector that is dependent on imported inputs such as refined oil and heavy equipment. Overall, productivity is hampered by a number of supply-side constraints, including insufficient infrastructure, lack of modern technology in agriculture, and corruption. Uganda’s economic growth has slowed since 2016 as government spending and public debt has grown. Uganda’s budget is dominated by energy and road infrastructure spending, while Uganda relies on donor support for long-term drivers of growth, including agriculture, health, and education. The largest infrastructure projects are externally financed through concessional loans, but at inflated costs. As a result, debt servicing for these loans is expected to rise. Oil revenues and taxes are expected to become a larger source of government funding as oil production starts in the next three to 10 years. Over the next three to five years, foreign investors are planning to invest $9 billion in production facilities projects, $4 billion in an export pipeline, as well as in a $2-3 billion refinery to produce petroleum products for the domestic and East African Community markets. Furthermore, the government is looking to build several hundred million dollars’ worth of highway projects to the oil region. Uganda faces many economic challenges. Instability in South Sudan has led to a sharp increase in Sudanese refugees and is disrupting Uganda's main export market. Additional economic risks include: poor economic management, endemic corruption, and the government’s failure to invest adequately in the health, education, and economic opportunities for a burgeoning young population. Uganda has one of the lowest electrification rates in Africa - only 22% of Ugandans have access to electricity, dropping to 10% in rural areas." + "text": "Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, substantial reserves of recoverable oil, and small deposits of copper, gold, and other minerals. Agriculture is one of the most important sectors of the economy, employing 72% of the work force. The country's export market suffered a major slump following the outbreak of conflict in South Sudan, but has recovered lately, largely due to record coffee harvests, which account for 16% of exports, and increasing gold exports, which account for 10% of exports. Uganda has a small industrial sector that is dependent on imported inputs such as refined oil and heavy equipment. Overall, productivity is hampered by a number of supply-side constraints, including insufficient infrastructure, lack of modern technology in agriculture, and corruption. ++ Uganda's economic growth has slowed since 2016 as government spending and public debt has grown. Uganda's budget is dominated by energy and road infrastructure spending, while Uganda relies on donor support for long-term drivers of growth, including agriculture, health, and education. The largest infrastructure projects are externally financed through concessional loans, but at inflated costs. As a result, debt servicing for these loans is expected to rise. ++ Oil revenues and taxes are expected to become a larger source of government funding as oil production starts in the next three to 10 years. Over the next three to five years, foreign investors are planning to invest $9 billion in production facilities projects, $4 billion in an export pipeline, as well as in a $2-3 billion refinery to produce petroleum products for the domestic and East African Community markets. Furthermore, the government is looking to build several hundred million dollars' worth of highway projects to the oil region. ++ Uganda faces many economic challenges. Instability in South Sudan has led to a sharp increase in Sudanese refugees and is disrupting Uganda's main export market. Additional economic risks include: poor economic management, endemic corruption, and the government's failure to invest adequately in the health, education, and economic opportunities for a burgeoning young population. Uganda has one of the lowest electrification rates in Africa - only 22% of Ugandans have access to electricity, dropping to 10% in rural areas." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$89.19 billion (2017 est.) / $85.07 billion (2016 est.) / $83.14 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -774,7 +768,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "in recent years, telecommunications infrastructure has developed through private partnerships; as of 2018, fixed fiber backbone infrastructure is available in over half of Uganda’s districts; mobile phone companies now provide 4G networks across all major cities and national parks, while offering 3G coverage in second-tier cities and most rural areas with road access; between 2016 and 2018, commercial Internet services dropped in price from $300/Mbps to $80/Mbps; consumers rely on mobile infrastructure to provide voice and broadband services as fixed-line infrastructure is poor; 5G migration is a few years off; govt. commissions broadband satellite services for rural areas (2020)" + "text": "in recent years, telecommunications infrastructure has developed through private partnerships; as of 2018, fixed fiber backbone infrastructure is available in over half of Uganda's districts; mobile phone companies now provide 4G networks across all major cities and national parks, while offering 3G coverage in second-tier cities and most rural areas with road access; between 2016 and 2018, commercial Internet services dropped in price from $300/Mbps to $80/Mbps; consumers rely on mobile infrastructure to provide voice and broadband services as fixed-line infrastructure is poor; 5G migration is a few years off; govt. commissions broadband satellite services for rural areas (2020)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line 1 per 100 and mobile- cellular systems teledensity about 57 per 100 persons; intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and radiotelephone communication stations (2019)" diff --git a/africa/uv.json b/africa/uv.json index a7fae2ad..35be4061 100644 --- a/africa/uv.json +++ b/africa/uv.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Various ethnic groups settled and established kingdoms in the area of today's Burkina Faso from medieval times onward. In the late 19th century, several European states attempted to move into the region, but it was the French who established a protectorate of Upper Volta in 1896. Independent from France in 1960, the country changed its name to Burkina Faso in 1984. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Former President Blaise COMPAORE (1987-2014) resigned in late October 2014 following popular protests against his efforts to amend the constitution's two-term presidential limit. An interim administration organized presidential and legislative elections - held in November 2015 - where Roch Marc Christian KABORE was elected president. The country experienced terrorist attacks in its capital in 2016, 2017, and 2018, while additional attacks in the country's northern and eastern regions resulted in more than 1,800 deaths and over 500,000 internally displaced persons in 2019. The Government of Burkina Faso has made numerous arrests of terrorist suspects, augmented the size of its special terrorism detachment Groupement des Forces Anti-Terroristes (GFAT) in the country’s north, and joined the newly-created G5 Sahel Joint Force to fight terrorism and criminal trafficking groups with regional neighbors Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. Burkina Faso's high population growth, recurring drought, pervasive and perennial food insecurity, and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. (2019)" + "text": "Various ethnic groups settled and established kingdoms in the area of today's Burkina Faso from medieval times onward. In the late 19th century, several European states attempted to move into the region, but it was the French who established a protectorate of Upper Volta in 1896. Independent from France in 1960, the country changed its name to Burkina Faso in 1984. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Former President Blaise COMPAORE (1987-2014) resigned in late October 2014 following popular protests against his efforts to amend the constitution's two-term presidential limit. An interim administration organized presidential and legislative elections - held in November 2015 - where Roch Marc Christian KABORE was elected president. The country experienced terrorist attacks in its capital in 2016, 2017, and 2018, while additional attacks in the country's northern and eastern regions resulted in more than 1,800 deaths and over 500,000 internally displaced persons in 2019. The Government of Burkina Faso has made numerous arrests of terrorist suspects, augmented the size of its special terrorism detachment Groupement des Forces Anti-Terroristes (GFAT) in the country's north, and joined the newly-created G5 Sahel Joint Force to fight terrorism and criminal trafficking groups with regional neighbors Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. Burkina Faso's high population growth, recurring drought, pervasive and perennial food insecurity, and limited natural resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. (2019)" } }, "Geography": { @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ "text": "Muslim 61.5%, Roman Catholic 23.3%, traditional/animist 7.8%, Protestant 6.5%, other/no answer 0.2%, none 0.7% (2010 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Burkina Faso has a young age structure – the result of declining mortality combined with steady high fertility – and continues to experience rapid population growth, which is putting increasing pressure on the country’s limited arable land. More than 65% of the population is under the age of 25, and the population is growing at 3% annually. Mortality rates, especially those of infants and children, have decreased because of improved health care, hygiene, and sanitation, but women continue to have an average of almost 6 children. Even if fertility were substantially reduced, today’s large cohort entering their reproductive years would sustain high population growth for the foreseeable future. Only about a third of the population is literate and unemployment is widespread, dampening the economic prospects of Burkina Faso’s large working-age population. Migration has traditionally been a way of life for Burkinabe, with seasonal migration being replaced by stints of up to two years abroad. Cote d’Ivoire remains the top destination, although it has experienced periods of internal conflict. Under French colonization, Burkina Faso became a main labor source for agricultural and factory work in Cote d’Ivoire. Burkinabe also migrated to Ghana, Mali, and Senegal for work between the world wars. Burkina Faso attracts migrants from Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Mali, who often share common ethnic backgrounds with the Burkinabe. Despite its food shortages and high poverty rate, Burkina Faso has become a destination for refugees in recent years and hosts about 33,500 Malians as of May 2017. (2018)" + "text": "Burkina Faso has a young age structure – the result of declining mortality combined with steady high fertility – and continues to experience rapid population growth, which is putting increasing pressure on the country's limited arable land. More than 65% of the population is under the age of 25, and the population is growing at 3% annually. Mortality rates, especially those of infants and children, have decreased because of improved health care, hygiene, and sanitation, but women continue to have an average of almost 6 children. Even if fertility were substantially reduced, today's large cohort entering their reproductive years would sustain high population growth for the foreseeable future. Only about a third of the population is literate and unemployment is widespread, dampening the economic prospects of Burkina Faso's large working-age population. ++ Migration has traditionally been a way of life for Burkinabe, with seasonal migration being replaced by stints of up to two years abroad. Cote d'Ivoire remains the top destination, although it has experienced periods of internal conflict. Under French colonization, Burkina Faso became a main labor source for agricultural and factory work in Cote d'Ivoire. Burkinabe also migrated to Ghana, Mali, and Senegal for work between the world wars. Burkina Faso attracts migrants from Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Mali, who often share common ethnic backgrounds with the Burkinabe. Despite its food shortages and high poverty rate, Burkina Faso has become a destination for refugees in recent years and hosts about 33,500 Malians as of May 2017. (2018)" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "32.5% (2018/19)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 94.9% of population / rural: 67.9% of population / total: 75.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "32.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "24.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 4.5% of population / rural: 32.1% of population / total: 24.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "0.4 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 11.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 88.2% of population / rural: 30.2% of population / total: 46.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "69.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "53.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 11.8% of population / rural: 69.8% of population / total: 53.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -481,7 +475,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "African Democratic Rally/Alliance for Democracy and Federation or ADF/RDA [Gilbert Noel OUEDRAOGO]African People’s Movement or MAP [Victorien TOUGOUMA]Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Eddie KOMBOIGO]Le Faso Autrement [Ablasse OUEDRAOGO]New Alliance of the Faso or NAFA [Mahamoudou DICKO]New Time for Democracy or NTD [Vincent DABILGOU]Organization for Democracy and Work or ODT [Anatole BONKOUNGOU]Party for Development and Change or PDC [Aziz SEREME]Party for Democracy and Progress-Socialist Party or PDP-PS [Drabo TORO]Party for Democracy and Socialism/Metba or PDS/Metba [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]Party for National Renaissance or PAREN [Michel BERE]People's Movement for Progress or MPP [Simon COMPAORE]Rally for Democracy and Socialism or RDS [Francois OUEDRAOGO]Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB [Celestin Saidou COMPAORE]Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Adama SERE]Soleil d’Avenir [Abdoulaye SOMA]Union for a New Burkina or UBN [Diemdioda DICKO]Union for Progress and Change or UPC [Zephirin DIABRE]Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Party or UNIR-MS [Benewende Stanislas SANKARA]Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY]Youth Alliance for the Republic and Independence or AJIR [Adama KANAZOE]" + "text": "African Democratic Rally/Alliance for Democracy and Federation or ADF/RDA [Gilbert Noel OUEDRAOGO] ++ African People's Movement or MAP [Victorien TOUGOUMA] ++ Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP [Eddie KOMBOIGO] ++ Le Faso Autrement [Ablasse OUEDRAOGO] ++ New Alliance of the Faso or NAFA [Mahamoudou DICKO] ++ New Time for Democracy or NTD [Vincent DABILGOU] ++ Organization for Democracy and Work or ODT [Anatole BONKOUNGOU] ++ Party for Development and Change or PDC [Aziz SEREME] ++ Party for Democracy and Progress-Socialist Party or PDP-PS [Drabo TORO] ++ Party for Democracy and Socialism/Metba or PDS/Metba [Philippe OUEDRAOGO] ++ Party for National Renaissance or PAREN [Michel BERE] ++ People's Movement for Progress or MPP [Simon COMPAORE] ++ Rally for Democracy and Socialism or RDS [Francois OUEDRAOGO] ++ Rally for the Development of Burkina or RDB [Celestin Saidou COMPAORE] ++ Rally of Ecologists of Burkina Faso or RDEB [Adama SERE] ++ Soleil d'Avenir [Abdoulaye SOMA] ++ Union for a New Burkina or UBN [Diemdioda DICKO] ++ Union for Progress and Change or UPC [Zephirin DIABRE] ++ Union for Rebirth - Sankarist Party or UNIR-MS [Benewende Stanislas SANKARA] ++ Union for the Republic or UPR [Toussaint Abel COULIBALY] ++ Youth Alliance for the Republic and Independence or AJIR [Adama KANAZOE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -540,7 +534,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Burkina Faso is a poor, landlocked country that depends on adequate rainfall. Irregular patterns of rainfall, poor soil, and the lack of adequate communications and other infrastructure contribute to the economy’s vulnerability to external shocks. About 80% of the population is engaged in subsistence farming and cotton is the main cash crop. The country has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. Cotton and gold are Burkina Faso’s key exports - gold has accounted for about three-quarters of the country’s total export revenues. Burkina Faso’s economic growth and revenue depends largely on production levels and global prices for the two commodities. The country has seen an upswing in gold exploration, production, and exports. In 2016, the government adopted a new development strategy, set forth in the 2016-2020 National Plan for Economic and Social Development, that aims to reduce poverty, build human capital, and to satisfy basic needs. A new three-year IMF program (2018-2020), approved in 2018, will allow the government to reduce the budget deficit and preserve critical spending on social services and priority public investments. While the end of the political crisis has allowed Burkina Faso’s economy to resume positive growth, the country’s fragile security situation could put these gains at risk. Political insecurity in neighboring Mali, unreliable energy supplies, and poor transportation links pose long-term challenges." + "text": "Burkina Faso is a poor, landlocked country that depends on adequate rainfall. Irregular patterns of rainfall, poor soil, and the lack of adequate communications and other infrastructure contribute to the economy's vulnerability to external shocks. About 80% of the population is engaged in subsistence farming and cotton is the main cash crop. The country has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. ++ Cotton and gold are Burkina Faso's key exports - gold has accounted for about three-quarters of the country's total export revenues. Burkina Faso's economic growth and revenue depends largely on production levels and global prices for the two commodities. The country has seen an upswing in gold exploration, production, and exports. ++ In 2016, the government adopted a new development strategy, set forth in the 2016-2020 National Plan for Economic and Social Development, that aims to reduce poverty, build human capital, and to satisfy basic needs. A new three-year IMF program (2018-2020), approved in 2018, will allow the government to reduce the budget deficit and preserve critical spending on social services and priority public investments. ++ While the end of the political crisis has allowed Burkina Faso's economy to resume positive growth, the country's fragile security situation could put these gains at risk. Political insecurity in neighboring Mali, unreliable energy supplies, and poor transportation links pose long-term challenges." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$35.85 billion (2017 est.) / $33.69 billion (2016 est.) / $31.81 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -892,7 +886,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Armed Forces of Burkina Faso (FABF): Army of Burkina Faso (L’Armee de Terre, LAT), Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso, FABF), National Gendarmerie, National Fire Brigade (Brigade Nationale des Sapeurs-Pompiers, BNSP) (2019)", + "text": "Armed Forces of Burkina Faso (FABF): Army of Burkina Faso (L'Armee de Terre, LAT), Air Force of Burkina Faso (Force Aerienne de Burkina Faso, FABF), National Gendarmerie, National Fire Brigade (Brigade Nationale des Sapeurs-Pompiers, BNSP) (2019)", "note": { "text": "note: the National Gendarmerie officially reports to the Ministry of Defense, but usually operates in support of the Ministry of Security and the Ministry of Justice; Gendarmerie troops are typically integrated with Army forces in anti-terrorism operations; for example, Gendarmerie, Army, and police forces were combined to form a task force known as the Groupement des Forces Anti-Terroristes (GFAT) to address terrorist activities along the country's northern border in 2013" } @@ -913,7 +907,7 @@ "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; women may serve in supporting roles (2013)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "since at least 2016, the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso have been actively engaged in combat operations with terrorist groups linked to al-Qa'ida and ISIS; military operations have occurred in the Centre‐Est, Centre‐Nord, Est, Nord, and Sahel administrative regionsBurkina Faso is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger; it has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries (2020)" + "text": "since at least 2016, the Armed Forces of Burkina Faso have been actively engaged in combat operations with terrorist groups linked to al-Qa'ida and ISIS; military operations have occurred in the Centre‐Est, Centre‐Nord, Est, Nord, and Sahel administrative regions ++ Burkina Faso is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger; it has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries (2020)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/wa.json b/africa/wa.json index cc02f329..733152a0 100644 --- a/africa/wa.json +++ b/africa/wa.json @@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ "text": "Christian 80% to 90% (at least 50% Lutheran), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Planning officials view Namibia’s reduced population growth rate as sustainable based on the country’s economic growth over the past decade. Prior to independence in 1990, Namibia’s relatively small population grew at about 3% annually, but declining fertility and the impact of HIV/AIDS slowed this growth to 1.4% by 2011, rebounding to close to 2% by 2016. Namibia’s fertility rate has fallen over the last two decades – from about 4.5 children per woman in 1996 to 3.4 in 2016 – due to increased contraceptive use, higher educational attainment among women, and greater female participation in the labor force. The average age at first birth has stayed fairly constant, but the age at first marriage continues to increase, indicating a rising incidence of premarital childbearing.\nThe majority of Namibians are rural dwellers (about 55%) and live in the better-watered north and northeast parts of the country. Migration, historically male-dominated, generally flows from northern communal areas – non-agricultural lands where blacks were sequestered under the apartheid system – to agricultural, mining, and manufacturing centers in the center and south. After independence from South Africa, restrictions on internal movement eased, and rural-urban migration increased, bolstering urban growth.\nSome Namibians – usually persons who are better-educated, more affluent, and from urban areas – continue to legally migrate to South Africa temporarily to visit family and friends and, much less frequently, to pursue tertiary education or better economic opportunities. Namibians concentrated along the country’s other borders make unauthorized visits to Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, or Botswana, to visit family and to trade agricultural goods. Few Namibians express interest in permanently settling in other countries; they prefer the safety of their homeland, have a strong national identity, and enjoy a well-supplied retail sector. Although Namibia is receptive to foreign investment and cross-border trade, intolerance toward non-citizens is widespread." + "text": "Planning officials view Namibia's reduced population growth rate as sustainable based on the country's economic growth over the past decade. Prior to independence in 1990, Namibia's relatively small population grew at about 3% annually, but declining fertility and the impact of HIV/AIDS slowed this growth to 1.4% by 2011, rebounding to close to 2% by 2016. Namibia's fertility rate has fallen over the last two decades – from about 4.5 children per woman in 1996 to 3.4 in 2016 – due to increased contraceptive use, higher educational attainment among women, and greater female participation in the labor force. The average age at first birth has stayed fairly constant, but the age at first marriage continues to increase, indicating a rising incidence of premarital childbearing. ++ The majority of Namibians are rural dwellers (about 55%) and live in the better-watered north and northeast parts of the country. Migration, historically male-dominated, generally flows from northern communal areas – non-agricultural lands where blacks were sequestered under the apartheid system – to agricultural, mining, and manufacturing centers in the center and south. After independence from South Africa, restrictions on internal movement eased, and rural-urban migration increased, bolstering urban growth. ++ Some Namibians – usually persons who are better-educated, more affluent, and from urban areas – continue to legally migrate to South Africa temporarily to visit family and friends and, much less frequently, to pursue tertiary education or better economic opportunities. Namibians concentrated along the country's other borders make unauthorized visits to Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, or Botswana, to visit family and to trade agricultural goods. Few Namibians express interest in permanently settling in other countries; they prefer the safety of their homeland, have a strong national identity, and enjoy a well-supplied retail sector. Although Namibia is receptive to foreign investment and cross-border trade, intolerance toward non-citizens is widespread." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -267,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "56.1% (2013)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.9% of population / rural: 80.8% of population / total: 89.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "19.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "10.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.1% of population / rural: 19.2% of population / total: 10.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -287,14 +284,11 @@ "text": "2.7 beds/1,000 population (2009)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 27.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 72.9% of population / rural: 22% of population / total: 46.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "78% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "53.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 27.1% of population / rural: 78% of population / total: 53.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -455,13 +449,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:National Council (42 seats); members indirectly elected 3 each by the 14 regional councils to serve 5-year terms); note - the Council primarily reviews legislation passed and referred by the National Assembly National Assembly (104 seats; 96 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed list, proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 8 nonvoting members appointed by the president)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: National Council (42 seats); members indirectly elected 3 each by the 14 regional councils to serve 5-year terms); note - the Council primarily reviews legislation passed and referred by the National Assembly ++ National Assembly (104 seats; 96 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed list, proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 8 nonvoting members appointed by the president)" }, "elections": { - "text": "National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held on 27 November 2015 (next to be held on 27 November 2020) National Assembly - last held on 27 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024)" + "text": "National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held on 27 November 2015 (next to be held on 27 November 2020) ++ National Assembly - last held on 27 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SWAPO 40, NUDO 1, DPM 1; composition - men 32, women 10, percent of women 23.8% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 65.5%, PDM 16.6%, LPM 4.7%, NUDO 1.9%, APP 1.8%, UDF 1.8%, RP 1.8%, NEFF 1.7%, RDP 1.1%, CDV .7%, SWANU .6%, other 1.8%; seats by party - SWAPO 63, PDM 16, LPM 4, NUDO 2, APP 2, UDF 2, RP 2, NEFF 2, RDP 1, CDV 1, SWANU 1; composition - NA" + "text": "National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SWAPO 40, NUDO 1, DPM 1; composition - men 32, women 10, percent of women 23.8% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 65.5%, PDM 16.6%, LPM 4.7%, NUDO 1.9%, APP 1.8%, UDF 1.8%, RP 1.8%, NEFF 1.7%, RDP 1.1%, CDV .7%, SWANU .6%, other 1.8%; seats by party - SWAPO 63, PDM 16, LPM 4, NUDO 2, APP 2, UDF 2, RP 2, NEFF 2, RDP 1, CDV 1, SWANU 1; composition - NA" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -476,7 +470,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "All People's Party or APP [Ignatius SHIXWAMENI]Christian Democratic Voice or CDV [Gothard KANDUME]Landless People's Movement or LPM [Bernadus SWARTBOOI]National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Estes MUINJANGUE]Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters or NEFF [Epafras MUKWIILONGO]Popular Democratic Movement or PDM (formerly DTA) [McHenry VENAANI]Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Mike KAVEKOTORA]Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Tangeni IIYAMBO]South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Hage GEINGOB]United Democratic Front or UDF [Apius AUCHAB]United People's Movement or UPM [Jan J. VAN WYK]Workers' Revolutionary Party or WRP (formerly CPN) [MPs Salmon FLEERMUYS and Benson KAAPALA]" + "text": "All People's Party or APP [Ignatius SHIXWAMENI] ++ Christian Democratic Voice or CDV [Gothard KANDUME] ++ Landless People's Movement or LPM [Bernadus SWARTBOOI] ++ National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Estes MUINJANGUE] ++ Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters or NEFF [Epafras MUKWIILONGO] ++ Popular Democratic Movement or PDM (formerly DTA) [McHenry VENAANI] ++ Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Mike KAVEKOTORA] ++ Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE] ++ South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Tangeni IIYAMBO] ++ South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Hage GEINGOB] ++ United Democratic Front or UDF [Apius AUCHAB] ++ United People's Movement or UPM [Jan J. VAN WYK] ++ Workers' Revolutionary Party or WRP (formerly CPN) [MPs Salmon FLEERMUYS and Benson KAAPALA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, CPLP (associate observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -532,7 +526,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Namibia’s economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for about 12.5% of GDP, but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Marine diamond mining is increasingly important as the terrestrial diamond supply has dwindled. The rising cost of mining diamonds, especially from the sea, combined with increased diamond production in Russia and China, has reduced profit margins. Namibian authorities have emphasized the need to add value to raw materials, do more in-country manufacturing, and exploit the services market, especially in the logistics and transportation sectors. Namibia is one of the world’s largest producers of uranium. The Chinese-owned Husab uranium mine began producing uranium ore in 2017, and is expected to reach full production in August 2018 and produce 15 million pounds of uranium a year. Namibia also produces large quantities of zinc and is a smaller producer of gold and copper. Namibia's economy remains vulnerable to world commodity price fluctuations and drought. Namibia normally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years, food shortages are problematic in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the region, obscures one of the world's most unequal income distributions; the current government has prioritized exploring wealth redistribution schemes while trying to maintain a pro-business environment. GDP growth in 2017 slowed to about 1%, however, due to contractions in both the construction and mining sectors, as well as an ongoing drought. Growth is expected to recover modestly in 2018. A five-year Millennium Challenge Corporation compact ended in September 2014. As an upper middle income country, Namibia is ineligible for a second compact. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Namibia receives 30%-40% of its revenues from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU); volatility in the size of Namibia's annual SACU allotment and global mineral prices complicates budget planning." + "text": "Namibia's economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for about 12.5% of GDP, but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Marine diamond mining is increasingly important as the terrestrial diamond supply has dwindled. The rising cost of mining diamonds, especially from the sea, combined with increased diamond production in Russia and China, has reduced profit margins. Namibian authorities have emphasized the need to add value to raw materials, do more in-country manufacturing, and exploit the services market, especially in the logistics and transportation sectors. ++ Namibia is one of the world's largest producers of uranium. The Chinese-owned Husab uranium mine began producing uranium ore in 2017, and is expected to reach full production in August 2018 and produce 15 million pounds of uranium a year. Namibia also produces large quantities of zinc and is a smaller producer of gold and copper. Namibia's economy remains vulnerable to world commodity price fluctuations and drought. ++ Namibia normally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years, food shortages are problematic in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the region, obscures one of the world's most unequal income distributions; the current government has prioritized exploring wealth redistribution schemes while trying to maintain a pro-business environment. GDP growth in 2017 slowed to about 1%, however, due to contractions in both the construction and mining sectors, as well as an ongoing drought. Growth is expected to recover modestly in 2018. ++ A five-year Millennium Challenge Corporation compact ended in September 2014. As an upper middle income country, Namibia is ineligible for a second compact. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Namibia receives 30%-40% of its revenues from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU); volatility in the size of Namibia's annual SACU allotment and global mineral prices complicates budget planning." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$26.6 billion (2017 est.) / $26.81 billion (2016 est.) / $26.62 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -935,7 +929,7 @@ "text": "Namibia is a country of origin and destination for children and, to a lesser extent, women subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; victims, lured by promises of legitimate jobs, are forced to work in urban centers and on commercial farms; traffickers exploit Namibian children, as well as children from Angola, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, for forced labor in agriculture, cattle herding, domestic service, fishing, and street vending; children are also forced into prostitution, often catering to tourists from southern Africa and Europe; San and Zemba children are particularly vulnerable; foreign adults and Namibian adults and children are reportedly subjected to forced labor in Chinese-owned retail, construction, and fishing operations" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Namibia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; Namibia was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; in 2015, the Child Care and Protection Bill passed, criminalizing child trafficking; the government’s first sex trafficking prosecution remained pending; no new prosecutions were initiated and no trafficking offenders have ever been convicted; accusations of forced labor at Chinese construction and mining companies continue to go uninvestigated; authorities failed to fully implement victim identification and referral processes, which led to the deportation of possible victims (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Namibia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; Namibia was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; in 2015, the Child Care and Protection Bill passed, criminalizing child trafficking; the government's first sex trafficking prosecution remained pending; no new prosecutions were initiated and no trafficking offenders have ever been convicted; accusations of forced labor at Chinese construction and mining companies continue to go uninvestigated; authorities failed to fully implement victim identification and referral processes, which led to the deportation of possible victims (2015)" } } } diff --git a/africa/wi.json b/africa/wi.json index b8e08b04..cc774322 100644 --- a/africa/wi.json +++ b/africa/wi.json @@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ "text": "Muslim" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Western Sahara is a non-self governing territory; approximately 75% is under Moroccan control. It was inhabited almost entirely by Sahrawi pastoral nomads until the mid-20th century. Their traditional vast migratory ranges, based on following unpredictable rainfall, did not coincide with colonial and later international borders. Since the 1930s, most Sahrawis have been compelled to adopt a sedentary lifestyle and to live in urban settings as a result of fighting, the presence of minefields, job opportunities in the phosphate industry, prolonged drought, the closure of Western Sahara’s border with Mauritania from 1979-2002, and the construction of the defensive berm separating Moroccan- and Polisario-controlled (Sahrawi liberalization movement) areas. Morocco supported rapid urbanization to facilitate surveillance and security.\nToday more than 80% of Western Sahara’s population lives in urban areas; more than 40% live in the administrative center Laayoune. Moroccan immigration has altered the composition and dramatically increased the size of Western Sahara’s population. Morocco maintains a large military presence in Western Sahara and has encouraged its citizens to settle there, offering bonuses, pay raises, and food subsidies to civil servants and a tax exemption, in order to integrate Western Sahara into the Moroccan Kingdom and, Sahrawis contend, to marginalize the native population.\nWestern Saharan Sahrawis have been migrating to Europe, principally to former colonial ruler Spain, since the 1950s. Many who moved to refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, also have migrated to Spain and Italy, usually alternating between living in cities abroad with periods back at the camps. The Polisario claims that the population of the Tindouf camps is about 155,000, but this figure may include thousands of Arabs and Tuaregs from neighboring countries. Because international organizations have been unable to conduct an independent census in Tindouf, the UNHCR bases its aid on a figure of 90,000 refugees. Western Saharan coastal towns emerged as key migration transit points (for reaching Spain’s Canary Islands) in the mid-1990s, when Spain’s and Italy’s tightening of visa restrictions and EU pressure on Morocco and other North African countries to control illegal migration pushed Sub-Saharan African migrants to shift their routes to the south." + "text": "Western Sahara is a non-self governing territory; approximately 75% is under Moroccan control. It was inhabited almost entirely by Sahrawi pastoral nomads until the mid-20th century. Their traditional vast migratory ranges, based on following unpredictable rainfall, did not coincide with colonial and later international borders. Since the 1930s, most Sahrawis have been compelled to adopt a sedentary lifestyle and to live in urban settings as a result of fighting, the presence of minefields, job opportunities in the phosphate industry, prolonged drought, the closure of Western Sahara's border with Mauritania from 1979-2002, and the construction of the defensive berm separating Moroccan- and Polisario-controlled (Sahrawi liberalization movement) areas. Morocco supported rapid urbanization to facilitate surveillance and security. ++ Today more than 80% of Western Sahara's population lives in urban areas; more than 40% live in the administrative center Laayoune. Moroccan immigration has altered the composition and dramatically increased the size of Western Sahara's population. Morocco maintains a large military presence in Western Sahara and has encouraged its citizens to settle there, offering bonuses, pay raises, and food subsidies to civil servants and a tax exemption, in order to integrate Western Sahara into the Moroccan Kingdom and, Sahrawis contend, to marginalize the native population. ++ Western Saharan Sahrawis have been migrating to Europe, principally to former colonial ruler Spain, since the 1950s. Many who moved to refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria, also have migrated to Spain and Italy, usually alternating between living in cities abroad with periods back at the camps. The Polisario claims that the population of the Tindouf camps is about 155,000, but this figure may include thousands of Arabs and Tuaregs from neighboring countries. Because international organizations have been unable to conduct an independent census in Tindouf, the UNHCR bases its aid on a figure of 90,000 refugees. Western Saharan coastal towns emerged as key migration transit points (for reaching Spain's Canary Islands) in the mid-1990s, when Spain's and Italy's tightening of visa restrictions and EU pressure on Morocco and other North African countries to control illegal migration pushed Sub-Saharan African migrants to shift their routes to the south." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Western Sahara has a small market-based economy whose main industries are fishing, phosphate mining, tourism, and pastoral nomadism. The territory's arid desert climate makes sedentary agriculture difficult, and much of its food is imported. The Moroccan Government administers Western Sahara's economy and is a key source of employment, infrastructure development, and social spending in the territory. Western Sahara's unresolved legal status makes the exploitation of its natural resources a contentious issue between Morocco and the Polisario. Morocco and the EU in December 2013 finalized a four-year agreement allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. As of April 2018, Moroccan and EU authorities were negotiating an amendment to renew the agreement. Oil has never been found in Western Sahara in commercially significant quantities, but Morocco and the Polisario have quarreled over rights to authorize and benefit from oil exploration in the territory. Western Sahara's main long-term economic challenge is the development of a more diverse set of industries capable of providing greater employment and income to the territory. However, following King MOHAMMED VI’s November 2015 visit to Western Sahara, the Government of Morocco announced a series of investments aimed at spurring economic activity in the region, while the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises announced a $609 million investment initiative in the region in March 2015." + "text": "Western Sahara has a small market-based economy whose main industries are fishing, phosphate mining, tourism, and pastoral nomadism. The territory's arid desert climate makes sedentary agriculture difficult, and much of its food is imported. The Moroccan Government administers Western Sahara's economy and is a key source of employment, infrastructure development, and social spending in the territory. ++ Western Sahara's unresolved legal status makes the exploitation of its natural resources a contentious issue between Morocco and the Polisario. Morocco and the EU in December 2013 finalized a four-year agreement allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. As of April 2018, Moroccan and EU authorities were negotiating an amendment to renew the agreement. ++ Oil has never been found in Western Sahara in commercially significant quantities, but Morocco and the Polisario have quarreled over rights to authorize and benefit from oil exploration in the territory. Western Sahara's main long-term economic challenge is the development of a more diverse set of industries capable of providing greater employment and income to the territory. However, following King MOHAMMED VI's November 2015 visit to Western Sahara, the Government of Morocco announced a series of investments aimed at spurring economic activity in the region, while the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises announced a $609 million investment initiative in the region in March 2015." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$906.5 million (2007 est.)" @@ -540,12 +540,12 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military - note": { - "text": "the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) has operated in the Western Sahara since 1991 in accordance with settlement proposals accepted in 1988 by Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra y de Río de Oro (Frente POLISARIO); the Mission's responsibilities include monitoring the ceasefire, reducing the threat of mines and unexploded ordnance, and providing logistic support to the UNHCR-led Confidence Building Measures pending an agreement to resume those activities, which were suspended in June 2014; as of November 2019, MINURSO had about 460 personnel deployed  " + "text": "the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) has operated in the Western Sahara since 1991 in accordance with settlement proposals accepted in 1988 by Morocco and the Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia el-Hamra y de Río de Oro (Frente POLISARIO); the Mission's responsibilities include monitoring the ceasefire, reducing the threat of mines and unexploded ordnance, and providing logistic support to the UNHCR-led Confidence Building Measures pending an agreement to resume those activities, which were suspended in June 2014; as of November 2019, MINURSO had about 460 personnel deployed ++  " } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "many neighboring states reject Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; several states have extended diplomatic relations to the \"Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic\" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others support Morocco’s proposal to grant the territory autonomy as part of Morocco, although no state recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; an estimated 100,000 Sahrawi refugees continue to be sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria, which has hosted Sahrawi refugees since the 1980s" + "text": "++ many neighboring states reject Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; several states have extended diplomatic relations to the \"Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic\" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others support Morocco's proposal to grant the territory autonomy as part of Morocco, although no state recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; an estimated 100,000 Sahrawi refugees continue to be sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria, which has hosted Sahrawi refugees since the 1980s" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/africa/wz.json b/africa/wz.json index db256781..f767164e 100644 --- a/africa/wz.json +++ b/africa/wz.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Autonomy for Eswatini was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. A new constitution came into effect in 2006, which included provisions for a more independent parliament and judiciary, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear. King MSWATI III renamed the country from Swaziland to Eswatini in April 2018. Despite its classification as a lower-middle income country, Eswatini suffers from severe poverty and high unemployment. Eswatini has the world's highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, although recent years have shown marked declines in new infections.        " + "text": "Autonomy for Eswatini was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. A new constitution came into effect in 2006, which included provisions for a more independent parliament and judiciary, but the legal status of political parties remains unclear. King MSWATI III renamed the country from Swaziland to Eswatini in April 2018. Despite its classification as a lower-middle income country, Eswatini suffers from severe poverty and high unemployment. Eswatini has the world's highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate, although recent years have shown marked declines in new infections.   ++   ++   ++  " } }, "Geography": { @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ "text": "Christian 90% (Zionist - a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship - 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, other 30% - includes Anglican, Methodist, Mormon, Jehovah's Witness), Muslim 2%, other 8% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, indigenous, Jewish) (2015 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Eswatini, a small, predominantly rural, landlocked country surrounded by South Africa and Mozambique, suffers from severe poverty and the world’s highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. A weak and deteriorating economy, high unemployment, rapid population growth, and an uneven distribution of resources all combine to worsen already persistent poverty and food insecurity, especially in rural areas. Erratic weather (frequent droughts and intermittent heavy rains and flooding), overuse of small plots, the overgrazing of cattle, and outdated agricultural practices reduce crop yields and further degrade the environment, exacerbating Eswatini's poverty and subsistence problems. Eswatini's extremely high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate – more than 28% of adults have the disease – compounds these issues. Agricultural production has declined due to HIV/AIDS, as the illness causes households to lose manpower and to sell livestock and other assets to pay for medicine and funerals.\nSwazis, mainly men from the country’s rural south, have been migrating to South Africa to work in coal, and later gold, mines since the late 19th century. Although the number of miners abroad has never been high in absolute terms because of Eswatini's small population, the outflow has had important social and economic repercussions. The peak of mining employment in South Africa occurred during the 1980s. Cross-border movement has accelerated since the 1990s, as increasing unemployment has pushed more Swazis to look for work in South Africa (creating a \"brain drain\" in the health and educational sectors); southern Swazi men have continued to pursue mining, although the industry has downsized. Women now make up an increasing share of migrants and dominate cross-border trading in handicrafts, using the proceeds to purchase goods back in Eswatini. Much of today’s migration, however, is not work-related but focuses on visits to family and friends, tourism, and shopping." + "text": "Eswatini, a small, predominantly rural, landlocked country surrounded by South Africa and Mozambique, suffers from severe poverty and the world's highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. A weak and deteriorating economy, high unemployment, rapid population growth, and an uneven distribution of resources all combine to worsen already persistent poverty and food insecurity, especially in rural areas. Erratic weather (frequent droughts and intermittent heavy rains and flooding), overuse of small plots, the overgrazing of cattle, and outdated agricultural practices reduce crop yields and further degrade the environment, exacerbating Eswatini's poverty and subsistence problems. Eswatini's extremely high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate – more than 28% of adults have the disease – compounds these issues. Agricultural production has declined due to HIV/AIDS, as the illness causes households to lose manpower and to sell livestock and other assets to pay for medicine and funerals. ++ Swazis, mainly men from the country's rural south, have been migrating to South Africa to work in coal, and later gold, mines since the late 19th century. Although the number of miners abroad has never been high in absolute terms because of Eswatini's small population, the outflow has had important social and economic repercussions. The peak of mining employment in South Africa occurred during the 1980s. Cross-border movement has accelerated since the 1990s, as increasing unemployment has pushed more Swazis to look for work in South Africa (creating a \"brain drain\" in the health and educational sectors); southern Swazi men have continued to pursue mining, although the industry has downsized. Women now make up an increasing share of migrants and dominate cross-border trading in handicrafts, using the proceeds to purchase goods back in Eswatini. Much of today's migration, however, is not work-related but focuses on visits to family and friends, tourism, and shopping." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -252,14 +252,11 @@ "text": "66.1% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.8% of population / rural: 72.3% of population / total: 78.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "27.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "21.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.2% of population / rural: 27.7% of population / total: 21.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "2.1 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 6.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 93.5% of population / rural: 82.4% of population / total: 85% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "17.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "15% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 6.5% of population / rural: 17.6% of population / total: 15% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -448,13 +442,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament (Libandla) consists of: Senate (30 seats; 20 members appointed by the monarch and 10 indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the House of Assembly; members serve 5-year terms)House of Assembly (73 seats; 59 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies or tinkhundla by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed, 10 members appointed by the monarch, 4 women elected by the members if representation of elected women is less than 30%; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament (Libandla) consists of: Senate (30 seats; 20 members appointed by the monarch and 10 indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the House of Assembly; members serve 5-year terms) ++ House of Assembly (73 seats; 59 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies or tinkhundla by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed, 10 members appointed by the monarch, 4 women elected by the members if representation of elected women is less than 30%; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 23 October 2018 (next to be held - 31 October 2023)House of Assembly - last held on 21 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 23 October 2018 (next to be held - 31 October 2023) ++ House of Assembly - last held on 21 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of seats by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 20, women 10, percent of women 33.3% House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 59; composition - men 60, women 5, percent of women 7.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 15.8%" + "text": "Senate - percent of seats by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 20, women 10, percent of women 33.3% ++ House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 59; composition - men 60, women 5, percent of women 7.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 15.8%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -469,7 +463,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "political parties exist, but conditions for their operations, particularly in elections, are undefined, legally unclear, or culturally restricted; the following are considered political associations:African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Sibusiso DLAMINI]Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Dr. Alvit DLAMINI]People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU]Swazi Democratic Party or SWADEPA [Jan SITHOLE]" + "text": "political parties exist, but conditions for their operations, particularly in elections, are undefined, legally unclear, or culturally restricted; the following are considered political associations: African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Sibusiso DLAMINI] ++ Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Dr. Alvit DLAMINI] ++ People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU] ++ Swazi Democratic Party or SWADEPA [Jan SITHOLE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -525,7 +519,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "A small, landlocked kingdom, Eswatini is bordered in the north, west and south by the Republic of South Africa and by Mozambique in the east. Eswatini depends on South Africa for a majority of its exports and imports. Eswatini's currency is pegged to the South African rand, effectively relinquishing Eswatini's monetary policy to South Africa. The government is dependent on customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) for almost half of its revenue. Eswatini is a lower middle income country. As of 2017, more than one-quarter of the adult population was infected by HIV/AIDS; Eswatini has the world’s highest HIV prevalence rate, a financial strain and source of economic instability. The manufacturing sector diversified in the 1980s and 1990s, but manufacturing has grown little in the last decade. Sugar and soft drink concentrate are the largest foreign exchange earners, although a drought in 2015-16 decreased sugar production and exports. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and floods are persistent problems. Mining has declined in importance in recent years. Coal, gold, diamond, and quarry stone mines are small scale, and the only iron ore mine closed in 2014. With an estimated 28% unemployment rate, Eswatini's need to increase the number and size of small and medium enterprises and to attract foreign direct investment is acute. Eswatini's national development strategy, which expires in 2022, prioritizes increases in infrastructure, agriculture production, and economic diversification, while aiming to reduce poverty and government spending. Eswatini's revenue from SACU receipts are likely to continue to decline as South Africa pushes for a new distribution scheme, making it harder for the government to maintain fiscal balance without introducing new sources of revenue." + "text": "A small, landlocked kingdom, Eswatini is bordered in the north, west and south by the Republic of South Africa and by Mozambique in the east. Eswatini depends on South Africa for a majority of its exports and imports. Eswatini's currency is pegged to the South African rand, effectively relinquishing Eswatini's monetary policy to South Africa. The government is dependent on customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) for almost half of its revenue. Eswatini is a lower middle income country. As of 2017, more than one-quarter of the adult population was infected by HIV/AIDS; Eswatini has the world's highest HIV prevalence rate, a financial strain and source of economic instability. ++ The manufacturing sector diversified in the 1980s and 1990s, but manufacturing has grown little in the last decade. Sugar and soft drink concentrate are the largest foreign exchange earners, although a drought in 2015-16 decreased sugar production and exports. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and floods are persistent problems. Mining has declined in importance in recent years. Coal, gold, diamond, and quarry stone mines are small scale, and the only iron ore mine closed in 2014. With an estimated 28% unemployment rate, Eswatini's need to increase the number and size of small and medium enterprises and to attract foreign direct investment is acute. ++ Eswatini's national development strategy, which expires in 2022, prioritizes increases in infrastructure, agriculture production, and economic diversification, while aiming to reduce poverty and government spending. Eswatini's revenue from SACU receipts are likely to continue to decline as South Africa pushes for a new distribution scheme, making it harder for the government to maintain fiscal balance without introducing new sources of revenue." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$11.6 billion (2017 est.) / $11.41 billion (2016 est.) / $11.26 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/za.json b/africa/za.json index 641014d1..a00fad23 100644 --- a/africa/za.json +++ b/africa/za.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Multiple waves of Bantu-speaking groups moved into and through what is now Zambia over the past thousand years. In the 1880s, the British began securing mineral and other economic concessions from various local leaders and the territory that is now Zambia eventually came under the control of the former British South Africa Company and was incorporated as the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia in 1911. Administrative control was taken over by the UK in 1924. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement, and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule and propelled the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) to government. The subsequent vote in 1996, however, saw increasing harassment of opposition parties and abuse of state media and other resources. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems, with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who won a special presidential byelection later that year. The MMD and BANDA lost to the Patriotic Front (PF) and Michael SATA in the 2011 general elections. SATA, however, presided over a period of haphazard economic management and attempted to silence opposition to PF policies. SATA died in October 2014 and was succeeded by his vice president, Guy SCOTT, who served as interim president until January 2015, when Edgar LUNGU won the presidential byelection and completed SATA's term. LUNGU then won a full term in August 2016 presidential elections." + "text": "Multiple waves of Bantu-speaking groups moved into and through what is now Zambia over the past thousand years. In the 1880s, the British began securing mineral and other economic concessions from various local leaders and the territory that is now Zambia eventually came under the control of the former British South Africa Company and was incorporated as the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia in 1911. Administrative control was taken over by the UK in 1924. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development and immigration. ++ The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices, economic mismanagement, and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end to one-party rule and propelled the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) to government. The subsequent vote in 1996, however, saw increasing harassment of opposition parties and abuse of state media and other resources. The election in 2001 was marked by administrative problems, with three parties filing a legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA. MWANAWASA was reelected in 2006 in an election that was deemed free and fair. Upon his death in August 2008, he was succeeded by his vice president, Rupiah BANDA, who won a special presidential byelection later that year. The MMD and BANDA lost to the Patriotic Front (PF) and Michael SATA in the 2011 general elections. SATA, however, presided over a period of haphazard economic management and attempted to silence opposition to PF policies. SATA died in October 2014 and was succeeded by his vice president, Guy SCOTT, who served as interim president until January 2015, when Edgar LUNGU won the presidential byelection and completed SATA's term. LUNGU then won a full term in August 2016 presidential elections." } }, "Geography": { @@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ "text": "Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7% (includes Muslim Buddhist, Hindu, and Baha'i), none 1.8% (2010 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Zambia’s poor, youthful population consists primarily of Bantu-speaking people representing nearly 70 different ethnicities. Zambia’s high fertility rate continues to drive rapid population growth, averaging almost 3 percent annually between 2000 and 2010. The country’s total fertility rate has fallen by less than 1.5 children per woman during the last 30 years and still averages among the world’s highest, almost 6 children per woman, largely because of the country’s lack of access to family planning services, education for girls, and employment for women. Zambia also exhibits wide fertility disparities based on rural or urban location, education, and income. Poor, uneducated women from rural areas are more likely to marry young, to give birth early, and to have more children, viewing children as a sign of prestige and recognizing that not all of their children will live to adulthood. HIV/AIDS is prevalent in Zambia and contributes to its low life expectancy.\nZambian emigration is low compared to many other African countries and is comprised predominantly of the well-educated. The small amount of brain drain, however, has a major impact in Zambia because of its limited human capital and lack of educational infrastructure for developing skilled professionals in key fields. For example, Zambia has few schools for training doctors, nurses, and other health care workers. Its spending on education is low compared to other Sub-Saharan countries." + "text": "Zambia's poor, youthful population consists primarily of Bantu-speaking people representing nearly 70 different ethnicities. Zambia's high fertility rate continues to drive rapid population growth, averaging almost 3 percent annually between 2000 and 2010. The country's total fertility rate has fallen by less than 1.5 children per woman during the last 30 years and still averages among the world's highest, almost 6 children per woman, largely because of the country's lack of access to family planning services, education for girls, and employment for women. Zambia also exhibits wide fertility disparities based on rural or urban location, education, and income. Poor, uneducated women from rural areas are more likely to marry young, to give birth early, and to have more children, viewing children as a sign of prestige and recognizing that not all of their children will live to adulthood. HIV/AIDS is prevalent in Zambia and contributes to its low life expectancy. ++ Zambian emigration is low compared to many other African countries and is comprised predominantly of the well-educated. The small amount of brain drain, however, has a major impact in Zambia because of its limited human capital and lack of educational infrastructure for developing skilled professionals in key fields. For example, Zambia has few schools for training doctors, nurses, and other health care workers. Its spending on education is low compared to other Sub-Saharan countries." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "49.5% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 10.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 89.5% of population / rural: 50.9% of population / total: 67.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "49.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "32.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 10.5% of population / rural: 49.1% of population / total: 32.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "2 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 31.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 69.6% of population / rural: 24.8% of population / total: 44.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "75.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "55.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 31.4% of population / rural: 75.2% of population / total: 55.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -464,7 +458,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for Democracy and Development or ADD [Charles MILUPI]Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI]Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Felix MUTATI]National Democratic Congress or NDC [Chishimba KAMBWILI]Patriotic Front or PF [Edgar LUNGU]United Party for National Development or UPND [Hakainde HICHILEMA]" + "text": "Alliance for Democracy and Development or ADD [Charles MILUPI] ++ Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI] ++ Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Felix MUTATI] ++ National Democratic Congress or NDC [Chishimba KAMBWILI] ++ Patriotic Front or PF [Edgar LUNGU] ++ United Party for National Development or UPND [Hakainde HICHILEMA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -520,7 +514,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Zambia had one of the world’s fastest growing economies for the ten years up to 2014, with real GDP growth averaging roughly 6.7% per annum, though growth slowed during the period 2015 to 2017, due to falling copper prices, reduced power generation, and depreciation of the kwacha. Zambia’s lack of economic diversification and dependency on copper as its sole major export makes it vulnerable to fluctuations in the world commodities market and prices turned downward in 2015 due to declining demand from China; Zambia was overtaken by the Democratic Republic of Congo as Africa’s largest copper producer. GDP growth picked up in 2017 as mineral prices rose. Despite recent strong economic growth and its status as a lower middle-income country, widespread and extreme rural poverty and high unemployment levels remain significant problems, made worse by a high birth rate, a relatively high HIV/AIDS burden, by market-distorting agricultural and energy policies, and growing government debt. Zambia raised $7 billion from international investors by issuing separate sovereign bonds in 2012, 2014, and 2015. Concurrently, it issued over $4 billion in domestic debt and agreed to Chinese-financed infrastructure projects, significantly increasing the country’s public debt burden to more than 60% of GDP. The government has considered refinancing $3 billion worth of Eurobonds and significant Chinese loans to cut debt servicing costs." + "text": "Zambia had one of the world's fastest growing economies for the ten years up to 2014, with real GDP growth averaging roughly 6.7% per annum, though growth slowed during the period 2015 to 2017, due to falling copper prices, reduced power generation, and depreciation of the kwacha. Zambia's lack of economic diversification and dependency on copper as its sole major export makes it vulnerable to fluctuations in the world commodities market and prices turned downward in 2015 due to declining demand from China; Zambia was overtaken by the Democratic Republic of Congo as Africa's largest copper producer. GDP growth picked up in 2017 as mineral prices rose. ++ Despite recent strong economic growth and its status as a lower middle-income country, widespread and extreme rural poverty and high unemployment levels remain significant problems, made worse by a high birth rate, a relatively high HIV/AIDS burden, by market-distorting agricultural and energy policies, and growing government debt. Zambia raised $7 billion from international investors by issuing separate sovereign bonds in 2012, 2014, and 2015. Concurrently, it issued over $4 billion in domestic debt and agreed to Chinese-financed infrastructure projects, significantly increasing the country's public debt burden to more than 60% of GDP. The government has considered refinancing $3 billion worth of Eurobonds and significant Chinese loans to cut debt servicing costs." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$68.93 billion (2017 est.) / $66.66 billion (2016 est.) / $64.25 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/africa/zi.json b/africa/zi.json index 36b80bd1..608f5ef8 100644 --- a/africa/zi.json +++ b/africa/zi.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "A series of trading states developed in the area of Zimbabwe prior to the arrival of the first European explorers; the largest of these was the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (ca. 1220-1450). In the 1880s, European colonists arrived with the British South Africa Company (BSAC), which obtained mining rights and established company rule over the area. The southern portion of BSAC holdings were annexed by the UK in 1923 and became the British colony of Southern Rhodesia. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, was the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) from independence until his resignation in November 2017. His chaotic land redistribution campaign, which began in 1997 and intensified after 2000, caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection. In 2005, the capital city of Harare embarked on Operation Restore Order, ostensibly an urban rationalization program, which resulted in the destruction of the homes or businesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition. MUGABE in 2007 instituted price controls on all basic commodities causing panic buying and leaving store shelves empty for months. General elections in both 2008 and 2013 were severely flawed and widely condemned, but allowed MUGABE to remain president. As a prerequisite to holding the 2013 election, Zimbabwe enacted a new constitution by referendum, although many provisions in the new constitution have yet to be codified in law. In November 2017, Vice President Emmerson MNANGAGWA took over following a military intervention that forced MUGABE to resign. MNANGAGWA was inaugurated president days later, promising to hold presidential elections in 2018. In July 2018, MNANGAGWA won the presidential election after a close contest with Movement for Democratic Change Alliance candidate Nelson CHAMISA. MNANGAGWA has since resorted to the government's longstanding practice of violently disrupting protests or opposition rallies. Official inflation rates soared in 2019, approaching 500% by the end of the year. MUGABE died in September 2019." + "text": "A series of trading states developed in the area of Zimbabwe prior to the arrival of the first European explorers; the largest of these was the Kingdom of Zimbabwe (ca. 1220-1450). In the 1880s, European colonists arrived with the British South Africa Company (BSAC), which obtained mining rights and established company rule over the area. The southern portion of BSAC holdings were annexed by the UK in 1923 and became the British colony of Southern Rhodesia. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, was the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) from independence until his resignation in November 2017. His chaotic land redistribution campaign, which began in 1997 and intensified after 2000, caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection. ++ In 2005, the capital city of Harare embarked on Operation Restore Order, ostensibly an urban rationalization program, which resulted in the destruction of the homes or businesses of 700,000 mostly poor supporters of the opposition. MUGABE in 2007 instituted price controls on all basic commodities causing panic buying and leaving store shelves empty for months. General elections in both 2008 and 2013 were severely flawed and widely condemned, but allowed MUGABE to remain president. As a prerequisite to holding the 2013 election, Zimbabwe enacted a new constitution by referendum, although many provisions in the new constitution have yet to be codified in law. In November 2017, Vice President Emmerson MNANGAGWA took over following a military intervention that forced MUGABE to resign. MNANGAGWA was inaugurated president days later, promising to hold presidential elections in 2018. In July 2018, MNANGAGWA won the presidential election after a close contest with Movement for Democratic Change Alliance candidate Nelson CHAMISA. MNANGAGWA has since resorted to the government's longstanding practice of violently disrupting protests or opposition rallies. Official inflation rates soared in 2019, approaching 500% by the end of the year. MUGABE died in September 2019." } }, "Geography": { @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ "text": "Protestant 74.8% (includes Apostolic 37.5%, Pentecostal 21.8%, other 15.5%), Roman Catholic 7.3%, other Christian 5.3%, traditional 1.5%, Muslim 0.5%, other 0.1%, none 10.5% (2015 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Zimbabwe’s progress in reproductive, maternal, and child health has stagnated in recent years. According to a 2010 Demographic and Health Survey, contraceptive use, the number of births attended by skilled practitioners, and child mortality have either stalled or somewhat deteriorated since the mid-2000s. Zimbabwe’s total fertility rate has remained fairly stable at about 4 children per woman for the last two decades, although an uptick in the urban birth rate in recent years has caused a slight rise in the country’s overall fertility rate. Zimbabwe’s HIV prevalence rate dropped from approximately 29% to 15% since 1997 but remains among the world’s highest and continues to suppress the country’s life expectancy rate. The proliferation of HIV/AIDS information and prevention programs and personal experience with those suffering or dying from the disease have helped to change sexual behavior and reduce the epidemic.\nHistorically, the vast majority of Zimbabwe’s migration has been internal – a rural-urban flow. In terms of international migration, over the last 40 years Zimbabwe has gradually shifted from being a destination country to one of emigration and, to a lesser degree, one of transit (for East African illegal migrants traveling to South Africa). As a British colony, Zimbabwe attracted significant numbers of permanent immigrants from the UK and other European countries, as well as temporary economic migrants from Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Although Zimbabweans have migrated to South Africa since the beginning of the 20th century to work as miners, the first major exodus from the country occurred in the years before and after independence in 1980. The outward migration was politically and racially influenced; a large share of the white population of European origin chose to leave rather than live under a new black-majority government.\nIn the 1990s and 2000s, economic mismanagement and hyperinflation sparked a second, more diverse wave of emigration. This massive out migration – primarily to other southern African countries, the UK, and the US – has created a variety of challenges, including brain drain, illegal migration, and human smuggling and trafficking. Several factors have pushed highly skilled workers to go abroad, including unemployment, lower wages, a lack of resources, and few opportunities for career growth." + "text": "Zimbabwe's progress in reproductive, maternal, and child health has stagnated in recent years. According to a 2010 Demographic and Health Survey, contraceptive use, the number of births attended by skilled practitioners, and child mortality have either stalled or somewhat deteriorated since the mid-2000s. Zimbabwe's total fertility rate has remained fairly stable at about 4 children per woman for the last two decades, although an uptick in the urban birth rate in recent years has caused a slight rise in the country's overall fertility rate. Zimbabwe's HIV prevalence rate dropped from approximately 29% to 15% since 1997 but remains among the world's highest and continues to suppress the country's life expectancy rate. The proliferation of HIV/AIDS information and prevention programs and personal experience with those suffering or dying from the disease have helped to change sexual behavior and reduce the epidemic. ++ Historically, the vast majority of Zimbabwe's migration has been internal – a rural-urban flow. In terms of international migration, over the last 40 years Zimbabwe has gradually shifted from being a destination country to one of emigration and, to a lesser degree, one of transit (for East African illegal migrants traveling to South Africa). As a British colony, Zimbabwe attracted significant numbers of permanent immigrants from the UK and other European countries, as well as temporary economic migrants from Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Although Zimbabweans have migrated to South Africa since the beginning of the 20th century to work as miners, the first major exodus from the country occurred in the years before and after independence in 1980. The outward migration was politically and racially influenced; a large share of the white population of European origin chose to leave rather than live under a new black-majority government. ++ In the 1990s and 2000s, economic mismanagement and hyperinflation sparked a second, more diverse wave of emigration. This massive out migration – primarily to other southern African countries, the UK, and the US – has created a variety of challenges, including brain drain, illegal migration, and human smuggling and trafficking. Several factors have pushed highly skilled workers to go abroad, including unemployment, lower wages, a lack of resources, and few opportunities for career growth." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "66.8% (2015)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98% of population / rural: 67.4% of population / total: 77.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "32.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "22.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2% of population / rural: 32.6% of population / total: 22.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "1.7 beds/1,000 population (2011)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.1% of population / rural: 49% of population / total: 64.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "51% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "35.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.9% of population / rural: 51% of population / total: 35.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -451,13 +445,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (80 seats; 60 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - 6 seats in each of the 10 provinces - by proportional representation vote, 16 indirectly elected by the regional governing councils, 2 reserved for the National Council Chiefs, and 2 reserved for members with disabilities; members serve 5-year terms)National Assembly (270 seats; 210 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 60 seats reserved for women directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (80 seats; 60 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - 6 seats in each of the 10 provinces - by proportional representation vote, 16 indirectly elected by the regional governing councils, 2 reserved for the National Council Chiefs, and 2 reserved for members with disabilities; members serve 5-year terms) ++ National Assembly (270 seats; 210 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 60 seats reserved for women directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held for elected member on 30 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023) National Assembly - last held on 30 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" + "text": "Senate - last held for elected member on 30 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023) ++ National Assembly - last held on 30 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 34, MDC Alliance 25, Chiefs 18, people with disabilities 2, MDC-T 1; composition - men 45, women 35, percent of women 43.8% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 179, MDC Alliance 88, MDC-T 1, NPF 1, independent 1; composition - men 185, women 25, percent of women 31.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 34.3%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 34, MDC Alliance 25, Chiefs 18, people with disabilities 2, MDC-T 1; composition - men 45, women 35, percent of women 43.8% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 179, MDC Alliance 88, MDC-T 1, NPF 1, independent 1; composition - men 185, women 25, percent of women 31.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 34.3%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -472,7 +466,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "MDC Alliance [Thokozane KHUPEIS] (acting)Movement for Democratic Change - MDC-T [Thokozani KHUPE]National People's Party or NPP [Joyce MUJURU] (formerly Zimbabwe People First or ZimPF)National Patriotic Front or NPF [Ambrose MUTINHIRI]Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA]Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Isaac MABUKA]" + "text": "MDC Alliance [Thokozane KHUPEIS] (acting) ++ Movement for Democratic Change - MDC-T [Thokozani KHUPE] ++ National People's Party or NPP [Joyce MUJURU] (formerly Zimbabwe People First or ZimPF) ++ National Patriotic Front or NPF [Ambrose MUTINHIRI] ++ Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA] ++ Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Isaac MABUKA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -528,7 +522,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Zimbabwe's economy depends heavily on its mining and agriculture sectors. Following a contraction from 1998 to 2008, the economy recorded real growth of more than 10% per year in the period 2010-13, before falling below 3% in the period 2014-17, due to poor harvests, low diamond revenues, and decreased investment. Lower mineral prices, infrastructure and regulatory deficiencies, a poor investment climate, a large public and external debt burden, and extremely high government wage expenses impede the country’s economic performance. Until early 2009, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) routinely printed money to fund the budget deficit, causing hyperinflation. Adoption of a multi-currency basket in early 2009 - which allowed currencies such as the Botswana pula, the South Africa rand, and the US dollar to be used locally - reduced inflation below 10% per year. In January 2015, as part of the government’s effort to boost trade and attract foreign investment, the RBZ announced that the Chinese renmimbi, Indian rupee, Australian dollar, and Japanese yen would be accepted as legal tender in Zimbabwe, though transactions were predominantly carried out in US dollars and South African rand until 2016, when the rand’s devaluation and instability led to near-exclusive use of the US dollar. The government in November 2016 began releasing bond notes, a parallel currency legal only in Zimbabwe which the government claims will have a one-to-one exchange ratio with the US dollar, to ease cash shortages. Bond notes began trading at a discount of up to 10% in the black market by the end of 2016. Zimbabwe’s government entered a second Staff Monitored Program with the IMF in 2014 and undertook other measures to reengage with international financial institutions. Zimbabwe repaid roughly $108 million in arrears to the IMF in October 2016, but financial observers note that Zimbabwe is unlikely to gain new financing because the government has not disclosed how it plans to repay more than $1.7 billion in arrears to the World Bank and African Development Bank. International financial institutions want Zimbabwe to implement significant fiscal and structural reforms before granting new loans. Foreign and domestic investment continues to be hindered by the lack of land tenure and titling, the inability to repatriate dividends to investors overseas, and the lack of clarity regarding the government’s Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act." + "text": "Zimbabwe's economy depends heavily on its mining and agriculture sectors. Following a contraction from 1998 to 2008, the economy recorded real growth of more than 10% per year in the period 2010-13, before falling below 3% in the period 2014-17, due to poor harvests, low diamond revenues, and decreased investment. Lower mineral prices, infrastructure and regulatory deficiencies, a poor investment climate, a large public and external debt burden, and extremely high government wage expenses impede the country's economic performance. ++ Until early 2009, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) routinely printed money to fund the budget deficit, causing hyperinflation. Adoption of a multi-currency basket in early 2009 - which allowed currencies such as the Botswana pula, the South Africa rand, and the US dollar to be used locally - reduced inflation below 10% per year. In January 2015, as part of the government's effort to boost trade and attract foreign investment, the RBZ announced that the Chinese renmimbi, Indian rupee, Australian dollar, and Japanese yen would be accepted as legal tender in Zimbabwe, though transactions were predominantly carried out in US dollars and South African rand until 2016, when the rand's devaluation and instability led to near-exclusive use of the US dollar. The government in November 2016 began releasing bond notes, a parallel currency legal only in Zimbabwe which the government claims will have a one-to-one exchange ratio with the US dollar, to ease cash shortages. Bond notes began trading at a discount of up to 10% in the black market by the end of 2016. ++ Zimbabwe's government entered a second Staff Monitored Program with the IMF in 2014 and undertook other measures to reengage with international financial institutions. Zimbabwe repaid roughly $108 million in arrears to the IMF in October 2016, but financial observers note that Zimbabwe is unlikely to gain new financing because the government has not disclosed how it plans to repay more than $1.7 billion in arrears to the World Bank and African Development Bank. International financial institutions want Zimbabwe to implement significant fiscal and structural reforms before granting new loans. Foreign and domestic investment continues to be hindered by the lack of land tenure and titling, the inability to repatriate dividends to investors overseas, and the lack of clarity regarding the government's Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$34.27 billion (2017 est.) / $33.04 billion (2016 est.) / $32.82 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -918,7 +912,7 @@ "text": "18-22 years of age for voluntary military service (18-24 for officer cadets; 18-30 for technical/specialist personnel); no conscription; women are eligible to serve (2019)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "the ZDF was formed after independence from the former Rhodesian Army and the two guerrilla forces that opposed it during the Rhodesian Civil War (aka \"Bush War\") of the 1970s, the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA); internal security is a key current responsibility, and the military continues to play an active role in the country’s politics since the coup of 2017 (2020)" + "text": "the ZDF was formed after independence from the former Rhodesian Army and the two guerrilla forces that opposed it during the Rhodesian Civil War (aka \"Bush War\") of the 1970s, the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA); internal security is a key current responsibility, and the military continues to play an active role in the country's politics since the coup of 2017 (2020)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { @@ -941,7 +935,7 @@ "text": "Zimbabwe is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Zimbabwean women and girls from towns bordering South Africa, Mozambique, and Zambia are subjected to forced labor, including domestic servitude, and prostitution catering to long-distance truck drivers; Zimbabwean men, women, and children experience forced labor in agriculture and domestic servitude in rural areas; family members may recruit children and other relatives from rural areas with promises of work or education in cities and towns where they end up in domestic servitude and sex trafficking; Zimbabwean women and men are lured into exploitative labor situations in South Africa and other neighboring countries" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 3 - Zimbabwe does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government passed an anti-trafficking law in 2014 defining trafficking in persons as a crime of transportation and failing to capture the key element of the international definition of human trafficking – the purpose of exploitation – which prevents the law from being comprehensive or consistent with the 2000 UN TIP Protocol that Zimbabwe acceded to in 2013; the government did not report on anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts during 2014, and corruption in law enforcement and the judiciary remain a concern; authorities made minimal efforts to identify and protect trafficking victims, relying on NGOs to identify and assist victims; Zimbabwe’s 2014 anti-trafficking law required the opening of 10 centers for trafficking victims, but none were established during the year; five existing shelters for vulnerable children and orphans may have accommodated child victims; in January 2015, an inter-ministerial anti-trafficking committee was established, but it is unclear if the committee ever met or initiated any activities (2015)" + "text": "Tier 3 - Zimbabwe does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government passed an anti-trafficking law in 2014 defining trafficking in persons as a crime of transportation and failing to capture the key element of the international definition of human trafficking – the purpose of exploitation – which prevents the law from being comprehensive or consistent with the 2000 UN TIP Protocol that Zimbabwe acceded to in 2013; the government did not report on anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts during 2014, and corruption in law enforcement and the judiciary remain a concern; authorities made minimal efforts to identify and protect trafficking victims, relying on NGOs to identify and assist victims; Zimbabwe's 2014 anti-trafficking law required the opening of 10 centers for trafficking victims, but none were established during the year; five existing shelters for vulnerable children and orphans may have accommodated child victims; in January 2015, an inter-ministerial anti-trafficking committee was established, but it is unclear if the committee ever met or initiated any activities (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/antarctica/ay.json b/antarctica/ay.json index fc1b5e20..2add0e0e 100644 --- a/antarctica/ay.json +++ b/antarctica/ay.json @@ -74,13 +74,13 @@ "text": "the discovery of a large Antarctic ozone hole in the earth's stratosphere (the ozone layer) - first announced in 1985 - spurred the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987, an international agreement phasing out the use of ozone-depleting chemicals; the ozone layer prevents most harmful wavelengths of ultra-violet (UV) light from passing through the earth's atmosphere; ozone depletion has been shown to harm a variety of Antarctic marine plants and animals (plankton); in 2016, a gradual trend toward \"healing\" of the ozone hole was reported; since the 1990s, satellites have shown accelerating ice loss driven by ocean change; although considerable uncertainty remains, scientists are increasing our understanding and ability to model potential impacts of ice loss" }, "Geography - note": { - "text": "the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period mostly uninhabitable, 98% of the land area is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, the largest single mass of ice on earth covering an area of 14 million sq km (5.4 million sq mi) and containing 26.5 million cu km (6.4 million cu mi) of ice (this is almost 62% of all of the world's fresh water); if all this ice were converted to liquid water, one estimate is that it would be sufficient to raise the height of the world's oceans by 58 m (190 ft)" + "text": "the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period ++ mostly uninhabitable, 98% of the land area is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, the largest single mass of ice on earth covering an area of 14 million sq km (5.4 million sq mi) and containing 26.5 million cu km (6.4 million cu mi) of ice (this is almost 62% of all of the world's fresh water); if all this ice were converted to liquid water, one estimate is that it would be sufficient to raise the height of the world's oceans by 58 m (190 ft)" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "note": { - "text": "no indigenous inhabitants, but there are both permanent and summer-only staffed research stations note: 53 countries have signed the 1959 Antarctic Treaty; 30 of those operate through their National Antarctic Program a number of seasonal-only (summer) and year-round research stations on the continent and its nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the region covered by the Antarctic Treaty); the population engaging in and supporting science or managing and protecting the Antarctic region varies from approximately 4,400 in summer to 1,100 in winter; in addition, approximately 1,000 personnel, including ship's crew and scientists doing onboard research, are present in the waters of the treaty region as of 2017, peak summer (December-February) maximum capacity in scientific stations - 4,877 total; Argentina 601, Australia 243, Belarus 12, Belgium 40, Brazil 66, Bulgaria 22, Chile 433, China 166, Czechia 20, Ecuador 34, Finland 17, France 90, France and Italy jointly 80, Germany 104, India 113, Italy 120, Japan 130, South Korea 130, Netherlands 10, NZ 86, Norway 70, Peru 30, Poland 40, Russia 335, South Africa 80, Spain 98, Sweden 20, Ukraine 24, UK 196, US 1,399, Uruguay 68 (2017) winter (June-August) maximum capacity in scientific station - 1,036 total; Argentina 221, Australia 52, Brazil 15, Chile 114, China 32, France 24, France and Italy jointly 13, Germany 9, India 48, Japan 40, Netherlands 10, South Korea 25, NZ 11, Norway 7, Poland 16, Russia 125, South Africa 15, Ukraine 12, UK 44, US 215, Uruguay 8 (2017) research stations operated within the Antarctic Treaty area (south of 60 degrees south latitude) by National Antarctic Programs year-round stations - approximately 40 total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 6, China 2, France 1, France and Italy jointly 1, Germany 1, India 2, Japan 1, Netherlands 1, South Korea 2, NZ 1, Norway 1, Poland 1, Russia 5, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 2 (2017) a range of seasonal-only (summer) stations, camps, and refuges - Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Chile, China, Czechia, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, and Uruguay (2017) in addition, during the austral summer some nations have numerous occupied locations such as tent camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile traverses in support of research" + "text": "no indigenous inhabitants, but there are both permanent and summer-only staffed research stations ++ note: 53 countries have signed the 1959 Antarctic Treaty; 30 of those operate through their National Antarctic Program a number of seasonal-only (summer) and year-round research stations on the continent and its nearby islands south of 60 degrees south latitude (the region covered by the Antarctic Treaty); the population engaging in and supporting science or managing and protecting the Antarctic region varies from approximately 4,400 in summer to 1,100 in winter; in addition, approximately 1,000 personnel, including ship's crew and scientists doing onboard research, are present in the waters of the treaty region ++ as of 2017, peak summer (December-February) maximum capacity in scientific stations - 4,877 total; Argentina 601, Australia 243, Belarus 12, Belgium 40, Brazil 66, Bulgaria 22, Chile 433, China 166, Czechia 20, Ecuador 34, Finland 17, France 90, France and Italy jointly 80, Germany 104, India 113, Italy 120, Japan 130, South Korea 130, Netherlands 10, NZ 86, Norway 70, Peru 30, Poland 40, Russia 335, South Africa 80, Spain 98, Sweden 20, Ukraine 24, UK 196, US 1,399, Uruguay 68 (2017) ++ winter (June-August) maximum capacity in scientific station - 1,036 total; Argentina 221, Australia 52, Brazil 15, Chile 114, China 32, France 24, France and Italy jointly 13, Germany 9, India 48, Japan 40, Netherlands 10, South Korea 25, NZ 11, Norway 7, Poland 16, Russia 125, South Africa 15, Ukraine 12, UK 44, US 215, Uruguay 8 (2017) ++ research stations operated within the Antarctic Treaty area (south of 60 degrees south latitude) by National Antarctic Programs year-round stations - approximately 40 total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 6, China 2, France 1, France and Italy jointly 1, Germany 1, India 2, Japan 1, Netherlands 1, South Korea 2, NZ 1, Norway 1, Poland 1, Russia 5, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 2 (2017) ++ a range of seasonal-only (summer) stations, camps, and refuges - Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brazil, Chile, China, Czechia, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, and Uruguay (2017) ++ in addition, during the austral summer some nations have numerous occupied locations such as tent camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile traverses in support of research" } } }, @@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Scientific undertakings rather than commercial pursuits are the predominant human activity in Antarctica. Offshore fishing and tourism, both based abroad, account for Antarctica's limited economic activity. Antarctic Fisheries, within the area covered by the Convention on Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources currently target Patagonian toothfish, Antarctic toothfish, mackerel icefish and Antarctic krill. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) manages these fisheries using the ecosystem-based and precautionary approach.  The Commission’s objective is conservation of Antarctic marine living resources and it regulates the fisheries based on the level of information available, and maintaining existing ecological relationships.  While Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing has declined in the Convention area since 1990, it remains a concern A total of 51,707  tourists visited the Antarctic Treaty area in the 2017-2018  Antarctic summer, 17 percent greater than the 43,915 visitors in 2016-2017. These estimates were provided to the Antarctic Treaty by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators and do not include passengers on overflights. Nearly all of the tourists were passengers on commercial ships and several yachts that make trips during the summer." + "text": "Scientific undertakings rather than commercial pursuits are the predominant human activity in Antarctica. Offshore fishing and tourism, both based abroad, account for Antarctica's limited economic activity. ++ Antarctic Fisheries, within the area covered by the Convention on Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources currently target Patagonian toothfish, Antarctic toothfish, mackerel icefish and Antarctic krill. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) manages these fisheries using the ecosystem-based and precautionary approach.  The Commission's objective is conservation of Antarctic marine living resources and it regulates the fisheries based on the level of information available, and maintaining existing ecological relationships.  While Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing has declined in the Convention area since 1990, it remains a concern ++ A total of 51,707  tourists visited the Antarctic Treaty area in the 2017-2018  Antarctic summer, 17 percent greater than the 43,915 visitors in 2016-2017. These estimates were provided to the Antarctic Treaty by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators and do not include passengers on overflights. Nearly all of the tourists were passengers on commercial ships and several yachts that make trips during the summer." } }, "Energy": { diff --git a/antarctica/fs.json b/antarctica/fs.json index 32bd20e9..c1123f2e 100644 --- a/antarctica/fs.json +++ b/antarctica/fs.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "In February 2007, the Iles Eparses became an integral part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF). The Southern Lands are now divided into five administrative districts, two of which are archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; the third is a district composed of two volcanic islands, Ile Saint-Paul and Ile Amsterdam; the fourth, Iles Eparses, consists of five scattered tropical islands around Madagascar. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna, scientists at the various scientific stations, fishermen, and military personnel. The fifth district is the Antarctic portion, which consists of \"Adelie Land,\" a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.\nIle Amsterdam: Discovered but not named in 1522 by the Spanish, the island subsequently received the appellation of Nieuw Amsterdam from a Dutchman; it was claimed by France in 1843. A short-lived attempt at cattle farming began in 1871. A French meteorological station established on the island in 1949 is still in use.; Ile Saint Paul: Claimed by France since 1893, the island was a fishing industry center from 1843 to 1914. In 1928, a spiny lobster cannery was established, but when the company went bankrupt in 1931, seven workers were abandoned. Only two survived until 1934 when rescue finally arrived.; Iles Crozet: A large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau, Iles Crozet is divided into two main groups: L'Occidental (the West), which includes Ile aux Cochons, Ilots des Apotres, Ile des Pingouins, and the reefs Brisants de l'Heroine; and L'Oriental (the East), which includes Ile d'Est and Ile de la Possession (the largest island of the Crozets). Discovered and claimed by France in 1772, the islands were used for seal hunting and as a base for whaling. Originally administered as a dependency of Madagascar, they became part of the TAAF in 1955.; Iles Kerguelen: This island group, discovered in 1772, consists of one large island (Ile Kerguelen) and about 300 smaller islands. A permanent group of 50 to 100 scientists resides at the main base at Port-aux-Francais.; Adelie Land: The only non-insular district of the TAAF is the Antarctic claim known as \"Adelie Land.\" The US Government does not recognize it as a French dependency.; Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide.; Europa Island: This heavily wooded island has been a French possession since 1897; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station.; Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.; Juan de Nova Island: Named after a famous 15th-century Spanish navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological station.; Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station." + "text": "In February 2007, the Iles Eparses became an integral part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF). The Southern Lands are now divided into five administrative districts, two of which are archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; the third is a district composed of two volcanic islands, Ile Saint-Paul and Ile Amsterdam; the fourth, Iles Eparses, consists of five scattered tropical islands around Madagascar. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna, scientists at the various scientific stations, fishermen, and military personnel. The fifth district is the Antarctic portion, which consists of \"Adelie Land,\" a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840. ++ Ile Amsterdam: Discovered but not named in 1522 by the Spanish, the island subsequently received the appellation of Nieuw Amsterdam from a Dutchman; it was claimed by France in 1843. A short-lived attempt at cattle farming began in 1871. A French meteorological station established on the island in 1949 is still in use.; ++ Ile Saint Paul: Claimed by France since 1893, the island was a fishing industry center from 1843 to 1914. In 1928, a spiny lobster cannery was established, but when the company went bankrupt in 1931, seven workers were abandoned. Only two survived until 1934 when rescue finally arrived.; ++ Iles Crozet: A large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau, Iles Crozet is divided into two main groups: L'Occidental (the West), which includes Ile aux Cochons, Ilots des Apotres, Ile des Pingouins, and the reefs Brisants de l'Heroine; and L'Oriental (the East), which includes Ile d'Est and Ile de la Possession (the largest island of the Crozets). Discovered and claimed by France in 1772, the islands were used for seal hunting and as a base for whaling. Originally administered as a dependency of Madagascar, they became part of the TAAF in 1955.; ++ Iles Kerguelen: This island group, discovered in 1772, consists of one large island (Ile Kerguelen) and about 300 smaller islands. A permanent group of 50 to 100 scientists resides at the main base at Port-aux-Francais.; ++ Adelie Land: The only non-insular district of the TAAF is the Antarctic claim known as \"Adelie Land.\" The US Government does not recognize it as a French dependency.; ++ Bassas da India: A French possession since 1897, this atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide.; ++ Europa Island: This heavily wooded island has been a French possession since 1897; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station.; ++ Glorioso Islands: A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.; ++ Juan de Nova Island: Named after a famous 15th-century Spanish navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological station.; ++ Tromelin Island: First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological station." } }, "Geography": { @@ -9,25 +9,25 @@ "text": "southeast and east of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, some near Madagascar and others about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, \"Adelie Land\"; the US does not recognize the French claim to \"Adelie Land\"" }, "Geographic coordinates": { - "text": "Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 37 50 S, 77 32 E; Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 38 72 S, 77 53 E; Iles Crozet: 46 25 S, 51 00 E; Iles Kerguelen: 49 15 S, 69 35 E; Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 21 30 S, 39 50 E; Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22 20 S, 40 22 E; Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 11 30 S, 47 20 E; Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 17 03 S, 42 45 E; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 15 52 S, 54 25 E" + "text": "Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 37 50 S, 77 32 E; ++ Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 38 72 S, 77 53 E; ++ Iles Crozet: 46 25 S, 51 00 E; ++ Iles Kerguelen: 49 15 S, 69 35 E; ++ Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 21 30 S, 39 50 E; ++ Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22 20 S, 40 22 E; ++ Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 11 30 S, 47 20 E; ++ Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 17 03 S, 42 45 E; ++ Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 15 52 S, 54 25 E" }, "Map references": { "text": "Antarctic RegionAfrica" }, "Area": { "note": { - "text": "Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 55 sq km; land - 55 sq km; water - 0 sq km Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 7 sq km; land - 7 sq km; water - 0 sq km Iles Crozet: total - 352 sq km; land - 352 sq km; water - 0 sq km Iles Kerguelen: total - 7,215 sq km; land - 7,215 sq km; water - 0 sq km Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): total - 80 sq km; land - 0.2 sq km; water - 79.8 sq km (lagoon) Europa Island (Iles Eparses): total - 28 sq km; land - 28 sq km; water - 0 sq km Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): total - 5 sq km; land - 5 sq km; water - 0 sq km Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): total - 4.4 sq km; land - 4.4 sq km; water - 0 sq km Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): total - 1 sq km; land - 1 sq km; water - 0 sq km note: excludes \"Adelie Land\" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US" + "text": "Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 55 sq km; land - 55 sq km; water - 0 sq km ++ Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): total - 7 sq km; land - 7 sq km; water - 0 sq km ++ Iles Crozet: total - 352 sq km; land - 352 sq km; water - 0 sq km ++ Iles Kerguelen: total - 7,215 sq km; land - 7,215 sq km; water - 0 sq km ++ Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): total - 80 sq km; land - 0.2 sq km; water - 79.8 sq km (lagoon) ++ Europa Island (Iles Eparses): total - 28 sq km; land - 28 sq km; water - 0 sq km ++ Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): total - 5 sq km; land - 5 sq km; water - 0 sq km ++ Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): total - 4.4 sq km; land - 4.4 sq km; water - 0 sq km ++ Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): total - 1 sq km; land - 1 sq km; water - 0 sq km ++ note: excludes \"Adelie Land\" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US" } }, "Area - comparative": { - "text": "Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): less than one-half the size of Washington, DC; Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): more than 10 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Iles Crozet: about twice the size of Washington, DC; Iles Kerguelen: slightly larger than Delaware; Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): land area about one-third the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Europa Island (Iles Eparses): about one-sixth the size of Washington, DC; Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): about eight times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): about seven times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): about 1.7 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC" + "text": "Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): less than one-half the size of Washington, DC; ++ Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): more than 10 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; ++ Iles Crozet: about twice the size of Washington, DC; ++ Iles Kerguelen: slightly larger than Delaware; ++ Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): land area about one-third the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; ++ Europa Island (Iles Eparses): about one-sixth the size of Washington, DC; ++ Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): about eight times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; ++ Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): about seven times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; ++ Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): about 1.7 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC" }, "Land boundaries": { "text": "0 km" }, "Coastline": { "note": { - "text": "Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 28 km Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): Iles Kerguelen: 2,800 km Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22.2 km Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 24.1 km Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 3.7 km" + "text": "Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): 28 km ++ Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): ++ Iles Kerguelen: 2,800 km ++ Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km ++ Europa Island (Iles Eparses): 22.2 km ++ Glorioso Islands (Iles Eparses): 35.2 km ++ Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): 24.1 km ++ Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): 3.7 km" } }, "Maritime claims": { @@ -39,10 +39,10 @@ } }, "Climate": { - "text": "Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul: oceanic with persistent westerly winds and high humidity; Iles Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy; Iles Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy; Iles Eparses: tropical" + "text": "Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul: oceanic with persistent westerly winds and high humidity; ++ Iles Crozet: windy, cold, wet, and cloudy; ++ Iles Kerguelen: oceanic, cold, overcast, windy; ++ Iles Eparses: tropical" }, "Terrain": { - "text": "Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; the center floor of the volcano is a large plateau; Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): triangular in shape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffs on the eastern side; has active thermal springs; Iles Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau is divided into two groups of islands; Iles Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Ile Kerguelen is composed of high mountains, hills, valleys, and plains with peninsulas stretching off its coasts; Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon; Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount" + "text": "Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): a volcanic island with steep coastal cliffs; the center floor of the volcano is a large plateau; ++ Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): triangular in shape, the island is the top of a volcano, rocky with steep cliffs on the eastern side; has active thermal springs; ++ Iles Crozet: a large archipelago formed from the Crozet Plateau is divided into two groups of islands; ++ Iles Kerguelen: the interior of the large island of Ile Kerguelen is composed of high mountains, hills, valleys, and plains with peninsulas stretching off its coasts; ++ Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll, awash at high tide; shallow (15 m) lagoon; ++ Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island: low, flat, and sandy; ++ Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): low, flat, sandy; likely volcanic seamount" }, "Elevation": { "lowest point": { @@ -62,20 +62,20 @@ } }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are inactive volcanoes; Iles Eparses subject to periodic cyclones; Bassas da India is a maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefs\nvolcanism: Reunion Island - Piton de la Fournaise (2,632 m), which has erupted many times in recent years including 2010, 2015, and 2017, is one of the world's most active volcanoes; although rare, eruptions outside the volcano's caldera could threaten nearby cities" + "text": "Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are inactive volcanoes; Iles Eparses subject to periodic cyclones; Bassas da India is a maritime hazard since it is under water for a period of three hours prior to and following the high tide and surrounded by reefs ++ volcanism: Reunion Island - Piton de la Fournaise (2,632 m), which has erupted many times in recent years including 2010, 2015, and 2017, is one of the world's most active volcanoes; although rare, eruptions outside the volcano's caldera could threaten nearby cities" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "introduction of foreign species on Iles Crozet has caused severe damage to the original ecosystem; overfishing of Patagonian toothfish around Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen" }, "Geography - note": { - "text": "islands' component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean\nBassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll is a circular reef atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano; Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles; Glorioso Island (Iles Eparses): islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)" + "text": "islands' component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean ++ Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): atoll is a circular reef atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano; ++ Europa Island and Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): wildlife sanctuary for seabirds and sea turtles; ++ Glorioso Island (Iles Eparses): islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system; ++ Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones in the western Indian Ocean; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "no indigenous inhabitants", "note": { - "text": "Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): uninhabited but has a meteorological stationIle Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): uninhabited but is frequently visited by fishermen and has a scientific research cabin for short stays Iles Crozet: uninhabited except for 18 to 30 people staffing the Alfred Faure research station on Ile del la Possession Iles Kerguelen: 50 to 100 scientists are located at the main base at Port-aux-Francais on Ile Kerguelen Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): uninhabitable Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession; visited by scientists Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): uninhabited, except for visits by scientists" + "text": "Ile Amsterdam (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): uninhabited but has a meteorological station ++ Ile Saint-Paul (Ile Amsterdam et Ile Saint-Paul): uninhabited but is frequently visited by fishermen and has a scientific research cabin for short stays ++ Iles Crozet: uninhabited except for 18 to 30 people staffing the Alfred Faure research station on Ile del la Possession ++ Iles Kerguelen: 50 to 100 scientists are located at the main base at Port-aux-Francais on Ile Kerguelen ++ Bassas da India (Iles Eparses): uninhabitable ++ Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): a small French military garrison and a few meteorologists on each possession; visited by scientists ++ Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): uninhabited, except for visits by scientists" } } }, @@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "French claim to \"Adelie Land\" in Antarctica is not recognized by the US; Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): ; claimed by Madagascar; the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser, which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976, also fall within the EEZ claims of the Comoros and France (Glorioso Islands); ; Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): ; claimed by Mauritius" + "text": "French claim to \"Adelie Land\" in Antarctica is not recognized by the US; ++ Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, Juan de Nova Island (Iles Eparses): ; claimed by Madagascar; the vegetated drying cays of Banc du Geyser, which were claimed by Madagascar in 1976, also fall within the EEZ claims of the Comoros and France (Glorioso Islands); ; ++ Tromelin Island (Iles Eparses): ; claimed by Mauritius" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/australia-oceania/aq.json b/australia-oceania/aq.json index ef921ba7..07fda6e7 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/aq.json +++ b/australia-oceania/aq.json @@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ "text": "0 sq km (2012)" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "cyclones common from December to March\nvolcanism: limited volcanic activity on the Ofu and Olosega Islands; neither has erupted since the 19th century" + "text": "cyclones common from December to March ++ volcanism: limited volcanic activity on the Ofu and Olosega Islands; neither has erupted since the 19th century" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "limited supply of drinking water; pollution; waste disposal; coastal and stream alteration; soil erosion" @@ -216,13 +216,19 @@ "text": "2.35 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 1% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 99% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -295,7 +301,7 @@ }, "Citizenship": { "note": { - "text": "see United StatesNote: in accordance with US Code Title 8, Section 1408, persons born in American Samoa are US nationals but not US citizens" + "text": "see United States ++ Note: in accordance with US Code Title 8, Section 1408, persons born in American Samoa are US nationals but not US citizens" } }, "Suffrage": { @@ -320,13 +326,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Legislature or Fono consists of:Senate (18 seats; members indirectly selected by regional governing councils to serve 4-year terms)House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members directly elected by simple majority vote and 1 decided by public meeting on Swains Island; members serve 2-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Legislature or Fono consists of: Senate (18 seats; members indirectly selected by regional governing councils to serve 4-year terms) ++ House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members directly elected by simple majority vote and 1 decided by public meeting on Swains Island; members serve 2-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020)House of Representatives - last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 18; composition - men 17, women 1, percent of women 9.5%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 14, women 7, percent of women 33.3%; note - total percent of women in Legislature 20.5%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 18; composition - men 17, women 1, percent of women 9.5% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 14, women 7, percent of women 33.3%; note - total percent of women in Legislature 20.5%" }, "note": { "text": "note: American Samoa elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term as a delegate to the US House of Representatives; the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote; election of delegate last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)" @@ -344,7 +350,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Party [Fagafaga Daniel LANGKILDE, chairman]Republican Party [William SWORD, chairman]" + "text": "Democratic Party [Fagafaga Daniel LANGKILDE, chairman] ++ Republican Party [William SWORD, chairman]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC" @@ -377,7 +383,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "American Samoa s a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts most of its commerce. Tuna fishing and processing are the backbone of the private sector with processed fish products as the primary exports. The fish processing business accounted for 15.5% of employment in 2015. In late September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami devastated American Samoa and nearby Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency oversaw a relief program of nearly $25 million. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism has some potential as a source of income and jobs." + "text": "American Samoa s a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts most of its commerce. Tuna fishing and processing are the backbone of the private sector with processed fish products as the primary exports. The fish processing business accounted for 15.5% of employment in 2015. ++ In late September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami devastated American Samoa and nearby Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency oversaw a relief program of nearly $25 million. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. ++ Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism has some potential as a source of income and jobs." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$658 million (2016 est.) / $674.9 million (2015 est.) / $666.9 million (2014 est.)", diff --git a/australia-oceania/as.json b/australia-oceania/as.json index 96afb783..4d954b76 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/as.json +++ b/australia-oceania/as.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Prehistoric settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia at least 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession of the east coast in the name of Great Britain (all of Australia was claimed as British territory in 1829 with the creation of the colony of Western Australia). Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the Allied effort in World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has become an internationally competitive, advanced market economy due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s and its location in one of the fastest growing regions of the world economy. Long-term concerns include an aging population, pressure on infrastructure, and environmental issues such as floods, droughts, and bushfires. Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth, making it particularly vulnerable to the challenges of climate change. Australia is home to 10% of the world's biodiversity, and a great number of its flora and fauna exist nowhere else in the world." + "text": "Prehistoric settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia at least 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession of the east coast in the name of Great Britain (all of Australia was claimed as British territory in 1829 with the creation of the colony of Western Australia). Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the Allied effort in World Wars I and II. ++ In recent decades, Australia has become an internationally competitive, advanced market economy due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980s and its location in one of the fastest growing regions of the world economy. Long-term concerns include an aging population, pressure on infrastructure, and environmental issues such as floods, droughts, and bushfires. Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth, making it particularly vulnerable to the challenges of climate change. Australia is home to 10% of the world's biodiversity, and a great number of its flora and fauna exist nowhere else in the world." } }, "Geography": { @@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ "text": "population is primarily located on the periphery, with the highest concentration of people residing in the east and southeast; a secondary population center is located in and around Perth in the west; of the States and Territories, New South Wales has, by far, the largest population; the interior, or \"outback\", has a very sparse population" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires\nvolcanism: volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands" + "text": "cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires ++ volcanism: volcanic activity on Heard and McDonald Islands" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "soil erosion from overgrazing, deforestation, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; limited natural freshwater resources; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; drought, desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; disruption of the fragile ecosystem has resulted in significant floral extinctions; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; overfishing, pollution, and invasive species are also problems" @@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; the largest country in Oceania, the largest country entirely in the Southern Hemisphere, and the largest country without land borders; the only continent without glaciers; the invigorating sea breeze known as the \"Fremantle Doctor\" affects the city of Perth on the west coast and is one of the most consistent winds in the worldnote 2: the Great Dividing Range that runs along eastern Australia is that continent’s longest mountain range and the third-longest land-based range in the world; the term \"Great Dividing Range\" refers to the fact that the mountains form a watershed crest from which all of the rivers of eastern Australia flow – east, west, north, and south" + "text": "note 1: world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; the largest country in Oceania, the largest country entirely in the Southern Hemisphere, and the largest country without land borders; the only continent without glaciers; the invigorating sea breeze known as the \"Fremantle Doctor\" affects the city of Perth on the west coast and is one of the most consistent winds in the world ++ note 2: the Great Dividing Range that runs along eastern Australia is that continent's longest mountain range and the third-longest land-based range in the world; the term \"Great Dividing Range\" refers to the fact that the mountains form a watershed crest from which all of the rivers of eastern Australia flow – east, west, north, and south" } } }, @@ -270,14 +270,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -290,8 +287,11 @@ "text": "3.8 beds/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins first Sunday in October; ends first Sunday in April" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Australia has four time zones, including Lord Howe Island (UTC+10:30)etymolgy: the name is claimed to derive from either Kambera or Camberry, which are names corrupted from the original native designation for the area \"Nganbra\" or \"Nganbira\"" + "text": "note: Australia has four time zones, including Lord Howe Island (UTC+10:30) ++ etymolgy: the name is claimed to derive from either Kambera or Camberry, which are names corrupted from the original native designation for the area \"Nganbra\" or \"Nganbira\" ++ ++" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ "text": "approved in a series of referenda from 1898 through 1900 and became law 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by Parliament; passage requires approval of a referendum bill by absolute majority vote in both houses of Parliament, approval in a referendum by a majority of voters in at least four states and in the territories, and Royal Assent; proposals that would reduce a state’s representation in either house or change a state’s boundaries require that state’s approval prior to Royal Assent; amended several times, last in 1977" + "text": "proposed by Parliament; passage requires approval of a referendum bill by absolute majority vote in both houses of Parliament, approval in a referendum by a majority of voters in at least four states and in the territories, and Royal Assent; proposals that would reduce a state's representation in either house or change a state's boundaries require that state's approval prior to Royal Assent; amended several times, last in 1977" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -423,13 +423,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Federal Parliament consists of:Senate (76 seats; 12 members from each of the 6 states and 2 each from the 2 mainland territories; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of state membership renewed every 3 years and territory membership renewed every 3 years)House of Representatives (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by majority preferential vote; members serve terms of up to 3 years)" + "text": "bicameral Federal Parliament consists of: Senate (76 seats; 12 members from each of the 6 states and 2 each from the 2 mainland territories; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of state membership renewed every 3 years and territory membership renewed every 3 years) ++ House of Representatives (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by majority preferential vote; members serve terms of up to 3 years)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 18 May 2019 (next to be held in 2022)House of Representatives - last held on 18 May 2019 (next to be held in 2022)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 18 May 2019 (next to be held in 2022) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 18 May 2019 (next to be held in 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - Liberal/National coalition 37.99%, ALP 28.79%, The Greens 10.19%, One Nation 5.4%, Centre Alliance .19%, Lambie Network .21%, other 17.23%; seats by party - Liberal/National coalition 35, ALP 26, The Greens 9, One Nation 2, Centre Alliance 2, Lambie Network 1, independents 1House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Liberal/National coalition 41.4%, ALP 33.3%, The Greens 10.4%, Katter's Australian Party .49%, Centre Alliance .33%, independents 3.37%, other 10.63%; seats by party - Liberal/National Coalition 77, ALP 68, The Greens 1, Katter's Australian Party 1, Centre Alliance 1, independent 3" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - Liberal/National coalition 37.99%, ALP 28.79%, The Greens 10.19%, One Nation 5.4%, Centre Alliance .19%, Lambie Network .21%, other 17.23%; seats by party - Liberal/National coalition 35, ALP 26, The Greens 9, One Nation 2, Centre Alliance 2, Lambie Network 1, independents 1 ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Liberal/National coalition 41.4%, ALP 33.3%, The Greens 10.4%, Katter's Australian Party .49%, Centre Alliance .33%, independents 3.37%, other 10.63%; seats by party - Liberal/National Coalition 77, ALP 68, The Greens 1, Katter's Australian Party 1, Centre Alliance 1, independent 3" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Australian Greens Party [Adam BANDT]Australian Labor Party or ALP [Anthony ALBANESE]Country Liberal Party or CLP [Gary HIGGINS]Liberal National Party of Queensland or LNP [Deborah FRECKLINGTON]Liberal Party of Australia [Scott MORRISON]The Nationals [Michael MCCORMACK]Centre Alliance [Nick XENOPHON] Pauline Hanson’s One Nation [Pauline HANSON]" + "text": "Australian Greens Party [Adam BANDT] ++ Australian Labor Party or ALP [Anthony ALBANESE] ++ Country Liberal Party or CLP [Gary HIGGINS] ++ Liberal National Party of Queensland or LNP [Deborah FRECKLINGTON] ++ Liberal Party of Australia [Scott MORRISON] ++ The Nationals [Michael MCCORMACK] ++ Centre Alliance [Nick XENOPHON] ++ Pauline Hanson's One Nation [Pauline HANSON]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-20, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF, SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNMIT, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Australia is an open market with minimal restrictions on imports of goods and services. The process of opening up has increased productivity, stimulated growth, and made the economy more flexible and dynamic. Australia plays an active role in the WTO, APEC, the G20, and other trade forums. Australia’s free trade agreement (FTA) with China entered into force in 2015, adding to existing FTAs with the Republic of Korea, Japan, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and the US, and a regional FTA with ASEAN and New Zealand. Australia continues to negotiate bilateral agreements with Indonesia, as well as larger agreements with its Pacific neighbors and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and an Asia-wide Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that includes the 10 ASEAN countries and China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and India. Australia is a significant exporter of natural resources, energy, and food. Australia's abundant and diverse natural resources attract high levels of foreign investment and include extensive reserves of coal, iron, copper, gold, natural gas, uranium, and renewable energy sources. A series of major investments, such as the US$40 billion Gorgon Liquid Natural Gas Project, will significantly expand the resources sector. For nearly two decades up till 2017, Australia had benefited from a dramatic surge in its terms of trade. As export prices increased faster than import prices, the economy experienced continuous growth, low unemployment, contained inflation, very low public debt, and a strong and stable financial system. Australia entered 2018 facing a range of growth constraints, principally driven by the sharp fall in global prices of key export commodities. Demand for resources and energy from Asia and especially China is growing at a slower pace and sharp drops in export prices have impacted growth." + "text": "Australia is an open market with minimal restrictions on imports of goods and services. The process of opening up has increased productivity, stimulated growth, and made the economy more flexible and dynamic. Australia plays an active role in the WTO, APEC, the G20, and other trade forums. Australia's free trade agreement (FTA) with China entered into force in 2015, adding to existing FTAs with the Republic of Korea, Japan, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and the US, and a regional FTA with ASEAN and New Zealand. Australia continues to negotiate bilateral agreements with Indonesia, as well as larger agreements with its Pacific neighbors and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and an Asia-wide Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that includes the 10 ASEAN countries and China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and India. ++ Australia is a significant exporter of natural resources, energy, and food. Australia's abundant and diverse natural resources attract high levels of foreign investment and include extensive reserves of coal, iron, copper, gold, natural gas, uranium, and renewable energy sources. A series of major investments, such as the US$40 billion Gorgon Liquid Natural Gas Project, will significantly expand the resources sector. ++ For nearly two decades up till 2017, Australia had benefited from a dramatic surge in its terms of trade. As export prices increased faster than import prices, the economy experienced continuous growth, low unemployment, contained inflation, very low public debt, and a strong and stable financial system. Australia entered 2018 facing a range of growth constraints, principally driven by the sharp fall in global prices of key export commodities. Demand for resources and energy from Asia and especially China is growing at a slower pace and sharp drops in export prices have impacted growth." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.248 trillion (2017 est.) / $1.221 trillion (2016 est.) / $1.19 trillion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/australia-oceania/bp.json b/australia-oceania/bp.json index 3050ec1d..ba88745f 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/bp.json +++ b/australia-oceania/bp.json @@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ "text": "most of the population lives along the coastal regions; about one in five live in urban areas, and of these some two-thirds reside in Honiara, the largest town and chief port" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "tropical cyclones, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis\nvolcanism: Tinakula (851 m) has frequent eruption activity, while an eruption of Savo (485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanal" + "text": "tropical cyclones, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis ++ volcanism: Tinakula (851 m) has frequent eruption activity, while an eruption of Savo (485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanal" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying; effects of climate change and rising sea levels" @@ -253,14 +253,11 @@ "text": "29.3% (2015)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95% of population / rural: 67.1% of population / total: 73.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "32.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "26.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 5% of population / rural: 32.9% of population / total: 26.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -273,14 +270,11 @@ "text": "1.4 beds/1,000 population (2012)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95.6% of population / rural: 22% of population / total: 39.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "78% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "60.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 4.4% of population / rural: 78% of population / total: 60.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -442,7 +436,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Steve ABANA]Kadere Party of Solomon Islands or KPSI [Peter BOYERS]People's Alliance Party or PAP [Nathaniel WAENA]Solomon Islands People First Party or SIPFP [Dr. Jimmie RODGERS]Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Manasseh MAELANGA]United Democratic Party or UDP [Sir Thomas Ko CHAN]", + "text": "Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Steve ABANA] ++ Kadere Party of Solomon Islands or KPSI [Peter BOYERS] ++ People's Alliance Party or PAP [Nathaniel WAENA] ++ Solomon Islands People First Party or SIPFP [Dr. Jimmie RODGERS] ++ Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Manasseh MAELANGA] ++ United Democratic Party or UDP [Sir Thomas Ko CHAN]", "note": { "text": "note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions" } @@ -855,7 +849,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "the Solomon Islands is a source and destination country for local adults and children and Southeast Asian men and women subjected to forced labor and forced prostitution; women from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines are recruited for legitimate work and upon arrival are forced into prostitution; men from Indonesia and Malaysia recruited to work in the Solomon Islands’ mining and logging industries may be subjected to forced labor; local children are forced into prostitution near foreign logging camps, on fishing vessels, at hotels, and entertainment venues; some local children are also sold by their parents for marriage to foreign workers or put up for \"informal adoption\" to pay off debts and then find themselves forced into domestic servitude or forced prostitution" + "text": "the Solomon Islands is a source and destination country for local adults and children and Southeast Asian men and women subjected to forced labor and forced prostitution; women from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines are recruited for legitimate work and upon arrival are forced into prostitution; men from Indonesia and Malaysia recruited to work in the Solomon Islands' mining and logging industries may be subjected to forced labor; local children are forced into prostitution near foreign logging camps, on fishing vessels, at hotels, and entertainment venues; some local children are also sold by their parents for marriage to foreign workers or put up for \"informal adoption\" to pay off debts and then find themselves forced into domestic servitude or forced prostitution" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – the Solomon Islands does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, the Solomon Islands was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; the government gazetted implementing regulations for the 2012 immigration act prohibiting transnational trafficking, but the penalties are not sufficiently stringent because they allow the option of paying a fine; a new draft law to address these weaknesses awaits parliamentary review; no new trafficking investigations were conducted, even after labor inspections at logging and fishing companies, no existing cases led to prosecutions or convictions, and no funding was allocated for national anti-trafficking efforts; authorities did not identify or protect any victims and lack any procedures or shelters to do so; civil society and religious organizations provide most of the limited services available; a lack of understanding of the crime of trafficking remains a serious challenge (2015)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/cq.json b/australia-oceania/cq.json index 5310ce77..d8e343e3 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/cq.json +++ b/australia-oceania/cq.json @@ -216,13 +216,19 @@ "text": "2.7 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 97.7% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 2.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -323,13 +329,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature consists of:Senate (9 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) House of Representatives (20 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 2-year terms)the Northern Mariana Islands directly elects 1 delegate to the US House of Representatives by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term" + "text": "bicameral Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature consists of: Senate (9 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) ++ House of Representatives (20 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 2-year terms) ++ the Northern Mariana Islands directly elects 1 delegate to the US House of Representatives by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term" }, "elections": { - "text": "CNMI Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020) CNMI House of Representatives - last held on 13 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands delegate to the US House of Representatives  - last held on 13 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)" + "text": "CNMI Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020) ++ CNMI House of Representatives - last held on 13 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020) ++ Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands delegate to the US House of Representatives  - last held on 13 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)" }, "election results": { - "text": "CNMI Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 6, independent 3; composition - men 8, women 1, percent of women 11.1% CNMI House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 13, independent 7; composition - men 17, women 3, percent of women 15%; note - total CNMI Legislature percent of women 13.8%delegate to US House of Representatives - seat won by Democratic Party; composition - 1 man" + "text": "CNMI Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 6, independent 3; composition - men 8, women 1, percent of women 11.1% ++ CNMI House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 13, independent 7; composition - men 17, women 3, percent of women 15%; note - total CNMI Legislature percent of women 13.8% ++ delegate to US House of Representatives - seat won by Democratic Party; composition - 1 man" }, "note": { "text": "note: the Northern Mariana Islands delegate to the US House of Representatives can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the \"Committee of the Whole House\" but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote" @@ -347,7 +353,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Party [Daniel QUITUGUA]Republican Party [James ADA]" + "text": "Democratic Party [Daniel QUITUGUA] ++ Republican Party [James ADA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "PIF (observer), SPC, UPU" @@ -372,7 +378,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The economy of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands(CNMI) has been on the rebound in the last few years, mainly on the strength of its tourism industry. In 2016, the CNMI’s real GDP increased 28.6% over the previous year, following two years of relatively rapid growth in 2014 and 2015. Chinese and Korean tourists have supplanted Japanese tourists in the last few years. The Commonwealth is making a concerted effort to broaden its tourism by extending casino gambling from the small Islands of Tinian and Rota to the main Island of Saipan, its political and commercial center. Investment is concentrated on hotels and casinos in Saipan, the CNMI’s largest island and home to about 90% of its population. Federal grants have also contributed to economic growth and stability. In 2016, federal grants amounted to $101.4 billion which made up 26% of the CNMI government’s total revenues. A small agriculture sector consists of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Legislation is pending in the US Congress to extend the transition period to allow foreign workers to work in the CNMI on temporary visas." + "text": "The economy of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands(CNMI) has been on the rebound in the last few years, mainly on the strength of its tourism industry. In 2016, the CNMI's real GDP increased 28.6% over the previous year, following two years of relatively rapid growth in 2014 and 2015. Chinese and Korean tourists have supplanted Japanese tourists in the last few years. The Commonwealth is making a concerted effort to broaden its tourism by extending casino gambling from the small Islands of Tinian and Rota to the main Island of Saipan, its political and commercial center. Investment is concentrated on hotels and casinos in Saipan, the CNMI's largest island and home to about 90% of its population. ++ Federal grants have also contributed to economic growth and stability. In 2016, federal grants amounted to $101.4 billion which made up 26% of the CNMI government's total revenues. A small agriculture sector consists of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. ++ Legislation is pending in the US Congress to extend the transition period to allow foreign workers to work in the CNMI on temporary visas." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.242 billion (2016 est.) / $933 million (2015 est.) / $845 million (2014 est.)", diff --git a/australia-oceania/cw.json b/australia-oceania/cw.json index 0101245b..1482b0ae 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/cw.json +++ b/australia-oceania/cw.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The Cook Islands, named after Captain James Cook who landed in 1773, became a British protectorate in 1888 and was later annexed by proclamation in 1900. The Cook Islands was first included within the boundaries of New Zealand in 1901, and in 1965, residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The Cook Islands’ economy relies on tourism, fisheries, and foreign aid. More recently a growing offshore financial sector exposed the country to vulnerabilities which the government has addressed with legislation and regulations for the oversight of all banks and financial institutions, and with enforcement measures. The Cook Islands continues to face challenges with the emigration of skilled workers, government deficits, inadequate infrastructure, and natural resource depletion. The Cook Islands is expected to graduate to the high-income threshold set by the World Bank, which will limit the country’s access to Official Development Assistance under OECD guidelines." + "text": "The Cook Islands, named after Captain James Cook who landed in 1773, became a British protectorate in 1888 and was later annexed by proclamation in 1900. The Cook Islands was first included within the boundaries of New Zealand in 1901, and in 1965, residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The Cook Islands' economy relies on tourism, fisheries, and foreign aid. More recently a growing offshore financial sector exposed the country to vulnerabilities which the government has addressed with legislation and regulations for the oversight of all banks and financial institutions, and with enforcement measures. The Cook Islands continues to face challenges with the emigration of skilled workers, government deficits, inadequate infrastructure, and natural resource depletion. The Cook Islands is expected to graduate to the high-income threshold set by the World Bank, which will limit the country's access to Official Development Assistance under OECD guidelines." } }, "Geography": { @@ -224,8 +224,11 @@ "text": "2.12 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -235,8 +238,11 @@ "text": "1.41 physicians/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 97.6% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 2.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -326,7 +332,7 @@ "text": "4 August 1965 (Cook Islands Constitution Act 1964)" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in each of several readings and assent of the chief of state’s representative; passage of amendments relating to the chief of state also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2004" + "text": "proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in each of several readings and assent of the chief of state's representative; passage of amendments relating to the chief of state also requires two-thirds majority approval in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2004" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -375,7 +381,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]Democratic Party or Demo [Tina BROWNE]One Cook Islands Movement [Teina BISHOP]" + "text": "Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA] ++ Democratic Party or Demo [Tina BROWNE] ++ One Cook Islands Movement [Teina BISHOP]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, IMSO, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO" diff --git a/australia-oceania/fj.json b/australia-oceania/fj.json index 81e5a7c6..0872c5bd 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/fj.json +++ b/australia-oceania/fj.json @@ -250,14 +250,11 @@ "text": "2.31 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.8% of population / rural: 88.7% of population / total: 93.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "11.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "6.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.2% of population / rural: 11.3% of population / total: 6.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -270,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "2 beds/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 94% of population / rural: 89% of population / total: 98% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "11% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 6% of population / rural: 11% of population / total: 2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -441,7 +435,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "FijiFirst [Veroqe \"Frank\" BAINIMARAMA]Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY]Fiji United Freedon Party or FUFP [Jagath KARUNARATNE]National Federation Party or NFP [Biman PRASAD] (primarily Indian)Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Lynda TABUYA]Social Democratic Liberal Party or SODELPAUnity Fiji [Adi QORO]" + "text": "FijiFirst [Veroqe \"Frank\" BAINIMARAMA] ++ Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY] ++ Fiji United Freedon Party or FUFP [Jagath KARUNARATNE] ++ National Federation Party or NFP [Biman PRASAD] (primarily Indian) ++ Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Lynda TABUYA] ++ Social Democratic Liberal Party or SODELPA ++ Unity Fiji [Adi QORO]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca (suspended), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -497,7 +491,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of the most developed and connected of the Pacific island economies. Earnings from the tourism industry, with an estimated 842,884 tourists visiting in 2017, and remittances from Fijian’s working abroad are the country’s largest foreign exchange earners. Bottled water exports to the US is Fiji’s largest domestic export. Fiji's sugar sector remains a significant industry and a major export, but crops and one of the sugar mills suffered damage during Cyclone Winston in 2016. Fiji’s trade imbalance continues to widen with increased imports and sluggish performance of domestic exports. The return to parliamentary democracy and successful elections in September 2014 improved investor confidence, but increasing bureaucratic regulation, new taxes, and lack of consultation with relevant stakeholders brought four consecutive years of decline for Fiji on the World Bank Ease of Doing Business index. Private sector investment in 2017 approached 20% of GDP, compared to 13% in 2013." + "text": "Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of the most developed and connected of the Pacific island economies. Earnings from the tourism industry, with an estimated 842,884 tourists visiting in 2017, and remittances from Fijian's working abroad are the country's largest foreign exchange earners. ++ Bottled water exports to the US is Fiji's largest domestic export. Fiji's sugar sector remains a significant industry and a major export, but crops and one of the sugar mills suffered damage during Cyclone Winston in 2016. Fiji's trade imbalance continues to widen with increased imports and sluggish performance of domestic exports. ++ The return to parliamentary democracy and successful elections in September 2014 improved investor confidence, but increasing bureaucratic regulation, new taxes, and lack of consultation with relevant stakeholders brought four consecutive years of decline for Fiji on the World Bank Ease of Doing Business index. Private sector investment in 2017 approached 20% of GDP, compared to 13% in 2013." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$8.629 billion (2017 est.) / $8.376 billion (2016 est.) / $8.321 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/australia-oceania/fm.json b/australia-oceania/fm.json index 157ad69b..e55688be 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/fm.json +++ b/australia-oceania/fm.json @@ -241,8 +241,11 @@ "text": "2.29 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 21.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 78.6% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 21.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -252,8 +255,11 @@ "text": "3.2 beds/1,000 population (2009)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 11.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 88.3% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 11.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -332,7 +338,7 @@ "text": "UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "note 1: Micronesia has two time zones note 2: Palikir became the new capital of the country in 1989, three years after independence; Kolonia, the former capital, remains the site for many foreign embassies; it also serves as the Pohnpei state capital" + "text": "note 1: Micronesia has two time zones ++ note 2: Palikir became the new capital of the country in 1989, three years after independence; Kolonia, the former capital, remains the site for many foreign embassies; it also serves as the Pohnpei state capital" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -474,7 +480,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Economic activity consists largely of subsistence farming and fishing, and government, which employs two-thirds of the adult working population and receives funding largely - 58% in 2013 – from Compact of Free Association assistance provided by the US. The islands have few commercially valuable mineral deposits. The potential for tourism is limited by isolation, lack of adequate facilities, and limited internal air and water transportation. Under the terms of the original Compact, the US provided $1.3 billion in grants and aid from 1986 to 2001. The US and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) negotiated a second (amended) Compact agreement in 2002-03 that took effect in 2004. The amended Compact runs for a 20-year period to 2023; during which the US will provide roughly $2.1 billion to the FSM. The amended Compact also develops a trust fund for the FSM that will provide a comparable income stream beyond 2024 when Compact grants end. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile because of dependence on US assistance and lackluster performance of its small and stagnant private sector." + "text": "Economic activity consists largely of subsistence farming and fishing, and government, which employs two-thirds of the adult working population and receives funding largely - 58% in 2013 – from Compact of Free Association assistance provided by the US. The islands have few commercially valuable mineral deposits. The potential for tourism is limited by isolation, lack of adequate facilities, and limited internal air and water transportation. ++ Under the terms of the original Compact, the US provided $1.3 billion in grants and aid from 1986 to 2001. The US and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) negotiated a second (amended) Compact agreement in 2002-03 that took effect in 2004. The amended Compact runs for a 20-year period to 2023; during which the US will provide roughly $2.1 billion to the FSM. The amended Compact also develops a trust fund for the FSM that will provide a comparable income stream beyond 2024 when Compact grants end. ++ The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile because of dependence on US assistance and lackluster performance of its small and stagnant private sector." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$348 million (2017 est.) / $341.1 million (2016 est.) / $331.4 million (2015 est.)", diff --git a/australia-oceania/fp.json b/australia-oceania/fp.json index 1ed01b39..e796e96f 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/fp.json +++ b/australia-oceania/fp.json @@ -227,16 +227,22 @@ "text": "1.83 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Physicians density": { "text": "2.13 physicians/1,000 population (2009)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 96.9% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 3.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -356,13 +362,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral Assembly of French Polynesia or Assemblée de la Polynésie française (57 seats; elections held in 2 rounds; in the second round, 38 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by a closed-list proportional representation vote; the party receiving the most votes gets an additional 19 seats; members serve 5-year terms) French Polynesia indirectly elects 2 senators to the French Senate via an electoral college by absolute majority vote for 6-year terms with one-half the membership renewed every 3 years and directly elects 3 deputies to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for 5-year terms" + "text": "unicameral Assembly of French Polynesia or Assemblée de la Polynésie française (57 seats; elections held in 2 rounds; in the second round, 38 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by a closed-list proportional representation vote; the party receiving the most votes gets an additional 19 seats; members serve 5-year terms) ++ ++ ++ French Polynesia indirectly elects 2 senators to the French Senate via an electoral college by absolute majority vote for 6-year terms with one-half the membership renewed every 3 years and directly elects 3 deputies to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for 5-year terms" }, "elections": { - "text": "Assembly of French Polynesia - last held on 22 April 2018 and 6 May 2018 (next to be held in 2023)French Senate - last held in September 2017 (next to be held in September 2020)French National Assembly - last held in 2 rounds on 3 and 17 June 2017 (next to be held in 2022)" + "text": "Assembly of French Polynesia - last held on 22 April 2018 and 6 May 2018 (next to be held in 2023) ++ French Senate - last held in September 2017 (next to be held in September 2020) ++ French National Assembly - last held in 2 rounds on 3 and 17 June 2017 (next to be held in 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Assembly of French Polynesia - percent of vote by party - Tapura Huiraatira 45.1%, Popular Rally 29.3%, Tavini Huiraatira 25.6%; seats by party - Tapura Huiraatira 38, Popular Rally 11, Tavini Huiraatira 8; composition - men 27, women 30, percent of women 52.6%French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Popular Rally 1, People's Servant Party 1; composition - men 246, women 102, percent of women 29.3%French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Tapura Huiractura 2, Tavini Huiraatura 1; composition - men 353, women 224, percent of women 38.8%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20%" + "text": "Assembly of French Polynesia - percent of vote by party - Tapura Huiraatira 45.1%, Popular Rally 29.3%, Tavini Huiraatira 25.6%; seats by party - Tapura Huiraatira 38, Popular Rally 11, Tavini Huiraatira 8; composition - men 27, women 30, percent of women 52.6% ++ French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Popular Rally 1, People's Servant Party 1; composition - men 246, women 102, percent of women 29.3% ++ French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Tapura Huiractura 2, Tavini Huiraatura 1; composition - men 353, women 224, percent of women 38.8%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -377,7 +383,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "A Tia Porinetia [Teva ROHFRITSCH]Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN (includes The New Star [Philip SCHYLE], This Country is Yours [Nicole BOUTEAU])New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]Our Home alliancePeople's Servant Party (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]Tapura Huiraatira [Edouard FRITICH]Tavini Huiraatira [James CHANCELOR]Union for Democracy alliance or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]" + "text": "A Tia Porinetia [Teva ROHFRITSCH] ++ Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN (includes The New Star [Philip SCHYLE], This Country is Yours [Nicole BOUTEAU]) ++ New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON] ++ Our Home alliance ++ People's Servant Party (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU] ++ Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE] ++ Tapura Huiraatira [Edouard FRITICH] ++ Tavini Huiraatira [James CHANCELOR] ++ Union for Democracy alliance or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ITUC (NGOs), PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WMO" @@ -416,7 +422,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. After growing at an average yearly rate of 4.2% from 1997-2007, the economic and financial crisis in 2008 marked French Polynesia’s entry into recession. However, since 2014, French Polynesia has shown signs of recovery. Business turnover reached 1.8% year-on-year in September 2016, tourism increased 1.8% in 2015, and GDP grew 2.0% in 2015. French Polynesia’s tourism-dominated service sector accounted for 85% of total value added for the economy in 2012. Tourism employs 17% of the workforce. Pearl farming is the second biggest industry, accounting for 54% of exports in 2015; however, the output has decreased to 12.5 tons – the lowest level since 2008. A small manufacturing sector predominantly processes commodities from French Polynesia’s primary sector - 8% of total economy in 2012 - including agriculture and fishing. France has agreed to finance infrastructure, marine businesses, and cultural and ecological sites at roughly $80 million per year between 2015 and 2020. Japan, the US, and China are French Polynesia’s three largest trade partners." + "text": "Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. ++ After growing at an average yearly rate of 4.2% from 1997-2007, the economic and financial crisis in 2008 marked French Polynesia's entry into recession. However, since 2014, French Polynesia has shown signs of recovery. Business turnover reached 1.8% year-on-year in September 2016, tourism increased 1.8% in 2015, and GDP grew 2.0% in 2015. ++ French Polynesia's tourism-dominated service sector accounted for 85% of total value added for the economy in 2012. Tourism employs 17% of the workforce. Pearl farming is the second biggest industry, accounting for 54% of exports in 2015; however, the output has decreased to 12.5 tons – the lowest level since 2008. A small manufacturing sector predominantly processes commodities from French Polynesia's primary sector - 8% of total economy in 2012 - including agriculture and fishing. ++ France has agreed to finance infrastructure, marine businesses, and cultural and ecological sites at roughly $80 million per year between 2015 and 2020. Japan, the US, and China are French Polynesia's three largest trade partners." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$5.49 billion (2015 est.) / $5.383 billion (2014 est.) / $6.963 billion (2010 est.)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/gq.json b/australia-oceania/gq.json index b381d9ac..de1ea21c 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/gq.json +++ b/australia-oceania/gq.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Spain ceded Guam to the US in 1898. Captured by the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military installations on the island are some of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific; they also constitute the island’s most important source of income and economic stability." + "text": "Spain ceded Guam to the US in 1898. Captured by the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military installations on the island are some of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific; they also constitute the island's most important source of income and economic stability." } }, "Geography": { @@ -227,19 +227,19 @@ "text": "2.84 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 10.2% of population (2015 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 89.8% of population (2015 est.) / rural: 89.8% of population (2015 est.) / total: 89.8% of population (2015 est.)" }, - "rural": { - "text": "10.2% of population (2015 est.)" - }, - "total": { - "text": "10.2% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 10.2% of population (2015 est.) / rural: 10.2% of population (2015 est.) / total: 10.2% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Party [Joaquin \"Kin\" PEREZ]Republican Party [Jerry CRISOSTOMO]" + "text": "Democratic Party [Joaquin \"Kin\" PEREZ] ++ Republican Party [Jerry CRISOSTOMO]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "AOSIS (observer), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU" @@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "US national defense spending is the main driver of Guam’s economy, followed closely by tourism and other services. Guam serves as a forward US base for the Western Pacific and is home to thousands of American military personnel. Total federal spending (defense and non-defense) amounted to $1.988 billion in 2016, or 34.2 of Guam’s GDP. Of that total, federal grants and cover-over payments amounted to $3444.1 million in 2016, or 35.8% of Guam’s total revenues for the fiscal year. In 2016, Guam’s economy grew 0.3%. Despite slow growth, Guam’s economy has been stable over the last decade. National defense spending cushions the island’s economy against fluctuations in tourism. Service exports, mainly spending by foreign tourists in Guam, amounted to over $1 billion for the first time in 2016, or 17.8% of GDP." + "text": "US national defense spending is the main driver of Guam's economy, followed closely by tourism and other services. Guam serves as a forward US base for the Western Pacific and is home to thousands of American military personnel. Total federal spending (defense and non-defense) amounted to $1.988 billion in 2016, or 34.2 of Guam's GDP. Of that total, federal grants and cover-over payments amounted to $3444.1 million in 2016, or 35.8% of Guam's total revenues for the fiscal year. In 2016, Guam's economy grew 0.3%. Despite slow growth, Guam's economy has been stable over the last decade. National defense spending cushions the island's economy against fluctuations in tourism. Service exports, mainly spending by foreign tourists in Guam, amounted to over $1 billion for the first time in 2016, or 17.8% of GDP." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$5.793 billion (2016 est.) / $5.697 billion (2015 est.) / $5.531 billion (2014 est.)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/kr.json b/australia-oceania/kr.json index cc1630fd..40109445 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/kr.json +++ b/australia-oceania/kr.json @@ -250,8 +250,11 @@ "text": "2.25 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 28.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 71.6% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 28.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -264,8 +267,11 @@ "text": "1.9 beds/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 38.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 61.1% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 38.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -358,7 +364,7 @@ "text": "UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Kiribati has three time zones: the Gilbert Islands group at UTC+12, the Phoenix Islands at UTC+13, and the Line Islands at UTC+14etymology: in Kiribati creation mythology, \"tarawa\" was what the spider Nareau named the land to distinguish it from \"karawa\" (the sky) and \"marawa\" (the ocean)" + "text": "note: Kiribati has three time zones: the Gilbert Islands group at UTC+12, the Phoenix Islands at UTC+13, and the Line Islands at UTC+14 ++ etymology: in Kiribati creation mythology, \"tarawa\" was what the spider Nareau named the land to distinguish it from \"karawa\" (the sky) and \"marawa\" (the ocean)" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -441,7 +447,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Boutokaan Kiribati Moa Party (BKM) [Tessie LAMBOURNE]Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK or Pillars of Truth [Anote TONG]Kamaeuraoan Te I-Kiribati Party or KTK [Tetaua TAITAI]Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP [Rimeta BENIAMINA]Tobwaan Kiribati Party or TKP [Taneti MAAMAU]", + "text": "Boutokaan Kiribati Moa Party (BKM) [Tessie LAMBOURNE] ++ Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK or Pillars of Truth [Anote TONG] ++ Kamaeuraoan Te I-Kiribati Party or KTK [Tetaua TAITAI] ++ Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP [Rimeta BENIAMINA] ++ Tobwaan Kiribati Party or TKP [Taneti MAAMAU]", "note": { "text": "note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures" } @@ -489,7 +495,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few natural resources and is one of the least developed Pacific Island countries. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted by the time of independence from the United Kingdom in 1979. Earnings from fishing licenses and seafarer remittances are important sources of income. Although the number of seafarers employed declined due to changes in global shipping demands, remittances are expected to improve with more overseas temporary and seasonal work opportunities for Kiribati nationals. Economic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. The public sector dominates economic activity, with ongoing capital projects in infrastructure including road rehabilitation, water and sanitation projects, and renovations to the international airport, spurring some growth. Public debt increased from 23% of GDP at the end of 2015 to 25.8% in 2016. Kiribati is dependent on foreign aid, which was estimated to have contributed over 32.7% in 2016 to the government’s finances. The country’s sovereign fund, the Revenue Equalization Reserve Fund (RERF), which is held offshore, had an estimated balance of $855.5 million in late July 2016. The RERF seeks to avoid exchange rate risk by holding investments in more than 20 currencies, including the Australian dollar, US dollar, the Japanese yen, and the Euro. Drawdowns from the RERF helped finance the government’s annual budget." + "text": "A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few natural resources and is one of the least developed Pacific Island countries. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted by the time of independence from the United Kingdom in 1979. Earnings from fishing licenses and seafarer remittances are important sources of income. Although the number of seafarers employed declined due to changes in global shipping demands, remittances are expected to improve with more overseas temporary and seasonal work opportunities for Kiribati nationals. ++ Economic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. The public sector dominates economic activity, with ongoing capital projects in infrastructure including road rehabilitation, water and sanitation projects, and renovations to the international airport, spurring some growth. Public debt increased from 23% of GDP at the end of 2015 to 25.8% in 2016. ++ Kiribati is dependent on foreign aid, which was estimated to have contributed over 32.7% in 2016 to the government's finances. The country's sovereign fund, the Revenue Equalization Reserve Fund (RERF), which is held offshore, had an estimated balance of $855.5 million in late July 2016. The RERF seeks to avoid exchange rate risk by holding investments in more than 20 currencies, including the Australian dollar, US dollar, the Japanese yen, and the Euro. Drawdowns from the RERF helped finance the government's annual budget." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$227 million (2017 est.) / $220.2 million (2016 est.) / $217.7 million (2015 est.)", diff --git a/australia-oceania/nc.json b/australia-oceania/nc.json index 39d65930..d9432386 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/nc.json +++ b/australia-oceania/nc.json @@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ "text": "most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "cyclones, most frequent from November to March\nvolcanism: Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active" + "text": "cyclones, most frequent from November to March ++ volcanism: Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "preservation of coral reefs; prevention of invasive species; limiting erosion caused by nickel mining and forest fires" @@ -230,16 +230,22 @@ "text": "1.88 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Physicians density": { "text": "2.22 physicians/1,000 population (2009)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -376,13 +382,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral Territorial Congress or Congrès du Territoire (54 seats; members indirectly selected proportionally by the partisan makeup of the 3 Provincial Assemblies or Assemblés Provinciales; members of the 3 Provincial Assemblies directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - the Customary Senate is the assembly of the various traditional councils of the Kanaks, the indigenous population, which rules on laws affecting the indigenous populationNew Caledonia indirectly elects 2 members to the French Senate by an electoral colleges for a 6-year term with one seat renewed every 3 years and directly elects 2 members to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term" + "text": "unicameral Territorial Congress or Congrès du Territoire (54 seats; members indirectly selected proportionally by the partisan makeup of the 3 Provincial Assemblies or Assemblés Provinciales; members of the 3 Provincial Assemblies directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - the Customary Senate is the assembly of the various traditional councils of the Kanaks, the indigenous population, which rules on laws affecting the indigenous population ++ New Caledonia indirectly elects 2 members to the French Senate by an electoral colleges for a 6-year term with one seat renewed every 3 years and directly elects 2 members to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term" }, "elections": { - "text": "Territorial Congress - last held on 12 May 2019 (next to be held in May 2024)French Senate - election last held on 24 September 2017 (next to be held not later than 2019)French National Assembly - election last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022)" + "text": "Territorial Congress - last held on 12 May 2019 (next to be held in May 2024) ++ French Senate - election last held on 24 September 2017 (next to be held not later than 2019) ++ French National Assembly - election last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Territorial Congress - percent of vote by party - N/A; seats by party -Future With Confidence 18, UNI 9, UC 9, CE 7, FLNKS 6, Oceanic Awakening 3, PT 1, LKS 1 (Anti-Independence 28, Pro-Independence 26); composition - men 30, women 24, percent of women 44.4% French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CE 2" + "text": "Territorial Congress - percent of vote by party - N/A; seats by party -Future With Confidence 18, UNI 9, UC 9, CE 7, FLNKS 6, Oceanic Awakening 3, PT 1, LKS 1 (Anti-Independence 28, Pro-Independence 26); composition - men 30, women 24, percent of women 44.4% ++ French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2 ++ French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CE 2" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -397,7 +403,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Build Our Rainbow NationCaledonia Together or CE [Philippe GERMAIN]Caledonian Union or UC [Daniel GOA]Future Together (l'Avenir Ensemble) [Harold MARTIN]Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (alliance includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM) [Victor TUTUGORO]Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PT [Louis Kotra UREGEI]National Union for Independence (Union Nationale pour l'Independance) or UNIParty of Kanak Liberation (Parti de Liberation Kanak) or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE]Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE]The Republicans (formerly The Rally or UMP) [interim leader Thierry SANTA]Union for Caledonia in France" + "text": "Build Our Rainbow Nation ++ Caledonia Together or CE [Philippe GERMAIN] ++ Caledonian Union or UC [Daniel GOA] ++ Future Together (l'Avenir Ensemble) [Harold MARTIN] ++ Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (alliance includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM) [Victor TUTUGORO] ++ Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PT [Louis Kotra UREGEI] ++ National Union for Independence (Union Nationale pour l'Independance) or UNI ++ Party of Kanak Liberation (Parti de Liberation Kanak) or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE] ++ Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE] ++ The Republicans (formerly The Rally or UMP) [interim leader Thierry SANTA] ++ Union for Caledonia in France" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ITUC (NGOs), PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WMO" @@ -430,7 +436,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "New Caledonia has 11% of the world's nickel reserves, representing the second largest reserves on the planet. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. With the gradual increase in the production of two new nickel plants in 2015, average production of metallurgical goods stood at a record level of 94 thousand tons. However, the sector is exposed to the high volatility of nickel prices, which have been in decline since 2016. In 2017, one of the three major mining firms on the island, Vale, put its operations up for sale, triggering concerns of layoffs ahead of the 2018 independence referendum." + "text": "New Caledonia has 11% of the world's nickel reserves, representing the second largest reserves on the planet. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. ++ With the gradual increase in the production of two new nickel plants in 2015, average production of metallurgical goods stood at a record level of 94 thousand tons. However, the sector is exposed to the high volatility of nickel prices, which have been in decline since 2016. In 2017, one of the three major mining firms on the island, Vale, put its operations up for sale, triggering concerns of layoffs ahead of the 2018 independence referendum." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$11.11 billion (2017 est.) / $10.89 billion (2016 est.) / $10.77 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/australia-oceania/ne.json b/australia-oceania/ne.json index af2b6348..6f36c64c 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/ne.json +++ b/australia-oceania/ne.json @@ -166,16 +166,22 @@ "text": "NA" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 98.2% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 1.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { "text": "8.6% (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 96.8% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -254,7 +260,7 @@ "text": "several previous (New Zealand colonial statutes); latest 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act 1974)" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership in each of three readings and approval by the majority of votes in a referendum; passage of amendments to a number of sections, including Niue’s self-governing status, British nationality and New Zealand citizenship, external affairs and defense, economic and administrative assistance by New Zealand, and amendment procedures, requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly and at least two thirds of votes in a referendum; amended 1992, 2007" + "text": "proposed by the Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership in each of three readings and approval by the majority of votes in a referendum; passage of amendments to a number of sections, including Niue's self-governing status, British nationality and New Zealand citizenship, external affairs and defense, economic and administrative assistance by New Zealand, and amendment procedures, requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly and at least two thirds of votes in a referendum; amended 1992, 2007" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -306,7 +312,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance of Independents or AINiue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]" + "text": "Alliance of Independents or AI ++ Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, FAO, IFAD, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO" @@ -339,7 +345,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories for processing passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are used to pay wages to public employees. Economic aid allocation from New Zealand in FY13/14 was US$10.1 million. Niue has cut government expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of emigration to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of tourism and financial services, although the International Banking Repeal Act of 2002 resulted in the termination of all offshore banking licenses." + "text": "The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population. The agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening, although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists primarily of small factories for processing passion fruit, lime oil, honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign collectors is an important source of revenue. ++ Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are used to pay wages to public employees. Economic aid allocation from New Zealand in FY13/14 was US$10.1 million. Niue has cut government expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. ++ The island in recent years has suffered a serious loss of population because of emigration to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the promotion of tourism and financial services, although the International Banking Repeal Act of 2002 resulted in the termination of all offshore banking licenses." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$10.01 million (2003 est.)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/nf.json b/australia-oceania/nf.json index 10680406..34fb343f 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/nf.json +++ b/australia-oceania/nf.json @@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Norfolk Island Labor Party [Mike KELLY]Norfolk Liberals [John BROWN]" + "text": "Norfolk Island Labor Party [Mike KELLY] ++ Norfolk Liberals [John BROWN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "UPU" diff --git a/australia-oceania/nh.json b/australia-oceania/nh.json index 186f61f7..37d45aac 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/nh.json +++ b/australia-oceania/nh.json @@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ "text": "three-quarters of the population lives in rural areas; the urban populace lives primarily in two cities, Port-Vila and Lugenville; three largest islands - Espiritu Santo, Malakula, and Efate - accomodate over half of the populace" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "tropical cyclones (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began on 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis\nvolcanism: significant volcanic activity with multiple eruptions in recent years; Yasur (361 m), one of the world's most active volcanoes, has experienced continuous activity in recent centuries; other historically active volcanoes include Aoba, Ambrym, Epi, Gaua, Kuwae, Lopevi, Suretamatai, and Traitor's Head" + "text": "tropical cyclones (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began on 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis ++ volcanism: significant volcanic activity with multiple eruptions in recent years; Yasur (361 m), one of the world's most active volcanoes, has experienced continuous activity in recent centuries; other historically active volcanoes include Aoba, Ambrym, Epi, Gaua, Kuwae, Lopevi, Suretamatai, and Traitor's Head" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "population growth; water pollution, most of the population does not have access to a reliable supply of potable water; inadequate sanitation; deforestation" @@ -253,14 +253,11 @@ "text": "49% (2013)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 89.7% of population / total: 92.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "10.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "7.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 10.3% of population / total: 7.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -270,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "0.17 physicians/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 8.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 91.6% of population / rural: 60.9% of population / total: 68.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "39.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "31.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 8.4% of population / rural: 39.1% of population / total: 31.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -445,7 +439,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Greens Confederation or GC [Moana CARCASSES Kalosil]Iauko Group or IG [Tony NARI]Land and Justice Party (Graon mo Jastis Pati) or GJP [Ralph REGENVANU]Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]Nagriamel movement or NAG [Frankie STEVENS]Natatok Indigenous People's Democratic Party or (NATATOK) or NIPDP [Alfred Roland CARLOT]National United Party or NUP [Ham LINI]People's Progressive Party or PPP [Sato KILMAN]People's Service Party or PSP [Don KEN]Reunification of Movement for Change or RMC [Charlot SALWAI]Rural Development Party or RDP [Jay NGWELE, spokesman]Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]Vanuatu Democratic Party [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]Vanuatu First or Vanuatu [Russel NARI]Vanuatu Liberal Movement or VLM [Gaetan PIKIOUNE]Vanuatu Liberal Democratic Party or VLDP [Tapangararua WILLIE]Vanuatu National Party or VNP [Issac HAMARILIU]Vanuatu National Development Party or VNDP [Robert Bohn SIKOL]Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Marcellino PIPITE]" + "text": "Greens Confederation or GC [Moana CARCASSES Kalosil] ++ Iauko Group or IG [Tony NARI] ++ Land and Justice Party (Graon mo Jastis Pati) or GJP [Ralph REGENVANU] ++ Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE] ++ Nagriamel movement or NAG [Frankie STEVENS] ++ Natatok Indigenous People's Democratic Party or (NATATOK) or NIPDP [Alfred Roland CARLOT] ++ National United Party or NUP [Ham LINI] ++ People's Progressive Party or PPP [Sato KILMAN] ++ People's Service Party or PSP [Don KEN] ++ Reunification of Movement for Change or RMC [Charlot SALWAI] ++ Rural Development Party or RDP [Jay NGWELE, spokesman] ++ Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR] ++ Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI] ++ Vanuatu Democratic Party [Maxime Carlot KORMAN] ++ Vanuatu First or Vanuatu [Russel NARI] ++ Vanuatu Liberal Movement or VLM [Gaetan PIKIOUNE] ++ Vanuatu Liberal Democratic Party or VLDP [Tapangararua WILLIE] ++ Vanuatu National Party or VNP [Issac HAMARILIU] ++ Vanuatu National Development Party or VNDP [Robert Bohn SIKOL] ++ Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Marcellino PIPITE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -481,7 +475,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for about two thirds of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with more than 330,000 visitors in 2017, are other mainstays of the economy. Tourism has struggled after Efate, the most populous and most popular island for tourists, was damaged by Tropical Cyclone Pam in 2015. Ongoing infrastructure difficulties at Port Vila’s Bauerfield Airport have caused air travel disruptions, further hampering tourism numbers. Australia and New Zealand are the main source of tourists and foreign aid. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. Economic development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent islands. In response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center. Since 2002, the government has stepped up efforts to boost tourism through improved air connections, resort development, and cruise ship facilities. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a second target for growth." + "text": "This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for about two thirds of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with more than 330,000 visitors in 2017, are other mainstays of the economy. Tourism has struggled after Efate, the most populous and most popular island for tourists, was damaged by Tropical Cyclone Pam in 2015. Ongoing infrastructure difficulties at Port Vila's Bauerfield Airport have caused air travel disruptions, further hampering tourism numbers. Australia and New Zealand are the main source of tourists and foreign aid. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. ++ Economic development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent islands. In response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center. ++ Since 2002, the government has stepped up efforts to boost tourism through improved air connections, resort development, and cruise ship facilities. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a second target for growth." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$772 million (2017 est.) / $740.9 million (2016 est.) / $716.1 million (2015 est.)", diff --git a/australia-oceania/nr.json b/australia-oceania/nr.json index dd25887d..91c761fb 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/nr.json +++ b/australia-oceania/nr.json @@ -224,11 +224,11 @@ "text": "2.68 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -241,11 +241,11 @@ "text": "5 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.3% of population / total: 96.3% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "3.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.7% of population / total: 3.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]Nauru First (Naoero Amo) PartyNauru Party (informal)", + "text": "Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG] ++ Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party ++ Nauru Party (informal)", "note": { "text": "note: loose multiparty system" } @@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Revenues of this tiny island - a coral atoll with a land area of 21 square kilometers - traditionally have come from exports of phosphates. Few other resources exist, with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later major source of support. Primary reserves of phosphates were exhausted and mining ceased in 2006, but mining of a deeper layer of \"secondary phosphate\" in the interior of the island began the following year. The secondary phosphate deposits may last another 30 years. Earnings from Nauru’s export of phosphate remains an important source of income. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist; estimates of Nauru's GDP vary widely. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. Although revenue sources for government are limited, the opening of the Australian Regional Processing Center for asylum seekers since 2012 has sparked growth in the economy. Revenue derived from fishing licenses under the \"vessel day scheme\" has also boosted government income. Housing, hospitals, and other capital plant are deteriorating. The cost to Australia of keeping the Nauruan government and economy afloat continues to climb." + "text": "Revenues of this tiny island - a coral atoll with a land area of 21 square kilometers - traditionally have come from exports of phosphates. Few other resources exist, with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later major source of support. Primary reserves of phosphates were exhausted and mining ceased in 2006, but mining of a deeper layer of \"secondary phosphate\" in the interior of the island began the following year. The secondary phosphate deposits may last another 30 years. Earnings from Nauru's export of phosphate remains an important source of income. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist; estimates of Nauru's GDP vary widely. ++ The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. ++ Although revenue sources for government are limited, the opening of the Australian Regional Processing Center for asylum seekers since 2012 has sparked growth in the economy. Revenue derived from fishing licenses under the \"vessel day scheme\" has also boosted government income. Housing, hospitals, and other capital plant are deteriorating. The cost to Australia of keeping the Nauruan government and economy afloat continues to climb." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$160 million (2017 est.) / $153.9 million (2016 est.) / $139.4 million (2015 est.)", diff --git a/australia-oceania/nz.json b/australia-oceania/nz.json index 0809b63f..66ef5ef2 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/nz.json +++ b/australia-oceania/nz.json @@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ "text": "over three-quarters of New Zealanders, including the indigenous Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity\nvolcanism: significant volcanism on North Island; Ruapehu (2,797 m), which last erupted in 2007, has a history of large eruptions in the past century; Taranaki has the potential to produce dangerous avalanches and lahars; other historically active volcanoes include Okataina, Raoul Island, Tongariro, and White Island; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" + "text": "earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity ++ volcanism: significant volcanism on North Island; Ruapehu (2,797 m), which last erupted in 2007, has a history of large eruptions in the past century; Taranaki has the potential to produce dangerous avalanches and lahars; other historically active volcanoes include Okataina, Raoul Island, Tongariro, and White Island; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "water quality and availability; rapid urbanisation; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species; negative effects of climate change" @@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: consists of two main islands and a number of smaller islands; South Island, the larger main island, is the 12th largest island in the world and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps; North Island is the 14th largest island in the world and is not as mountainous, but it is marked by volcanism note 2: New Zealand lies along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire note 3: almost 90% of the population lives in cities and over three-quarters on North Island; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world" + "text": "note 1: consists of two main islands and a number of smaller islands; South Island, the larger main island, is the 12th largest island in the world and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps; North Island is the 14th largest island in the world and is not as mountainous, but it is marked by volcanism ++ note 2: New Zealand lies along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire ++ note 3: almost 90% of the population lives in cities and over three-quarters on North Island; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world" } } }, @@ -273,14 +273,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -293,14 +290,11 @@ "text": "2.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -373,7 +367,7 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April" }, "note": { - "text": "note: New Zealand has two time zones: New Zealand standard time (UTC+12) and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time; UTC+12:45)etymology: named in 1840 after Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington and victorious general at the Battle of Waterloo" + "text": "note: New Zealand has two time zones: New Zealand standard time (UTC+12) and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time; UTC+12:45) ++ etymology: named in 1840 after Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington and victorious general at the Battle of Waterloo" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -456,7 +450,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "ACT New Zealand [David SEYMOUR]Green Party [James SHAW]Mana Movement [Hone HARAWIRA] (formerly Mana Party)Maori Party [Che WILSON and Kaapua SMITH]New Zealand First Party or NZ First [Winston PETERS]New Zealand Labor Party [Jacinda ARDERN]New Zealand National Party [Judith COLLINS]United Future New Zealand [Damian LIGHT]" + "text": "ACT New Zealand [David SEYMOUR] ++ Green Party [James SHAW] ++ Mana Movement [Hone HARAWIRA] (formerly Mana Party) ++ Maori Party [Che WILSON and Kaapua SMITH] ++ New Zealand First Party or NZ First [Winston PETERS] ++ New Zealand Labor Party [Jacinda ARDERN] ++ New Zealand National Party [Judith COLLINS] ++ United Future New Zealand [Damian LIGHT]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF, SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -518,7 +512,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Over the past 40 years, the government has transformed New Zealand from an agrarian economy, dependent on concessionary British market access, to a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes, but left behind some at the bottom of the ladder and broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector. Per capita income rose for 10 consecutive years until 2007 in purchasing power parity terms, but fell in 2008-09. Debt-driven consumer spending drove robust growth in the first half of the decade, fueling a large balance of payments deficit that posed a challenge for policymakers. Inflationary pressures caused the central bank to raise its key rate steadily from January 2004 until it was among the highest in the OECD in 2007 and 2008. The higher rate attracted international capital inflows, which strengthened the currency and housing market while aggravating the current account deficit. Rising house prices, especially in Auckland, have become a political issue in recent years, as well as a policy challenge in 2016 and 2017, as the ability to afford housing has declined for many. Expanding New Zealand’s network of free trade agreements remains a top foreign policy priority. New Zealand was an early promoter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and was the second country to ratify the agreement in May 2017. Following the United States’ withdrawal from the TPP in January 2017, on 10 November 2017 the remaining 11 countries agreed on the core elements of a modified agreement, which they renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). In November 2016, New Zealand opened negotiations to upgrade its FTA with China; China is one of New Zealand’s most important trading partners." + "text": "Over the past 40 years, the government has transformed New Zealand from an agrarian economy, dependent on concessionary British market access, to a more industrialized, free market economy that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes, but left behind some at the bottom of the ladder and broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector. ++ Per capita income rose for 10 consecutive years until 2007 in purchasing power parity terms, but fell in 2008-09. Debt-driven consumer spending drove robust growth in the first half of the decade, fueling a large balance of payments deficit that posed a challenge for policymakers. Inflationary pressures caused the central bank to raise its key rate steadily from January 2004 until it was among the highest in the OECD in 2007 and 2008. The higher rate attracted international capital inflows, which strengthened the currency and housing market while aggravating the current account deficit. Rising house prices, especially in Auckland, have become a political issue in recent years, as well as a policy challenge in 2016 and 2017, as the ability to afford housing has declined for many. ++ Expanding New Zealand's network of free trade agreements remains a top foreign policy priority. New Zealand was an early promoter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and was the second country to ratify the agreement in May 2017. Following the United States' withdrawal from the TPP in January 2017, on 10 November 2017 the remaining 11 countries agreed on the core elements of a modified agreement, which they renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). In November 2016, New Zealand opened negotiations to upgrade its FTA with China; China is one of New Zealand's most important trading partners." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$189 billion (2017 est.) / $183.4 billion (2016 est.) / $176.1 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/australia-oceania/ps.json b/australia-oceania/ps.json index 6670eada..15266932 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/ps.json +++ b/australia-oceania/ps.json @@ -230,14 +230,11 @@ "text": "1.7 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -250,14 +247,11 @@ "text": "4.8 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -350,7 +344,7 @@ "text": "UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "etymology: the Palauan meaning is \"place of fermented 'mud'\" ('mud' being the native name for the keyhole angelfish); the site of the new capitol (established in 2006) had been a large hill overlooking the ocean, Ngerulmud, on which women would communally gather to offer fermented angelfish to the godsnote: Ngerulmud, on Babeldaob Island, is the smallest national capital on earth by population, with only a few hundred people; the name is pronounced en-jer-al-mud; Koror, on Koror Island, with over 11,000 residents is by far the largest settlement in Palau; it served as the country's capital from independence in 1994 to 2006" + "text": "etymology: the Palauan meaning is \"place of fermented 'mud'\" ('mud' being the native name for the keyhole angelfish); the site of the new capitol (established in 2006) had been a large hill overlooking the ocean, Ngerulmud, on which women would communally gather to offer fermented angelfish to the gods ++ note: Ngerulmud, on Babeldaob Island, is the smallest national capital on earth by population, with only a few hundred people; the name is pronounced en-jer-al-mud; Koror, on Koror Island, with over 11,000 residents is by far the largest settlement in Palau; it served as the country's capital from independence in 1994 to 2006" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -412,13 +406,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Congress or Olbiil Era Kelulau consists of:Senate (13 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by majority vote to serve 4-year terms)House of Delegates (16 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Congress or Olbiil Era Kelulau consists of: Senate (13 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by majority vote to serve 4-year terms) ++ House of Delegates (16 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 1 November 2016 (next to be held on 3 November 2020)House of Delegates - last held on 1 November 2016 (next to be held on 3 November 2020)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 1 November 2016 (next to be held on 3 November 2020) ++ House of Delegates - last held on 1 November 2016 (next to be held on 3 November 2020)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 13; composition - men 11, women 2, percent of women 15.4%House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 16; composition - men 14, women 2, percent of women 12.5%; note - total National Congress percent of women 13.8%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 13; composition - men 11, women 2, percent of women 15.4% ++ House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 16; composition - men 14, women 2, percent of women 12.5%; note - total National Congress percent of women 13.8%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -492,7 +486,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The economy is dominated by tourism, fishing, and subsistence agriculture. Government is a major employer of the work force relying on financial assistance from the US under the Compact of Free Association (Compact) with the US that took effect after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994. The US provided Palau with roughly $700 million in aid for the first 15 years following commencement of the Compact in 1994 in return for unrestricted access to its land and waterways for strategic purposes. The population enjoys a per capita income roughly double that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. Business and leisure tourist arrivals reached a record 167,966 in 2015, a 14.4% increase over the previous year, but fell to 138,408 in 2016. Long-run prospects for tourism have been bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the rising prosperity of industrial East Asia, and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development. Proximity to Guam, the region's major destination for tourists from East Asia, and a regionally competitive tourist infrastructure enhance Palau's advantage as a destination." + "text": "The economy is dominated by tourism, fishing, and subsistence agriculture. Government is a major employer of the work force relying on financial assistance from the US under the Compact of Free Association (Compact) with the US that took effect after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October 1994. The US provided Palau with roughly $700 million in aid for the first 15 years following commencement of the Compact in 1994 in return for unrestricted access to its land and waterways for strategic purposes. The population enjoys a per capita income roughly double that of the Philippines and much of Micronesia. ++ Business and leisure tourist arrivals reached a record 167,966 in 2015, a 14.4% increase over the previous year, but fell to 138,408 in 2016. Long-run prospects for tourism have been bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the rising prosperity of industrial East Asia, and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development. Proximity to Guam, the region's major destination for tourists from East Asia, and a regionally competitive tourist infrastructure enhance Palau's advantage as a destination." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$264 million (2017 est.) / $274.2 million (2016 est.) / $274.1 million (2015 est.)", diff --git a/australia-oceania/rm.json b/australia-oceania/rm.json index ea020b10..5a5c82f7 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/rm.json +++ b/australia-oceania/rm.json @@ -233,14 +233,11 @@ "text": "2.86 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.8% of population / rural: 99.7% of population / total: 99.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.2% of population / rural: 0.3% of population / total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -253,14 +250,11 @@ "text": "2.7 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 15.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.3% of population / rural: 65.4% of population / total: 89.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "34.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "10.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 15.5% of population / rural: 34.6% of population / total: 10.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -429,7 +423,7 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Parliament consists of:Council of Iroij, a 12-member group of tribal leaders advises the Presidential Cabinet and reviews legislation affecting customary law or any traditional practice); members appointed to serve 1-year termsNitijela (33 seats; members in 19 single- and 5 multi-seat constituencies directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - legislative power resides in the Nitijela" + "text": "bicameral National Parliament consists of: Council of Iroij, a 12-member group of tribal leaders advises the Presidential Cabinet and reviews legislation affecting customary law or any traditional practice); members appointed to serve 1-year terms ++ Nitijela (33 seats; members in 19 single- and 5 multi-seat constituencies directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - legislative power resides in the Nitijela" }, "elections": { "text": "last held on 18 November 2019 (next to be held by November 2023)" @@ -512,7 +506,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "US assistance and lease payments for the use of Kwajalein Atoll as a US military base are the mainstay of this small island country. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. Tourism holds some potential. The islands and atolls have few natural resources, and imports exceed exports. The Marshall Islands received roughly $1 billion in aid from the US during the period 1986-2001 under the original Compact of Free Association (Compact). In 2002 and 2003, the US and the Marshall Islands renegotiated the Compact's financial package for a 20-year period, 2004 to 2024. Under the amended Compact, the Marshall Islands will receive roughly $1.5 billion in direct US assistance. Under the amended Compact, the US and Marshall Islands are also jointly funding a Trust Fund for the people of the Marshall Islands that will provide an income stream beyond 2024, when direct Compact aid ends." + "text": "US assistance and lease payments for the use of Kwajalein Atoll as a US military base are the mainstay of this small island country. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. Tourism holds some potential. The islands and atolls have few natural resources, and imports exceed exports. ++ The Marshall Islands received roughly $1 billion in aid from the US during the period 1986-2001 under the original Compact of Free Association (Compact). In 2002 and 2003, the US and the Marshall Islands renegotiated the Compact's financial package for a 20-year period, 2004 to 2024. Under the amended Compact, the Marshall Islands will receive roughly $1.5 billion in direct US assistance. Under the amended Compact, the US and Marshall Islands are also jointly funding a Trust Fund for the people of the Marshall Islands that will provide an income stream beyond 2024, when direct Compact aid ends." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$196 million (2017 est.) / $191.3 million (2016 est.) / $184.6 million (2015 est.)", diff --git a/australia-oceania/tl.json b/australia-oceania/tl.json index 2500511e..29c891b6 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/tl.json +++ b/australia-oceania/tl.json @@ -158,22 +158,22 @@ "text": "NA" }, "Drinking water source": { - "rural": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Physicians density": { "text": "2.72 physicians/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "rural": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The principal sources of revenue are from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $15 million annually in FY12/13 and FY13/14 - to maintain public services. New Zealand's support amounts to 80% of Tokelau's recurrent government budget. An international trust fund, currently worth nearly $32 million, was established in 2004 by New Zealand to provide Tokelau an independent source of revenue." + "text": "Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The principal sources of revenue are from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand. ++ The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $15 million annually in FY12/13 and FY13/14 - to maintain public services. New Zealand's support amounts to 80% of Tokelau's recurrent government budget. An international trust fund, currently worth nearly $32 million, was established in 2004 by New Zealand to provide Tokelau an independent source of revenue." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.5 million (1993 est.)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/tn.json b/australia-oceania/tn.json index ddfec2dc..9897fb91 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/tn.json +++ b/australia-oceania/tn.json @@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ "text": "over two-thirds of the population lives on the island of Tongatapu; only 45 of the nation's 171 islands are occupied" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou\nvolcanism: moderate volcanic activity; Fonualei (180 m) has shown frequent activity in recent years, while Niuafo'ou (260 m), which last erupted in 1985, has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua" + "text": "cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou ++ volcanism: moderate volcanic activity; Fonualei (180 m) has shown frequent activity in recent years, while Niuafo'ou (260 m), which last erupted in 1985, has forced evacuations; other historically active volcanoes include Late and Tofua" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation from land being cleared for agriculture and settlement; soil exhaustion; water pollution due to salinization, sewage, and toxic chemicals from farming activities; coral reefs and marine populations threatened" @@ -253,14 +253,11 @@ "text": "34.1% (2012)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -273,14 +270,11 @@ "text": "2.6 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.6% of population / rural: 93.6% of population / total: 94.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "6.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "5.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.4% of population / rural: 6.4% of population / total: 5.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -451,7 +445,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands [Samuela 'Akilisi POHIVA]People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tesina FUKO]Sustainable Nation-Building Party [Sione FONUA]Tonga Democratic Labor PartyTonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM" + "text": "Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands [Samuela 'Akilisi POHIVA] ++ People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tesina FUKO] ++ Sustainable Nation-Building Party [Sione FONUA] ++ Tonga Democratic Labor Party ++ Tonga Human Rights and Democracy Movement or THRDM" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -496,7 +490,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Tonga has a small, open island economy and is the last constitutional monarchy among the Pacific Island countries. It has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, vanilla beans, and yams are the main crops. Agricultural exports, including fish, make up two-thirds of total exports. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. Tonga had 53,800 visitors in 2015. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from overseas Tongans to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, encouraging investment, and is committing increased funds for health care and education. Tonga's English-speaking and educated workforce offers a viable labor market, and the tropical climate provides fertile soil. Renewable energy and deep-sea mining also offer opportunities for investment. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well developed social services. But the government faces high unemployment among the young, moderate inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures." + "text": "Tonga has a small, open island economy and is the last constitutional monarchy among the Pacific Island countries. It has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, vanilla beans, and yams are the main crops. Agricultural exports, including fish, make up two-thirds of total exports. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. Tonga had 53,800 visitors in 2015. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. ++ The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from overseas Tongans to offset its trade deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, encouraging investment, and is committing increased funds for health care and education. Tonga's English-speaking and educated workforce offers a viable labor market, and the tropical climate provides fertile soil. Renewable energy and deep-sea mining also offer opportunities for investment. ++ Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well developed social services. But the government faces high unemployment among the young, moderate inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$591 million (2017 est.) / $576.6 million (2016 est.) / $553.6 million (2015 est.)", @@ -852,7 +846,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "maritime boundary dispute with Fiji  " + "text": "maritime boundary dispute with Fiji ++  " } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/australia-oceania/tv.json b/australia-oceania/tv.json index e091e231..44d6e17b 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/tv.json +++ b/australia-oceania/tv.json @@ -227,14 +227,11 @@ "text": "2.88 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 98.8% of population / total: 99% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 1.2% of population / total: 1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -244,14 +241,11 @@ "text": "0.91 physicians/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 9.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 91.8% of population / rural: 91% of population / total: 91.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "8.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 9.2% of population / rural: 9% of population / total: 8.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -430,7 +424,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. Only eight of the atolls are inhabited. It is one of the smallest countries in the world, with its highest point at 4.6 meters above sea level. The country is isolated, almost entirely dependent on imports, particularly of food and fuel, and vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels, which pose significant challenges to development. The public sector dominates economic activity. Tuvalu has few natural resources, except for its fisheries. Earnings from fish exports and fishing licenses for Tuvalu’s territorial waters are a significant source of government revenue. In 2013, revenue from fishing licenses doubled and totaled more than 45% of GDP. Official aid from foreign development partners has also increased. Tuvalu has substantial assets abroad. The Tuvalu Trust Fund, an international trust fund established in 1987 by development partners, has grown to $104 million (A$141 million) in 2014 and is an important cushion for meeting shortfalls in the government's budget. While remittances are another substantial source of income, the value of remittances has declined since the 2008-09 global financial crisis, but has stabilized at nearly $4 million per year. The financial impact of climate change and the cost of climate related adaptation projects is one of many concerns for the nation." + "text": "Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine coral atolls with poor soil. Only eight of the atolls are inhabited. It is one of the smallest countries in the world, with its highest point at 4.6 meters above sea level. The country is isolated, almost entirely dependent on imports, particularly of food and fuel, and vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels, which pose significant challenges to development. ++ The public sector dominates economic activity. Tuvalu has few natural resources, except for its fisheries. Earnings from fish exports and fishing licenses for Tuvalu's territorial waters are a significant source of government revenue. In 2013, revenue from fishing licenses doubled and totaled more than 45% of GDP. ++ Official aid from foreign development partners has also increased. Tuvalu has substantial assets abroad. The Tuvalu Trust Fund, an international trust fund established in 1987 by development partners, has grown to $104 million (A$141 million) in 2014 and is an important cushion for meeting shortfalls in the government's budget. While remittances are another substantial source of income, the value of remittances has declined since the 2008-09 global financial crisis, but has stabilized at nearly $4 million per year. The financial impact of climate change and the cost of climate related adaptation projects is one of many concerns for the nation." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$42 million (2017 est.) / $40.68 million (2016 est.) / $39.48 million (2015 est.)", diff --git a/australia-oceania/um.json b/australia-oceania/um.json index d44f0002..7c25a628 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/um.json +++ b/australia-oceania/um.json @@ -1,15 +1,15 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "All of the following US Pacific island territories except Midway Atoll constitute the Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex and as such are managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior. Midway Atoll NWR has been included in a Refuge Complex with the Hawaiian Islands NWR and also designated as part of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. These remote refuges are the most widespread collection of marine- and terrestrial-life protected areas on the planet under a single country's jurisdiction. They sustain many endemic species including corals, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, seabirds, water birds, land birds, insects, and vegetation not found elsewhere.\nBaker Island: The US took possession of the island in 1857. Its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The island was established as a NWR in 1974.; Howland Island: Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the uninhabited atoll was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies mined for guano deposits until about 1890. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island, similar to the effort on nearby Baker Island, but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The famed American aviatrix Amelia EARHART disappeared while seeking out Howland Island as a refueling stop during her 1937 round-the-world flight; Earhart Light, a day beacon near the middle of the west coast, was named in her memory. The island was established as a NWR in 1974.; Jarvis Island: First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858 but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889 but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. It was abandoned in 1942 during World War II. The island was established as a NWR in 1974.; Johnston Atoll: Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late 1880s. Johnston and Sand Islands were designated wildlife refuges in 1926. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934. Subsequently, the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s. Until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction, cleanup, and closure of the facility were completed by May 2005. The Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Air Force are currently discussing future management options; in the interim, Johnston Atoll and the three-mile Naval Defensive Sea around it remain under the jurisdiction and administrative control of the US Air Force.; Kingman Reef: The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef out to 12 nm were designated a NWR.; Midway Islands: The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of the transpacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for transpacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a NWR and are the site of the world's largest Laysan albatross colony.; Palmyra Atoll: The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now partly privately owned by the Nature Conservancy with the rest owned by the Federal government and managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These organizations are managing the atoll as a wildlife refuge. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12-nm US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and designated a NWR in January 2001." + "text": "All of the following US Pacific island territories except Midway Atoll constitute the Pacific Remote Islands National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex and as such are managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior. Midway Atoll NWR has been included in a Refuge Complex with the Hawaiian Islands NWR and also designated as part of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. These remote refuges are the most widespread collection of marine- and terrestrial-life protected areas on the planet under a single country's jurisdiction. They sustain many endemic species including corals, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, seabirds, water birds, land birds, insects, and vegetation not found elsewhere. ++ Baker Island: The US took possession of the island in 1857. Its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The island was established as a NWR in 1974.; ++ Howland Island: Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the uninhabited atoll was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies mined for guano deposits until about 1890. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization began on this island, similar to the effort on nearby Baker Island, but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. The famed American aviatrix Amelia EARHART disappeared while seeking out Howland Island as a refueling stop during her 1937 round-the-world flight; Earhart Light, a day beacon near the middle of the west coast, was named in her memory. The island was established as a NWR in 1974.; ++ Jarvis Island: First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858 but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889 but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. It was abandoned in 1942 during World War II. The island was established as a NWR in 1974.; ++ Johnston Atoll: Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late 1880s. Johnston and Sand Islands were designated wildlife refuges in 1926. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934. Subsequently, the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s. Until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction, cleanup, and closure of the facility were completed by May 2005. The Fish and Wildlife Service and the US Air Force are currently discussing future management options; in the interim, Johnston Atoll and the three-mile Naval Defensive Sea around it remain under the jurisdiction and administrative control of the US Air Force.; ++ Kingman Reef: The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef out to 12 nm were designated a NWR.; ++ Midway Islands: The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of the transpacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used as a refueling stop for transpacific flights. The US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a NWR and are the site of the world's largest Laysan albatross colony.; ++ Palmyra Atoll: The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not include Palmyra Atoll, which is now partly privately owned by the Nature Conservancy with the rest owned by the Federal government and managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. These organizations are managing the atoll as a wildlife refuge. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12-nm US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and Wildlife Service and designated a NWR in January 2001." } }, "Geography": { "Location": { - "text": "Oceania\nBaker Island: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 3,390 km southwest of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia; Howland Island: island in the North Pacific Ocean 3,360 km southwest of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia; Jarvis Island: island in the South Pacific Ocean 2,415 km south of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and Cook Islands; Johnston Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,330 km southwest of Honolulu, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands; Kingman Reef: reef in the North Pacific Ocean 1,720 km south of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa; Midway Islands: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 2,335 km northwest of Honolulu near the end of the Hawaiian Archipelago, about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo; Palmyra Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,780 km south of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa" + "text": "Oceania ++ Baker Island: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 3,390 km southwest of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia; ++ Howland Island: island in the North Pacific Ocean 3,360 km southwest of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia; ++ Jarvis Island: island in the South Pacific Ocean 2,415 km south of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and Cook Islands; ++ Johnston Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,330 km southwest of Honolulu, about one-third of the way from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands; ++ Kingman Reef: reef in the North Pacific Ocean 1,720 km south of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa; ++ Midway Islands: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 2,335 km northwest of Honolulu near the end of the Hawaiian Archipelago, about one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo; ++ Palmyra Atoll: atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 1,780 km south of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and American Samoa" }, "Geographic coordinates": { - "text": "Baker Island: 0 13 N, 176 28 W; Howland Island: 0 48 N, 176 38 W; Jarvis Island: 0 23 S, 160 01 W; Johnston Atoll: 16 45 N, 169 31 W; Kingman Reef: 6 23 N, 162 25 W; Midway Islands: 28 12 N, 177 22 W; Palmyra Atoll: 5 53 N, 162 05 W" + "text": "Baker Island: 0 13 N, 176 28 W; ++ Howland Island: 0 48 N, 176 38 W; ++ Jarvis Island: 0 23 S, 160 01 W; ++ Johnston Atoll: 16 45 N, 169 31 W; ++ Kingman Reef: 6 23 N, 162 25 W; ++ Midway Islands: 28 12 N, 177 22 W; ++ Palmyra Atoll: 5 53 N, 162 05 W" }, "Map references": { "text": "Oceania" @@ -19,18 +19,18 @@ "text": "6,959.41 sq km (emergent land - 22.41 sq km; submerged - 6,937 sq km)" }, "note": { - "text": "Baker Island: total - 129.1 sq km; emergent land - 2.1 sq km; submerged - 127 sq km Howland Island: total - 138.6 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km; submerged - 136 sq km Jarvis Island: total - 152 sq km; emergent land - 5 sq km; submerged - 147 sq km Johnston Atoll: total - 276.6 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km; submerged - 274 sq km Kingman Reef: total - 1,958.01 sq km; emergent land - 0.01 sq km; submerged - 1,958 sq km Midway Islands: total - 2,355.2 sq km; emergent land - 6.2 sq km; submerged - 2,349 sq km Palmyra Atoll: total - 1,949.9 sq km; emergent land - 3.9 sq km; submerged - 1,946 sq km" + "text": "Baker Island: total - 129.1 sq km; emergent land - 2.1 sq km; submerged - 127 sq km ++ Howland Island: total - 138.6 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km; submerged - 136 sq km ++ Jarvis Island: total - 152 sq km; emergent land - 5 sq km; submerged - 147 sq km ++ Johnston Atoll: total - 276.6 sq km; emergent land - 2.6 sq km; submerged - 274 sq km ++ Kingman Reef: total - 1,958.01 sq km; emergent land - 0.01 sq km; submerged - 1,958 sq km ++ Midway Islands: total - 2,355.2 sq km; emergent land - 6.2 sq km; submerged - 2,349 sq km ++ Palmyra Atoll: total - 1,949.9 sq km; emergent land - 3.9 sq km; submerged - 1,946 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { - "text": "Baker Island: about 2.5 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Howland Island: about three times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Jarvis Island: about eight times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Johnston Atoll: about 4.5 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Kingman Reef: a little more than 1.5 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Midway Islands: about nine times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; Palmyra Atoll: about 20 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC" + "text": "Baker Island: about 2.5 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; ++ Howland Island: about three times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; ++ Jarvis Island: about eight times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; ++ Johnston Atoll: about 4.5 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; ++ Kingman Reef: a little more than 1.5 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; ++ Midway Islands: about nine times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC; ++ Palmyra Atoll: about 20 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC" }, "Land boundaries": { "text": "0 km" }, "Coastline": { "note": { - "text": "Baker Island: 4.8 km Howland Island: 6.4 km Jarvis Island: 8 km Johnston Atoll: 34 km Kingman Reef: 3 km Midway Islands: 15 km Palmyra Atoll: 14.5 km" + "text": "Baker Island: 4.8 km ++ Howland Island: 6.4 km ++ Jarvis Island: 8 km ++ Johnston Atoll: 34 km ++ Kingman Reef: 3 km ++ Midway Islands: 15 km ++ Palmyra Atoll: 14.5 km" } }, "Maritime claims": { @@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ } }, "Climate": { - "text": "Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun; Johnston Atoll and Kingman Reef: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation; Midway Islands: subtropical with cool, moist winters (December to February) and warm, dry summers (May to October); moderated by prevailing easterly winds; most of the 107 cm of annual rainfall occurs during the winter; Palmyra Atoll: equatorial, hot; located within the low pressure area of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) where the northeast and southeast trade winds meet, it is extremely wet with between 400-500 cm of rainfall each year" + "text": "Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun; ++ Johnston Atoll and Kingman Reef: tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation; ++ Midway Islands: subtropical with cool, moist winters (December to February) and warm, dry summers (May to October); moderated by prevailing easterly winds; most of the 107 cm of annual rainfall occurs during the winter; ++ Palmyra Atoll: equatorial, hot; located within the low pressure area of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) where the northeast and southeast trade winds meet, it is extremely wet with between 400-500 cm of rainfall each year" }, "Terrain": { "text": "low and nearly flat sandy coral islands with narrow fringing reefs that have developed at the top of submerged volcanic mountains, which in most cases rise steeply from the ocean floor" @@ -73,20 +73,20 @@ } }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritime hazard; Kingman Reef: wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of less than 2 m makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard; Midway Islands, Johnston, and Palmyra Atolls: NA" + "text": "Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritime hazard; ++ Kingman Reef: wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of less than 2 m makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard; ++ Midway Islands, Johnston, and Palmyra Atolls: NA" }, "Environment - current issues": { - "text": "Baker Island: no natural freshwater resources; feral cats, introduced in 1937 during a short-lived colonization effort, ravaged the avian population and were eradicated in 1965Howland Island: no natural freshwater resources; the island habitat has suffered from invasive exotic species; black rats, introduced in 1854, were eradicated by feral cats within a year of their introduction in 1937; the cats preyed on the bird population and were eliminated by 1985Jarvis Island: no natural freshwater resources; feral cats, introduced in the 1930s during a short-lived colonization venture, were not completely removed until 1990Johnston Atoll: no natural freshwater resources; the seven decades under US military administration (1934-2004) left the atoll environmentally degraded and required large-scale remediation efforts; a swarm of Anoplolepis (crazy) ants invaded the island in 2010 damaging native wildlife; eradication has been largely, but not completely, successfulMidway Islands:  many exotic species introduced, 75% of the roughly 200 plant species on the island are non-native; plastic pollution harms wildlife, via entanglement, ingestion, and toxic contamination Kingman Reef: nonePalmyra Atoll: black rats, believed to have been introduced to the atoll during the US military occupation of the 1940s, severely degraded the ecosystem outcompeting native species (seabirds, crabs); following a successful rat removal project in 2011, native flora and fauna have begun to recover" + "text": "Baker Island: no natural freshwater resources; feral cats, introduced in 1937 during a short-lived colonization effort, ravaged the avian population and were eradicated in 1965 ++ ++ Howland Island: no natural freshwater resources; the island habitat has suffered from invasive exotic species; black rats, introduced in 1854, were eradicated by feral cats within a year of their introduction in 1937; the cats preyed on the bird population and were eliminated by 1985 ++ Jarvis Island: no natural freshwater resources; feral cats, introduced in the 1930s during a short-lived colonization venture, were not completely removed until 1990 ++ ++ Johnston Atoll: no natural freshwater resources; the seven decades under US military administration (1934-2004) left the atoll environmentally degraded and required large-scale remediation efforts; a swarm of Anoplolepis (crazy) ants invaded the island in 2010 damaging native wildlife; eradication has been largely, but not completely, successful ++ ++ Midway Islands:  many exotic species introduced, 75% of the roughly 200 plant species on the island are non-native; plastic pollution harms wildlife, via entanglement, ingestion, and toxic contamination ++ Kingman Reef: none ++ Palmyra Atoll: black rats, believed to have been introduced to the atoll during the US military occupation of the 1940s, severely degraded the ecosystem outcompeting native species (seabirds, crabs); following a successful rat removal project in 2011, native flora and fauna have begun to recover" }, "Geography - note": { - "text": "Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; closed to the public; Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the public; Kingman Reef: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public; Midway Islands: a coral atoll managed as a National Wildlife Refuge and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife observation and photography; Palmyra Atoll: the high rainfall and resulting lush vegetation make the environment of this atoll unique among the US Pacific Island territories; supports a large undisturbed stand of Pisonia beach forest" + "text": "Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands: scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife; closed to the public; ++ Johnston Atoll: Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the public; ++ Kingman Reef: barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public; ++ Midway Islands: a coral atoll managed as a National Wildlife Refuge and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife observation and photography; ++ Palmyra Atoll: the high rainfall and resulting lush vegetation make the environment of this atoll unique among the US Pacific Island territories; supports a large undisturbed stand of Pisonia beach forest" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "no indigenous inhabitants", "note": { - "text": "note: public entry is only by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service and generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service Jarvis Island: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; currently unoccupied Johnston Atoll: in previous years, an average of 1,100 US military and civilian contractor personnel were present; as of May 2005, all US Government personnel had left the island Midway Islands: approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services contractor living at the atoll Palmyra Atoll: four to 20 Nature Conservancy, US Fish and Wildlife staff, and researchers" + "text": "note: public entry is only by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service and generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service ++ Jarvis Island: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical Year by scientists who left in 1958; currently unoccupied ++ Johnston Atoll: in previous years, an average of 1,100 US military and civilian contractor personnel were present; as of May 2005, all US Government personnel had left the island ++ Midway Islands: approximately 40 people make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services contractor living at the atoll ++ Palmyra Atoll: four to 20 Nature Conservancy, US Fish and Wildlife staff, and researchers" } } }, diff --git a/australia-oceania/wf.json b/australia-oceania/wf.json index 4d5b870e..fa42d737 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/wf.json +++ b/australia-oceania/wf.json @@ -213,19 +213,19 @@ "text": "1.71 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "rural": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "rural": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -337,13 +337,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats - Wallis 13, Futuna 7; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)Wallis and Futuna indirectly elects 1 senator to the French Senate by an electoral college by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term, and directly elects 1 deputy to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote for a 5-year term" + "text": "unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats - Wallis 13, Futuna 7; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) ++ Wallis and Futuna indirectly elects 1 senator to the French Senate by an electoral college by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term, and directly elects 1 deputy to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote for a 5-year term" }, "elections": { - "text": "Territorial Assembly - last held on 26 March 2017 (next to be held in March 2022)French Senate - last held on 28 September 2014 (next to be held by September 2020)French National Assembly - last held on 11 June 2017 (next to be held in June 2022)" + "text": "Territorial Assembly - last held on 26 March 2017 (next to be held in March 2022) ++ French Senate - last held on 28 September 2014 (next to be held by September 2020) ++ French National Assembly - last held on 11 June 2017 (next to be held in June 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Territorial Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - 2 members are elected from the list Fia gaue fakatahi kihe kaha'u e lelei and 1 each from 18 other lists; composition - men 14, women 6, percent of women 30% French Senate - LR 1French National Assembly - independent 1" + "text": "Territorial Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - 2 members are elected from the list Fia gaue fakatahi kihe kaha'u e lelei and 1 each from 18 other lists; composition - men 14, women 6, percent of women 30% ++ French Senate - LR 1 ++ French National Assembly - independent 1" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Left Radical Party or PRG [Guillaume LACROIX] (formerly Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG)Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) (leader NA)Rally for Wallis and Futuna-The Republicans (Rassemblement pour Wallis and Futuna) or RPWF-LR [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]Socialist Party or PSTaumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF" + "text": "Left Radical Party or PRG [Guillaume LACROIX] (formerly Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG) ++ Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) (leader NA) ++ Rally for Wallis and Futuna-The Republicans (Rassemblement pour Wallis and Futuna) or RPWF-LR [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU] ++ Socialist Party or PS ++ Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA] ++ Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "PIF (observer), SPC, UPU" @@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% of labor force earnings coming from agriculture (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. However, roughly 70% of the labor force is employed in the public sector, although only about a third of the population is in salaried employment. Revenues come from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New Caledonia. France directly finances the public sector and health-care and education services. It also provides funding for key development projects in a range of areas, including infrastructure, economic development, environmental management, and health-care facilities. A key concern for Wallis and Futuna is an aging population with consequent economic development issues. Very few people aged 18-30 live on the islands due to the limited formal employment opportunities. Improving job creation is a current priority for the territorial government." + "text": "The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% of labor force earnings coming from agriculture (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. However, roughly 70% of the labor force is employed in the public sector, although only about a third of the population is in salaried employment. ++ Revenues come from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New Caledonia. France directly finances the public sector and health-care and education services. It also provides funding for key development projects in a range of areas, including infrastructure, economic development, environmental management, and health-care facilities. ++ A key concern for Wallis and Futuna is an aging population with consequent economic development issues. Very few people aged 18-30 live on the islands due to the limited formal employment opportunities. Improving job creation is a current priority for the territorial government." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$60 million (2004 est.)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/ws.json b/australia-oceania/ws.json index d600572d..56fd5762 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/ws.json +++ b/australia-oceania/ws.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the \"Western\" from its name in 1997.In the late 2000s, Samoa began making efforts to more closely align with Australia and New Zealand. In 2009, Samoa changed its driving orientation to the left side of the road, in line with other Commonwealth countries. In 2011, Samoa jumped forward one day - skipping December 30 - by moving to the west of the International Date Line so that it was one hour ahead of New Zealand and three hours ahead of the east coast of Australia, rather than 23 and 21 hours behind, respectively." + "text": "New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the \"Western\" from its name in 1997. ++ In the late 2000s, Samoa began making efforts to more closely align with Australia and New Zealand. In 2009, Samoa changed its driving orientation to the left side of the road, in line with other Commonwealth countries. In 2011, Samoa jumped forward one day - skipping December 30 - by moving to the west of the International Date Line so that it was one hour ahead of New Zealand and three hours ahead of the east coast of Australia, rather than 23 and 21 hours behind, respectively." } }, "Geography": { @@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ "text": "about three-quarters of the population lives on the island of Upolu" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "occasional cyclones; active volcanism\nvolcanism: Savai'I Island (1,858 m), which last erupted in 1911, is historically active" + "text": "occasional cyclones; active volcanism ++ volcanism: Savai'I Island (1,858 m), which last erupted in 1911, is historically active" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing" @@ -253,14 +253,11 @@ "text": "26.9% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 96.8% of population / total: 97.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "3.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 3.2% of population / total: 2.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -270,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "0.34 physicians/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.5% of population / rural: 98.1% of population / total: 98.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.5% of population / rural: 1.9% of population / total: 1.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -418,10 +412,10 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi II (since 21 July 2017)" + "text": "TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va'aletoa Sualauvi II (since 21 July 2017)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi (since 23 November 1998); Deputy Prime Minister FIAME Naomi Mata’afa (since 2016)" + "text": "Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi (since 23 November 1998); Deputy Prime Minister FIAME Naomi Mata'afa (since 2016)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Cabinet appointed by the chief of state on the prime minister's advice" @@ -430,7 +424,7 @@ "text": "chief of state indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a 5-year term (2- term limit); election last held on 4 July 2017 (next to be held in 2022); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state, approved by the Legislative Assembly" }, "election results": { - "text": "TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi unanimously elected by the Legislative Assembly on 5 July 2017" + "text": "TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va'aletoa Sualauvi unanimously elected by the Legislative Assembly on 5 July 2017" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -518,7 +512,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, tourism, agriculture, and fishing. It has a nominal GDP of $844 million. Agriculture, including fishing, furnishes 90% of exports, featuring fish, coconut oil, nonu products, and taro. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. Industry accounts for nearly 22% of GDP while employing less than 6% of the work force. The service sector accounts for nearly two-thirds of GDP and employs approximately 50% of the labor force. Tourism is an expanding sector accounting for 25% of GDP; 132,000 tourists visited the islands in 2013. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. In September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami severely damaged Samoa and nearby American Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. In December 2012, extensive flooding and wind damage from Tropical Cyclone Evan killed four people, displaced over 6,000, and damaged or destroyed an estimated 1,500 homes on Samoa's Upolu Island. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the country's financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, while at the same time protecting the environment. Foreign reserves are relatively healthy and inflation is low, but external debt is approximately 45% of GDP. Samoa became the 155th member of the WTO in May 2012, and graduated from least developed country status in January 2014." + "text": "The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, tourism, agriculture, and fishing. It has a nominal GDP of $844 million. Agriculture, including fishing, furnishes 90% of exports, featuring fish, coconut oil, nonu products, and taro. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. Industry accounts for nearly 22% of GDP while employing less than 6% of the work force. The service sector accounts for nearly two-thirds of GDP and employs approximately 50% of the labor force. Tourism is an expanding sector accounting for 25% of GDP; 132,000 tourists visited the islands in 2013. ++ The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. In September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami severely damaged Samoa and nearby American Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. In December 2012, extensive flooding and wind damage from Tropical Cyclone Evan killed four people, displaced over 6,000, and damaged or destroyed an estimated 1,500 homes on Samoa's Upolu Island. ++ The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the country's financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, while at the same time protecting the environment. Foreign reserves are relatively healthy and inflation is low, but external debt is approximately 45% of GDP. Samoa became the 155th member of the WTO in May 2012, and graduated from least developed country status in January 2014." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.137 billion (2017 est.) / $1.11 billion (2016 est.) / $1.036 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/aa.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/aa.json index a52759bf..4a4901e6 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/aa.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/aa.json @@ -230,25 +230,19 @@ "text": "1.83 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.1% of population / rural: 98.1% of population / total: 98.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.9% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.9% of population / rural: 1.9% of population / total: 1.9% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.7% of population / rural: 97.7% of population / total: 97.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "2.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.3% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.3% of population / rural: 2.3% of population / total: 2.3% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -395,7 +389,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Aruban People's Party or AVP [Michiel \"Mike\" EMAN]Democratic Electoral Network or RED [L.R. CROES]People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Evelyn WEVER-CROES]Pueblo Orguyoso y Respeta or POR [O.E. ODUBER]Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]" + "text": "Aruban People's Party or AVP [Michiel \"Mike\" EMAN] ++ Democratic Electoral Network or RED [L.R. CROES] ++ People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Evelyn WEVER-CROES] ++ Pueblo Orguyoso y Respeta or POR [O.E. ODUBER] ++ Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU" @@ -429,7 +423,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Tourism, petroleum bunkering, hospitality, and financial and business services are the mainstays of the small open Aruban economy. Tourism accounts for a majority of economic activity; as of 2017, over 2 million tourists visited Aruba annually, with the large majority (80-85%) of those from the US. The rapid growth of the tourism sector has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction continues to boom, especially in the hospitality sector. Aruba is heavily dependent on imports and is making efforts to expand exports to improve its trade balance. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US, the Netherlands, and Panama being the major suppliers. In 2016, Citgo Petroleum Corporation, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela SA, and the Government of Aruba signed an agreement to restart Valero Energy Corp.'s former 235,000-b/d refinery. Tourism and related industries have continued to grow, and the Aruban Government is working to attract more diverse industries. Aruba's banking sector continues to be a strong sector; unemployment has significantly decreased." + "text": "Tourism, petroleum bunkering, hospitality, and financial and business services are the mainstays of the small open Aruban economy. ++ Tourism accounts for a majority of economic activity; as of 2017, over 2 million tourists visited Aruba annually, with the large majority (80-85%) of those from the US. The rapid growth of the tourism sector has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction continues to boom, especially in the hospitality sector. ++ Aruba is heavily dependent on imports and is making efforts to expand exports to improve its trade balance. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US, the Netherlands, and Panama being the major suppliers. ++ In 2016, Citgo Petroleum Corporation, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela SA, and the Government of Aruba signed an agreement to restart Valero Energy Corp.'s former 235,000-b/d refinery. Tourism and related industries have continued to grow, and the Aruban Government is working to attract more diverse industries. Aruba's banking sector continues to be a strong sector; unemployment has significantly decreased." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$4.158 billion (2017 est.) / $4.107 billion (2016 est.) / $4.112 billion (2015 est.)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json index 6365fe05..0a72d0e2 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json @@ -247,8 +247,11 @@ "text": "1.97 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 96.7% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -261,8 +264,11 @@ "text": "2.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 8.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 91.7% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 8.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -391,13 +397,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (17 seats; members appointed by the governor general)House of Representatives (18 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (17 seats; members appointed by the governor general) ++ House of Representatives (18 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last appointed on 26 March 2018 (next NA)House of Representatives - last held on 21 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023)" + "text": "Senate - last appointed on 26 March 2018 (next NA) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 21 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate -  composition - men 8, women 9, percent of women 52.9%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - ABLP 59.4%, UPP 37.2%, BPM 1.4%, other 1.9% ; seats by party - ABLP 15, UPP 1, BPM 1; composition - men 16, women 2, percent of women 11.1%; note - total Parliament percent of women 31.4%" + "text": "Senate -  composition - men 8, women 9, percent of women 52.9% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - ABLP 59.4%, UPP 37.2%, BPM 1.4%, other 1.9% ; seats by party - ABLP 15, UPP 1, BPM 1; composition - men 16, women 2, percent of women 11.1%; note - total Parliament percent of women 31.4%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -412,7 +418,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLMAntigua Labor Party or ABLP [Gaston BROWNE]Antigua Barbuda True Labor Party or ABTLP [Sharlene SAMUEL]Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Trevor WALKER]Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS]Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL]Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Joanne MASSIAH]Go Green for Life [Owen GEORGE]Progressive Labor Movement or PLMUnited National Democratic Party or UNDPUnited Progressive Party or UPP [Harold LOVELL] (a coalition of ACLM, PLM, UNDP)" + "text": "Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM ++ Antigua Labor Party or ABLP [Gaston BROWNE] ++ Antigua Barbuda True Labor Party or ABTLP [Sharlene SAMUEL] ++ Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Trevor WALKER] ++ Barbuda People's Movement for Change [Arthur NIBBS] ++ Barbudans for a Better Barbuda [Ordrick SAMUEL] ++ Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Joanne MASSIAH] ++ Go Green for Life [Owen GEORGE] ++ Progressive Labor Movement or PLM ++ United National Democratic Party or UNDP ++ United Progressive Party or UPP [Harold LOVELL] (a coalition of ACLM, PLM, UNDP)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -457,7 +463,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Tourism continues to dominate Antigua and Barbuda's economy, accounting for nearly 60% of GDP and 40% of investment. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. Like other countries in the region, Antigua's economy was severely hit by effects of the global economic recession in 2009. The country suffered from the collapse of its largest private sector employer, a steep decline in tourism, a rise in debt, and a sharp economic contraction between 2009 and 2011. Antigua has not yet returned to its pre-crisis growth levels. Barbuda suffered significant damages after hurricanes Irma and Maria passed through the Caribbean in 2017. Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on tourist arrivals from the US, Canada, and Europe and could be disrupted by potential damage from natural disasters. The new government, elected in 2014 and led by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, continues to face significant fiscal challenges. The government places some hope in a new Citizenship by Investment Program, to both reduce public debt levels and spur growth, and a resolution of a WTO dispute with the US." + "text": "Tourism continues to dominate Antigua and Barbuda's economy, accounting for nearly 60% of GDP and 40% of investment. The dual-island nation's agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction. Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components. ++ Like other countries in the region, Antigua's economy was severely hit by effects of the global economic recession in 2009. The country suffered from the collapse of its largest private sector employer, a steep decline in tourism, a rise in debt, and a sharp economic contraction between 2009 and 2011. Antigua has not yet returned to its pre-crisis growth levels. Barbuda suffered significant damages after hurricanes Irma and Maria passed through the Caribbean in 2017. ++ Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to depend on tourist arrivals from the US, Canada, and Europe and could be disrupted by potential damage from natural disasters. The new government, elected in 2014 and led by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, continues to face significant fiscal challenges. The government places some hope in a new Citizenship by Investment Program, to both reduce public debt levels and spur growth, and a resolution of a WTO dispute with the US." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.398 billion (2017 est.) / $2.334 billion (2016 est.) / $2.215 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -826,7 +832,7 @@ "text": "Antigua and Barbuda is a destination and transit country for adults and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; forced prostitution has been reported in bars, taverns, and brothels, while forced labor occurs in domestic service and the retail sector" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Antigua and Barbuda does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government made no discernible progress in convicting traffickers in 2014 but charged two individuals in separate cases; efforts to convict traffickers have been impeded by a 2014 ruling that found the 2010 anti-trafficking act was unconstitutional because jurisdiction rests with the Magistrate’s Court rather than the High Court; no new prosecutions, convictions, or punishments were recorded in 2014; credible sources have raised concerns about trafficking-related complicity among some off-duty police officers, which could hinder investigations or victims willingness to report offenses; prevention efforts were sustained, but progress in protecting victims was uneven; seven victims were assisted, which was an increase over 2013 (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Antigua and Barbuda does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government made no discernible progress in convicting traffickers in 2014 but charged two individuals in separate cases; efforts to convict traffickers have been impeded by a 2014 ruling that found the 2010 anti-trafficking act was unconstitutional because jurisdiction rests with the Magistrate's Court rather than the High Court; no new prosecutions, convictions, or punishments were recorded in 2014; credible sources have raised concerns about trafficking-related complicity among some off-duty police officers, which could hinder investigations or victims willingness to report offenses; prevention efforts were sustained, but progress in protecting victims was uneven; seven victims were assisted, which was an increase over 2013 (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/av.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/av.json index 7496bae3..608e512e 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/av.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/av.json @@ -216,19 +216,19 @@ "text": "1.74 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.5% of population / total: 97.5% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "2.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.5% of population / total: 2.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.1% of population / total: 99.1% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.9% of population / total: 0.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Anguilla Democratic Party or ADPAnguilla National Alliance or ANAAnguilla Progressive Movement or APM [Dr. Ellis WEBSTER]; prior to 2019, it was known as the Anguilla United Movement or AUMAnguilla United Front or AUF [Victor BANKS] (alliance includes ADP, ANA)Democracy, Opportunity, Vision, and Empowerment Party or DOVE [Sutcliffe HODGE]" + "text": "Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP ++ Anguilla National Alliance or ANA ++ Anguilla Progressive Movement or APM [Dr. Ellis WEBSTER]; prior to 2019, it was known as the Anguilla United Movement or AUM ++ Anguilla United Front or AUF [Victor BANKS] (alliance includes ADP, ANA) ++ Democracy, Opportunity, Vision, and Empowerment Party or DOVE [Sutcliffe HODGE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/bb.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/bb.json index a8b63379..6fa46546 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/bb.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/bb.json @@ -241,8 +241,11 @@ "text": "59.2% (2012)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 98.5% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 1.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -255,8 +258,11 @@ "text": "6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 99.2% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -399,13 +405,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (21 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 12 on the advice of the Prime Minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 7 at the discretion of the governor general) House of Assembly (30 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (21 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 12 on the advice of the Prime Minister, 2 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 7 at the discretion of the governor general) ++ House of Assembly (30 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last appointments on 5 June 2018 (next appointments NA)House of Assembly - last held on 24 May 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" + "text": "Senate - last appointments on 5 June 2018 (next appointments NA) ++ House of Assembly - last held on 24 May 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - appointed; composition - men 16, women 5, percent of women 23.8% House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - BLP 74.6%, DLP 22.6%, other 2.8%; seats by party - BLP 30; composition - men 24, women 6, percent of women 20%; note - total Parliament percent of women 21.6%" + "text": "Senate - appointed; composition - men 16, women 5, percent of women 23.8% ++ House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - BLP 74.6%, DLP 22.6%, other 2.8%; seats by party - BLP 30; composition - men 24, women 6, percent of women 20%; note - total Parliament percent of women 21.6%" }, "note": { "text": "note: tradition dictates that the election is held within 5 years of the last election, but constitutionally it is 5 years from the first seating of Parliament plus a 90-day grace period" @@ -423,7 +429,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Bajan Free Party [Alex MITCHELL]Barbados Integrity Movement [Neil HOLDER]Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Mia MOTTLEY]Democratic Labor Party or DLP [Freundel STUART]People’s Democratic Congress [Mark ADAMSON]People's Empowerment Party or PEP [David COMISSIONG]Solutions Barbados [Grenville PHILLIPS II]United Progressive Party or UPP [Lynette EASTMOND]" + "text": "Bajan Free Party [Alex MITCHELL] ++ Barbados Integrity Movement [Neil HOLDER] ++ Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Mia MOTTLEY] ++ Democratic Labor Party or DLP [Freundel STUART] ++ People's Democratic Congress [Mark ADAMSON] ++ People's Empowerment Party or PEP [David COMISSIONG] ++ Solutions Barbados [Grenville PHILLIPS II] ++ United Progressive Party or UPP [Lynette EASTMOND]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/bf.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/bf.json index f9bb7263..129baaf5 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/bf.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/bf.json @@ -244,8 +244,11 @@ "text": "1.92 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 98.9% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 1.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -258,8 +261,11 @@ "text": "3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 98.2% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 1.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -380,13 +386,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (16 seats; members appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader to serve 5-year terms)House of Assembly (39 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (16 seats; members appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader to serve 5-year terms) ++ House of Assembly (39 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last appointments on 24 May 2017 (next appointments in 2022)House of Assembly - last held on 10 May 2017 (next to be held by May 2022)" + "text": "Senate - last appointments on 24 May 2017 (next appointments in 2022) ++ House of Assembly - last held on 10 May 2017 (next to be held by May 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - appointed; composition - men 9, women 7, percent of women 43.8%House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - FNM 57%, PLP 36.9%, other 6.1%; seats by party - FNM 35, PLP 4; composition - men 34, women 5, percent of women 12.8%; note - total Parliament percent of women 21.8%" + "text": "Senate - appointed; composition - men 9, women 7, percent of women 43.8% ++ House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - FNM 57%, PLP 36.9%, other 6.1%; seats by party - FNM 35, PLP 4; composition - men 34, women 5, percent of women 12.8%; note - total Parliament percent of women 21.8%" }, "note": { "text": "note: the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time" @@ -407,7 +413,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Christopher MORTIMER, interim leader]Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert MINNIS]Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Philip \"Brave\" DAVIS]" + "text": "Democratic National Alliance or DNA [Christopher MORTIMER, interim leader] ++ Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert MINNIS] ++ Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Philip \"Brave\" DAVIS]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/bh.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/bh.json index 4e76e9ae..93094f1c 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/bh.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/bh.json @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 40.1%, Protestant 31.5% (includes Pentecostal 8.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 4.7%, Mennonite 3.7%, Baptist 3.6%, Methodist 2.9%, Nazarene 2.8%), Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 10.5% (includes Baha'i, Buddhist, Hindu, Mormon, Muslim, Rastafarian, Salvation Army), unspecified 0.6%, none 15.5% (2010 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Migration continues to transform Belize's population. About 16% of Belizeans live abroad, while immigrants constitute approximately 15% of Belize's population. Belizeans seeking job and educational opportunities have preferred to emigrate to the United States rather than former colonizer Great Britain because of the United States' closer proximity and stronger trade ties with Belize. Belizeans also emigrate to Canada, Mexico, and English-speaking Caribbean countries. The emigration of a large share of Creoles (Afro-Belizeans) and the influx of Central American immigrants, mainly Guatemalans, Salvadorans, and Hondurans, has changed Belize's ethnic composition. Mestizos have become the largest ethnic group, and Belize now has more native Spanish speakers than English or Creole speakers, despite English being the official language. In addition, Central American immigrants are establishing new communities in rural areas, which contrasts with the urbanization trend seen in neighboring countries. Recently, Chinese, European, and North American immigrants have become more frequent.\nImmigration accounts for an increasing share of Belize's population growth rate, which is steadily falling due to fertility decline. Belize's declining birth rate and its increased life expectancy are creating an aging population. As the elderly population grows and nuclear families replace extended households, Belize's government will be challenged to balance a rising demand for pensions, social services, and healthcare for its senior citizens with the need to reduce poverty and social inequality and to improve sanitation." + "text": "Migration continues to transform Belize's population. About 16% of Belizeans live abroad, while immigrants constitute approximately 15% of Belize's population. Belizeans seeking job and educational opportunities have preferred to emigrate to the United States rather than former colonizer Great Britain because of the United States' closer proximity and stronger trade ties with Belize. Belizeans also emigrate to Canada, Mexico, and English-speaking Caribbean countries. The emigration of a large share of Creoles (Afro-Belizeans) and the influx of Central American immigrants, mainly Guatemalans, Salvadorans, and Hondurans, has changed Belize's ethnic composition. Mestizos have become the largest ethnic group, and Belize now has more native Spanish speakers than English or Creole speakers, despite English being the official language. In addition, Central American immigrants are establishing new communities in rural areas, which contrasts with the urbanization trend seen in neighboring countries. Recently, Chinese, European, and North American immigrants have become more frequent. ++ Immigration accounts for an increasing share of Belize's population growth rate, which is steadily falling due to fertility decline. Belize's declining birth rate and its increased life expectancy are creating an aging population. As the elderly population grows and nuclear families replace extended households, Belize's government will be challenged to balance a rising demand for pensions, social services, and healthcare for its senior citizens with the need to reduce poverty and social inequality and to improve sanitation." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "51.4% (2015/16)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 98.6% of population / total: 99.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 1.4% of population / total: 0.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "1 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.8% of population / rural: 95.3% of population / total: 96.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "4.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "3.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.2% of population / rural: 4.7% of population / total: 3.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -417,13 +411,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Assembly consists of:Senate (14 seats, including the president); members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, non-governmental organizations in good standing, and the National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; Senate president elected from among the Senate members or from outside the Senate; term of appointment NAHouse of Representatives (31 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Assembly consists of: Senate (14 seats, including the president); members appointed by the governor general - 6 on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 1 each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, non-governmental organizations in good standing, and the National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; Senate president elected from among the Senate members or from outside the Senate; term of appointment NA ++ House of Representatives (31 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate -  last appointed 13 November 2015 (next appointments on 11 November 2020)House of Representatives - last held on 4 November 2015 (next to be held on 11 November 2020)" + "text": "Senate -  last appointed 13 November 2015 (next appointments on 11 November 2020) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 4 November 2015 (next to be held on 11 November 2020)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - composition as of December 2019 - men 11, women 3, percent of women 21.4%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - UDP 50%, PUP 47.3%, other 2.7%; seats by party - UDP 19, PUP 12; composition - men 29, women 2; percent of women 6.5%; note - total National Assembly percent of women as of June 2019 - 11.1%" + "text": "Senate - composition as of December 2019 - men 11, women 3, percent of women 21.4% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - UDP 50%, PUP 47.3%, other 2.7%; seats by party - UDP 19, PUP 12; composition - men 29, women 2; percent of women 6.5%; note - total National Assembly percent of women as of June 2019 - 11.1%" }, "note": { "text": " " @@ -441,7 +435,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Belize Progressive Party or BPP [Patrick ROGERS] (formed in 2015 from a merger of the People's National Party, elements of the Vision Inspired by the People, and other smaller political groups)People's United Party or PUP [Johnny BRICENO]United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean Oliver BARROW]Vision Inspired by the People or VIP [Hubert ENRIQUEZ]" + "text": "Belize Progressive Party or BPP [Patrick ROGERS] (formed in 2015 from a merger of the People's National Party, elements of the Vision Inspired by the People, and other smaller political groups) ++ People's United Party or PUP [Johnny BRICENO] ++ United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean Oliver BARROW] ++ Vision Inspired by the People or VIP [Hubert ENRIQUEZ]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -468,7 +462,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d’Affaires Keith R. GILGES (since 24 July 2018)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Keith R. GILGES (since 24 July 2018)" }, "telephone": { "text": "[011] (501) 822-4011" @@ -506,7 +500,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner in this small economy, followed by exports of sugar, bananas, citrus, marine products, and crude oil. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999-2007, but GPD growth has averaged only 2.1% from 2007-2016, with 2.5% growth estimated for 2017. Belize’s dependence on energy imports makes it susceptible to energy price shocks. Although Belize has the third highest per capita income in Central America, the average income figure masks a huge income disparity between rich and poor, and a key government objective remains reducing poverty and inequality with the help of international donors. High unemployment, a growing trade deficit and heavy foreign debt burden continue to be major concerns. Belize faces continued pressure from rising sovereign debt, and a growing trade imbalance." + "text": "Tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner in this small economy, followed by exports of sugar, bananas, citrus, marine products, and crude oil. ++ The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999-2007, but GPD growth has averaged only 2.1% from 2007-2016, with 2.5% growth estimated for 2017. Belize's dependence on energy imports makes it susceptible to energy price shocks. ++ Although Belize has the third highest per capita income in Central America, the average income figure masks a huge income disparity between rich and poor, and a key government objective remains reducing poverty and inequality with the help of international donors. High unemployment, a growing trade deficit and heavy foreign debt burden continue to be major concerns. Belize faces continued pressure from rising sovereign debt, and a growing trade imbalance." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$3.218 billion (2017 est.) / $3.194 billion (2016 est.) / $3.21 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/cj.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/cj.json index 4a410a31..16c0d9c9 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/cj.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/cj.json @@ -219,19 +219,19 @@ "text": "1.83 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.4% of population / total: 97.4% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "2.6% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.6% of population / total: 2.6% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95.6% of population / total: 95.6% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "4.4% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 4.4% of population / total: 4.4% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Alden MCLAUGHLIN]Cayman Democratic Party or CDP [McKeeva BUSH]" + "text": "People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Alden MCLAUGHLIN] ++ Cayman Democratic Party or CDP [McKeeva BUSH]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU" @@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 65,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2017, including more than 280 banks, 700 insurers, and 10,500 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Nearly 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy a standard of living comparable to that of Switzerland. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 2.1 million in 2016, with more than three-quarters from the US." + "text": "With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 65,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2017, including more than 280 banks, 700 insurers, and 10,500 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Nearly 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy a standard of living comparable to that of Switzerland. ++ Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 2.1 million in 2016, with more than three-quarters from the US." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.507 billion (2014 est.) / $2.465 billion (2013 est.) / $2.435 billion (2012 est.)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json index 21603465..42ecc0f2 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json @@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ "text": "roughly half of the nation's population resides in urban areas; the capital of San Jose is the largest city and home to approximately one-fifth of the population" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes\nvolcanism: Arenal (1,670 m), which erupted in 2010, is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed the town of Tabacon; Irazu (3,432 m), situated just east of San Jose, has the potential to spew ash over the capital city as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Miravalles, Poas, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba" + "text": "occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes ++ volcanism: Arenal (1,670 m), which erupted in 2010, is the most active volcano in Costa Rica; a 1968 eruption destroyed the town of Tabacon; Irazu (3,432 m), situated just east of San Jose, has the potential to spew ash over the capital city as it did between 1963 and 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Miravalles, Poas, Rincon de la Vieja, and Turrialba" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air pollution" @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 71.8%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 12.3%, other Protestant 2.6%, Jehovah's Witness 0.5%, other 2.4%, none 10.4% (2016 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Costa Rica's political stability, high standard of living, and well-developed social benefits system set it apart from its Central American neighbors. Through the government's sustained social spending - almost 20% of GDP annually - Costa Rica has made tremendous progress toward achieving its goal of providing universal access to education, healthcare, clean water, sanitation, and electricity. Since the 1970s, expansion of these services has led to a rapid decline in infant mortality, an increase in life expectancy at birth, and a sharp decrease in the birth rate. The average number of children born per women has fallen from about 7 in the 1960s to 3.5 in the early 1980s to below replacement level today. Costa Rica's poverty rate is lower than in most Latin American countries, but it has stalled at around 20% for almost two decades.\nCosta Rica is a popular regional immigration destination because of its job opportunities and social programs. Almost 9% of the population is foreign-born, with Nicaraguans comprising nearly three-quarters of the foreign population. Many Nicaraguans who perform unskilled seasonal labor enter Costa Rica illegally or overstay their visas, which continues to be a source of tension. Less than 3% of Costa Rica's population lives abroad. The overwhelming majority of expatriates have settled in the United States after completing a university degree or in order to work in a highly skilled field." + "text": "Costa Rica's political stability, high standard of living, and well-developed social benefits system set it apart from its Central American neighbors. Through the government's sustained social spending - almost 20% of GDP annually - Costa Rica has made tremendous progress toward achieving its goal of providing universal access to education, healthcare, clean water, sanitation, and electricity. Since the 1970s, expansion of these services has led to a rapid decline in infant mortality, an increase in life expectancy at birth, and a sharp decrease in the birth rate. The average number of children born per women has fallen from about 7 in the 1960s to 3.5 in the early 1980s to below replacement level today. Costa Rica's poverty rate is lower than in most Latin American countries, but it has stalled at around 20% for almost two decades. ++ Costa Rica is a popular regional immigration destination because of its job opportunities and social programs. Almost 9% of the population is foreign-born, with Nicaraguans comprising nearly three-quarters of the foreign population. Many Nicaraguans who perform unskilled seasonal labor enter Costa Rica illegally or overstay their visas, which continues to be a source of tension. Less than 3% of Costa Rica's population lives abroad. The overwhelming majority of expatriates have settled in the United States after completing a university degree or in order to work in a highly skilled field." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "70.9% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "1.1 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.4% of population / rural: 95.8% of population / total: 97.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "4.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.6% of population / rural: 4.2% of population / total: 2.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -466,7 +460,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Accessibility Without Exclusion or PASE [Oscar Andres LOPEZ Arias]Broad Front (Frente Amplio) or PFA [Ana Patricia MORA Castellanos]Christian Democratic Alliance or ADC [Mario REDONDO Poveda]Citizen Action Party or PAC [Marta Eugenia SOLANO Arias]Costa Rican Renewal Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO Alvarez]Libertarian Movement Party or ML [Victor Danilo CUBERO Corrales]National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]National Liberation Party or PLN [Jorge Julio PATTONI Saenz]National Restoration Party or PRN [Carlos Luis AVENDANO Calvo]New Generation or PNG [Sergio MENA]Patriotic Alliance [Jorge ARAYA Westover]Social Christian Republican Party or PRS [Dragos DOLANESCU Valenciano]Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Pedro MUNOZ Fonseca]" + "text": "Accessibility Without Exclusion or PASE [Oscar Andres LOPEZ Arias] ++ Broad Front (Frente Amplio) or PFA [Ana Patricia MORA Castellanos] ++ Christian Democratic Alliance or ADC [Mario REDONDO Poveda] ++ Citizen Action Party or PAC [Marta Eugenia SOLANO Arias] ++ Costa Rican Renewal Party or PRC [Justo OROZCO Alvarez] ++ Libertarian Movement Party or ML [Victor Danilo CUBERO Corrales] ++ National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes] ++ National Liberation Party or PLN [Jorge Julio PATTONI Saenz] ++ National Restoration Party or PRN [Carlos Luis AVENDANO Calvo] ++ New Generation or PNG [Sergio MENA] ++ Patriotic Alliance [Jorge ARAYA Westover] ++ Social Christian Republican Party or PRS [Dragos DOLANESCU Valenciano] ++ Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Pedro MUNOZ Fonseca]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -531,7 +525,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Since 2010, Costa Rica has enjoyed strong and stable economic growth - 3.8% in 2017. Exports of bananas, coffee, sugar, and beef are the backbone of its commodity exports. Various industrial and processed agricultural products have broadened exports in recent years, as have high value-added goods, including medical devices. Costa Rica's impressive biodiversity also makes it a key destination for ecotourism. Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and relatively high education levels, as well as the incentives offered in the free-trade zones; Costa Rica has attracted one of the highest levels of foreign direct investment per capita in Latin America. The US-Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), which became effective for Costa Rica in 2009, helped increase foreign direct investment in key sectors of the economy, including insurance and telecommunication. However, poor infrastructure, high energy costs, a complex bureaucracy, weak investor protection, and uncertainty of contract enforcement impede greater investment. Costa Rica’s economy also faces challenges due to a rising fiscal deficit, rising public debt, and relatively low levels of domestic revenue. Poverty has remained around 20-25% for nearly 20 years, and the government’s strong social safety net has eroded due to increased constraints on its expenditures. Costa Rica’s credit rating was downgraded from stable to negative in 2015 and again in 2017, upping pressure on lending rates - which could hurt small business, on the budget deficit - which could hurt infrastructure development, and on the rate of return on investment - which could soften foreign direct investment (FDI). Unlike the rest of Central America, Costa Rica is not highly dependent on remittances - which represented just 1 % of GDP in 2016, but instead relies on FDI - which accounted for 5.1% of GDP." + "text": "Since 2010, Costa Rica has enjoyed strong and stable economic growth - 3.8% in 2017. Exports of bananas, coffee, sugar, and beef are the backbone of its commodity exports. Various industrial and processed agricultural products have broadened exports in recent years, as have high value-added goods, including medical devices. Costa Rica's impressive biodiversity also makes it a key destination for ecotourism. ++ Foreign investors remain attracted by the country's political stability and relatively high education levels, as well as the incentives offered in the free-trade zones; Costa Rica has attracted one of the highest levels of foreign direct investment per capita in Latin America. The US-Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), which became effective for Costa Rica in 2009, helped increase foreign direct investment in key sectors of the economy, including insurance and telecommunication. However, poor infrastructure, high energy costs, a complex bureaucracy, weak investor protection, and uncertainty of contract enforcement impede greater investment. ++ Costa Rica's economy also faces challenges due to a rising fiscal deficit, rising public debt, and relatively low levels of domestic revenue. Poverty has remained around 20-25% for nearly 20 years, and the government's strong social safety net has eroded due to increased constraints on its expenditures. Costa Rica's credit rating was downgraded from stable to negative in 2015 and again in 2017, upping pressure on lending rates - which could hurt small business, on the budget deficit - which could hurt infrastructure development, and on the rate of return on investment - which could soften foreign direct investment (FDI). Unlike the rest of Central America, Costa Rica is not highly dependent on remittances - which represented just 1 % of GDP in 2016, but instead relies on FDI - which accounted for 5.1% of GDP." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$83.94 billion (2017 est.) / $81.27 billion (2016 est.) / $77.96 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json index 8811212b..ca84c67d 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule eventually provoked an independence movement and occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 assisted the Cubans in overthrowing Spanish rule. The Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence from Spain in 1898 and, following three-and-a-half years of subsequent US military rule, Cuba became an independent republic in 1902 after which the island experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his authoritarian rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He stepped down as president in February 2008 in favor of his younger brother Raul CASTRO. Cuba's communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez, hand-picked by Raul CASTRO to succeed him, was approved as president by the National Assembly and took office on 19 April 2018. The country faced a severe economic downturn in 1990 following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies worth $4-6 billion annually. Cuba traditionally and consistently portrays the US embargo, in place since 1961, as the source of its difficulties. As a result of efforts begun in December 2014 to re-establish diplomatic relations with the Cuban Government, which were severed in January 1961, the US and Cuba reopened embassies in their respective countries in July 2015. The embargo remains in place, and the relationship between the US and Cuba remains tense.  Illicit migration of Cuban nationals to the US via maritime and overland routes has been a longstanding challenge. On 12 January 2017, the US and Cuba signed a Joint Statement ending the so-called \"wet-foot, dry-foot\" policy – by which Cuban nationals who reached US soil were permitted to stay. Illicit Cuban migration by sea has since dropped significantly, but land border crossings continue. In FY 2018, the US Coast Guard interdicted 312 Cuban nationals at sea. Also in FY 2018, 7,249 Cuban migrants presented themselves at various land border ports of entry throughout the US." + "text": "The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule eventually provoked an independence movement and occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 assisted the Cubans in overthrowing Spanish rule. The Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence from Spain in 1898 and, following three-and-a-half years of subsequent US military rule, Cuba became an independent republic in 1902 after which the island experienced a string of governments mostly dominated by the military and corrupt politicians. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his authoritarian rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He stepped down as president in February 2008 in favor of his younger brother Raul CASTRO. Cuba's communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Miguel DIAZ-CANEL Bermudez, hand-picked by Raul CASTRO to succeed him, was approved as president by the National Assembly and took office on 19 April 2018. ++ The country faced a severe economic downturn in 1990 following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies worth $4-6 billion annually. Cuba traditionally and consistently portrays the US embargo, in place since 1961, as the source of its difficulties. As a result of efforts begun in December 2014 to re-establish diplomatic relations with the Cuban Government, which were severed in January 1961, the US and Cuba reopened embassies in their respective countries in July 2015. The embargo remains in place, and the relationship between the US and Cuba remains tense.  ++ Illicit migration of Cuban nationals to the US via maritime and overland routes has been a longstanding challenge. On 12 January 2017, the US and Cuba signed a Joint Statement ending the so-called \"wet-foot, dry-foot\" policy – by which Cuban nationals who reached US soil were permitted to stay. Illicit Cuban migration by sea has since dropped significantly, but land border crossings continue. In FY 2018, the US Coast Guard interdicted 312 Cuban nationals at sea. Also in FY 2018, 7,249 Cuban migrants presented themselves at various land border ports of entry throughout the US." } }, "Geography": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "73.7% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.2% of population / rural: 94.5% of population / total: 97.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "5.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.8% of population / rural: 5.5% of population / total: 2.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "5.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.1% of population / rural: 94.8% of population / total: 95.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "5.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "4.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.9% of population / rural: 5.2% of population / total: 4.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -409,7 +403,7 @@ "text": "several previous; latest drafted 14 July 2018, approved by the National Assembly 22 December 2018, approved by referendum 24 February 2019" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the National Assembly of People’s Power; passage requires approval of at least two-thirds majority of the National Assembly membership; amendments to constitutional articles on the authorities of the National Assembly, Council of State, or any rights and duties in the constitution also require approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on the Cuban political, social, and economic system cannot be amended" + "text": "proposed by the National Assembly of People's Power; passage requires approval of at least two-thirds majority of the National Assembly membership; amendments to constitutional articles on the authorities of the National Assembly, Council of State, or any rights and duties in the constitution also require approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on the Cuban political, social, and economic system cannot be amended" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -534,7 +528,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The government continues to balance the need for loosening its socialist economic system against a desire for firm political control. In April 2011, the government held the first Cuban Communist Party Congress in almost 13 years, during which leaders approved a plan for wide-ranging economic changes. Since then, the government has slowly and incrementally implemented limited economic reforms, including allowing Cubans to buy electronic appliances and cell phones, stay in hotels, and buy and sell used cars. The government has cut state sector jobs as part of the reform process, and it has opened up some retail services to \"self-employment,\" leading to the rise of so-called \"cuentapropistas\" or entrepreneurs. More than 500,000 Cuban workers are currently registered as self-employed. The Cuban regime has updated its economic model to include permitting the private ownership and sale of real estate and new vehicles, allowing private farmers to sell agricultural goods directly to hotels, allowing the creation of non-agricultural cooperatives, adopting a new foreign investment law, and launching a \"Special Development Zone\" around the Mariel port. Since 2016, Cuba has attributed slowed economic growth in part to problems with petroleum product deliveries from Venezuela. Since late 2000, Venezuela provided petroleum products to Cuba on preferential terms, supplying at times nearly 100,000 barrels per day. Cuba paid for the oil, in part, with the services of Cuban personnel in Venezuela, including some 30,000 medical professionals." + "text": "The government continues to balance the need for loosening its socialist economic system against a desire for firm political control. In April 2011, the government held the first Cuban Communist Party Congress in almost 13 years, during which leaders approved a plan for wide-ranging economic changes. Since then, the government has slowly and incrementally implemented limited economic reforms, including allowing Cubans to buy electronic appliances and cell phones, stay in hotels, and buy and sell used cars. The government has cut state sector jobs as part of the reform process, and it has opened up some retail services to \"self-employment,\" leading to the rise of so-called \"cuentapropistas\" or entrepreneurs. More than 500,000 Cuban workers are currently registered as self-employed. ++ The Cuban regime has updated its economic model to include permitting the private ownership and sale of real estate and new vehicles, allowing private farmers to sell agricultural goods directly to hotels, allowing the creation of non-agricultural cooperatives, adopting a new foreign investment law, and launching a \"Special Development Zone\" around the Mariel port. ++ Since 2016, Cuba has attributed slowed economic growth in part to problems with petroleum product deliveries from Venezuela. Since late 2000, Venezuela provided petroleum products to Cuba on preferential terms, supplying at times nearly 100,000 barrels per day. Cuba paid for the oil, in part, with the services of Cuban personnel in Venezuela, including some 30,000 medical professionals." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$137 billion (2017 est.) / $134.8 billion (2016 est.) / $134.2 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -947,7 +941,7 @@ "text": "Cuba is a source country for adults and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; child sex trafficking and child sex tourism occur in Cuba, while some Cubans are forced into prostitution in South America and the Caribbean; allegations have been made that some Cubans have been forced or coerced to work at Cuban medical missions abroad; assessing the scope of trafficking within Cuba is difficult because of the lack of information" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List - Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; Cuba’s penal code does not criminalize all forms of human trafficking, but the government reported that it is in the process of amending its criminal code to comply with the 2000 UN TIP Protocol, to which it acceded in 2013; the government in 2014 prosecuted and convicted 13 sex traffickers and provided services to the victims in those cases but does not have shelters specifically for trafficking victims; the government did not recognize forced labor as a problem and took no action to address it; state media produced newspaper articles and TV and radio programs to raise public awareness about sex trafficking (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List - Cuba does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; Cuba's penal code does not criminalize all forms of human trafficking, but the government reported that it is in the process of amending its criminal code to comply with the 2000 UN TIP Protocol, to which it acceded in 2013; the government in 2014 prosecuted and convicted 13 sex traffickers and provided services to the victims in those cases but does not have shelters specifically for trafficking victims; the government did not recognize forced labor as a problem and took no action to address it; state media produced newspaper articles and TV and radio programs to raise public awareness about sex trafficking (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/do.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/do.json index dadd4091..06fe64b2 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/do.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/do.json @@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ "text": "population is mosly clustered along the coast, with roughly a third living in the parish of St. George, in or around the capital of Roseau; the volcanic interior is sparsely populated" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months\nvolcanism: Dominica was the last island to be formed in the Caribbean some 26 million years ago, it lies in the middle of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from the island of Saba in the north to Grenada in the south; of the 16 volcanoes that make up this arc, five are located on Dominica, more than any other island in the Caribbean: Morne aux Diables (861 m), Morne Diablotins (1,430 m), Morne Trois Pitons (1,387 m), Watt Mountain (1,224 m), which last erupted in 1997, and Morne Plat Pays (940 m); the two best known volcanic features on Dominica, the Valley of Desolation and the Boiling Lake thermal areas, lie on the flanks of Watt Mountain and both are popular tourist destinations" + "text": "flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be expected during the late summer months ++ volcanism: Dominica was the last island to be formed in the Caribbean some 26 million years ago, it lies in the middle of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from the island of Saba in the north to Grenada in the south; of the 16 volcanoes that make up this arc, five are located on Dominica, more than any other island in the Caribbean: Morne aux Diables (861 m), Morne Diablotins (1,430 m), Morne Trois Pitons (1,387 m), Watt Mountain (1,224 m), which last erupted in 1997, and Morne Plat Pays (940 m); the two best known volcanic features on Dominica, the Valley of Desolation and the Boiling Lake thermal areas, lie on the flanks of Watt Mountain and both are popular tourist destinations" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "water shortages a continuing concern; pollution from agrochemicals and from untreated sewage; forests endangered by the expansion of farming; soil erosion; pollution of the coastal zone by agricultural and industrial chemicals, and untreated sewage" @@ -224,8 +224,11 @@ "text": "2.02 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95.7% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 4.3% of population" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -365,7 +368,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Judith PESTAINA]Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]Dominica United Workers Party or UWP [Lennox LINTON]" + "text": "Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Judith PESTAINA] ++ Dominica Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT] ++ Dominica United Workers Party or UWP [Lennox LINTON]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, Commonwealth of Nations, ECCU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -410,7 +413,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The Dominican economy was dependent on agriculture - primarily bananas - in years past, but increasingly has been driven by tourism, as the government seeks to promote Dominica as an \"ecotourism\" destination. However, Hurricane Maria, which passed through the island in September 2017, destroyed much of the country’s agricultural sector and caused damage to all of the country’s transportation and physical infrastructure. Before Hurricane Maria, the government had attempted to foster an offshore financial industry and planned to sign agreements with the private sector to develop geothermal energy resources. At a time when government finances are fragile, the government’s focus has been to get the country back in shape to service cruise ships. The economy contracted in 2015 and recovered to positive growth in 2016 due to a recovery of agriculture and tourism. Dominica suffers from high debt levels, which increased from 67% of GDP in 2010 to 77% in 2016. Dominica is one of five countries in the East Caribbean that have citizenship by investment programs whereby foreigners can obtain passports for a fee and revenue from this contribute to government budgets." + "text": "The Dominican economy was dependent on agriculture - primarily bananas - in years past, but increasingly has been driven by tourism, as the government seeks to promote Dominica as an \"ecotourism\" destination. However, Hurricane Maria, which passed through the island in September 2017, destroyed much of the country's agricultural sector and caused damage to all of the country's transportation and physical infrastructure. Before Hurricane Maria, the government had attempted to foster an offshore financial industry and planned to sign agreements with the private sector to develop geothermal energy resources. At a time when government finances are fragile, the government's focus has been to get the country back in shape to service cruise ships. The economy contracted in 2015 and recovered to positive growth in 2016 due to a recovery of agriculture and tourism. Dominica suffers from high debt levels, which increased from 67% of GDP in 2010 to 77% in 2016. Dominica is one of five countries in the East Caribbean that have citizenship by investment programs whereby foreigners can obtain passports for a fee and revenue from this contribute to government budgets." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$783 million (2017 est.) / $821.5 million (2016 est.) / $800.4 million (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json index 3b4fd940..95a69168 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json @@ -267,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "69.5% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.3% of population / rural: 92% of population / total: 96.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "3.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.7% of population / rural: 8% of population / total: 3.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -287,14 +284,11 @@ "text": "1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 13.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.3% of population / rural: 89.5% of population / total: 95% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "3.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 13.8% of population / rural: 3.7% of population / total: 5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -457,13 +451,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of:Senate or Senado (32 seats; note - electoral system changes by the Central Election Commission are being challenged by the ruling party and opposition) House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (190 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of: Senate or Senado (32 seats; note - electoral system changes by the Central Election Commission are being challenged by the ruling party and opposition) ++ House of Representatives or Camara de Diputados (190 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 15 May 2016 (rescheduled from 17 May to 5 July 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic) House of Representatives - last held on 15 May 2016 (rescheduled from 17 May to 5 July 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 15 May 2016 (rescheduled from 17 May to 5 July 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 15 May 2016 (rescheduled from 17 May to 5 July 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 26, PRM 2, BIS 1, PLRD 1, PRD 1, PRSC 1; composition as of 2018 - men 29, women 3, percent of women 9.4% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 106, PRM 42, PRSC 18, PRD 16, PLRD 3, other 5; composition as of 2018 - men 139, women 51, percent of women 26.8%; note - total National Congress percent of women 24.3%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 26, PRM 2, BIS 1, PLRD 1, PRD 1, PRSC 1; composition as of 2018 - men 29, women 3, percent of women 9.4% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PLD 106, PRM 42, PRSC 18, PRD 16, PLRD 3, other 5; composition as of 2018 - men 139, women 51, percent of women 26.8%; note - total National Congress percent of women 24.3%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -478,7 +472,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Miguel VARGAS Maldonado]Institutional Social Democratic Bloc or BISLiberal Reformist Party or PRL (formerly the Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or PLRD)Modern Revolutionary Party or PRM [Jose Ignacio PALIZA]National Progressive Front or FNP [Vinicio CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO]Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Federico ANTUN]" + "text": "Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna] ++ Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Miguel VARGAS Maldonado] ++ Institutional Social Democratic Bloc or BIS ++ Liberal Reformist Party or PRL (formerly the Liberal Party of the Dominican Republic or PLRD) ++ Modern Revolutionary Party or PRM [Jose Ignacio PALIZA] ++ National Progressive Front or FNP [Vinicio CASTILLO, Pelegrin CASTILLO] ++ Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Federico ANTUN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, BCIE, Caricom (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, MINUSMA, NAM, OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA (associated member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -540,7 +534,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The Dominican Republic was for most of its history primarily an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, but over the last three decades the economy has become more diversified as the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in construction, tourism, and free trade zones. The mining sector has also played a greater role in the export market since late 2012 with the commencement of the extraction phase of the Pueblo Viejo Gold and Silver mine, one of the largest gold mines in the world. For the last 20 years, the Dominican Republic has been one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America. The economy rebounded from the global recession in 2010-16, and the fiscal situation is improving. A tax reform package passed in November 2012, a reduction in government spending, and lower energy costs helped to narrow the central government budget deficit from 6.6% of GDP in 2012 to 2.6% in 2016, and public debt is declining. Marked income inequality, high unemployment, and underemployment remain important long-term challenges; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GDP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of GDP. The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for approximately half of exports and the source of 40% of imports. Remittances from the US amount to about 7% of GDP, equivalent to about a third of exports and two-thirds of tourism receipts. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement came into force in March 2007, boosting investment and manufacturing exports." + "text": "The Dominican Republic was for most of its history primarily an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, but over the last three decades the economy has become more diversified as the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in construction, tourism, and free trade zones. The mining sector has also played a greater role in the export market since late 2012 with the commencement of the extraction phase of the Pueblo Viejo Gold and Silver mine, one of the largest gold mines in the world. ++ For the last 20 years, the Dominican Republic has been one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America. The economy rebounded from the global recession in 2010-16, and the fiscal situation is improving. A tax reform package passed in November 2012, a reduction in government spending, and lower energy costs helped to narrow the central government budget deficit from 6.6% of GDP in 2012 to 2.6% in 2016, and public debt is declining. Marked income inequality, high unemployment, and underemployment remain important long-term challenges; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GDP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of GDP. ++ The economy is highly dependent upon the US, the destination for approximately half of exports and the source of 40% of imports. Remittances from the US amount to about 7% of GDP, equivalent to about a third of exports and two-thirds of tourism receipts. The Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement came into force in March 2007, boosting investment and manufacturing exports." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$173 billion (2017 est.) / $165.4 billion (2016 est.) / $155.2 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json index 28911b5d..d501bd9d 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json @@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ "text": "athough it is the smallest country in land area in Central America, El Salvador has a population that is 18 times larger than Belize; at least 20% of the population lives abroad; high population density country-wide, with particular concentration around the capital of San Salvador" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes\nvolcanism: significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (1,893 m), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (2,130 m), which last erupted in 2002, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana" + "text": "known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to hurricanes ++ volcanism: significant volcanic activity; San Salvador (1,893 m), which last erupted in 1917, has the potential to cause major harm to the country's capital, which lies just below the volcano's slopes; San Miguel (2,130 m), which last erupted in 2002, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country; other historically active volcanoes include Conchaguita, Ilopango, Izalco, and Santa Ana" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes" @@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 36%, other 2%, none 12% (2014 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. It is well into its demographic transition, experiencing slower population growth, a decline in its number of youths, and the gradual aging of its population. The increased use of family planning has substantially lowered El Salvador's fertility rate, from approximately 6 children per woman in the 1970s to replacement level today. A 2008 national family planning survey showed that female sterilization remained the most common contraception method in El Salvador - its sterilization rate is among the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean - but that the use of injectable contraceptives is growing. Fertility differences between rich and poor and urban and rural women are narrowing.\nSalvadorans fled during the 1979 to 1992 civil war mainly to the United States but also to Canada and to neighboring Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Emigration to the United States increased again in the 1990s and 2000s as a result of deteriorating economic conditions, natural disasters (Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and earthquakes in 2001), and family reunification. At least 20% of El Salvador's population lives abroad. The remittances they send home account for close to 20% of GDP, are the second largest source of external income after exports, and have helped reduce poverty." + "text": "El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. It is well into its demographic transition, experiencing slower population growth, a decline in its number of youths, and the gradual aging of its population. The increased use of family planning has substantially lowered El Salvador's fertility rate, from approximately 6 children per woman in the 1970s to replacement level today. A 2008 national family planning survey showed that female sterilization remained the most common contraception method in El Salvador - its sterilization rate is among the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean - but that the use of injectable contraceptives is growing. Fertility differences between rich and poor and urban and rural women are narrowing. ++ Salvadorans fled during the 1979 to 1992 civil war mainly to the United States but also to Canada and to neighboring Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Emigration to the United States increased again in the 1990s and 2000s as a result of deteriorating economic conditions, natural disasters (Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and earthquakes in 2001), and family reunification. At least 20% of El Salvador's population lives abroad. The remittances they send home account for close to 20% of GDP, are the second largest source of external income after exports, and have helped reduce poverty." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "71.9% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 92.2% of population / total: 97.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "7.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.6% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 7.8% of population / total: 2.6% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "1.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.8% of population / rural: 94.7% of population / total: 98.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "5.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.2% of population / rural: 5.3% of population / total: 1.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -472,7 +466,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo Antonio PARKER Soto]Democratic Change (Cambio Democratico) or CD [Douglas AVILES] (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU)Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ]Great Alliance for National Unity or GANA [Jose Andres ROVIRA Caneles]National Coalition Party or PCN [Manuel RODRIGUEZ]Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA [Mauricio INTERIANO]Nuevas Ideas [Federico Gerardo ANLIKER]" + "text": "Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo Antonio PARKER Soto] ++ Democratic Change (Cambio Democratico) or CD [Douglas AVILES] (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU) ++ Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo GONZALEZ] ++ Great Alliance for National Unity or GANA [Jose Andres ROVIRA Caneles] ++ National Coalition Party or PCN [Manuel RODRIGUEZ] ++ Nationalist Republican Alliance or ARENA [Mauricio INTERIANO] ++ Nuevas Ideas [Federico Gerardo ANLIKER]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -537,7 +531,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The smallest country in Central America geographically, El Salvador has the fourth largest economy in the region. With the global recession, real GDP contracted in 2009 and economic growth has since remained low, averaging less than 2% from 2010 to 2014, but recovered somewhat in 2015-17 with an average annual growth rate of 2.4%. Remittances accounted for approximately 18% of GDP in 2017 and were received by about a third of all households. In 2006, El Salvador was the first country to ratify the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, which has bolstered the export of processed foods, sugar, and ethanol, and supported investment in the apparel sector amid increased Asian competition. In September 2015, El Salvador kicked off a five-year $277 million second compact with the Millennium Challenge Corporation - a US Government agency aimed at stimulating economic growth and reducing poverty - to improve El Salvador's competitiveness and productivity in international markets. The Salvadoran Government maintained fiscal discipline during reconstruction and rebuilding following earthquakes in 2001 and hurricanes in 1998 and 2005, but El Salvador's public debt, estimated at 59.3% of GDP in 2017, has been growing over the last several years." + "text": "The smallest country in Central America geographically, El Salvador has the fourth largest economy in the region. With the global recession, real GDP contracted in 2009 and economic growth has since remained low, averaging less than 2% from 2010 to 2014, but recovered somewhat in 2015-17 with an average annual growth rate of 2.4%. Remittances accounted for approximately 18% of GDP in 2017 and were received by about a third of all households. ++ In 2006, El Salvador was the first country to ratify the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement, which has bolstered the export of processed foods, sugar, and ethanol, and supported investment in the apparel sector amid increased Asian competition. In September 2015, El Salvador kicked off a five-year $277 million second compact with the Millennium Challenge Corporation - a US Government agency aimed at stimulating economic growth and reducing poverty - to improve El Salvador's competitiveness and productivity in international markets. ++ The Salvadoran Government maintained fiscal discipline during reconstruction and rebuilding following earthquakes in 2001 and hurricanes in 1998 and 2005, but El Salvador's public debt, estimated at 59.3% of GDP in 2017, has been growing over the last several years." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$51.17 billion (2017 est.) / $50.01 billion (2016 est.) / $48.75 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/gj.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/gj.json index 36dc3931..7c194ab3 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/gj.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/gj.json @@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ "text": "approximately one-third of the population is found in the capital of St. George's; the island's population is concentrated along the coast" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November\nvolcanism: Mount Saint Catherine (840 m) lies on the island of Grenada; Kick 'em Jenny, an active submarine volcano (seamount) on the Caribbean Sea floor, lies about 8 km north of the island of Grenada; these two volcanoes are at the southern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends up to the Netherlands dependency of Saba in the north" + "text": "lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November ++ volcanism: Mount Saint Catherine (840 m) lies on the island of Grenada; Kick 'em Jenny, an active submarine volcano (seamount) on the Caribbean Sea floor, lies about 8 km north of the island of Grenada; these two volcanoes are at the southern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends up to the Netherlands dependency of Saba in the north" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation causing habitat destruction and species loss; coastal erosion and contamination; pollution and sedimentation; inadequate solid waste management" @@ -238,8 +238,11 @@ "text": "1.96 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 96.8% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -252,8 +255,11 @@ "text": "3.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 6.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 93.7% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 6.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -382,13 +388,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (13 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 10 on the advice of the prime minister and 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms) House of Representatives (15 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (13 seats; members appointed by the governor general - 10 on the advice of the prime minister and 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms) ++ House of Representatives (15 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last appointments on 27 April 2018 (next no later than2023) House of Representatives - last held on 13 March 2018 (next no later than 2023)" + "text": "Senate - last appointments on 27 April 2018 (next no later than2023) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 13 March 2018 (next no later than 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 11, women 2 percent of women 15.4% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NNP 58.9%, NDC 40.5%; other 0.6% seats by party - NNP 15; composition - men 8, women 7, percent of women 46.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 32.1%" + "text": "Senate - percent by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 11, women 2 percent of women 15.4% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NNP 58.9%, NDC 40.5%; other 0.6% seats by party - NNP 15; composition - men 8, women 7, percent of women 46.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 32.1%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -403,7 +409,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "National Democratic Congress or NDC [Nazim BURKE]New National Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL]" + "text": "National Democratic Congress or NDC [Nazim BURKE] ++ New National Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO" @@ -462,7 +468,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Grenada relies on tourism and revenue generated by St. George’s University - a private university offering degrees in medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, the health sciences, nursing, arts and sciences, and business - as its main source of foreign exchange. In the past two years the country expanded its sources of revenue, including from selling passports under its citizenship by investment program. These projects produced a resurgence in the construction and manufacturing sectors of the economy. In 2017, Grenada experienced its fifth consecutive year of growth and the government successfully marked the completion of its five-year structural adjustment program that included among other things austerity measures, increased tax revenue and debt restructuring. Public debt-to-GDP was reduced from 100% of GDP in 2013 to 71.8% in 2017." + "text": "Grenada relies on tourism and revenue generated by St. George's University - a private university offering degrees in medicine, veterinary medicine, public health, the health sciences, nursing, arts and sciences, and business - as its main source of foreign exchange. In the past two years the country expanded its sources of revenue, including from selling passports under its citizenship by investment program. These projects produced a resurgence in the construction and manufacturing sectors of the economy. ++ In 2017, Grenada experienced its fifth consecutive year of growth and the government successfully marked the completion of its five-year structural adjustment program that included among other things austerity measures, increased tax revenue and debt restructuring. Public debt-to-GDP was reduced from 100% of GDP in 2013 to 71.8% in 2017." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.634 billion (2017 est.) / $1.555 billion (2016 est.) / $1.5 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json index 431217ec..7003e537 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json @@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ "text": "the vast majority of the populace resides in the southern half of the country, particularly in the mountainous regions; more than half of the population lives in rural areas" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms\nvolcanism: significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (3,772 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (2,552 m), which erupted in May 2010 causing an ashfall on Guatemala City and prompting evacuations, is one of the country's most active volcanoes with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" + "text": "numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms ++ volcanism: significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (3,772 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (2,552 m), which erupted in May 2010 causing an ashfall on Guatemala City and prompting evacuations, is one of the country's most active volcanoes with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution" @@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: despite having both eastern and western coastlines (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean respectively), there are no natural harbors on the west coast note 2: Guatemala is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire" + "text": "note 1: despite having both eastern and western coastlines (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean respectively), there are no natural harbors on the west coast ++ note 2: Guatemala is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire" } } }, @@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Maya" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Guatemala is a predominantly poor country that struggles in several areas of health and development, including infant, child, and maternal mortality, malnutrition, literacy, and contraceptive awareness and use. The country's large indigenous population is disproportionately affected. Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America and has the highest fertility rate in Latin America. It also has the highest population growth rate in Latin America, which is likely to continue because of its large reproductive-age population and high birth rate. Almost half of Guatemala's population is under age 19, making it the youngest population in Latin America. Guatemala's total fertility rate has slowly declined during the last few decades due in part to limited government-funded health programs. However, the birth rate is still more close to three children per woman and is markedly higher among its rural and indigenous populations.\nGuatemalans have a history of emigrating legally and illegally to Mexico, the United States, and Canada because of a lack of economic opportunity, political instability, and natural disasters. Emigration, primarily to the United States, escalated during the 1960 to 1996 civil war and accelerated after a peace agreement was signed. Thousands of Guatemalans who fled to Mexico returned after the war, but labor migration to southern Mexico continues." + "text": "Guatemala is a predominantly poor country that struggles in several areas of health and development, including infant, child, and maternal mortality, malnutrition, literacy, and contraceptive awareness and use. The country's large indigenous population is disproportionately affected. Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America and has the highest fertility rate in Latin America. It also has the highest population growth rate in Latin America, which is likely to continue because of its large reproductive-age population and high birth rate. Almost half of Guatemala's population is under age 19, making it the youngest population in Latin America. Guatemala's total fertility rate has slowly declined during the last few decades due in part to limited government-funded health programs. However, the birth rate is still more close to three children per woman and is markedly higher among its rural and indigenous populations. ++ Guatemalans have a history of emigrating legally and illegally to Mexico, the United States, and Canada because of a lack of economic opportunity, political instability, and natural disasters. Emigration, primarily to the United States, escalated during the 1960 to 1996 civil war and accelerated after a peace agreement was signed. Thousands of Guatemalans who fled to Mexico returned after the war, but labor migration to southern Mexico continues." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -266,14 +266,11 @@ "text": "60.6% (2014/15)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.9% of population / rural: 92.2% of population / total: 95.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "7.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "4.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.1% of population / rural: 7.8% of population / total: 4.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -286,14 +283,11 @@ "text": "0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 8.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 91.4% of population / rural: 61.7% of population / total: 76.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "38.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "23.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 8.6% of population / rural: 38.3% of population / total: 23.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -480,7 +474,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Bienestar Nacional or BIEN [Alfonso PORTILLO and Evelyn MORATAYA]Citizen Alliance or ACCitizen Prosperity or PC [Dami Anita Elizabeth KRISTENSON Sales]Commitment, Renewal, and Order or CREO [Roberto GONZALEZ Diaz-Duran]Convergence [Sandra MORAN]Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENEGRO Cottom]Everyone Together for Guatemala or TODOS [Felipe ALEJOS]Force or FUERZA [Mauricio RADFORD]Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG-MAIZ or URNG [Gregorio CHAY Laynez]Humanist Party of Guatemala or PHG [Edmond MULET]Movement for the Liberation of Peoples or MLP [Thelma CABRERA]Movimiento Semilla or SEMILLA [Thelma ALDANA]National Advancement Party or PAN [Harald JOHANNESSEN]National Convergence Front or FCN-NACION or FCN [Jimmy MORALES]National Unity for Hope or UNE [Sandra TORRES]Nationalist Change Union or UCN [Mario ESTRADA]Patriotic Party or PPPODEMOS [Jose Raul VIRGIL Arias]Political Movement Winaq or Winaq [Sonia GUTIERREZ Raguay]Reform Movement or MRRenewed Democratic Liberty or LIDER (dissolved mid-February 2016)TODOS [Felipe ALEJOS]Unionista Party or PU [Alvaro ARZU Escobar]Value or VALOR [Zury RIOS]Vamos por una Guatemala Diferente or VAMOS [Alejandro GIAMMATTEI]Victory or VICTORIA [Amilcar RIVERA]Vision with Values or VIVA [Armando Damian CASTILLO Alvarado]", + "text": "Bienestar Nacional or BIEN [Alfonso PORTILLO and Evelyn MORATAYA] ++ Citizen Alliance or AC ++ Citizen Prosperity or PC [Dami Anita Elizabeth KRISTENSON Sales] ++ Commitment, Renewal, and Order or CREO [Roberto GONZALEZ Diaz-Duran] ++ Convergence [Sandra MORAN] ++ Encounter for Guatemala or EG [Nineth MONTENEGRO Cottom] ++ Everyone Together for Guatemala or TODOS [Felipe ALEJOS] ++ Force or FUERZA [Mauricio RADFORD] ++ Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG-MAIZ or URNG [Gregorio CHAY Laynez] ++ Humanist Party of Guatemala or PHG [Edmond MULET] ++ Movement for the Liberation of Peoples or MLP [Thelma CABRERA] ++ Movimiento Semilla or SEMILLA [Thelma ALDANA] ++ National Advancement Party or PAN [Harald JOHANNESSEN] ++ National Convergence Front or FCN-NACION or FCN [Jimmy MORALES] ++ National Unity for Hope or UNE [Sandra TORRES] ++ Nationalist Change Union or UCN [Mario ESTRADA] ++ Patriotic Party or PP ++ PODEMOS [Jose Raul VIRGIL Arias] ++ Political Movement Winaq or Winaq [Sonia GUTIERREZ Raguay] ++ Reform Movement or MR ++ Renewed Democratic Liberty or LIDER (dissolved mid-February 2016) ++ TODOS [Felipe ALEJOS] ++ Unionista Party or PU [Alvaro ARZU Escobar] ++ Value or VALOR [Zury RIOS] ++ Vamos por una Guatemala Diferente or VAMOS [Alejandro GIAMMATTEI] ++ Victory or VICTORIA [Amilcar RIVERA] ++ Vision with Values or VIVA [Armando Damian CASTILLO Alvarado]", "note": { "text": "note: parties represented in the last election, but have since dissolved - FCN (2017), LIDER (2016), and PP (2017)" } @@ -548,7 +542,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America with a GDP per capita roughly half the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. The agricultural sector accounts for 13.5% of GDP and 31% of the labor force; key agricultural exports include sugar, coffee, bananas, and vegetables. Guatemala is the top remittance recipient in Central America as a result of Guatemala's large expatriate community in the US. These inflows are a primary source of foreign income, equivalent to two-thirds of the country's exports and about a tenth of its GDP. The 1996 peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala has since pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force in July 2006, spurring increased investment and diversification of exports, with the largest increases in ethanol and non-traditional agricultural exports. While CAFTA-DR has helped improve the investment climate, concerns over security, the lack of skilled workers, and poor infrastructure continue to hamper foreign direct investment. The distribution of income remains highly unequal with the richest 20% of the population accounting for more than 51% of Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line, and 23% of the population lives in extreme poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up more than 40% of the population, averages 79%, with 40% of the indigenous population living in extreme poverty. Nearly one-half of Guatemala's children under age five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world." + "text": "Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America with a GDP per capita roughly half the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. The agricultural sector accounts for 13.5% of GDP and 31% of the labor force; key agricultural exports include sugar, coffee, bananas, and vegetables. Guatemala is the top remittance recipient in Central America as a result of Guatemala's large expatriate community in the US. These inflows are a primary source of foreign income, equivalent to two-thirds of the country's exports and about a tenth of its GDP. ++ The 1996 peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, and Guatemala has since pursued important reforms and macroeconomic stabilization. The Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) entered into force in July 2006, spurring increased investment and diversification of exports, with the largest increases in ethanol and non-traditional agricultural exports. While CAFTA-DR has helped improve the investment climate, concerns over security, the lack of skilled workers, and poor infrastructure continue to hamper foreign direct investment. ++ The distribution of income remains highly unequal with the richest 20% of the population accounting for more than 51% of Guatemala's overall consumption. More than half of the population is below the national poverty line, and 23% of the population lives in extreme poverty. Poverty among indigenous groups, which make up more than 40% of the population, averages 79%, with 40% of the indigenous population living in extreme poverty. Nearly one-half of Guatemala's children under age five are chronically malnourished, one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$138.1 billion (2017 est.) / $134.4 billion (2016 est.) / $130.4 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/ha.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/ha.json index 344bf416..f54d8c21 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/ha.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/ha.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The native Taino - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when Christopher COLUMBUS first landed on it in 1492 - were virtually wiped out by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola. In 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean but relied heavily on the forced labor of enslaved Africans and environmentally degrading practices. In the late 18th century, Toussaint L'OUVERTURE led a revolution of Haiti's nearly half a million slaves that ended France's rule on the island. After a prolonged struggle, and under the leadership of Jean-Jacques DESSALINES, Haiti became the first country in the world led by former slaves after declaring its independence in 1804, but it was forced to pay an indemnity to France for more than a century and was shunned by other countries for nearly 40 years. After the US occupied Haiti from 1915-1934, Francois \"Papa Doc\" DUVALIER and then his son Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” DUVALIER led repressive and corrupt regimes that ruled Haiti from 1957-1971 and 1971-1986, respectively. A massive magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010 with an epicenter about 25 km (15 mi) west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Estimates are that over 300,000 people were killed and some 1.5 million left homeless. The earthquake was assessed as the worst in this region over the last 200 years. On 4 October 2016, Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Haiti, resulting in over 500 deaths and causing extensive damage to crops, houses, livestock, and infrastructure. Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti continues to experience bouts of political instability.    " + "text": "The native Taino - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when Christopher COLUMBUS first landed on it in 1492 - were virtually wiped out by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola. In 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean but relied heavily on the forced labor of enslaved Africans and environmentally degrading practices. In the late 18th century, Toussaint L'OUVERTURE led a revolution of Haiti's nearly half a million slaves that ended France's rule on the island. After a prolonged struggle, and under the leadership of Jean-Jacques DESSALINES, Haiti became the first country in the world led by former slaves after declaring its independence in 1804, but it was forced to pay an indemnity to France for more than a century and was shunned by other countries for nearly 40 years. After the US occupied Haiti from 1915-1934, Francois \"Papa Doc\" DUVALIER and then his son Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” DUVALIER led repressive and corrupt regimes that ruled Haiti from 1957-1971 and 1971-1986, respectively. A massive magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010 with an epicenter about 25 km (15 mi) west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Estimates are that over 300,000 people were killed and some 1.5 million left homeless. The earthquake was assessed as the worst in this region over the last 200 years. On 4 October 2016, Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Haiti, resulting in over 500 deaths and causing extensive damage to crops, houses, livestock, and infrastructure. Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti continues to experience bouts of political instability.   ++  " } }, "Geography": { @@ -267,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "34.3% (2016/17)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 8.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 91.5% of population / rural: 55.4% of population / total: 75% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "44.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "25% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 8.5% of population / rural: 44.6% of population / total: 25% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -287,14 +284,11 @@ "text": "0.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 19.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 80.6% of population / rural: 40% of population / total: 62.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "60% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "37.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 19.4% of population / rural: 60% of population / total: 37.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -438,13 +432,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral legislature or le Corps l'egislatif ou le Parlement consists of:le S'enat or Senate (30 seats, 29 filled as of June 2019; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years) la Chambre de deput'es or Chamber of Deputies (119 seats; 116 filled as of June 2019; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year terms); note - when the 2 chambers meet collectively it is known as L'Assembl'ee nationale or the National Assembly and is convened for specific purposes spelled out in the constitution" + "text": "bicameral legislature or le Corps l'egislatif ou le Parlement consists of: le S'enat or Senate (30 seats, 29 filled as of June 2019; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years) ++ la Chambre de deput'es or Chamber of Deputies (119 seats; 116 filled as of June 2019; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year terms); note - when the 2 chambers meet collectively it is known as L'Assembl'ee nationale or the National Assembly and is convened for specific purposes spelled out in the constitution" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 20 November 2016 with runoff on 29 January 2017 (next scheduled for 27 October 2019) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 9 August 2015 with runoff on 25 October 2015 and 20 November 2016 (next scheduled for 27 October 2019)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 20 November 2016 with runoff on 29 January 2017 (next scheduled for 27 October 2019) ++ Chamber of Deputies - last held on 9 August 2015 with runoff on 25 October 2015 and 20 November 2016 (next scheduled for 27 October 2019)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 27, women 1, percent of women 3.6% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 115, women 3, percent of women 2.5%; note - total legislature percent of women 2.7%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 27, women 1, percent of women 3.6% ++ Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 115, women 3, percent of women 2.5%; note - total legislature percent of women 2.7%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -462,7 +456,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alternative League for Haitian Progress and Empowerment or LAPEH [Jude CELESTIN]Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MCNH [Luc MESADIEU]Christian National Movement for the Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Chavannes JEUNE]Convention for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]Cooperative Action to Rebuild Haiti or KONBA [Jean William JEANTY]December 16 Platform or Platfom 16 Desanm [Dr. Gerard BLOT]Democratic Alliance Party or ALYANS [Evans PAUL] (coalition includes KID and PPRH)Democratic Centers' National Council or CONACED [Osner FEVRY]Dessalinian Patriotic and Popular Movement or MOPOD [Jean Andre VICTOR]Effort and Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [Joseph JASME]Fanmi Lavalas or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE]For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL]Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats or FHSD [Edmonde Supplice BEAUZILE]Grouping of Citizens for Hope or RESPE [Charles-Henri BAKER]Haitians for Haiti [Yvon NEPTUNE]Haitian Tet Kale Party or PHTK [Ann Valerie Timothee MILFORT]Haiti in Action or AAA [Youri LATORTUE]Independent Movement for National Reconstruction or MIRN [Luc FLEURINORD]Konbit Pou refe Ayiti or KONBITLavni Organization or LAVNI [Yves CRISTALIN]Liberal Party of Haiti or PLH [Jean Andre VICTOR]Love Haiti or Renmen Ayiti [Jean-Henry CEANT, Camille LEBLANC]Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert de RONCERAY]New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]Organization for the Advancement of Haiti and Haitians or OLAHHParty for the Integral Advancement of the Haitian People or PAIPHPatriotic Unity or IP [Marie Denise CLAUDE]Peasant's Response or Repons Peyizan [Michel MARTELLY]Platform Alternative for Progress and Democracy or ALTENATIV [Victor BENOIT and Evans PAUL]Platform of Haitian Patriots or PLAPH [Dejean BELISAIRE, Himmler REBU]Platform Pitit Desaline or PPD [Jean-Charles MOISE]PontPopular Party for the Renewal of Haiti or PPRH [Claude ROMAIN]PPG18Rally of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Mirlande MANIGAT]Renmen Ayiti or RA [Jean-Henry CEANT]Reseau National Bouclier or BouclierRespect or RESPEStrength in Unity or Ansanm Nou Fo [Leslie VOLTAIRE]Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Jacques-Edouard ALEXIS]Truth (Verite)Union [Chavannes JEUNE]Unity or Inite [Levaillant LOUIS-JEUNE]Vigilance or Veye Yo [Lavarice GAUDIN]" + "text": "Alternative League for Haitian Progress and Empowerment or LAPEH [Jude CELESTIN] ++ Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MCNH [Luc MESADIEU] ++ Christian National Movement for the Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Chavannes JEUNE] ++ Convention for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL] ++ Cooperative Action to Rebuild Haiti or KONBA [Jean William JEANTY] ++ December 16 Platform or Platfom 16 Desanm [Dr. Gerard BLOT] ++ Democratic Alliance Party or ALYANS [Evans PAUL] (coalition includes KID and PPRH) ++ Democratic Centers' National Council or CONACED [Osner FEVRY] ++ Dessalinian Patriotic and Popular Movement or MOPOD [Jean Andre VICTOR] ++ Effort and Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [Joseph JASME] ++ Fanmi Lavalas or FL [Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE] ++ For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL] ++ Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats or FHSD [Edmonde Supplice BEAUZILE] ++ Grouping of Citizens for Hope or RESPE [Charles-Henri BAKER] ++ Haitians for Haiti [Yvon NEPTUNE] ++ Haitian Tet Kale Party or PHTK [Ann Valerie Timothee MILFORT] ++ Haiti in Action or AAA [Youri LATORTUE] ++ Independent Movement for National Reconstruction or MIRN [Luc FLEURINORD] ++ Konbit Pou refe Ayiti or KONBIT ++ Lavni Organization or LAVNI [Yves CRISTALIN] ++ Liberal Party of Haiti or PLH [Jean Andre VICTOR] ++ Love Haiti or Renmen Ayiti [Jean-Henry CEANT, Camille LEBLANC] ++ Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert de RONCERAY] ++ New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU] ++ Organization for the Advancement of Haiti and Haitians or OLAHH ++ Party for the Integral Advancement of the Haitian People or PAIPH ++ Patriotic Unity or IP [Marie Denise CLAUDE] ++ Peasant's Response or Repons Peyizan [Michel MARTELLY] ++ Platform Alternative for Progress and Democracy or ALTENATIV [Victor BENOIT and Evans PAUL] ++ Platform of Haitian Patriots or PLAPH [Dejean BELISAIRE, Himmler REBU] ++ Platform Pitit Desaline or PPD [Jean-Charles MOISE] ++ Pont ++ Popular Party for the Renewal of Haiti or PPRH [Claude ROMAIN] ++ PPG18 ++ Rally of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Mirlande MANIGAT] ++ Renmen Ayiti or RA [Jean-Henry CEANT] ++ Reseau National Bouclier or Bouclier ++ Respect or RESPE ++ Strength in Unity or Ansanm Nou Fo [Leslie VOLTAIRE] ++ Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Jacques-Edouard ALEXIS] ++ Truth (Verite) ++ Union [Chavannes JEUNE] ++ Unity or Inite [Levaillant LOUIS-JEUNE] ++ Vigilance or Veye Yo [Lavarice GAUDIN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -521,7 +515,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Haiti is a free market economy with low labor costs and tariff-free access to the US for many of its exports. Two-fifths of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, which remains vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters. Poverty, corruption, vulnerability to natural disasters, and low levels of education for much of the population represent some of the most serious impediments to Haiti’s economic growth. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equivalent to more than a quarter of GDP, and nearly double the combined value of Haitian exports and foreign direct investment. Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with close to 60% of the population living under the national poverty line, Haiti’s GDP growth rose to 5.5% in 2011 as the Haitian economy began recovering from the devastating January 2010 earthquake that destroyed much of its capital city, Port-au-Prince, and neighboring areas. However, growth slowed to below 2% in 2015 and 2016 as political uncertainty, drought conditions, decreasing foreign aid, and the depreciation of the national currency took a toll on investment and economic growth. Hurricane Matthew, the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, made landfall in Haiti on 4 October 2016, with 140 mile-per-hour winds, creating a new humanitarian emergency. An estimated 2.1 million people were affected by the category 4 storm, which caused extensive damage to crops, houses, livestock, and infrastructure across Haiti’s southern peninsula. US economic engagement under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) and the 2008 Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE II) have contributed to an increase in apparel exports and investment by providing duty-free access to the US. The Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Act of 2010 extended the CBTPA and HOPE II until 2020, while the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 extended trade benefits provided to Haiti in the HOPE and HELP Acts through September 2025. Apparel sector exports in 2016 reached approximately $850 million and account for over 90% of Haitian exports and more than 10% of the GDP. Investment in Haiti is hampered by the difficulty of doing business and weak infrastructure, including access to electricity. Haiti's outstanding external debt was cancelled by donor countries following the 2010 earthquake, but has since risen to $2.6 billion as of December 2017, the majority of which is owed to Venezuela under the PetroCaribe program. Although the government has increased its revenue collection, it continues to rely on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability, with over 20% of its annual budget coming from foreign aid or direct budget support." + "text": "Haiti is a free market economy with low labor costs and tariff-free access to the US for many of its exports. Two-fifths of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, which remains vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters. Poverty, corruption, vulnerability to natural disasters, and low levels of education for much of the population represent some of the most serious impediments to Haiti's economic growth. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equivalent to more than a quarter of GDP, and nearly double the combined value of Haitian exports and foreign direct investment. ++ Currently the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with close to 60% of the population living under the national poverty line, Haiti's GDP growth rose to 5.5% in 2011 as the Haitian economy began recovering from the devastating January 2010 earthquake that destroyed much of its capital city, Port-au-Prince, and neighboring areas. However, growth slowed to below 2% in 2015 and 2016 as political uncertainty, drought conditions, decreasing foreign aid, and the depreciation of the national currency took a toll on investment and economic growth. Hurricane Matthew, the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, made landfall in Haiti on 4 October 2016, with 140 mile-per-hour winds, creating a new humanitarian emergency. An estimated 2.1 million people were affected by the category 4 storm, which caused extensive damage to crops, houses, livestock, and infrastructure across Haiti's southern peninsula. ++ US economic engagement under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) and the 2008 Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE II) have contributed to an increase in apparel exports and investment by providing duty-free access to the US. The Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Act of 2010 extended the CBTPA and HOPE II until 2020, while the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 extended trade benefits provided to Haiti in the HOPE and HELP Acts through September 2025. Apparel sector exports in 2016 reached approximately $850 million and account for over 90% of Haitian exports and more than 10% of the GDP. ++ Investment in Haiti is hampered by the difficulty of doing business and weak infrastructure, including access to electricity. Haiti's outstanding external debt was cancelled by donor countries following the 2010 earthquake, but has since risen to $2.6 billion as of December 2017, the majority of which is owed to Venezuela under the PetroCaribe program. Although the government has increased its revenue collection, it continues to rely on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability, with over 20% of its annual budget coming from foreign aid or direct budget support." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$19.97 billion (2017 est.) / $19.74 billion (2016 est.) / $19.46 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -901,7 +895,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Haiti is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; most of Haiti’s trafficking cases involve children in domestic servitude vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse; dismissed and runaway child domestic servants often end up in prostitution, begging, or street crime; other exploited populations included low-income Haitians, child laborers, and women and children living in IDP camps dating to the 2010 earthquake; Haitian adults are vulnerable to fraudulent labor recruitment abroad and, along with children, may be subjected to forced labor in the Dominican Republic, elsewhere in the Caribbean, South America, and the US; Dominicans are exploited in sex trafficking and forced labor in Haiti" + "text": "Haiti is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; most of Haiti's trafficking cases involve children in domestic servitude vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse; dismissed and runaway child domestic servants often end up in prostitution, begging, or street crime; other exploited populations included low-income Haitians, child laborers, and women and children living in IDP camps dating to the 2010 earthquake; Haitian adults are vulnerable to fraudulent labor recruitment abroad and, along with children, may be subjected to forced labor in the Dominican Republic, elsewhere in the Caribbean, South America, and the US; Dominicans are exploited in sex trafficking and forced labor in Haiti" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Haiti does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Haiti was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; in 2014, Haiti developed a national anti-trafficking action plan and enacted a law prohibiting all forms of human trafficking, although judicial corruption hampered its implementation; progress was made in investigating and prosecuting suspected traffickers, but no convictions were made; the government sustained limited efforts to identify and refer victims to protective services, which were provided mostly by NGOs without government support; campaigns to raise awareness about child labor and child trafficking continued (2015)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/ho.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/ho.json index 7a1ac21b..e4866438 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/ho.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/ho.json @@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 46%, Protestant 41%, atheist 1%, other 2%, none 9% (2014 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America and has one of the world's highest murder rates. More than half of the population lives in poverty and per capita income is one of the lowest in the region. Poverty rates are higher among rural and indigenous people and in the south, west, and along the eastern border than in the north and central areas where most of Honduras' industries and infrastructure are concentrated. The increased productivity needed to break Honduras' persistent high poverty rate depends, in part, on further improvements in educational attainment. Although primary-school enrollment is near 100%, educational quality is poor, the drop-out rate and grade repetition remain high, and teacher and school accountability is low.\nHonduras' population growth rate has slowed since the 1990s, but it remains high at nearly 2% annually because the birth rate averages approximately three children per woman and more among rural, indigenous, and poor women. Consequently, Honduras' young adult population - ages 15 to 29 - is projected to continue growing rapidly for the next three decades and then stabilize or slowly shrink. Population growth and limited job prospects outside of agriculture will continue to drive emigration. Remittances represent about a fifth of GDP." + "text": "Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America and has one of the world's highest murder rates. More than half of the population lives in poverty and per capita income is one of the lowest in the region. Poverty rates are higher among rural and indigenous people and in the south, west, and along the eastern border than in the north and central areas where most of Honduras' industries and infrastructure are concentrated. The increased productivity needed to break Honduras' persistent high poverty rate depends, in part, on further improvements in educational attainment. Although primary-school enrollment is near 100%, educational quality is poor, the drop-out rate and grade repetition remain high, and teacher and school accountability is low. ++ Honduras' population growth rate has slowed since the 1990s, but it remains high at nearly 2% annually because the birth rate averages approximately three children per woman and more among rural, indigenous, and poor women. Consequently, Honduras' young adult population - ages 15 to 29 - is projected to continue growing rapidly for the next three decades and then stabilize or slowly shrink. Population growth and limited job prospects outside of agriculture will continue to drive emigration. Remittances represent about a fifth of GDP." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -267,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "73.2% (2011/12)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 88.9% of population / total: 94.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "11.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "5.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 11.1% of population / total: 5.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -287,14 +284,11 @@ "text": "0.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95.4% of population / rural: 83.5% of population / total: 90.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "16.5% of population (2015 est.)" - }, - "total": { - "text": "9.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 4.6% of population / rural: 16.5% of population (2015 est.) / total: 9.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -478,7 +472,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance against the Dictatorship or Alianza de Oposicion conta la Dictadura [Salvador NASRALLA] (electoral coalition) Anti-Corruption Party or PAC [Marlene ALVARENGA] Christian Democratic Party or DC [Lucas AGUILERA] Democratic Unification Party or UD [Alfonso DIAZ] Freedom and Refoundation Party or LIBRE [Jose Manuel ZELAYA Rosales] Honduran Patriotic Alliance or AP [Romeo VASQUEZ Velasquez] Liberal Party or PL [Luis Orlando ZELAYA Medrano] National Party of Honduras or PNH [Reinaldo SANCHEZ Rivera] Innovation and Unity Party or PINU [Guillermo VALLE]" + "text": "Alliance against the Dictatorship or Alianza de Oposicion conta la Dictadura [Salvador NASRALLA] (electoral coalition) ++ Anti-Corruption Party or PAC [Marlene ALVARENGA] ++ Christian Democratic Party or DC [Lucas AGUILERA] ++ Democratic Unification Party or UD [Alfonso DIAZ] ++ Freedom and Refoundation Party or LIBRE [Jose Manuel ZELAYA Rosales] ++ Honduran Patriotic Alliance or AP [Romeo VASQUEZ Velasquez] ++ Liberal Party or PL [Luis Orlando ZELAYA Medrano] ++ National Party of Honduras or PNH [Reinaldo SANCHEZ Rivera] ++ Innovation and Unity Party or PINU [Guillermo VALLE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC (suspended), IOM, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO (suspended), WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -543,7 +537,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America, suffers from extraordinarily unequal distribution of income, as well as high underemployment. While historically dependent on the export of bananas and coffee, Honduras has diversified its export base to include apparel and automobile wire harnessing. Honduras’s economy depends heavily on US trade and remittances. The US-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement came into force in 2006 and has helped foster foreign direct investment, but physical and political insecurity, as well as crime and perceptions of corruption, may deter potential investors; about 15% of foreign direct investment is from US firms. The economy registered modest economic growth of 3.1%-4.0% from 2010 to 2017, insufficient to improve living standards for the nearly 65% of the population in poverty. In 2017, Honduras faced rising public debt, but its economy has performed better than expected due to low oil prices and improved investor confidence. Honduras signed a three-year standby arrangement with the IMF in December 2014, aimed at easing Honduras’s poor fiscal position." + "text": "Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America, suffers from extraordinarily unequal distribution of income, as well as high underemployment. While historically dependent on the export of bananas and coffee, Honduras has diversified its export base to include apparel and automobile wire harnessing. ++ Honduras's economy depends heavily on US trade and remittances. The US-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement came into force in 2006 and has helped foster foreign direct investment, but physical and political insecurity, as well as crime and perceptions of corruption, may deter potential investors; about 15% of foreign direct investment is from US firms. ++ The economy registered modest economic growth of 3.1%-4.0% from 2010 to 2017, insufficient to improve living standards for the nearly 65% of the population in poverty. In 2017, Honduras faced rising public debt, but its economy has performed better than expected due to low oil prices and improved investor confidence. Honduras signed a three-year standby arrangement with the IMF in December 2014, aimed at easing Honduras's poor fiscal position." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$46.3 billion (2017 est.) / $44.18 billion (2016 est.) / $42.58 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -890,7 +884,7 @@ "text": "164 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)" }, "note": { - "text": "115 km 1.057-m gauge420 km 0.914-m gauge" + "text": "115 km 1.057-m gauge ++ 420 km 0.914-m gauge" } }, "Roadways": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/jm.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/jm.json index 4d2a94e2..8cf75e68 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/jm.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/jm.json @@ -256,14 +256,11 @@ "text": "2.07 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.5% of population / rural: 93% of population / total: 96% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.5% of population / rural: 7% of population / total: 4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -276,14 +273,11 @@ "text": "1.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.5% of population / rural: 99.5% of population / total: 99% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.5% of population / rural: 0.5% of population / total: 1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -429,13 +423,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (21 seats; members appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister and the opposition leader - 13 seats allocated to the ruling party and 8 to the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms or until Parliament is dissolved)House of Representatives (63 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms or until Parliament is dissolved)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (21 seats; members appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister and the opposition leader - 13 seats allocated to the ruling party and 8 to the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms or until Parliament is dissolved) ++ House of Representatives (63 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms or until Parliament is dissolved)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last full slate of appointments on 10 March 2016 (next full slate early on 3 September 2020, following dissolution in mid-August)House of Representatives - last held on 3 September 2020 (next to be held in 2025)" + "text": "Senate - last full slate of appointments on 10 March 2016 (next full slate early on 3 September 2020, following dissolution in mid-August) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 3 September 2020 (next to be held in 2025)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 16, women 5, percent of women 23.8%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - JLP 57%, PNP 42.8%, independent 0.2%; seats by party - JLP 48, PNP 15; composition - men 45, women 18; percent of women 28.6%; note - total Parliament percent of women 27.4%" + "text": "Senate - percent by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 16, women 5, percent of women 23.8% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - JLP 57%, PNP 42.8%, independent 0.2%; seats by party - JLP 48, PNP 15; composition - men 45, women 18; percent of women 28.6%; note - total Parliament percent of women 27.4%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -450,7 +444,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Andrew Michael HOLNESS]People's National Party or PNP [Dr. Peter David PHILLIPS]National Democratic Movement or NDM [Peter TOWNSEND]" + "text": "Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Andrew Michael HOLNESS] ++ People's National Party or PNP [Dr. Peter David PHILLIPS] ++ National Democratic Movement or NDM [Peter TOWNSEND]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -512,7 +506,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which accounts for more than 70% of GDP. The country derives most of its foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, and bauxite/alumina. Earnings from remittances and tourism each account for 14% and 20% of GDP, while bauxite/alumina exports have declined to less than 5% of GDP. Jamaica's economy has grown on average less than 1% a year for the last three decades and many impediments remain to growth: a bloated public sector which crowds out spending on important projects; high crime and corruption; red-tape; and a high debt-to-GDP ratio. Jamaica, however, has made steady progress in reducing its debt-to-GDP ratio from a high of almost 150% in 2012 to less than 110% in 2017, in close collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The current IMF Stand-By Agreement requires Jamaica to produce an annual primary surplus of 7%, in an attempt to reduce its debt burden below 60% by 2025. Economic growth reached 1.6% in 2016, but declined to 0.9% in 2017 after intense rainfall, demonstrating the vulnerability of the economy to weather-related events. The HOLNESS administration therefore faces the difficult prospect of maintaining fiscal discipline to reduce the debt load while simultaneously implementing growth inducing policies and attacking a serious crime problem. High unemployment exacerbates the crime problem, including gang violence fueled by advanced fee fraud (lottery scamming) and the drug trade." + "text": "The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which accounts for more than 70% of GDP. The country derives most of its foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, and bauxite/alumina. Earnings from remittances and tourism each account for 14% and 20% of GDP, while bauxite/alumina exports have declined to less than 5% of GDP. ++ Jamaica's economy has grown on average less than 1% a year for the last three decades and many impediments remain to growth: a bloated public sector which crowds out spending on important projects; high crime and corruption; red-tape; and a high debt-to-GDP ratio. Jamaica, however, has made steady progress in reducing its debt-to-GDP ratio from a high of almost 150% in 2012 to less than 110% in 2017, in close collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The current IMF Stand-By Agreement requires Jamaica to produce an annual primary surplus of 7%, in an attempt to reduce its debt burden below 60% by 2025. ++ Economic growth reached 1.6% in 2016, but declined to 0.9% in 2017 after intense rainfall, demonstrating the vulnerability of the economy to weather-related events. The HOLNESS administration therefore faces the difficult prospect of maintaining fiscal discipline to reduce the debt load while simultaneously implementing growth inducing policies and attacking a serious crime problem. High unemployment exacerbates the crime problem, including gang violence fueled by advanced fee fraud (lottery scamming) and the drug trade." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$26.06 billion (2017 est.) / $25.89 billion (2016 est.) / $25.51 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/mh.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/mh.json index 6dce4fa3..ff2c153b 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/mh.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/mh.json @@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ "text": "only the northern half of the island is populated, the southern portion is uninhabitable due to volcanic activity" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "volcanic eruptions; severe hurricanes (June to November)\nvolcanism: Soufriere Hills volcano (915 m), has erupted continuously since 1995; a massive eruption in 1997 destroyed most of the capital, Plymouth, and resulted in approximately half of the island becoming uninhabitable; the island of Montserrat is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south" + "text": "volcanic eruptions; severe hurricanes (June to November) ++ volcanism: Soufriere Hills volcano (915 m), has erupted continuously since 1995; a massive eruption in 1997 destroyed most of the capital, Plymouth, and resulted in approximately half of the island becoming uninhabitable; the island of Montserrat is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation" @@ -213,14 +213,11 @@ "text": "1.36 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99% of population / rural: 99% of population / total: 99% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1% of population / rural: 1% of population / total: 1% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -344,7 +341,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Easton Taylor FARRELL]People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Donaldson ROMERO]" + "text": "Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Easton Taylor FARRELL] ++ People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Donaldson ROMERO]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU" @@ -368,7 +365,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airport and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998 but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. Half of the island remains uninhabitable. In January 2013, the EU announced the disbursement of a $55.2 million aid package to Montserrat in order to boost the country's economic recovery, with a specific focus on public finance management, public sector reform, and prudent economic management. Montserrat is tied to the EU through the UK. Although the UK is leaving the EU, Montserrat’s aid will not be affected as Montserrat maintains a direct agreement with the EU regarding aid." + "text": "Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airport and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998 but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. ++ Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. Half of the island remains uninhabitable. In January 2013, the EU announced the disbursement of a $55.2 million aid package to Montserrat in order to boost the country's economic recovery, with a specific focus on public finance management, public sector reform, and prudent economic management. Montserrat is tied to the EU through the UK. Although the UK is leaving the EU, Montserrat's aid will not be affected as Montserrat maintains a direct agreement with the EU regarding aid." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$167.4 million (2011 est.) / $155.9 million (2010 est.) / $162.7 million (2009 est.)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/nu.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/nu.json index 7220f499..fc18b9aa 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/nu.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/nu.json @@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ "text": "the overwhelming majority of the population resides in the western half of the country, with much of the urban growth centered in the capital city of Managua; coastal areas also show large population clusters" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes\nvolcanism: significant volcanic activity; Cerro Negro (728 m), which last erupted in 1999, is one of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes; its lava flows and ash have been known to cause significant damage to farmland and buildings; other historically active volcanoes include Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Masaya, Momotombo, San Cristobal, and Telica" + "text": "destructive earthquakes; volcanoes; landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes ++ volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Cerro Negro (728 m), which last erupted in 1999, is one of Nicaragua's most active volcanoes; its lava flows and ash have been known to cause significant damage to farmland and buildings; other historically active volcanoes include Concepcion, Cosiguina, Las Pilas, Masaya, Momotombo, San Cristobal, and Telica" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; drought" @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 50%, Evangelical 33.2%, other 2.9%, unspecified 13.2%, none 0.7% (2017 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Despite being one of the poorest countries in Latin America, Nicaragua has improved its access to potable water and sanitation and has ameliorated its life expectancy, infant and child mortality, and immunization rates. However, income distribution is very uneven, and the poor, agriculturalists, and indigenous people continue to have less access to healthcare services. Nicaragua's total fertility rate has fallen from around 6 children per woman in 1980 to below replacement level today, but the high birth rate among adolescents perpetuates a cycle of poverty and low educational attainment.\nNicaraguans emigrate primarily to Costa Rica and to a lesser extent the United States. Nicaraguan men have been migrating seasonally to Costa Rica to harvest bananas and coffee since the early 20th century. Political turmoil, civil war, and natural disasters from the 1970s through the 1990s dramatically increased the flow of refugees and permanent migrants seeking jobs, higher wages, and better social and healthcare benefits. Since 2000, Nicaraguan emigration to Costa Rica has slowed and stabilized. Today roughly 300,000 Nicaraguans are permanent residents of Costa Rica - about 75% of the foreign population - and thousands more migrate seasonally for work, many illegally." + "text": "Despite being one of the poorest countries in Latin America, Nicaragua has improved its access to potable water and sanitation and has ameliorated its life expectancy, infant and child mortality, and immunization rates. However, income distribution is very uneven, and the poor, agriculturalists, and indigenous people continue to have less access to healthcare services. Nicaragua's total fertility rate has fallen from around 6 children per woman in 1980 to below replacement level today, but the high birth rate among adolescents perpetuates a cycle of poverty and low educational attainment. ++ Nicaraguans emigrate primarily to Costa Rica and to a lesser extent the United States. Nicaraguan men have been migrating seasonally to Costa Rica to harvest bananas and coffee since the early 20th century. Political turmoil, civil war, and natural disasters from the 1970s through the 1990s dramatically increased the flow of refugees and permanent migrants seeking jobs, higher wages, and better social and healthcare benefits. Since 2000, Nicaraguan emigration to Costa Rica has slowed and stabilized. Today roughly 300,000 Nicaraguans are permanent residents of Costa Rica - about 75% of the foreign population - and thousands more migrate seasonally for work, many illegally." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "80.4% (2011/12)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.6% of population / rural: 62.6% of population / total: 83.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "37.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "16.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.4% of population / rural: 37.4% of population / total: 16.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "0.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 10.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 89.8% of population / rural: 66.5% of population / total: 80.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "33.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "19.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 10.2% of population / rural: 33.5% of population / total: 19.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -464,7 +458,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Carlos CANALES]Conservative Party or PC [Alfredo CESAR]Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Jose del Carmen ALVARADO]Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC [Maria Haydee OSUNA]Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN [Alejandro MEJIA Ferreti]Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Suyen BARAHONA]Sons of Mother Earth or YATAMA [Brooklyn RIVERA]" + "text": "Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Carlos CANALES] ++ Conservative Party or PC [Alfredo CESAR] ++ Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Jose del Carmen ALVARADO] ++ Liberal Constitutionalist Party or PLC [Maria Haydee OSUNA] ++ Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance or ALN [Alejandro MEJIA Ferreti] ++ Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Jose Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra] ++ Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Suyen BARAHONA] ++ Sons of Mother Earth or YATAMA [Brooklyn RIVERA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "BCIE, CACM, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, SICA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -526,7 +520,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty. GDP growth of 4.5% in 2017 was insufficient to make a significant difference. Textiles and agriculture combined account for nearly 50% of Nicaragua's exports. Beef, coffee, and gold are Nicaragua’s top three export commodities. The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many Nicaraguan agricultural and manufactured goods. In 2013, the government granted a 50-year concession with the option for an additional 50 years to a newly formed Chinese-run company to finance and build an inter-oceanic canal and related projects, at an estimated cost of $50 billion. The canal construction has not started." + "text": "Nicaragua, the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty. GDP growth of 4.5% in 2017 was insufficient to make a significant difference. Textiles and agriculture combined account for nearly 50% of Nicaragua's exports. Beef, coffee, and gold are Nicaragua's top three export commodities. ++ The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement has been in effect since April 2006 and has expanded export opportunities for many Nicaraguan agricultural and manufactured goods. ++ In 2013, the government granted a 50-year concession with the option for an additional 50 years to a newly formed Chinese-run company to finance and build an inter-oceanic canal and related projects, at an estimated cost of $50 billion. The canal construction has not started." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$36.4 billion (2017 est.) / $34.71 billion (2016 est.) / $33.17 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/pm.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/pm.json index 0e35da0f..eaa86a01 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/pm.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/pm.json @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Panama is a country of demographic and economic contrasts. It is in the midst of a demographic transition, characterized by steadily declining rates of fertility, mortality, and population growth, but disparities persist based on wealth, geography, and ethnicity. Panama has one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America and dedicates substantial funding to social programs, yet poverty and inequality remain prevalent. The indigenous population accounts for a growing share of Panama's poor and extreme poor, while the non-indigenous rural poor have been more successful at rising out of poverty through rural-to-urban labor migration. The government's large expenditures on untargeted, indirect subsidies for water, electricity, and fuel have been ineffective, but its conditional cash transfer program has shown some promise in helping to decrease extreme poverty among the indigenous population.\nPanama has expanded access to education and clean water, but the availability of sanitation and, to a lesser extent, electricity remains poor. The increase in secondary schooling - led by female enrollment - is spreading to rural and indigenous areas, which probably will help to alleviate poverty if educational quality and the availability of skilled jobs improve. Inadequate access to sanitation contributes to a high incidence of diarrhea in Panama's children, which is one of the main causes of Panama's elevated chronic malnutrition rate, especially among indigenous communities." + "text": "Panama is a country of demographic and economic contrasts. It is in the midst of a demographic transition, characterized by steadily declining rates of fertility, mortality, and population growth, but disparities persist based on wealth, geography, and ethnicity. Panama has one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America and dedicates substantial funding to social programs, yet poverty and inequality remain prevalent. The indigenous population accounts for a growing share of Panama's poor and extreme poor, while the non-indigenous rural poor have been more successful at rising out of poverty through rural-to-urban labor migration. The government's large expenditures on untargeted, indirect subsidies for water, electricity, and fuel have been ineffective, but its conditional cash transfer program has shown some promise in helping to decrease extreme poverty among the indigenous population. ++ Panama has expanded access to education and clean water, but the availability of sanitation and, to a lesser extent, electricity remains poor. The increase in secondary schooling - led by female enrollment - is spreading to rural and indigenous areas, which probably will help to alleviate poverty if educational quality and the availability of skilled jobs improve. Inadequate access to sanitation contributes to a high incidence of diarrhea in Panama's children, which is one of the main causes of Panama's elevated chronic malnutrition rate, especially among indigenous communities." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "50.8% (2014/15)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 94.8% of population / total: 98.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "5.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 5.2% of population / total: 1.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "2.3 beds/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.2% of population / rural: 72.4% of population / total: 89.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "27.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "10.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.8% of population / rural: 27.6% of population / total: 10.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -466,7 +460,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Change or CD [Romulo ROUX]Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Benicio ROBINSON]Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Francisco \"Pancho\" ALEMAN]Panamenista Party [Jose Luis \"Popi\" VARELA Rodriguez] (formerly the Arnulfista Party)Popular Party or PP [Juan Carlos ARANGO Reese] (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)" + "text": "Democratic Change or CD [Romulo ROUX] ++ Democratic Revolutionary Party or PRD [Benicio ROBINSON] ++ Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or MOLIRENA [Francisco \"Pancho\" ALEMAN] ++ Panamenista Party [Jose Luis \"Popi\" VARELA Rodriguez] (formerly the Arnulfista Party) ++ Popular Party or PP [Juan Carlos ARANGO Reese] (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "BCIE, CAN (observer), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA, UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -525,7 +519,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Panama's dollar-based economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for more than three-quarters of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, logistics, banking, the Colon Free Trade Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism and Panama is a center for offshore banking. Panama's transportation and logistics services sectors, along with infrastructure development projects, have boosted economic growth; however, public debt surpassed $37 billion in 2016 because of excessive government spending and public works projects. The US-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement was approved by Congress and signed into law in October 2011, and entered into force in October 2012. Future growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and was completed in 2016 at a cost of $5.3 billion - about 10-15% of current GDP. The expansion project more than doubled the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate high-capacity vessels such as tankers and neopanamax vessels that are too large to traverse the existing canal. The US and China are the top users of the Canal. Strong economic performance has not translated into broadly shared prosperity, as Panama has the second worst income distribution in Latin America. About one-fourth of the population lives in poverty; however, from 2006 to 2012 poverty was reduced by 10 percentage points." + "text": "Panama's dollar-based economy rests primarily on a well-developed services sector that accounts for more than three-quarters of GDP. Services include operating the Panama Canal, logistics, banking, the Colon Free Trade Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism and Panama is a center for offshore banking. Panama's transportation and logistics services sectors, along with infrastructure development projects, have boosted economic growth; however, public debt surpassed $37 billion in 2016 because of excessive government spending and public works projects. The US-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement was approved by Congress and signed into law in October 2011, and entered into force in October 2012. ++ Future growth will be bolstered by the Panama Canal expansion project that began in 2007 and was completed in 2016 at a cost of $5.3 billion - about 10-15% of current GDP. The expansion project more than doubled the Canal's capacity, enabling it to accommodate high-capacity vessels such as tankers and neopanamax vessels that are too large to traverse the existing canal. The US and China are the top users of the Canal. ++ Strong economic performance has not translated into broadly shared prosperity, as Panama has the second worst income distribution in Latin America. About one-fourth of the population lives in poverty; however, from 2006 to 2012 poverty was reduced by 10 percentage points." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$104.1 billion (2017 est.) / $98.82 billion (2016 est.) / $94.12 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/rn.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/rn.json index 106f5303..9c597950 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/rn.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/rn.json @@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Continuons pour St. Martin [Aline HANSON]En marche vers le progres or MVP [Alain RICHARDSON]Gereration Hope or HOPE [Jules CHARVILLE]Movement for Justice and Prosperity or MJP [Louis MUSSINGTON]New Direction [Jeanne VANTERPOOL]Rally Responsibility Success (Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON]Team Daniel Gibbs 2017 or TDG [Daniel GIBBS]Union for Progress (Union Pour le Progres or UPP) [Louis-Constant FLEMING]; affiliated with UMP" + "text": "Continuons pour St. Martin [Aline HANSON] ++ En marche vers le progres or MVP [Alain RICHARDSON] ++ Gereration Hope or HOPE [Jules CHARVILLE] ++ Movement for Justice and Prosperity or MJP [Louis MUSSINGTON] ++ New Direction [Jeanne VANTERPOOL] ++ Rally Responsibility Success (Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON] ++ Team Daniel Gibbs 2017 or TDG [Daniel GIBBS] ++ Union for Progress (Union Pour le Progres or UPP) [Louis-Constant FLEMING]; affiliated with UMP" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "UPU" @@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The economy of Saint Martin centers on tourism with 85% of the labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million visitors come to the island each year with most arriving through the Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. The financial sector is also important to Saint Martin’s economy as it facilitates financial mediation for its thriving tourism sector. No significant agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported, primarily from Mexico and the US. Saint Martin is reported to have one of the highest per capita income in the Caribbean. As with the rest of the Caribbean, Saint Martin’s financial sector is having to deal with losing correspondent banking relationships. In September 2017, Hurricane Irma destroyed 95% of the French side of Saint Martin. Along the coastline of Marigot, the nerve center of the economy, the storm wiped out restaurants, shops, banks and open-air markets impacting more than 36,000 inhabitants." + "text": "The economy of Saint Martin centers on tourism with 85% of the labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million visitors come to the island each year with most arriving through the Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. The financial sector is also important to Saint Martin's economy as it facilitates financial mediation for its thriving tourism sector. No significant agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported, primarily from Mexico and the US. Saint Martin is reported to have one of the highest per capita income in the Caribbean. As with the rest of the Caribbean, Saint Martin's financial sector is having to deal with losing correspondent banking relationships. ++ In September 2017, Hurricane Irma destroyed 95% of the French side of Saint Martin. Along the coastline of Marigot, the nerve center of the economy, the storm wiped out restaurants, shops, banks and open-air markets impacting more than 36,000 inhabitants." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$561.5 million (2005 est.)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/rq.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/rq.json index 0d9c43b7..2378f7bd 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/rq.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/rq.json @@ -236,16 +236,22 @@ "text": "1.24 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 97% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Physicians density": { "text": "3.06 physicians/1,000 population (2018)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 97.2% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 2.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -385,13 +391,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa consists of:Senate or Senado (30 seats; 16 members directly elected in 8 2-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 14 at-large members directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (51 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa consists of: Senate or Senado (30 seats; 16 members directly elected in 8 2-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 14 at-large members directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) ++ House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (51 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 3 November 2020) House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 3 November 2020)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 3 November 2020) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 3 November 2020)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 21, PPD 7, PIP 1, Independent 1; composition - men 23, women 7, percent of women 23.3% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 34, PPD 16, PIP 1; composition - men 11, women 4, percent of women 26.7%; total Legislative Assembly percent of women 16% note: Puerto Rico directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 4-year term as a commissioner to the US House of Representatives; the commissioner can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House but not when legislation is submitted for a 'full floor' House vote; election of commissioner last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2022)" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 21, PPD 7, PIP 1, Independent 1; composition - men 23, women 7, percent of women 23.3% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 34, PPD 16, PIP 1; composition - men 11, women 4, percent of women 26.7%; total Legislative Assembly percent of women 16% ++ note: Puerto Rico directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 4-year term as a commissioner to the US House of Representatives; the commissioner can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House but not when legislation is submitted for a 'full floor' House vote; election of commissioner last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2022)" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -406,7 +412,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "National Democratic Party [Charlie RODRIGUEZ]National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Jenniffer GONZALEZ]New Progressive Party or PNP [Ricardo ROSSELLO] (pro-US statehood)Popular Democratic Party or PPD [Alejandro GARCIA Padillo] (pro-commonwealth)Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] (pro-independence)" + "text": "National Democratic Party [Charlie RODRIGUEZ] ++ National Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Jenniffer GONZALEZ] ++ New Progressive Party or PNP [Ricardo ROSSELLO] (pro-US statehood) ++ Popular Democratic Party or PPD [Alejandro GARCIA Padillo] (pro-commonwealth) ++ Puerto Rican Independence Party or PIP [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez] (pro-independence)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "AOSIS (observer), Caricom (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNWTO (associate), UPU, WFTU (NGOs)" @@ -442,7 +448,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Puerto Rico had one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region until 2006; however, growth has been negative for each of the last 11 years. The downturn coincided with the phaseout of tax preferences that had led US firms to invest heavily in the Commonwealth since the 1950s, and a steep rise in the price of oil, which generates most of the island's electricity. Diminished job opportunities prompted a sharp rise in outmigration, as many Puerto Ricans sought jobs on the US mainland. Unemployment reached 16% in 2011, but declined to 11.5% in December 2017. US minimum wage laws apply in Puerto Rico, hampering job expansion. Per capita income is about two-thirds that of the US mainland. The industrial sector greatly exceeds agriculture as the locus of economic activity and income. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income with estimated arrivals of more than 3.6 million tourists in 2008. Puerto Rico's merchandise trade surplus is exceptionally strong, with exports nearly 50% greater than imports, and its current account surplus about 10% of GDP. Closing the budget deficit while restoring economic growth and employment remain the central concerns of the government. The gap between revenues and expenditures amounted to 0.6% of GDP in 2016, although analysts believe that not all expenditures have been accounted for in the budget and a better accounting of costs would yield an overall deficit of roughly 5% of GDP. Public debt remained steady at 92.5% of GDP in 2017, about $17,000 per person, or nearly three times the per capita debt of the State of Connecticut, the highest in the US. Much of that debt was issued by state-run schools and public corporations, including water and electric utilities. In June 2015, Governor Alejandro GARCIA Padilla announced that the island could not pay back at least $73 billion in debt and that it would seek a deal with its creditors. Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico square on in September 2017, causing electrical power outages to 90% of the territory, as well as extensive loss of housing and infrastructure and contamination of potable water. Despite massive efforts, more than 40% of the territory remained without electricity as of yearend 2017. As a result of the destruction, many Puerto Ricans have emigrated to the US mainland." + "text": "Puerto Rico had one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region until 2006; however, growth has been negative for each of the last 11 years. The downturn coincided with the phaseout of tax preferences that had led US firms to invest heavily in the Commonwealth since the 1950s, and a steep rise in the price of oil, which generates most of the island's electricity. ++ Diminished job opportunities prompted a sharp rise in outmigration, as many Puerto Ricans sought jobs on the US mainland. Unemployment reached 16% in 2011, but declined to 11.5% in December 2017. US minimum wage laws apply in Puerto Rico, hampering job expansion. Per capita income is about two-thirds that of the US mainland. ++ The industrial sector greatly exceeds agriculture as the locus of economic activity and income. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of income with estimated arrivals of more than 3.6 million tourists in 2008. Puerto Rico's merchandise trade surplus is exceptionally strong, with exports nearly 50% greater than imports, and its current account surplus about 10% of GDP. ++ Closing the budget deficit while restoring economic growth and employment remain the central concerns of the government. The gap between revenues and expenditures amounted to 0.6% of GDP in 2016, although analysts believe that not all expenditures have been accounted for in the budget and a better accounting of costs would yield an overall deficit of roughly 5% of GDP. Public debt remained steady at 92.5% of GDP in 2017, about $17,000 per person, or nearly three times the per capita debt of the State of Connecticut, the highest in the US. Much of that debt was issued by state-run schools and public corporations, including water and electric utilities. In June 2015, Governor Alejandro GARCIA Padilla announced that the island could not pay back at least $73 billion in debt and that it would seek a deal with its creditors. ++ Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico square on in September 2017, causing electrical power outages to 90% of the territory, as well as extensive loss of housing and infrastructure and contamination of potable water. Despite massive efforts, more than 40% of the territory remained without electricity as of yearend 2017. As a result of the destruction, many Puerto Ricans have emigrated to the US mainland." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$130 billion (2017 est.) / $133.1 billion (2016 est.) / $134.9 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/sc.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/sc.json index 23f34588..0d445a13 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/sc.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/sc.json @@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ "text": "population clusters are found in the small towns located on the periphery of both islands" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "hurricanes (July to October)\nvolcanism: Mount Liamuiga (1,156 m) on Saint Kitts, and Nevis Peak (985 m) on Nevis, are both volcanoes that are part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles, which extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south" + "text": "hurricanes (July to October) ++ volcanism: Mount Liamuiga (1,156 m) on Saint Kitts, and Nevis Peak (985 m) on Nevis, are both volcanoes that are part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles, which extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation; soil erosion and silting affects marine life on coral reefs; water pollution from uncontrolled dumping of sewage" @@ -227,14 +227,11 @@ "text": "1.77 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.3% of population / rural: 98.3% of population / total: 98.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.7% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.7% of population / rural: 1.7% of population / total: 1.7% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -247,14 +244,11 @@ "text": "4.8 beds/1,000 population (2012)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 12.7% of population (2007 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 87.3% of population (2007 est.) / rural: 87.3% of population (2007 est.) / total: 87.3% of population (2007 est.)" }, - "rural": { - "text": "12.7% of population (2007 est.)" - }, - "total": { - "text": "12.7% of population (2007 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 12.7% of population (2007 est.) / rural: 12.7% of population (2007 est.) / total: 12.7% of population (2007 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -396,7 +390,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Mark BRANTLEY]Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]People's Action Movement or PAM [Shawn RICHARDS]People's Labour Party or PLP [Dr. Timothy HARRIS]Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]" + "text": "Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Mark BRANTLEY] ++ Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY] ++ People's Action Movement or PAM [Shawn RICHARDS] ++ People's Labour Party or PLP [Dr. Timothy HARRIS] ++ Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO" @@ -441,7 +435,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis depends on tourism; since the 1970s, tourism has replaced sugar as the economy’s traditional mainstay. Roughly 200,000 tourists visited the islands in 2009, but reduced tourism arrivals and foreign investment led to an economic contraction in the 2009-2013 period, and the economy returned to growth only in 2014. Like other tourist destinations in the Caribbean, Saint Kitts and Nevis is vulnerable to damage from natural disasters and shifts in tourism demand. Following the 2005 harvest, the government closed the sugar industry after several decades of losses. To compensate for lost jobs, the government has embarked on a program to diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate other sectors of the economy, such as export-oriented manufacturing and offshore banking. The government has made notable progress in reducing its public debt, from 154% of GDP in 2011 to 83% in 2013, although it still faces one of the highest levels in the world, largely attributable to public enterprise losses. Saint Kitts and Nevis is among other countries in the Caribbean that supplement their economic activity through economic citizenship programs, whereby foreigners can obtain citizenship from Saint Kitts and Nevis by investing there." + "text": "The economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis depends on tourism; since the 1970s, tourism has replaced sugar as the economy's traditional mainstay. Roughly 200,000 tourists visited the islands in 2009, but reduced tourism arrivals and foreign investment led to an economic contraction in the 2009-2013 period, and the economy returned to growth only in 2014. Like other tourist destinations in the Caribbean, Saint Kitts and Nevis is vulnerable to damage from natural disasters and shifts in tourism demand. ++ Following the 2005 harvest, the government closed the sugar industry after several decades of losses. To compensate for lost jobs, the government has embarked on a program to diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate other sectors of the economy, such as export-oriented manufacturing and offshore banking. The government has made notable progress in reducing its public debt, from 154% of GDP in 2011 to 83% in 2013, although it still faces one of the highest levels in the world, largely attributable to public enterprise losses. Saint Kitts and Nevis is among other countries in the Caribbean that supplement their economic activity through economic citizenship programs, whereby foreigners can obtain citizenship from Saint Kitts and Nevis by investing there." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.55 billion (2017 est.) / $1.518 billion (2016 est.) / $1.476 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/st.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/st.json index 9adde17a..54b75609 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/st.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/st.json @@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ "text": "most of the population is found on the periphery of the island, with a larger concentration in the north around the capital of Castries" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "hurricanes\nvolcanism: Mount Gimie (948 m), also known as Qualibou, is a caldera on the west of the island; the iconic twin pyramidal peaks of Gros Piton (771 m) and Petit Piton (743 m) are lava dome remnants associated with the Soufriere volcano; there have been no historical magmatic eruptions, but a minor steam eruption in 1766 spread a thin layer of ash over a wide area; Saint Lucia is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south" + "text": "hurricanes ++ volcanism: Mount Gimie (948 m), also known as Qualibou, is a caldera on the west of the island; the iconic twin pyramidal peaks of Gros Piton (771 m) and Petit Piton (743 m) are lava dome remnants associated with the Soufriere volcano; there have been no historical magmatic eruptions, but a minor steam eruption in 1766 spread a thin layer of ash over a wide area; Saint Lucia is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region" @@ -247,14 +247,11 @@ "text": "55.5% (2011/12)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -267,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95.6% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 99.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 4.4% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -406,13 +400,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (11 seats; 6 members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 2 upon consultation with religious, economic, and social groups; members serve 5-year terms) House of Assembly (17 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (11 seats; 6 members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, 3 on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and 2 upon consultation with religious, economic, and social groups; members serve 5-year terms) ++ House of Assembly (17 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last appointments on 12 July 2016 (next in 2021) House of Assembly - last held on 6 June 2016 (next to be held in 2021)" + "text": "Senate - last appointments on 12 July 2016 (next in 2021) ++ House of Assembly - last held on 6 June 2016 (next to be held in 2021)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 8, women 3, percent of women 27.3% House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - UWP 54.8%, SLP 44.1%, other 1.1%; seats by party - UWP 11, SLP 6; composition - men 14, women 3, percent of women 17.6%; note - total Parliament percent of women 21.4%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 8, women 3, percent of women 27.3% ++ House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - UWP 54.8%, SLP 44.1%, other 1.1%; seats by party - UWP 11, SLP 6; composition - men 14, women 3, percent of women 17.6%; note - total Parliament percent of women 21.4%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -427,7 +421,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Lucian People's Movement or LPM [Therold PRUDENT]Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Philip J. PIERRE]United Workers Party or UWP [Allen CHASTANET]" + "text": "Lucian People's Movement or LPM [Therold PRUDENT] ++ Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Philip J. PIERRE] ++ United Workers Party or UWP [Allen CHASTANET]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -472,7 +466,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. Tourism is Saint Lucia's main source of jobs and income - accounting for 65% of GDP - and the island's main source of foreign exchange earnings. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area. Crops such as bananas, mangos, and avocados continue to be grown for export, but St. Lucia's once solid banana industry has been devastated by strong competition. Saint Lucia is vulnerable to a variety of external shocks, including volatile tourism receipts, natural disasters, and dependence on foreign oil. Furthermore, high public debt - 77% of GDP in 2012 - and high debt servicing obligations constrain the CHASTANET administration's ability to respond to adverse external shocks. St. Lucia has experienced anemic growth since the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008, largely because of a slowdown in tourism - airlines cut back on their routes to St. Lucia in 2012. Also, St. Lucia introduced a value added tax in 2012 of 15%, becoming the last country in the Eastern Caribbean to do so. In 2013, the government introduced a National Competitiveness and Productivity Council to address St. Lucia's high public wages and lack of productivity." + "text": "The island nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment, especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. Tourism is Saint Lucia's main source of jobs and income - accounting for 65% of GDP - and the island's main source of foreign exchange earnings. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean area. Crops such as bananas, mangos, and avocados continue to be grown for export, but St. Lucia's once solid banana industry has been devastated by strong competition. ++ Saint Lucia is vulnerable to a variety of external shocks, including volatile tourism receipts, natural disasters, and dependence on foreign oil. Furthermore, high public debt - 77% of GDP in 2012 - and high debt servicing obligations constrain the CHASTANET administration's ability to respond to adverse external shocks. ++ St. Lucia has experienced anemic growth since the onset of the global financial crisis in 2008, largely because of a slowdown in tourism - airlines cut back on their routes to St. Lucia in 2012. Also, St. Lucia introduced a value added tax in 2012 of 15%, becoming the last country in the Eastern Caribbean to do so. In 2013, the government introduced a National Competitiveness and Productivity Council to address St. Lucia's high public wages and lack of productivity." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.542 billion (2017 est.) / $2.469 billion (2016 est.) / $2.388 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/tb.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/tb.json index c17098ff..aa911051 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/tb.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/tb.json @@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "All for Saint Barth (Tous pour Saint-Barth) [Bettina COINTRE]Saint Barth Essential (Saint-Barth Autrement) [Marie-Helene BERNIER]Saint Barth First! (Saint-Barth d'Abord!) or SBA [Bruno MAGRAS]Saint Barth United (Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy) [Xavier LEDEE]" + "text": "All for Saint Barth (Tous pour Saint-Barth) [Bettina COINTRE] ++ Saint Barth Essential (Saint-Barth Autrement) [Marie-Helene BERNIER] ++ Saint Barth First! (Saint-Barth d'Abord!) or SBA [Bruno MAGRAS] ++ Saint Barth United (Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy) [Xavier LEDEE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "UPU" @@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The economy of Saint Barthelemy is based upon high-end tourism and duty-free luxury commerce, serving visitors primarily from North America. The luxury hotels and villas host 70,000 visitors each year with another 130,000 arriving by boat. The relative isolation and high cost of living inhibits mass tourism. The construction and public sectors also enjoy significant investment in support of tourism. With limited fresh water resources, all food must be imported, as must all energy resources and most manufactured goods. The tourism sector creates a strong employment demand and attracts labor from Brazil and Portugal. The country’s currency is the euro." + "text": "The economy of Saint Barthelemy is based upon high-end tourism and duty-free luxury commerce, serving visitors primarily from North America. The luxury hotels and villas host 70,000 visitors each year with another 130,000 arriving by boat. The relative isolation and high cost of living inhibits mass tourism. The construction and public sectors also enjoy significant investment in support of tourism. With limited fresh water resources, all food must be imported, as must all energy resources and most manufactured goods. The tourism sector creates a strong employment demand and attracts labor from Brazil and Portugal. The country's currency is the euro." }, "Exchange rates": { "text": "2013 est.) / 0.885 (2017 est.) / 0.903 (2016 est.) / 0.9214 (2015 est.) / 0.885 (2014 est.)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/td.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/td.json index 7f373229..b9da72bb 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/td.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/td.json @@ -256,8 +256,11 @@ "text": "40.3% (2011)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 99.3% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -270,8 +273,11 @@ "text": "3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 99.3% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -348,7 +354,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "9 regions, 3 boroughs, 2 cities, 1 ward regions: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco borough: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin cities: Port of Spain, San Fernando ward: Tobago" + "text": "9 regions, 3 boroughs, 2 cities, 1 ward ++ regions: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco ++ borough: Arima, Chaguanas, Point Fortin ++ cities: Port of Spain, San Fernando ++ ward: Tobago" }, "Independence": { "text": "31 August 1962 (from the UK)" @@ -406,13 +412,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the president, and 6 by the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms;)House of Representatives 42 seats; 41 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and the house speaker - usually designated from outside Parliament; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the president, and 6 by the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms;) ++ House of Representatives 42 seats; 41 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and the house speaker - usually designated from outside Parliament; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last appointments on 23 September 2015 (next in 2020)House of Representatives - last held on 10 August 2020 (next to be held in 2025)" + "text": "Senate - last appointments on 23 September 2015 (next in 2020) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 10 August 2020 (next to be held in 2025)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 21, women 10, percent of women 32.3%House of Representatives - percent by party - NA; seats by party - PNM 22, UNC 19; composition - NA" + "text": "Senate - percent by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 21, women 10, percent of women 32.3% ++ House of Representatives - percent by party - NA; seats by party - PNM 22, UNC 19; composition - NA" }, "note": { "text": "note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly (16 seats; 12 assemblymen directly elected by simple majority vote and 4 appointed councillors - 3 on the advice of the chief secretary and 1 on the advice of the minority leader; members serve 4-year terms)" @@ -430,7 +436,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Congress of the People or COP [Carolyn SEEPERSAD-BACHAN]People's National Movement or PNM [Keith ROWLEY]Progressive Democratic Patriots (Tobago)United National Congress or UNC [Kamla PERSAD-BISSESSAR]" + "text": "Congress of the People or COP [Carolyn SEEPERSAD-BACHAN] ++ People's National Movement or PNM [Keith ROWLEY] ++ Progressive Democratic Patriots (Tobago) ++ United National Congress or UNC [Kamla PERSAD-BISSESSAR]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -489,7 +495,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Trinidad and Tobago relies on its energy sector for much of its economic activity, and has one of the highest per capita incomes in Latin America. Economic growth between 2000 and 2007 averaged slightly over 8% per year, significantly above the regional average of about 3.7% for that same period; however, GDP has slowed down since then, contracting during 2009-12, making small gains in 2013 and contracting again in 2014-17. Trinidad and Tobago is buffered by considerable foreign reserves and a sovereign wealth fund that equals about one-and-a-half times the national budget, but the country is still in a recession and the government faces the dual challenge of gas shortages and a low price environment. Large-scale energy projects in the last quarter of 2017 are helping to mitigate the gas shortages. Energy production and downstream industrial use dominate the economy. Oil and gas typically account for about 40% of GDP and 80% of exports but less than 5% of employment. Trinidad and Tobago is home to one of the largest natural gas liquefaction facilities in the Western Hemisphere. The country produces about nine times more natural gas than crude oil on an energy equivalent basis with gas contributing about two-thirds of energy sector government revenue. The US is the country’s largest trading partner, accounting for 28% of its total imports and 48% of its exports. Economic diversification is a longstanding government talking point, and Trinidad and Tobago has much potential due to its stable, democratic government and its educated, English speaking workforce. The country is also a regional financial center with a well-regulated and stable financial system. Other sectors the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has targeted for increased investment and projected growth include tourism, agriculture, information and communications technology, and shipping. Unfortunately, a host of other factors, including low labor productivity, inefficient government bureaucracy, and corruption, have hampered economic development." + "text": "Trinidad and Tobago relies on its energy sector for much of its economic activity, and has one of the highest per capita incomes in Latin America. Economic growth between 2000 and 2007 averaged slightly over 8% per year, significantly above the regional average of about 3.7% for that same period; however, GDP has slowed down since then, contracting during 2009-12, making small gains in 2013 and contracting again in 2014-17. Trinidad and Tobago is buffered by considerable foreign reserves and a sovereign wealth fund that equals about one-and-a-half times the national budget, but the country is still in a recession and the government faces the dual challenge of gas shortages and a low price environment. Large-scale energy projects in the last quarter of 2017 are helping to mitigate the gas shortages. ++ Energy production and downstream industrial use dominate the economy. Oil and gas typically account for about 40% of GDP and 80% of exports but less than 5% of employment. Trinidad and Tobago is home to one of the largest natural gas liquefaction facilities in the Western Hemisphere. The country produces about nine times more natural gas than crude oil on an energy equivalent basis with gas contributing about two-thirds of energy sector government revenue. The US is the country's largest trading partner, accounting for 28% of its total imports and 48% of its exports. ++ Economic diversification is a longstanding government talking point, and Trinidad and Tobago has much potential due to its stable, democratic government and its educated, English speaking workforce. The country is also a regional financial center with a well-regulated and stable financial system. Other sectors the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has targeted for increased investment and projected growth include tourism, agriculture, information and communications technology, and shipping. Unfortunately, a host of other factors, including low labor productivity, inefficient government bureaucracy, and corruption, have hampered economic development." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$42.85 billion (2017 est.) / $43.99 billion (2016 est.) / $46.83 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -858,7 +864,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Trinidad and Tobago is a destination, transit, and possible source country for adults and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; women and girls from Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Colombia have been subjected to sex trafficking in Trinidad and Tobago’s brothels and clubs; some economic migrants from the Caribbean region and Asia are vulnerable to forced labor in domestic service and the retail sector; the steady flow of vessels transiting Trinidad and Tobago’s territorial waters may also increase opportunities for forced labor for fishing; international crime organizations are increasingly involved in trafficking, and boys are coerced to sell drugs and guns; corruption among police and immigration officials impedes anti-trafficking efforts" + "text": "Trinidad and Tobago is a destination, transit, and possible source country for adults and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; women and girls from Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Colombia have been subjected to sex trafficking in Trinidad and Tobago's brothels and clubs; some economic migrants from the Caribbean region and Asia are vulnerable to forced labor in domestic service and the retail sector; the steady flow of vessels transiting Trinidad and Tobago's territorial waters may also increase opportunities for forced labor for fishing; international crime organizations are increasingly involved in trafficking, and boys are coerced to sell drugs and guns; corruption among police and immigration officials impedes anti-trafficking efforts" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Trinidad and Tobago does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts decreased from the initiation of 12 prosecutions in 2013 to 1 in 2014; the government has yet to convict anyone under its 2011 anti-trafficking law, and all prosecutions from previous years remain pending; the government sustained efforts to identify victims and to refer them for care at NGO facilities, which it provided with funding; the government failed to draft a national action plan as mandated under the 2011 anti-trafficking law and did not launch a sufficiently robust awareness campaign to educate the public and officials (2015)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/tk.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/tk.json index 672e8e68..a040f7d8 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/tk.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/tk.json @@ -213,13 +213,19 @@ "text": "1.7 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 5.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 94.3% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 5.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 12% of population (2017)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 88% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 12% of population (2017)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -349,7 +355,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Sharlene CARTWRIGHT-ROBINSON]Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]" + "text": "People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Sharlene CARTWRIGHT-ROBINSON] ++ Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/vc.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/vc.json index f87f84c6..c44b8395 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/vc.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/vc.json @@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ "text": "most of the population is concentrated in and around the capital of Kingstown" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "hurricanes; La Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat\nvolcanism: La Soufriere (1,234 m) on the island of Saint Vincent last erupted in 1979; the island of Saint Vincent is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south" + "text": "hurricanes; La Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat ++ volcanism: La Soufriere (1,234 m) on the island of Saint Vincent last erupted in 1979; the island of Saint Vincent is part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive; poor land use planning; deforestation; watershed management and squatter settlement control" @@ -244,8 +244,11 @@ "text": "1.76 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 95.1% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 4.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -258,8 +261,11 @@ "text": "4.3 beds/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 9.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 90.2% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 9.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -395,7 +401,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Republican Party or DRP [Anesia BAPTISTE]New Democratic Party or NDP [Godwin L. FRIDAY]Unity Labor Party or ULP [Dr. Ralph GONSALVES] (formed in 1994 by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)SVG Green Party or SVGP [Ivan O'NEAL]" + "text": "Democratic Republican Party or DRP [Anesia BAPTISTE] ++ New Democratic Party or NDP [Godwin L. FRIDAY] ++ Unity Labor Party or ULP [Dr. Ralph GONSALVES] (formed in 1994 by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU) ++ SVG Green Party or SVGP [Ivan O'NEAL]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, Petrocaribe, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WTO" @@ -440,7 +446,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Success of the economy hinges upon seasonal variations in agriculture, tourism, and construction activity, as well as remittances. Much of the workforce is employed in banana production and tourism. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is home to a small offshore banking sector and continues to fully adopt international regulatory standards. This lower-middle-income country remains vulnerable to natural and external shocks. The economy has shown some signs of recovery due to increased tourist arrivals, falling oil prices and renewed growth in the construction sector. The much anticipated international airport opened in early 2017 with hopes for increased airlift and tourism activity. The government's ability to invest in social programs and respond to external shocks is constrained by its high public debt burden, which was 67% of GDP at the end of 2013." + "text": "Success of the economy hinges upon seasonal variations in agriculture, tourism, and construction activity, as well as remittances. Much of the workforce is employed in banana production and tourism. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is home to a small offshore banking sector and continues to fully adopt international regulatory standards. ++ This lower-middle-income country remains vulnerable to natural and external shocks. The economy has shown some signs of recovery due to increased tourist arrivals, falling oil prices and renewed growth in the construction sector. The much anticipated international airport opened in early 2017 with hopes for increased airlift and tourism activity. The government's ability to invest in social programs and respond to external shocks is constrained by its high public debt burden, which was 67% of GDP at the end of 2013." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.265 billion (2017 est.) / $1.256 billion (2016 est.) / $1.246 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/vi.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/vi.json index bc64bca4..46622c9b 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/vi.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/vi.json @@ -216,19 +216,19 @@ "text": "1.33 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.5% of population / rural: 97.5% of population / total: 97.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "2.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.5% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.5% of population / rural: 2.5% of population / total: 2.5% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "National Democratic Party or NDP [Myron WALWYN]People's Empowerment Party or PEP [Alvin CHRISTOPHER]Progressive Virgin Islands Movement or PVIM [Ronnie SKELTON]Progressives United or PU [Julian FRASER]Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Andrew FAHIE]" + "text": "National Democratic Party or NDP [Myron WALWYN] ++ People's Empowerment Party or PEP [Alvin CHRISTOPHER] ++ Progressive Virgin Islands Movement or PVIM [Ronnie SKELTON] ++ Progressives United or PU [Julian FRASER] ++ Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Andrew FAHIE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU" @@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, which generates an estimated 45% of the national income. More than 934,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 2008. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the US dollar as its currency since 1959. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, made the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business." + "text": "The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, which generates an estimated 45% of the national income. More than 934,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 2008. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the US dollar as its currency since 1959. ++ Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. ++ In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, made the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$500 million (2017 est.) / $490.2 million (2016 est.) / $481.1 million (2015 est.)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/vq.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/vq.json index 2b840b56..9f93df87 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/vq.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/vq.json @@ -230,13 +230,19 @@ "text": "2.03 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 98.7% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 1.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 100% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -287,7 +293,7 @@ "text": "UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "etymology: originally called Taphus in Danish - meaning \"tap house\" or \"beer house\" because of its many beer halls - the town received a more dignified name in 1691 when it was named Charlotte Amalie in honor of Danish King Christian V’s wife, Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (1650–1714)" + "text": "etymology: originally called Taphus in Danish - meaning \"tap house\" or \"beer house\" because of its many beer halls - the town received a more dignified name in 1691 when it was named Charlotte Amalie in honor of Danish King Christian V's wife, Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (1650–1714)" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -337,13 +343,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral Legislature of the Virgin Islands (15 seats; senators directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve 2-year terms)the Virgin Islands directly elects 1 delegate to the US House of Representatives by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term" + "text": "unicameral Legislature of the Virgin Islands (15 seats; senators directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve 2-year terms) ++ the Virgin Islands directly elects 1 delegate to the US House of Representatives by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term" }, "elections": { - "text": "Legislature of the Virgin Islands last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)US House of Representatives last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)" + "text": "Legislature of the Virgin Islands last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020) ++ US House of Representatives last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Legislature of the Virgin Islands - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 13, independents 2; composition - men 11, women 4, percent of women 26.7%delegate to US House of Representatives - seat by party - Democratic Party 1; composition - 1 woman" + "text": "Legislature of the Virgin Islands - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 13, independents 2; composition - men 11, women 4, percent of women 26.7% ++ delegate to US House of Representatives - seat by party - Democratic Party 1; composition - 1 woman" }, "note": { "text": "note: the Virgin Islands to the US House of Representatives can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote" @@ -361,7 +367,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Party [Stacey PLASKELL]Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Dale BLYDEN]Republican Party [John CANEGATA]" + "text": "Democratic Party [Stacey PLASKELL] ++ Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Dale BLYDEN] ++ Republican Party [John CANEGATA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs)" @@ -393,7 +399,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Tourism, trade, other services, and rum production are the primary economic activities of the US Virgin Islands (USVI), accounting for most of its GDP and employment. The USVI receives between 2.5 and 3 million tourists a year, mostly from visiting cruise ships. The islands are vulnerable to damage from storms, as evidenced by the destruction from two major hurricanes in 2017. Recovery and rebuilding have continued, but full recovery from these back-to-back hurricanes is years away. The USVI government estimates it will need $7.5 billion, almost twice the territory’s GDP, to rebuild the territory. The agriculture sector is small and most food is imported. In 2016, government spending (both federal and territorial together) accounted for about 27% of GDP while exports of goods and services, including spending by tourists, accounted for nearly 47%. Federal programs and grants, including rum tax cover-over totaling $482.3 million in 2016, contributed 32.2% of the territory’s total revenues. The economy picked up 0.9% in 2016 and had appeared to be progressing before the 2017 hurricanes severely damaged the territory’s infrastructure and the economy." + "text": "Tourism, trade, other services, and rum production are the primary economic activities of the US Virgin Islands (USVI), accounting for most of its GDP and employment. The USVI receives between 2.5 and 3 million tourists a year, mostly from visiting cruise ships. The islands are vulnerable to damage from storms, as evidenced by the destruction from two major hurricanes in 2017. Recovery and rebuilding have continued, but full recovery from these back-to-back hurricanes is years away. The USVI government estimates it will need $7.5 billion, almost twice the territory's GDP, to rebuild the territory. ++ The agriculture sector is small and most food is imported. In 2016, government spending (both federal and territorial together) accounted for about 27% of GDP while exports of goods and services, including spending by tourists, accounted for nearly 47%. Federal programs and grants, including rum tax cover-over totaling $482.3 million in 2016, contributed 32.2% of the territory's total revenues. The economy picked up 0.9% in 2016 and had appeared to be progressing before the 2017 hurricanes severely damaged the territory's infrastructure and the economy." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$3.872 billion (2016 est.) / $3.759 billion (2015 est.) / $3.622 billion (2014 est.)", diff --git a/central-asia/kg.json b/central-asia/kg.json index c2279c4a..12957f1e 100644 --- a/central-asia/kg.json +++ b/central-asia/kg.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, most of the territory of the present-day Kyrgyz Republic was formally annexed to the Russian Empire in 1876. The Kyrgyz staged a major revolt against the Tsarist Empire in 1916 in which almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz population was killed. The Kyrgyz Republic became a Soviet republic in 1936 and achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwide demonstrations in 2005 and 2010 resulted in the ouster of the country’s first two presidents, Askar AKAEV and Kurmanbek BAKIEV. Interim President Roza OTUNBAEVA led a transitional government and following a nation-wide election, President Almazbek ATAMBAEV was sworn in as president in 2011. In 2017, ATAMBAEV became the first Kyrgyzstani president to step down after serving one full six-year term as required in the country’s constitution. Former prime minister and ruling Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan member Sooronbay JEENBEKOV replaced him after winning an October 2017 presidential election that was the most competitive in the country’s history, although international and local election observers noted cases of vote buying and abuse of public resources. The president holds substantial powers as head of state even though the prime minister oversees the Kyrgyzstani Government and selects most cabinet members. The president represents the country internationally and can sign or veto laws, call for new elections, and nominate Supreme Court judges, cabinet members for posts related to security or defense, and numerous other high-level positions. Continuing concerns for the Kyrgyz Republic include the trajectory of democratization, endemic corruption, a history of tense, and at times violent, interethnic relations, border security vulnerabilities, and potential terrorist threats." + "text": "A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions, most of the territory of the present-day Kyrgyz Republic was formally annexed to the Russian Empire in 1876. The Kyrgyz staged a major revolt against the Tsarist Empire in 1916 in which almost one-sixth of the Kyrgyz population was killed. The Kyrgyz Republic became a Soviet republic in 1936 and achieved independence in 1991 when the USSR dissolved. Nationwide demonstrations in 2005 and 2010 resulted in the ouster of the country's first two presidents, Askar AKAEV and Kurmanbek BAKIEV. Interim President Roza OTUNBAEVA led a transitional government and following a nation-wide election, President Almazbek ATAMBAEV was sworn in as president in 2011. In 2017, ATAMBAEV became the first Kyrgyzstani president to step down after serving one full six-year term as required in the country's constitution. Former prime minister and ruling Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan member Sooronbay JEENBEKOV replaced him after winning an October 2017 presidential election that was the most competitive in the country's history, although international and local election observers noted cases of vote buying and abuse of public resources. The president holds substantial powers as head of state even though the prime minister oversees the Kyrgyzstani Government and selects most cabinet members. The president represents the country internationally and can sign or veto laws, call for new elections, and nominate Supreme Court judges, cabinet members for posts related to security or defense, and numerous other high-level positions. Continuing concerns for the Kyrgyz Republic include the trajectory of democratization, endemic corruption, a history of tense, and at times violent, interethnic relations, border security vulnerabilities, and potential terrorist threats." } }, "Geography": { @@ -249,14 +249,11 @@ "text": "39.4% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.1% of population / rural: 84.4% of population / total: 89.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "15.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "10.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.9% of population / rural: 15.6% of population / total: 10.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -269,14 +266,11 @@ "text": "4.4 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.6% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 99.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.4% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -455,7 +449,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Almambet SHYKMAMATOV]Bir Bol (Stay United) [Altynbek SULAYMANOV]Kyrgyzstan Party [Almazbek BAATYRBEKOV]Onuguu-Progress (Development-Progress) [Bakyt TOROBAEV]Respublika-Ata-Jurt (Republic-Homeland) [Jyrgalbek TURUSKULOV] (parliamentary faction)Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan or SDPK [Almazbek ATAMBAEV, Isa OMURKULOV]" + "text": "Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Almambet SHYKMAMATOV] ++ Bir Bol (Stay United) [Altynbek SULAYMANOV] ++ Kyrgyzstan Party [Almazbek BAATYRBEKOV] ++ Onuguu-Progress (Development-Progress) [Bakyt TOROBAEV] ++ Respublika-Ata-Jurt (Republic-Homeland) [Jyrgalbek TURUSKULOV] (parliamentary faction) ++ Social-Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan or SDPK [Almazbek ATAMBAEV, Isa OMURKULOV]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (compliant country), FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -514,7 +508,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked, mountainous, lower middle income country with an economy dominated by minerals extraction, agriculture, and reliance on remittances from citizens working abroad. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only cotton is exported in any quantity. Other exports include gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, and - in some years - electricity. The country has sought to attract foreign investment to expand its export base, including construction of hydroelectric dams, but a difficult investment climate and an ongoing legal battle with a Canadian firm over the joint ownership structure of the nation’s largest gold mine deter potential investors. Remittances from Kyrgyz migrant workers, predominantly in Russia and Kazakhstan, are equivalent to more than one-quarter of Kyrgyzstan’s GDP. Following independence, Kyrgyzstan rapidly implemented market reforms, such as improving the regulatory system and instituting land reform. In 1998, Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. The government has privatized much of its ownership shares in public enterprises. Despite these reforms, the country suffered a severe drop in production in the early 1990s and has again faced slow growth in recent years as the global financial crisis and declining oil prices have dampened economies across Central Asia. The Kyrgyz government remains dependent on foreign donor support to finance its annual budget deficit of approximately 3 to 5% of GDP. Kyrgyz leaders hope the country’s August 2015 accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will bolster trade and investment, but slowing economies in Russia and China and low commodity prices continue to hamper economic growth. Large-scale trade and investment pledged by Kyrgyz leaders has been slow to develop. Many Kyrgyz entrepreneurs and politicians complain that non-tariff measures imposed by other EAEU member states are hurting certain sectors of the Kyrgyz economy, such as meat and dairy production, in which they have comparative advantage. Since acceding to the EAEU, the Kyrgyz Republic has continued harmonizing its laws and regulations to meet EAEU standards, though many local entrepreneurs believe this process as disjointed and incomplete. Kyrgyzstan’s economic development continues to be hampered by corruption, lack of administrative transparency, lack of diversity in domestic industries, and difficulty attracting foreign aid and investment." + "text": "Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked, mountainous, lower middle income country with an economy dominated by minerals extraction, agriculture, and reliance on remittances from citizens working abroad. Cotton, wool, and meat are the main agricultural products, although only cotton is exported in any quantity. Other exports include gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas, and - in some years - electricity. The country has sought to attract foreign investment to expand its export base, including construction of hydroelectric dams, but a difficult investment climate and an ongoing legal battle with a Canadian firm over the joint ownership structure of the nation's largest gold mine deter potential investors. Remittances from Kyrgyz migrant workers, predominantly in Russia and Kazakhstan, are equivalent to more than one-quarter of Kyrgyzstan's GDP. ++ Following independence, Kyrgyzstan rapidly implemented market reforms, such as improving the regulatory system and instituting land reform. In 1998, Kyrgyzstan was the first Commonwealth of Independent States country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. The government has privatized much of its ownership shares in public enterprises. Despite these reforms, the country suffered a severe drop in production in the early 1990s and has again faced slow growth in recent years as the global financial crisis and declining oil prices have dampened economies across Central Asia. The Kyrgyz government remains dependent on foreign donor support to finance its annual budget deficit of approximately 3 to 5% of GDP. ++ Kyrgyz leaders hope the country's August 2015 accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will bolster trade and investment, but slowing economies in Russia and China and low commodity prices continue to hamper economic growth. Large-scale trade and investment pledged by Kyrgyz leaders has been slow to develop. Many Kyrgyz entrepreneurs and politicians complain that non-tariff measures imposed by other EAEU member states are hurting certain sectors of the Kyrgyz economy, such as meat and dairy production, in which they have comparative advantage. Since acceding to the EAEU, the Kyrgyz Republic has continued harmonizing its laws and regulations to meet EAEU standards, though many local entrepreneurs believe this process as disjointed and incomplete. Kyrgyzstan's economic development continues to be hampered by corruption, lack of administrative transparency, lack of diversity in domestic industries, and difficulty attracting foreign aid and investment." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$23.15 billion (2017 est.) / $22.14 billion (2016 est.) / $21.22 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-asia/kz.json b/central-asia/kz.json index 7ddf4888..a21658d6 100644 --- a/central-asia/kz.json +++ b/central-asia/kz.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Ethnic Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes with additional Persian cultural influences, migrated to the region in the 15th century. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1925. Repression and starvation associated with forced agricultural collectivization led to a massive number of deaths in the 1930s. During the 1950s and 1960s, the agricultural \"Virgin Lands\" program led to an influx of settlers (mostly ethnic Russians, but also other nationalities) and at the time of Kazakhstan’s independence in 1991, ethnic Kazakhs were a minority. Non-Muslim ethnic minorities departed Kazakhstan in large numbers from the mid-1990s through the mid-2000s and a national program has repatriated about a million ethnic Kazakhs (from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, and the Xinjiang region of China) back to Kazakhstan. As a result of this shift, the ethnic Kazakh share of the population now exceeds two-thirds.Kazakhstan's economy is the largest in the Central Asian states, mainly due to the country's vast natural resources. Current issues include: diversifying the economy, obtaining membership in global and regional international economic institutions, enhancing Kazakhstan's economic competitiveness, and strengthening relations with neighboring states and foreign powers." + "text": "Ethnic Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes with additional Persian cultural influences, migrated to the region in the 15th century. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1925. Repression and starvation associated with forced agricultural collectivization led to a massive number of deaths in the 1930s. During the 1950s and 1960s, the agricultural \"Virgin Lands\" program led to an influx of settlers (mostly ethnic Russians, but also other nationalities) and at the time of Kazakhstan's independence in 1991, ethnic Kazakhs were a minority. Non-Muslim ethnic minorities departed Kazakhstan in large numbers from the mid-1990s through the mid-2000s and a national program has repatriated about a million ethnic Kazakhs (from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, and the Xinjiang region of China) back to Kazakhstan. As a result of this shift, the ethnic Kazakh share of the population now exceeds two-thirds. ++ Kazakhstan's economy is the largest in the Central Asian states, mainly due to the country's vast natural resources. Current issues include: diversifying the economy, obtaining membership in global and regional international economic institutions, enhancing Kazakhstan's economic competitiveness, and strengthening relations with neighboring states and foreign powers." } }, "Geography": { @@ -252,14 +252,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 93.8% of population / total: 97.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "6.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 6.2% of population / total: 2.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "6.1 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.9% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 99.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.1% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -372,7 +366,7 @@ "text": "UTC+6 (11 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Kazakhstan has two time zones etymology: on 20 March 2019, Kazakhstan changed the name of its capital city from Astana to Nur-Sultan in honor of its long-serving, recently retired president, Nursultan NAZARBAYEV; this was not the first time the city had its name changed; founded in 1830 as Akmoly, it became Akmolinsk in 1832, Tselinograd in 1961, Akmola (Aqmola) in 1992, and Astana in 1998" + "text": "note: Kazakhstan has two time zones ++ etymology: on 20 March 2019, Kazakhstan changed the name of its capital city from Astana to Nur-Sultan in honor of its long-serving, recently retired president, Nursultan NAZARBAYEV; this was not the first time the city had its name changed; founded in 1830 as Akmoly, it became Akmolinsk in 1832, Tselinograd in 1961, Akmola (Aqmola) in 1992, and Astana in 1998" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -437,13 +431,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (49 seats; 34 members indirectly elected by majority 2-round vote by the oblast-level assemblies and 15 members appointed by decree of the president; members serve 6-year terms, with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years)Mazhilis (107 seats; 98 members directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 9 indirectly elected by the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan, a 350-member, presidentially appointed advisory body designed to represent the country's ethnic minorities)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (49 seats; 34 members indirectly elected by majority 2-round vote by the oblast-level assemblies and 15 members appointed by decree of the president; members serve 6-year terms, with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) ++ Mazhilis (107 seats; 98 members directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 9 indirectly elected by the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan, a 350-member, presidentially appointed advisory body designed to represent the country's ethnic minorities)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 12 August 2020 (next to be held in 2026)Mazhilis - last held on 20 March 2016 (next to be held by 2021)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 12 August 2020 (next to be held in 2026) ++ Mazhilis - last held on 20 March 2016 (next to be held by 2021)" }, "election results": { - "text": " Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 42, women 5, percent of women 10.6%Mazhilis - percent of vote by party - Nur Otan 82.2%, Ak Zhol 7.2%, Communist People's Party 7.1%, other 3.5%; seats by party - Nur Otan 84, Ak Zhol 7, Communist People's Party 7; composition - men 78, women 29, percent of women 27.1%; note - total Parliament percent of women 22.1%" + "text": "  ++ Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 42, women 5, percent of women 10.6% ++ Mazhilis - percent of vote by party - Nur Otan 82.2%, Ak Zhol 7.2%, Communist People's Party 7.1%, other 3.5%; seats by party - Nur Otan 84, Ak Zhol 7, Communist People's Party 7; composition - men 78, women 29, percent of women 27.1%; note - total Parliament percent of women 22.1%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -458,7 +452,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Ak Zhol (Bright Path) Party or Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Ak Zhol [Azat PERUASHEV]Birlik (Unity) Party [Serik SULTANGALI]Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan [informal leader Aikyn KONUROV]National Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Zharmakhan TUYAKBAY]Nur Otan (Radiant Fatherland) Democratic People's Party [Nursultan NAZARBAYEV]People's Democratic (Patriotic) Party \"Auyl\" [Ali BEKTAYEV]Ult Tagdyry (Conscience of the Nation)" + "text": "Ak Zhol (Bright Path) Party or Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Ak Zhol [Azat PERUASHEV] ++ Birlik (Unity) Party [Serik SULTANGALI] ++ Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan [informal leader Aikyn KONUROV] ++ National Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Zharmakhan TUYAKBAY] ++ Nur Otan (Radiant Fatherland) Democratic People's Party [Nursultan NAZARBAYEV] ++ People's Democratic (Patriotic) Party \"Auyl\" [Ali BEKTAYEV] ++ Ult Tagdyry (Conscience of the Nation)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (compliant country), FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC" @@ -520,7 +514,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Kazakhstan's vast hydrocarbon and mineral reserves form the backbone of its economy. Geographically the largest of the former Soviet republics, excluding Russia, Kazakhstan, g possesses substantial fossil fuel reserves and other minerals and metals, such as uranium, copper, and zinc. It also has a large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain. The government realizes that its economy suffers from an overreliance on oil and extractive industries and has made initial attempts to diversify its economy by targeting sectors like transport, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, petrochemicals and food processing for greater development and investment. It also adopted a Subsoil Code in December 2017 with the aim of increasing exploration and investment in the hydrocarbon, and particularly mining, sectors. Kazakhstan's oil production and potential is expanding rapidly. A $36.8 billion expansion of Kazakhstan’s premiere Tengiz oil field by Chevron-led Tengizchevroil should be complete in 2022. Meanwhile, the super-giant Kashagan field finally launched production in October 2016 after years of delay and an estimated $55 billion in development costs. Kazakhstan’s total oil production in 2017 climbed 10.5%. Kazakhstan is landlocked and depends on Russia to export its oil to Europe. It also exports oil directly to China. In 2010, Kazakhstan joined Russia and Belarus to establish a Customs Union in an effort to boost foreign investment and improve trade. The Customs Union evolved into a Single Economic Space in 2012 and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in January 2015. Supported by rising commodity prices, Kazakhstan’s exports to EAEU countries increased 30.2% in 2017. Imports from EAEU countries grew by 24.1%. The economic downturn of its EAEU partner, Russia, and the decline in global commodity prices from 2014 to 2016 contributed to an economic slowdown in Kazakhstan. In 2014, Kazakhstan devalued its currency, the tenge, and announced a stimulus package to cope with its economic challenges. In the face of further decline in the ruble, oil prices, and the regional economy, Kazakhstan announced in 2015 it would replace its currency band with a floating exchange rate, leading to a sharp fall in the value of the tenge. Since reaching a low of 391 to the dollar in January 2016, the tenge has modestly appreciated, helped by somewhat higher oil prices. While growth slowed to about 1% in both 2015 and 2016, a moderate recovery in oil prices, relatively stable inflation and foreign exchange rates, and the start of production at Kashagan helped push 2017 GDP growth to 4%. Despite some positive institutional and legislative changes in the last several years, investors remain concerned about corruption, bureaucracy, and arbitrary law enforcement, especially at the regional and municipal levels. An additional concern is the condition of the country’s banking sector, which suffers from poor asset quality and a lack of transparency. Investors also question the potentially negative effects on the economy of a contested presidential succession as Kazakhstan’s first president, Nursultan NAZARBAYEV, turned 77 in 2017." + "text": "Kazakhstan's vast hydrocarbon and mineral reserves form the backbone of its economy. Geographically the largest of the former Soviet republics, excluding Russia, Kazakhstan, g possesses substantial fossil fuel reserves and other minerals and metals, such as uranium, copper, and zinc. It also has a large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain. The government realizes that its economy suffers from an overreliance on oil and extractive industries and has made initial attempts to diversify its economy by targeting sectors like transport, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, petrochemicals and food processing for greater development and investment. It also adopted a Subsoil Code in December 2017 with the aim of increasing exploration and investment in the hydrocarbon, and particularly mining, sectors. ++ Kazakhstan's oil production and potential is expanding rapidly. A $36.8 billion expansion of Kazakhstan's premiere Tengiz oil field by Chevron-led Tengizchevroil should be complete in 2022. Meanwhile, the super-giant Kashagan field finally launched production in October 2016 after years of delay and an estimated $55 billion in development costs. Kazakhstan's total oil production in 2017 climbed 10.5%. ++ Kazakhstan is landlocked and depends on Russia to export its oil to Europe. It also exports oil directly to China. In 2010, Kazakhstan joined Russia and Belarus to establish a Customs Union in an effort to boost foreign investment and improve trade. The Customs Union evolved into a Single Economic Space in 2012 and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) in January 2015. Supported by rising commodity prices, Kazakhstan's exports to EAEU countries increased 30.2% in 2017. Imports from EAEU countries grew by 24.1%. ++ The economic downturn of its EAEU partner, Russia, and the decline in global commodity prices from 2014 to 2016 contributed to an economic slowdown in Kazakhstan. In 2014, Kazakhstan devalued its currency, the tenge, and announced a stimulus package to cope with its economic challenges. In the face of further decline in the ruble, oil prices, and the regional economy, Kazakhstan announced in 2015 it would replace its currency band with a floating exchange rate, leading to a sharp fall in the value of the tenge. Since reaching a low of 391 to the dollar in January 2016, the tenge has modestly appreciated, helped by somewhat higher oil prices. While growth slowed to about 1% in both 2015 and 2016, a moderate recovery in oil prices, relatively stable inflation and foreign exchange rates, and the start of production at Kashagan helped push 2017 GDP growth to 4%. ++ Despite some positive institutional and legislative changes in the last several years, investors remain concerned about corruption, bureaucracy, and arbitrary law enforcement, especially at the regional and municipal levels. An additional concern is the condition of the country's banking sector, which suffers from poor asset quality and a lack of transparency. Investors also question the potentially negative effects on the economy of a contested presidential succession as Kazakhstan's first president, Nursultan NAZARBAYEV, turned 77 in 2017." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$478.6 billion (2017 est.) / $460.3 billion (2016 est.) / $455.3 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-asia/rs.json b/central-asia/rs.json index 5a1aea78..0dd30880 100644 --- a/central-asia/rs.json +++ b/central-asia/rs.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new ROMANOV Dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Devastating defeats and food shortages in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the ROMANOV Dynasty. The communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. After defeating Germany in World War II as part of an alliance with the US (1939-1945), the USSR expanded its territory and influence in Eastern Europe and emerged as a global power. The USSR was the principal adversary of the US during the Cold War (1947-1991). The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the decades following Stalin's rule, until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 led to the dissolution of the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent states. Following economic and political turmoil during President Boris YELTSIN's term (1991-99), Russia shifted toward a centralized authoritarian state under President Vladimir PUTIN (2000-2008, 2012-present) in which the regime seeks to legitimize its rule through managed elections, populist appeals, a foreign policy focused on enhancing the country's geopolitical influence, and commodity-based economic growth. Russia faces a largely subdued rebel movement in Chechnya and some other surrounding regions, although violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus." + "text": "Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy was able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding principalities. In the early 17th century, a new ROMANOV Dynasty continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific. Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia. Defeat in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 contributed to the Revolution of 1905, which resulted in the formation of a parliament and other reforms. Devastating defeats and food shortages in World War I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the ROMANOV Dynasty. The communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Iosif STALIN (1928-53) strengthened communist rule and Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of lives. After defeating Germany in World War II as part of an alliance with the US (1939-1945), the USSR expanded its territory and influence in Eastern Europe and emerged as a global power. The USSR was the principal adversary of the US during the Cold War (1947-1991). The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the decades following Stalin's rule, until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an attempt to modernize communism, but his initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991 led to the dissolution of the USSR into Russia and 14 other independent states. ++ Following economic and political turmoil during President Boris YELTSIN's term (1991-99), Russia shifted toward a centralized authoritarian state under President Vladimir PUTIN (2000-2008, 2012-present) in which the regime seeks to legitimize its rule through managed elections, populist appeals, a foreign policy focused on enhancing the country's geopolitical influence, and commodity-based economic growth. Russia faces a largely subdued rebel movement in Chechnya and some other surrounding regions, although violence still occurs throughout the North Caucasus." } }, "Geography": { @@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ "text": "population is heavily concentrated in the westernmost fifth of the country extending from the Baltic Sea, south to the Caspian Sea, and eastward parallel to the Kazakh border; elsewhere, sizeable pockets are isolated and generally found in the south" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia\nvolcanism: significant volcanic activity on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands; the peninsula alone is home to some 29 historically active volcanoes, with dozens more in the Kuril Islands; Kliuchevskoi (4,835 m), which erupted in 2007 and 2010, is Kamchatka's most active volcano; Avachinsky and Koryaksky volcanoes, which pose a threat to the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Bezymianny, Chikurachki, Ebeko, Gorely, Grozny, Karymsky, Ketoi, Kronotsky, Ksudach, Medvezhia, Mutnovsky, Sarychev Peak, Shiveluch, Tiatia, Tolbachik, and Zheltovsky; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" + "text": "permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia ++ volcanism: significant volcanic activity on the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands; the peninsula alone is home to some 29 historically active volcanoes, with dozens more in the Kuril Islands; Kliuchevskoi (4,835 m), which erupted in 2007 and 2010, is Kamchatka's most active volcano; Avachinsky and Koryaksky volcanoes, which pose a threat to the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Bezymianny, Chikurachki, Ebeko, Gorely, Grozny, Karymsky, Ketoi, Kronotsky, Ksudach, Medvezhia, Mutnovsky, Sarychev Peak, Shiveluch, Tiatia, Tolbachik, and Zheltovsky; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; nuclear waste disposal; scattered areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from toxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides" @@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture note 2: Russia's far east, particularly the Kamchatka Peninsula, lies along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire note 3: Mount El'brus is Europe's tallest peak; Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world, is estimated to hold one fifth of the world's fresh surface waternote 4: Kaliningrad oblast is an exclave annexed from Germany following World War II (it was formerly part of East Prussia); its capital city of Kaliningrad - formerly Koenigsberg - is the only Baltic port in Russia that remains ice free in the winter" + "text": "note 1: largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for agriculture ++ note 2: Russia's far east, particularly the Kamchatka Peninsula, lies along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire ++ note 3: Mount El'brus is Europe's tallest peak; Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world, is estimated to hold one fifth of the world's fresh surface water ++ note 4: Kaliningrad oblast is an exclave annexed from Germany following World War II (it was formerly part of East Prussia); its capital city of Kaliningrad - formerly Koenigsberg - is the only Baltic port in Russia that remains ice free in the winter" } } }, @@ -272,14 +272,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.6% of population / rural: 94.2% of population / total: 97.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "5.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.4% of population / rural: 5.8% of population / total: 2.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -292,14 +289,11 @@ "text": "8.1 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 5.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 94.8% of population / rural: 78.1% of population / total: 90.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "21.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "9.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 5.2% of population / rural: 21.9% of population / total: 9.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -406,13 +400,13 @@ "text": "does not observe daylight savings time" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Russia has 11 time zones, the largest number of contiguous time zones of any country in the world; in 2014, two time zones were added and DST droppedetymology: named after the Moskva River; the origin of the river's name is obscure but may derive from the appellation \"Mustajoki\" given to the river by the Finno-Ugric people who originally inhabited the area and whose meaning may have been \"dark\" or \"turbid\"" + "text": "note: Russia has 11 time zones, the largest number of contiguous time zones of any country in the world; in 2014, two time zones were added and DST dropped ++ etymology: named after the Moskva River; the origin of the river's name is obscure but may derive from the appellation \"Mustajoki\" given to the river by the Finno-Ugric people who originally inhabited the area and whose meaning may have been \"dark\" or \"turbid\"" } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "46 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respubliki, singular - respublika), 4 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnyye okrugi, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 9 krays (kraya, singular - kray), 2 federal cities (goroda, singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous oblast (avtonomnaya oblast') oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Belgorod, Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk, Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl' republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan (Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya (Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas), Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista), Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk), Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola), Mordoviya (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Sakha [Yakutiya] (Yakutsk), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk) autonomous okrugs: Chukotka (Anadyr'), Khanty-Mansi-Yugra (Khanty-Mansiysk), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard) krays: Altay (Barnaul), Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Perm', Primorskiy [Maritime] (Vladivostok), Stavropol', Zabaykal'sk [Transbaikal] (Chita) federal cities: Moscow [Moskva], Saint Petersburg [Sankt-Peterburg] autonomous oblast: Yevreyskaya [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)", + "text": "46 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respubliki, singular - respublika), 4 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnyye okrugi, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 9 krays (kraya, singular - kray), 2 federal cities (goroda, singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous oblast (avtonomnaya oblast') ++ oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Belgorod, Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk, Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl' ++ republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan (Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya (Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas), Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista), Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk), Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola), Mordoviya (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Sakha [Yakutiya] (Yakutsk), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk) ++ autonomous okrugs: Chukotka (Anadyr'), Khanty-Mansi-Yugra (Khanty-Mansiysk), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard) ++ krays: Altay (Barnaul), Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Perm', Primorskiy [Maritime] (Vladivostok), Stavropol', Zabaykal'sk [Transbaikal] (Chita) ++ federal cities: Moscow [Moskva], Saint Petersburg [Sankt-Peterburg] ++ autonomous oblast: Yevreyskaya [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)", "note": { - "text": "note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) note: the United States does not recognize Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the municipality of Sevastopol, nor their redesignation as the \"Republic of Crimea\" and the \"Federal City of Sevastopol\"" + "text": "note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses) ++ note: the United States does not recognize Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the municipality of Sevastopol, nor their redesignation as the \"Republic of Crimea\" and the \"Federal City of Sevastopol\"" } }, "Independence": { @@ -426,7 +420,7 @@ "text": "several previous (during Russian Empire and Soviet era); latest drafted 12 July 1993, adopted by referendum 12 December 1993, effective 25 December 1993" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the president of the Russian Federation, by either house of the Federal Assembly, by the government of the Russian Federation, or by legislative (representative) bodies of the Federation's constituent entities; proposals to amend the government’s constitutional system, human and civil rights and freedoms, and procedures for amending or drafting a new constitution require formation of a Constitutional Assembly; passage of such amendments requires two-thirds majority vote of its total membership; passage in a referendum requires participation of an absolute majority of eligible voters and an absolute majority of valid votes; approval of proposed amendments to the government structure, authorities, and procedures requires approval by the legislative bodies of at least two thirds of the Russian Federation's constituent entities; amended 2008, 2014, 2020" + "text": "proposed by the president of the Russian Federation, by either house of the Federal Assembly, by the government of the Russian Federation, or by legislative (representative) bodies of the Federation's constituent entities; proposals to amend the government's constitutional system, human and civil rights and freedoms, and procedures for amending or drafting a new constitution require formation of a Constitutional Assembly; passage of such amendments requires two-thirds majority vote of its total membership; passage in a referendum requires participation of an absolute majority of eligible voters and an absolute majority of valid votes; approval of proposed amendments to the government structure, authorities, and procedures requires approval by the legislative bodies of at least two thirds of the Russian Federation's constituent entities; amended 2008, 2014, 2020" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -474,21 +468,21 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of:Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (170 seats; 2 members in each of the 83 federal administrative units (see note below) - oblasts, krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and federal cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg - appointed by the top executive and legislative officials; members serve 4-year terms) State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats (see note below); as of February 2014, the electoral system reverted to a mixed electoral system for the 2016 election, in which one-half of the members are directly elected by simple majority vote and one-half directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of: Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (170 seats; 2 members in each of the 83 federal administrative units (see note below) - oblasts, krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and federal cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg - appointed by the top executive and legislative officials; members serve 4-year terms) ++ State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats (see note below); as of February 2014, the electoral system reverted to a mixed electoral system for the 2016 election, in which one-half of the members are directly elected by simple majority vote and one-half directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "State Duma - last held on 18 September 2016 (next to be held in fall 2021)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Federation Council (members appointed); composition - men 145, women 25, percent of women 14.7%State Duma - United Russia 54.2%, CPRF 13.3%, LDPR 13.1%, A Just Russia 6.2%, Rodina 1.5%, CP 0.2%, other minor parties 11.5%; seats by party - United Russia 343, CPRF 42, LDPR 39, A Just Russia 23, Rodina 1, CP 1, independent 1" + "text": "Federation Council (members appointed); composition - men 145, women 25, percent of women 14.7% ++ State Duma - United Russia 54.2%, CPRF 13.3%, LDPR 13.1%, A Just Russia 6.2%, Rodina 1.5%, CP 0.2%, other minor parties 11.5%; seats by party - United Russia 343, CPRF 42, LDPR 39, A Just Russia 23, Rodina 1, CP 1, independent 1" }, "note": { - "text": "note 1: the State Duma now includes 3 representatives from the \"Republic of Crimea,\" while the Federation Council includes 2 each from the \"Republic of Crimea\" and the \"Federal City of Sevastopol,\" both regions that Russia occupied and attempted to annex from Ukraine and that the US does not recognize as part of Russianote 2: seats by party as of December 2018 - United Russia 341, CPRF 43, LDPR 39, A Just Russia 23, independent 2, vacant 2; composition as of October 2018 - men 393, women 57, percent of women 12.7%; note - total Federal Assembly percent of women 13.2%" + "text": "note 1: the State Duma now includes 3 representatives from the \"Republic of Crimea,\" while the Federation Council includes 2 each from the \"Republic of Crimea\" and the \"Federal City of Sevastopol,\" both regions that Russia occupied and attempted to annex from Ukraine and that the US does not recognize as part of Russia ++ note 2: seats by party as of December 2018 - United Russia 341, CPRF 43, LDPR 39, A Just Russia 23, independent 2, vacant 2; composition as of October 2018 - men 393, women 57, percent of women 12.7%; note - total Federal Assembly percent of women 13.2%" } }, "Judicial branch": { "highest courts": { - "text": "Supreme Court of the Russian Federation (consists of 170 members organized into the Judicial Panel for Civil Affairs, the Judicial Panel for Criminal Affairs, and the Military Panel); Constitutional Court (consists of 11 members, including the chairperson and deputy); note - in February 2014, Russia’s Higher Court of Arbitration was abolished and its former authorities transferred to the Supreme Court, which in addition is the country’s highest judicial authority for appeals, civil, criminal, administrative, and military cases, and the disciplinary judicial board, which has jurisdiction over economic disputes" + "text": "Supreme Court of the Russian Federation (consists of 170 members organized into the Judicial Panel for Civil Affairs, the Judicial Panel for Criminal Affairs, and the Military Panel); Constitutional Court (consists of 11 members, including the chairperson and deputy); note - in February 2014, Russia's Higher Court of Arbitration was abolished and its former authorities transferred to the Supreme Court, which in addition is the country's highest judicial authority for appeals, civil, criminal, administrative, and military cases, and the disciplinary judicial board, which has jurisdiction over economic disputes" }, "judge selection and term of office": { "text": "all members of Russia's 3 highest courts nominated by the president and appointed by the Federation Council (the upper house of the legislature); members of all 3 courts appointed for life" @@ -498,7 +492,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "A Just Russia [Sergey MIRONOV]Civic Platform or CP [Rifat SHAYKHUTDINOV]Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy ZYUGANOV]Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR [Vladimir ZHIRINOVSKIY]Rodina [Aleksei ZHURAVLYOV]United Russia [Dmitriy MEDVEDEV]", + "text": "A Just Russia [Sergey MIRONOV] ++ Civic Platform or CP [Rifat SHAYKHUTDINOV] ++ Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy ZYUGANOV] ++ Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR [Vladimir ZHIRINOVSKIY] ++ Rodina [Aleksei ZHURAVLYOV] ++ United Russia [Dmitriy MEDVEDEV]", "note": { "text": "note: 64 political parties are registered with Russia's Ministry of Justice (as of September 2018), but only four parties maintain representation in Russia's national legislature" } @@ -566,7 +560,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Russia has undergone significant changes since the collapse of the Soviet Union, moving from a centrally planned economy towards a more market-based system. Both economic growth and reform have stalled in recent years, however, and Russia remains a predominantly statist economy with a high concentration of wealth in officials' hands. Economic reforms in the 1990s privatized most industry, with notable exceptions in the energy, transportation, banking, and defense-related sectors. The protection of property rights is still weak, and the state continues to interfere in the free operation of the private sector. Russia is one of the world's leading producers of oil and natural gas, and is also a top exporter of metals such as steel and primary aluminum. Russia is heavily dependent on the movement of world commodity prices as reliance on commodity exports makes it vulnerable to boom and bust cycles that follow the volatile swings in global prices. The economy, which had averaged 7% growth during the 1998-2008 period as oil prices rose rapidly, has seen diminishing growth rates since then due to the exhaustion of Russia’s commodity-based growth model. A combination of falling oil prices, international sanctions, and structural limitations pushed Russia into a deep recession in 2015, with GDP falling by close to 2.8%. The downturn continued through 2016, with GDP contracting another 0.2%, but was reversed in 2017 as world demand picked up. Government support for import substitution has increased recently in an effort to diversify the economy away from extractive industries." + "text": "Russia has undergone significant changes since the collapse of the Soviet Union, moving from a centrally planned economy towards a more market-based system. Both economic growth and reform have stalled in recent years, however, and Russia remains a predominantly statist economy with a high concentration of wealth in officials' hands. Economic reforms in the 1990s privatized most industry, with notable exceptions in the energy, transportation, banking, and defense-related sectors. The protection of property rights is still weak, and the state continues to interfere in the free operation of the private sector. ++ Russia is one of the world's leading producers of oil and natural gas, and is also a top exporter of metals such as steel and primary aluminum. Russia is heavily dependent on the movement of world commodity prices as reliance on commodity exports makes it vulnerable to boom and bust cycles that follow the volatile swings in global prices. The economy, which had averaged 7% growth during the 1998-2008 period as oil prices rose rapidly, has seen diminishing growth rates since then due to the exhaustion of Russia's commodity-based growth model. ++ A combination of falling oil prices, international sanctions, and structural limitations pushed Russia into a deep recession in 2015, with GDP falling by close to 2.8%. The downturn continued through 2016, with GDP contracting another 0.2%, but was reversed in 2017 as world demand picked up. Government support for import substitution has increased recently in an effort to diversify the economy away from extractive industries." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$4.016 trillion (2017 est.) / $3.955 trillion (2016 est.) / $3.963 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -967,7 +961,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Armed Forces of the Russian Federation: Ground Troops (Sukhoputnyye Voyskia, SV), Navy (Voyenno-Morskoy Flot, VMF), Aerospace Forces (Vozdushno-Kosmicheskiye Sily, VKS); Airborne Troops (Vozdushno-Desantnyye Voyska, VDV), and Missile Troops of Strategic Purpose (Raketnyye Voyska Strategicheskogo Naznacheniya, RVSN) referred to commonly as Strategic Rocket Forces, are independent \"combat arms,\" not subordinate to any of the three branchesFederal National Guard Troops Service of the Russian Federation (National Guard, Russian Guard, or Rosgvardiya): created in 2016 as an independent agency for internal/regime security, combating terrorism and narcotics trafficking, protecting important state facilities and government personnel, and supporting border security; forces include Interior Troops that formerly belong to the Interior Ministry, special police units, rapid response units, and other air, ground, maritime, and police forcesFederal Security Services Border Troops (includes land and maritime forces) (2019)" + "text": "Armed Forces of the Russian Federation: Ground Troops (Sukhoputnyye Voyskia, SV), Navy (Voyenno-Morskoy Flot, VMF), Aerospace Forces (Vozdushno-Kosmicheskiye Sily, VKS); Airborne Troops (Vozdushno-Desantnyye Voyska, VDV), and Missile Troops of Strategic Purpose (Raketnyye Voyska Strategicheskogo Naznacheniya, RVSN) referred to commonly as Strategic Rocket Forces, are independent \"combat arms,\" not subordinate to any of the three branches ++ Federal National Guard Troops Service of the Russian Federation (National Guard, Russian Guard, or Rosgvardiya): created in 2016 as an independent agency for internal/regime security, combating terrorism and narcotics trafficking, protecting important state facilities and government personnel, and supporting border security; forces include Interior Troops that formerly belong to the Interior Ministry, special police units, rapid response units, and other air, ground, maritime, and police forces ++ Federal Security Services Border Troops (includes land and maritime forces) (2019)" }, "Military expenditures": { "text": "3.9% of GDP (2019) / 3.8% of GDP (2018) / 4.2% of GDP (2017) / 5.5% of GDP (2016) / 4.9% of GDP (2015)" @@ -1001,7 +995,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "Russia remains concerned about the smuggling of poppy derivatives from Afghanistan through Central Asian countries; China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with the 2004 Agreement, ending their centuries-long border disputes; the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the \"Northern Territories\" and in Russia as the \"Southern Kurils,\" occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Russia's military support and subsequent recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia independence in 2008 continue to sour relations with Georgia; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea; Norway and Russia signed a comprehensive maritime boundary agreement in 2010; various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia (Kareliya) and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union following World War II but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands; Russia and Estonia signed a technical border agreement in May 2005, but Russia recalled its signature in June 2005 after the Estonian parliament added to its domestic ratification act a historical preamble referencing the Soviet occupation and Estonia's pre-war borders under the 1920 Treaty of Tartu; Russia contends that the preamble allows Estonia to make territorial claims on Russia in the future, while Estonian officials deny that the preamble has any legal impact on the treaty text; Russia demands better treatment of the Russian-speaking population in Estonia and Latvia; Russia remains involved in the conflict in eastern Ukraine while also occupying Ukraine’s territory of Crimea; Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as an EU member state with an EU external border, where strict Schengen border rules apply; preparations for the demarcation delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine have commenced; the dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov is suspended due to the occupation of Crimea by Russia; Kazakhstan and Russia boundary delimitation was ratified on November 2005 and field demarcation should commence in 2007; Russian Duma has not yet ratified 1990 Bering Sea Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US; Denmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission" + "text": "Russia remains concerned about the smuggling of poppy derivatives from Afghanistan through Central Asian countries; China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with the 2004 Agreement, ending their centuries-long border disputes; the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the \"Northern Territories\" and in Russia as the \"Southern Kurils,\" occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Russia's military support and subsequent recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia independence in 2008 continue to sour relations with Georgia; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea; Norway and Russia signed a comprehensive maritime boundary agreement in 2010; various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia (Kareliya) and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union following World War II but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands; Russia and Estonia signed a technical border agreement in May 2005, but Russia recalled its signature in June 2005 after the Estonian parliament added to its domestic ratification act a historical preamble referencing the Soviet occupation and Estonia's pre-war borders under the 1920 Treaty of Tartu; Russia contends that the preamble allows Estonia to make territorial claims on Russia in the future, while Estonian officials deny that the preamble has any legal impact on the treaty text; Russia demands better treatment of the Russian-speaking population in Estonia and Latvia; Russia remains involved in the conflict in eastern Ukraine while also occupying Ukraine's territory of Crimea; Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as an EU member state with an EU external border, where strict Schengen border rules apply; preparations for the demarcation delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine have commenced; the dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov is suspended due to the occupation of Crimea by Russia; Kazakhstan and Russia boundary delimitation was ratified on November 2005 and field demarcation should commence in 2007; Russian Duma has not yet ratified 1990 Bering Sea Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US; Denmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { @@ -1013,10 +1007,10 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Russia is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children who are subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; with millions of foreign workers, forced labor is Russia’s predominant human trafficking problem and sometimes involves organized crime syndicates; workers from Russia, other European countries, Central Asia, and East and Southeast Asia, including North Korea and Vietnam, are subjected to forced labor in the construction, manufacturing, agricultural, textile, grocery store, maritime, and domestic service industries, as well as in forced begging, waste sorting, and street sweeping; women and children from Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central Asia are subject to sex trafficking in Russia; Russian women and children are victims of sex trafficking domestically and in Northeast Asia, Europe, Central Asia, Africa, the US, and the Middle East" + "text": "Russia is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children who are subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; with millions of foreign workers, forced labor is Russia's predominant human trafficking problem and sometimes involves organized crime syndicates; workers from Russia, other European countries, Central Asia, and East and Southeast Asia, including North Korea and Vietnam, are subjected to forced labor in the construction, manufacturing, agricultural, textile, grocery store, maritime, and domestic service industries, as well as in forced begging, waste sorting, and street sweeping; women and children from Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central Asia are subject to sex trafficking in Russia; Russian women and children are victims of sex trafficking domestically and in Northeast Asia, Europe, Central Asia, Africa, the US, and the Middle East" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 3 - Russia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making a significant effort to do so; prosecutions of trafficking offenders remained low in comparison to the scope of Russia’s trafficking problem; the government did not develop or employ a formal system for identifying trafficking victims or referring them to protective services, although authorities reportedly assisted a limited number of victims on an ad hoc basis; foreign victims, the largest group in Russia, were not entitled to state-provided rehabilitative services and were routinely detained and deported; the government has not reported investigating reports of slave-like conditions among North Korean workers in Russia; authorities have made no effort to reduce the demand for forced labor or to develop public awareness of forced labor or sex trafficking (2015)" + "text": "Tier 3 - Russia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making a significant effort to do so; prosecutions of trafficking offenders remained low in comparison to the scope of Russia's trafficking problem; the government did not develop or employ a formal system for identifying trafficking victims or referring them to protective services, although authorities reportedly assisted a limited number of victims on an ad hoc basis; foreign victims, the largest group in Russia, were not entitled to state-provided rehabilitative services and were routinely detained and deported; the government has not reported investigating reports of slave-like conditions among North Korean workers in Russia; authorities have made no effort to reduce the demand for forced labor or to develop public awareness of forced labor or sex trafficking (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/central-asia/ti.json b/central-asia/ti.json index 11dbafba..15b2a2a5 100644 --- a/central-asia/ti.json +++ b/central-asia/ti.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The Tajik people came under Russian imperial rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. At that time, bands of indigenous guerrillas (called \"basmachi\") fiercely contested Bolshevik control of the area, which was not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan was first created as an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan in 1924, but in 1929 the USSR designated Tajikistan a separate republic and transferred to it much of present-day Sughd province. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Tajikistan, and ethnic Tajiks an even larger minority in Uzbekistan. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and experienced a civil war between political, regional, and religious factions from 1992 to 1997. Though the country holds general elections for both the presidency (once every seven years) and parliament (once every five years), observers note an electoral system rife with irregularities and abuse, with results that are neither free nor fair. President Emomali RAHMON, who came to power in 1994 during the civil war, used an attack planned by a disaffected deputy defense minister in 2015 to ban the last major opposition political party in Tajikistan. In December 2015, RAHMON further strengthened his position by having himself declared \"Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation,\" with limitless terms and lifelong immunity through constitutional amendments ratified in a referendum. The referendum also lowered the minimum age required to run for president from 35 to 30, which would make RAHMON's son Rustam EMOMALI, the current mayor of the capital city of Dushanbe, eligible to run for president in 2020. The country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Tajikistan became a member of the WTO in March 2013. However, its economy continues to face major challenges, including dependence on remittances from Tajikistani migrant laborers working in Russia and Kazakhstan, pervasive corruption, and the opiate trade and other destabilizing violence emanating from neighboring Afghanistan. Tajikistan has endured several domestic security incidents since 2010, including armed conflict between government forces and local strongmen in the Rasht Valley and between government forces and criminal groups in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast. Tajikistan suffered its first ISIS-claimed attack in 2018, when assailants attacked a group of Western bicyclists with vehicles and knives, killing four." + "text": "The Tajik people came under Russian imperial rule in the 1860s and 1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution of 1917. At that time, bands of indigenous guerrillas (called \"basmachi\") fiercely contested Bolshevik control of the area, which was not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan was first created as an autonomous republic within Uzbekistan in 1924, but in 1929 the USSR designated Tajikistan a separate republic and transferred to it much of present-day Sughd province. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial minority in Tajikistan, and ethnic Tajiks an even larger minority in Uzbekistan. Tajikistan became independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and experienced a civil war between political, regional, and religious factions from 1992 to 1997. ++ Though the country holds general elections for both the presidency (once every seven years) and parliament (once every five years), observers note an electoral system rife with irregularities and abuse, with results that are neither free nor fair. President Emomali RAHMON, who came to power in 1994 during the civil war, used an attack planned by a disaffected deputy defense minister in 2015 to ban the last major opposition political party in Tajikistan. In December 2015, RAHMON further strengthened his position by having himself declared \"Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation,\" with limitless terms and lifelong immunity through constitutional amendments ratified in a referendum. The referendum also lowered the minimum age required to run for president from 35 to 30, which would make RAHMON's son Rustam EMOMALI, the current mayor of the capital city of Dushanbe, eligible to run for president in 2020. ++ The country remains the poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Tajikistan became a member of the WTO in March 2013. However, its economy continues to face major challenges, including dependence on remittances from Tajikistani migrant laborers working in Russia and Kazakhstan, pervasive corruption, and the opiate trade and other destabilizing violence emanating from neighboring Afghanistan. Tajikistan has endured several domestic security incidents since 2010, including armed conflict between government forces and local strongmen in the Rasht Valley and between government forces and criminal groups in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast. Tajikistan suffered its first ISIS-claimed attack in 2018, when assailants attacked a group of Western bicyclists with vehicles and knives, killing four." } }, "Geography": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "29.3% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.2% of population / rural: 78.6% of population / total: 83.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "21.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "16.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.8% of population / rural: 21.4% of population / total: 16.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "4.7 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.7% of population / rural: 99.3% of population / total: 99.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.3% of population / rural: 0.7% of population / total: 2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -395,7 +389,7 @@ "text": "several previous; latest adopted 6 November 1994" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the president of the republic or by at least one third of the total membership of both houses of the Supreme Assembly; adoption of any amendment requires a referendum, which includes approval of the president or approval by at least two-thirds majority of the Assembly of Representatives; passage in a referendum requires participation of an absolute majority of eligible voters and an absolute majority of votes; constitutional articles, including Tajikistan’s form of government, its territory, and its democratic nature, cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2016" + "text": "proposed by the president of the republic or by at least one third of the total membership of both houses of the Supreme Assembly; adoption of any amendment requires a referendum, which includes approval of the president or approval by at least two-thirds majority of the Assembly of Representatives; passage in a referendum requires participation of an absolute majority of eligible voters and an absolute majority of votes; constitutional articles, including Tajikistan's form of government, its territory, and its democratic nature, cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2016" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -440,13 +434,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of:National Assembly or Majlisi Milli (34 seats; 25 members indirectly elected by local representative assemblies or majlisi, 8 appointed by the president, and 1 reserved for each living former president; members serve 5-year terms) Assembly of Representatives or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; 41 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by 2-round absolute majority vote and 22 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of: National Assembly or Majlisi Milli (34 seats; 25 members indirectly elected by local representative assemblies or majlisi, 8 appointed by the president, and 1 reserved for each living former president; members serve 5-year terms) ++ Assembly of Representatives or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; 41 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by 2-round absolute majority vote and 22 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "National Assembly - last held on 1 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025) Assembly of Representatives - last held on 1 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025)" + "text": "National Assembly - last held on 1 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025) ++ Assembly of Representatives - last held on 1 March 2020 (next to be held in 2025)" }, "election results": { - "text": "National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 28, women 6, percent of women 17.6% Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 50.4%, PERT 16.6%, APT 16.5%, SPT 5.2%, DPT 5.1%, CPT 3.1%, other 3.1%; seats by party - PDPT 47, APT 7, PERT 5, CPT 2, SPT 1, DPT 1; composition - men 50, women 13, percent of women 20.6%; note - total Supreme Assembly percent of women 19.6%" + "text": "National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 28, women 6, percent of women 17.6% ++ Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 50.4%, PERT 16.6%, APT 16.5%, SPT 5.2%, DPT 5.1%, CPT 3.1%, other 3.1%; seats by party - PDPT 47, APT 7, PERT 5, CPT 2, SPT 1, DPT 1; composition - men 50, women 13, percent of women 20.6%; note - total Supreme Assembly percent of women 19.6%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -461,7 +455,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Rustam LATIFZODA]Communist Party of Tajikistan or CPT [Miroj ABDULLOEV]Democratic Party of Tajikistan or DPT [Saidjafar USMONZODA]Party of Economic Reform of Tajikistan or PERT [Rustam OUDRATOV]People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMON]Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOIROV]Socialist Party of Tajikistan or SPT [Abduhalim GHAFFOROV]" + "text": "Agrarian Party of Tajikistan or APT [Rustam LATIFZODA] ++ Communist Party of Tajikistan or CPT [Miroj ABDULLOEV] ++ Democratic Party of Tajikistan or DPT [Saidjafar USMONZODA] ++ Party of Economic Reform of Tajikistan or PERT [Rustam OUDRATOV] ++ People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMON] ++ Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan or SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOIROV] ++ Socialist Party of Tajikistan or SPT [Abduhalim GHAFFOROV]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -517,7 +511,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Tajikistan is a poor, mountainous country with an economy dominated by minerals extraction, metals processing, agriculture, and reliance on remittances from citizens working abroad. Mineral resources include silver, gold, uranium, antimony, tungsten, and coal. Industry consists mainly of small obsolete factories in food processing and light industry, substantial hydropower facilities, and a large aluminum plant - currently operating well below its capacity. The 1992-97 civil war severely damaged an already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. Today, Tajikistan is the poorest among the former Soviet republics. Because less than 7% of the land area is arable and cotton is the predominant crop, Tajikistan imports approximately 70% of its food. Since the end of the civil war, the country has pursued half-hearted reforms and privatizations in the economic sphere, but its poor business climate remains a hindrance to attracting foreign investment. Some experts estimate the value of narcotics transiting Tajikistan is equivalent to 30%-50% of GDP. Because of a lack of employment opportunities in Tajikistan, more than one million Tajik citizens work abroad - roughly 90% in Russia - supporting families back home through remittances that in 2017 were equivalent to nearly 35% of GDP. Tajikistan’s large remittances from migrant workers in Russia exposes it to monetary shocks. Tajikistan often delays devaluation of its currency for fear of inflationary pressures on food and other consumables. Recent slowdowns in the Russian and Chinese economies, low commodity prices, and currency fluctuations have hampered economic growth. The dollar value of remittances from Russia to Tajikistan dropped by almost 65% in 2015, and the government spent almost $500 million in 2016 to bail out the country’s still troubled banking sector. Tajikistan’s growing public debt – currently about 50% of GDP – could result in financial difficulties. Remittances from Russia increased in 2017, however, bolstering the economy somewhat. China owns about 50% of Tajikistan’s outstanding debt. Tajikistan has borrowed heavily to finance investment in the country’s vast hydropower potential. In 2016, Tajikistan contracted with the Italian firm Salini Impregilo to build the Roghun dam over a 13-year period for $3.9 billion. A 2017 Eurobond has largely funded Roghun’s first phase, after which sales from Roghun’s output are expected to fund the rest of its construction. The government has not ruled out issuing another Eurobond to generate auxiliary funding for its second phase." + "text": "Tajikistan is a poor, mountainous country with an economy dominated by minerals extraction, metals processing, agriculture, and reliance on remittances from citizens working abroad. Mineral resources include silver, gold, uranium, antimony, tungsten, and coal. Industry consists mainly of small obsolete factories in food processing and light industry, substantial hydropower facilities, and a large aluminum plant - currently operating well below its capacity. The 1992-97 civil war severely damaged an already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in industrial and agricultural production. Today, Tajikistan is the poorest among the former Soviet republics. Because less than 7% of the land area is arable and cotton is the predominant crop, Tajikistan imports approximately 70% of its food. ++ Since the end of the civil war, the country has pursued half-hearted reforms and privatizations in the economic sphere, but its poor business climate remains a hindrance to attracting foreign investment. Some experts estimate the value of narcotics transiting Tajikistan is equivalent to 30%-50% of GDP. ++ Because of a lack of employment opportunities in Tajikistan, more than one million Tajik citizens work abroad - roughly 90% in Russia - supporting families back home through remittances that in 2017 were equivalent to nearly 35% of GDP. Tajikistan's large remittances from migrant workers in Russia exposes it to monetary shocks. Tajikistan often delays devaluation of its currency for fear of inflationary pressures on food and other consumables. Recent slowdowns in the Russian and Chinese economies, low commodity prices, and currency fluctuations have hampered economic growth. The dollar value of remittances from Russia to Tajikistan dropped by almost 65% in 2015, and the government spent almost $500 million in 2016 to bail out the country's still troubled banking sector. ++ Tajikistan's growing public debt – currently about 50% of GDP – could result in financial difficulties. Remittances from Russia increased in 2017, however, bolstering the economy somewhat. China owns about 50% of Tajikistan's outstanding debt. Tajikistan has borrowed heavily to finance investment in the country's vast hydropower potential. In 2016, Tajikistan contracted with the Italian firm Salini Impregilo to build the Roghun dam over a 13-year period for $3.9 billion. A 2017 Eurobond has largely funded Roghun's first phase, after which sales from Roghun's output are expected to fund the rest of its construction. The government has not ruled out issuing another Eurobond to generate auxiliary funding for its second phase." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$28.43 billion (2017 est.) / $26.55 billion (2016 est.) / $24.83 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-asia/tx.json b/central-asia/tx.json index 073271e8..112a22ff 100644 --- a/central-asia/tx.json +++ b/central-asia/tx.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Present-day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. The area was ruled in antiquity by various Persian empires, and was conquered by Alexander the Great, Muslim armies, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians. In medieval times, Merv (located in present-day Mary province) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia in the late 1800s, Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1924, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic; it achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President for Life Saparmyrat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a deputy chairman under NYYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president. BERDIMUHAMEDOW won Turkmenistan's first multi-candidate presidential election in February 2007, and again in 2012 and in 2017 with over 97% of the vote in both instances, in elections widely regarded as undemocratic.Turkmenistan has sought new export markets for its extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited. As of late 2019, Turkmenistan exported the majority of its gas to China and small levels of gas were also being sent to Russia. Turkmenistan's reliance on gas exports has made the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in the global energy market, and economic hardships since the drop in energy prices in 2014 have led many Turkmenistanis to emigrate, mostly to Turkey." + "text": "Present-day Turkmenistan covers territory that has been at the crossroads of civilizations for centuries. The area was ruled in antiquity by various Persian empires, and was conquered by Alexander the Great, Muslim armies, the Mongols, Turkic warriors, and eventually the Russians. In medieval times, Merv (located in present-day Mary province) was one of the great cities of the Islamic world and an important stop on the Silk Road. Annexed by Russia in the late 1800s, Turkmenistan later figured prominently in the anti-Bolshevik movement in Central Asia. In 1924, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic; it achieved independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President for Life Saparmyrat NYYAZOW died in December 2006, and Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOW, a deputy chairman under NYYAZOW, emerged as the country's new president. BERDIMUHAMEDOW won Turkmenistan's first multi-candidate presidential election in February 2007, and again in 2012 and in 2017 with over 97% of the vote in both instances, in elections widely regarded as undemocratic. ++ Turkmenistan has sought new export markets for its extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves, which have yet to be fully exploited. As of late 2019, Turkmenistan exported the majority of its gas to China and small levels of gas were also being sent to Russia. Turkmenistan's reliance on gas exports has made the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in the global energy market, and economic hardships since the drop in energy prices in 2014 have led many Turkmenistanis to emigrate, mostly to Turkey." } }, "Geography": { @@ -249,14 +249,11 @@ "text": "50.2% (2015/16)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -269,14 +266,11 @@ "text": "4 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -444,7 +438,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan or APT [Basim ANNAGURBANOW]Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Ata SERDAROW]Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs or PIE [Saparmyrat OWGANOW]", + "text": "Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan or APT [Basim ANNAGURBANOW] ++ Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Ata SERDAROW] ++ Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs or PIE [Saparmyrat OWGANOW]", "note": { "text": "note: all of these parties support President BERDIMUHAMEDOW; a law authorizing the registration of political parties went into effect in January 2012; unofficial, small opposition movements exist abroad" } @@ -506,7 +500,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Turkmenistan is largely a desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and significant natural gas and oil resources. The two largest crops are cotton, most of which is produced for export, and wheat, which is domestically consumed. Although agriculture accounts for almost 8% of GDP, it continues to employ nearly half of the country's workforce. Hydrocarbon exports, the bulk of which is natural gas going to China, make up 25% of Turkmenistan’s GDP. Ashgabat has explored two initiatives to bring gas to new markets: a trans-Caspian pipeline that would carry gas to Europe and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Both face major financing, political, and security hurdles and are unlikely to be completed soon. Turkmenistan’s autocratic governments under presidents NIYAZOW (1991-2006) and BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 2007) have made little progress improving the business climate, privatizing state-owned industries, combatting corruption, and limiting economic development outside the energy sector. High energy prices in the mid-2000s allowed the government to undertake extensive development and social spending, including providing heavy utility subsidies. Low energy prices since mid-2014 are hampering Turkmenistan’s economic growth and reducing government revenues. The government has cut subsidies in several areas, and wage arrears have increased. In January 2014, the Central Bank of Turkmenistan devalued the manat by 19%, and downward pressure on the currency continues. There is a widening spread between the official exchange rate (3.5 TMM per US dollar) and the black market exchange rate (approximately 14 TMM per US dollar). Currency depreciation and conversion restrictions, corruption, isolationist policies, and declining spending on public services have resulted in a stagnate economy that is nearing crisis. Turkmenistan claims substantial foreign currency reserves, but non-transparent data limit international institutions’ ability to verify this information." + "text": "Turkmenistan is largely a desert country with intensive agriculture in irrigated oases and significant natural gas and oil resources. The two largest crops are cotton, most of which is produced for export, and wheat, which is domestically consumed. Although agriculture accounts for almost 8% of GDP, it continues to employ nearly half of the country's workforce. Hydrocarbon exports, the bulk of which is natural gas going to China, make up 25% of Turkmenistan's GDP. Ashgabat has explored two initiatives to bring gas to new markets: a trans-Caspian pipeline that would carry gas to Europe and the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Both face major financing, political, and security hurdles and are unlikely to be completed soon. ++ Turkmenistan's autocratic governments under presidents NIYAZOW (1991-2006) and BERDIMUHAMEDOW (since 2007) have made little progress improving the business climate, privatizing state-owned industries, combatting corruption, and limiting economic development outside the energy sector. High energy prices in the mid-2000s allowed the government to undertake extensive development and social spending, including providing heavy utility subsidies. ++ Low energy prices since mid-2014 are hampering Turkmenistan's economic growth and reducing government revenues. The government has cut subsidies in several areas, and wage arrears have increased. In January 2014, the Central Bank of Turkmenistan devalued the manat by 19%, and downward pressure on the currency continues. There is a widening spread between the official exchange rate (3.5 TMM per US dollar) and the black market exchange rate (approximately 14 TMM per US dollar). Currency depreciation and conversion restrictions, corruption, isolationist policies, and declining spending on public services have resulted in a stagnate economy that is nearing crisis. Turkmenistan claims substantial foreign currency reserves, but non-transparent data limit international institutions' ability to verify this information." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$103.7 billion (2017 est.) / $97.41 billion (2016 est.) / $91.72 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/central-asia/uz.json b/central-asia/uz.json index 133e6f50..796d4183 100644 --- a/central-asia/uz.json +++ b/central-asia/uz.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Uzbekistan is the geographic and population center of Central Asia. The country has a diverse economy and a relatively young population. Russia conquered and united the disparate territories of present-day Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after the Bolshevik Revolution was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic established in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of \"white gold\" (cotton) and grain led to the overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, leaving the land degraded and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half-dry. Independent since the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the country has diversified agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base, although cotton remains a major part of its economy. Uzbekistan’s first president, Islam KARIMOV, led Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in September 2016. His successor, former Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, has improved relations with Uzbekistan’s neighbors and introduced wide-ranging economic, judicial, and social reforms." + "text": "Uzbekistan is the geographic and population center of Central Asia. The country has a diverse economy and a relatively young population. Russia conquered and united the disparate territories of present-day Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff resistance to the Red Army after the Bolshevik Revolution was eventually suppressed and a socialist republic established in 1924. During the Soviet era, intensive production of \"white gold\" (cotton) and grain led to the overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies, leaving the land degraded and the Aral Sea and certain rivers half-dry. Independent since the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the country has diversified agricultural production while developing its mineral and petroleum export capacity and increasing its manufacturing base, although cotton remains a major part of its economy. Uzbekistan's first president, Islam KARIMOV, led Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in September 2016. His successor, former Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, has improved relations with Uzbekistan's neighbors and introduced wide-ranging economic, judicial, and social reforms." } }, "Geography": { @@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ "Languages": { "text": "Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%", "note": { - "text": "note: in the autonomous Karakalpakstan Republic, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status  " + "text": "note: in the autonomous Karakalpakstan Republic, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status ++  " } }, "Religions": { @@ -246,14 +246,11 @@ "text": "1.74 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 96.1% of population / total: 97.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "3.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 3.9% of population / total: 2.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -266,14 +263,11 @@ "text": "4 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -420,13 +414,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of:Senate (100 seats; 84 members indirectly elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) Legislative Chamber or Qonunchilik Palatasi (150 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round, if needed; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of: Senate (100 seats; 84 members indirectly elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms) ++ Legislative Chamber or Qonunchilik Palatasi (150 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round, if needed; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held 13-14 January 2015 (next to be held in 2020) Legislative Chamber - last held on 22 December 2019 and 5 January 2020 (next to be held in December 2024)" + "text": "Senate - last held 13-14 January 2015 (next to be held in 2020) ++ Legislative Chamber - last held on 22 December 2019 and 5 January 2020 (next to be held in December 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 83, women 17, percent of women 17% Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDPU 53, National Revival Democratic Party 36, Adolat 24, PDP 22, Ecological Movement 15; composition - NA" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 83, women 17, percent of women 17% ++ Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDPU 53, National Revival Democratic Party 36, Adolat 24, PDP 22, Ecological Movement 15; composition - NA" }, "note": { "text": "note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV" @@ -444,7 +438,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Ecological Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Ekologik Partivasi) [Boriy ALIKHANOV]Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [Narimon UMAROV]Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Liberal-Demokratik Partiyasi) or LDPU [Aktam HAITOV]National Revival Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Milliy Tiklanish Demokratik Partiyasi) [Sarvar OTAMURATOV]People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or PDP [Hotamjon KETMONOV] (formerly Communist Party)" + "text": "Ecological Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Ekologik Partivasi) [Boriy ALIKHANOV] ++ Justice (Adolat) Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan [Narimon UMAROV] ++ Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Liberal-Demokratik Partiyasi) or LDPU [Aktam HAITOV] ++ National Revival Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (O'zbekiston Milliy Tiklanish Demokratik Partiyasi) [Sarvar OTAMURATOV] ++ People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (Xalq Demokratik Partiyas) or PDP [Hotamjon KETMONOV] (formerly Communist Party)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, CICA, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -503,7 +497,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in which 51% of the population lives in urban settlements; the agriculture-rich Fergana Valley, in which Uzbekistan’s eastern borders are situated, has been counted among the most densely populated parts of Central Asia. Since its independence in September 1991, the government has largely maintained its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production, prices, and access to foreign currency. Despite ongoing efforts to diversify crops, Uzbek agriculture remains largely centered on cotton; Uzbekistan is the world's fifth-largest cotton exporter and seventh-largest producer. Uzbekistan's growth has been driven primarily by state-led investments, and export of natural gas, gold, and cotton provides a significant share of foreign exchange earnings. Recently, lower global commodity prices and economic slowdowns in neighboring Russia and China have hurt Uzbekistan's trade and investment and worsened its foreign currency shortage. Aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government is taking incremental steps to reform the business sector and address impediments to foreign investment in the country. Since the death of first President Islam KARIMOV and election of President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, emphasis on such initiatives and government efforts to improve the private sector have increased. In the past, Uzbek authorities accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek laws and have frozen and seized their assets. As a part of its economic reform efforts, the Uzbek Government is looking to expand opportunities for small and medium enterprises and prioritizes increasing foreign direct investment. In September 2017, the government devalued the official currency rate by almost 50% and announced the loosening of currency restrictions to eliminate the currency black market, increase access to hard currency, and boost investment." + "text": "Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in which 51% of the population lives in urban settlements; the agriculture-rich Fergana Valley, in which Uzbekistan's eastern borders are situated, has been counted among the most densely populated parts of Central Asia. Since its independence in September 1991, the government has largely maintained its Soviet-style command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production, prices, and access to foreign currency. Despite ongoing efforts to diversify crops, Uzbek agriculture remains largely centered on cotton; Uzbekistan is the world's fifth-largest cotton exporter and seventh-largest producer. Uzbekistan's growth has been driven primarily by state-led investments, and export of natural gas, gold, and cotton provides a significant share of foreign exchange earnings. ++ Recently, lower global commodity prices and economic slowdowns in neighboring Russia and China have hurt Uzbekistan's trade and investment and worsened its foreign currency shortage. Aware of the need to improve the investment climate, the government is taking incremental steps to reform the business sector and address impediments to foreign investment in the country. Since the death of first President Islam KARIMOV and election of President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV, emphasis on such initiatives and government efforts to improve the private sector have increased. In the past, Uzbek authorities accused US and other foreign companies operating in Uzbekistan of violating Uzbek laws and have frozen and seized their assets. ++ As a part of its economic reform efforts, the Uzbek Government is looking to expand opportunities for small and medium enterprises and prioritizes increasing foreign direct investment. In September 2017, the government devalued the official currency rate by almost 50% and announced the loosening of currency restrictions to eliminate the currency black market, increase access to hard currency, and boost investment." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$223 billion (2017 est.) / $211.8 billion (2016 est.) / $196.5 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json index 73e26713..f7c10f1b 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Various ethnic Burman and ethnic minority city-states or kingdoms occupied the present borders through the 19th century, and several minority ethnic groups continue to maintain independent armies and control territory within the country today, in opposition to the central government. Over a period of 62 years (1824-1886), Britain conquered Burma and incorporated all the groups within the country into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; in 1948, following major battles on its territory during World War II, Burma attained independence from the British Commonwealth. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. In response to widespread civil unrest, NE WIN resigned in 1988, but within months the military crushed student-led protests and took power. Since independence, successive Burmese governments have fought on-and-off conflicts with armed ethnic groups seeking autonomy in the country’s mountainous border regions. Multiparty legislative elections in 1990 resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory. Instead of handing over power, the junta placed NLD leader (and 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient) AUNG SAN SUU KYI under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, 2000 to 2002, and from May 2003 to November 2010. In late September 2007, the ruling junta brutally suppressed protests over increased fuel prices led by prodemocracy activists and Buddhist monks, killing an unknown number of people and arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations - popularly referred to as the Saffron Revolution. In early May 2008, Cyclone Nargis struck Burma, which left over 138,000 dead and tens of thousands injured and homeless. Despite this tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May constitutional referendum, the first vote in Burma since 1990. The 2008 constitution reserves 25% of its seats to the military. Legislative elections held in November 2010, which the NLD boycotted and many in the international community considered flawed, saw the successor ruling junta's mass organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Party garner over 75% of the contested seats. The national legislature convened in January 2011 and selected former Prime Minister THEIN SEIN as president. Although the vast majority of national-level appointees named by THEIN SEIN were former or current military officers, the government initiated a series of political and economic reforms leading to a substantial opening of the long-isolated country. These reforms included releasing hundreds of political prisoners, signing a nationwide cease-fire with several of the country's ethnic armed groups, pursuing legal reform, and gradually reducing restrictions on freedom of the press, association, and civil society. At least due in part to these reforms, AUNG SAN SUU KYI was elected to the national legislature in April 2012 and became chair of the Committee for Rule of Law and Tranquility. Burma served as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2014. In a flawed but largely credible national legislative election in November 2015 featuring more than 90 political parties, the NLD again won a landslide victory. Using its overwhelming majority in both houses of parliament, the NLD elected HTIN KYAW, AUNG SAN SUU KYI’s confidant and long-time NLD supporter, as president. The new legislature created the position of State Counsellor, according AUNG SAN SUU KYI a formal role in the government and making her the de facto head of state. Burma's first credibly elected civilian government after more than five decades of military dictatorship was sworn into office on 30 March 2016. In March 2018, upon HTIN KYAW’s resignation, parliament selected WIN MYINT, another long-time ally of AUNG SAN SUU KYI’s, as president. Attacks in October 2016 and August 2017 on security forces in northern Rakhine State by members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a Rohingya militant group, resulted in military crackdowns on the Rohingya population that reportedly caused thousands of deaths and human rights abuses. Following the August 2017 violence, over 740,000 Rohingya fled to neighboring Bangladesh as refugees. In November 2017, the US Department of State determined that the August 2017 violence constituted ethnic cleansing of Rohingyas. The UN has called for Burma to allow access to a Fact Finding Mission to investigate reports of human rights violations and abuses and to work with Bangladesh to facilitate repatriation of Rohingya refugees, and in September 2018 the International Criminal Court (ICC) determined it had jurisdiction to investigate reported human rights abuses against Rohingyas. Burma has rejected charges of ethnic cleansing and genocide, and has chosen not to work with the UN Fact Finding Mission or the ICC. In March 2018, President HTIN KYAW announced his voluntary retirement; NLD parliamentarian WIN MYINT was named by the parliament as his successor. In February 2019, the NLD announced it would establish a parliamentary committee to examine options for constitutional reform ahead of national the elections planned for 2020." + "text": "Various ethnic Burman and ethnic minority city-states or kingdoms occupied the present borders through the 19th century, and several minority ethnic groups continue to maintain independent armies and control territory within the country today, in opposition to the central government. Over a period of 62 years (1824-1886), Britain conquered Burma and incorporated all the groups within the country into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; in 1948, following major battles on its territory during World War II, Burma attained independence from the British Commonwealth. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. In response to widespread civil unrest, NE WIN resigned in 1988, but within months the military crushed student-led protests and took power. Since independence, successive Burmese governments have fought on-and-off conflicts with armed ethnic groups seeking autonomy in the country's mountainous border regions. ++ Multiparty legislative elections in 1990 resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory. Instead of handing over power, the junta placed NLD leader (and 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient) AUNG SAN SUU KYI under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, 2000 to 2002, and from May 2003 to November 2010. In late September 2007, the ruling junta brutally suppressed protests over increased fuel prices led by prodemocracy activists and Buddhist monks, killing an unknown number of people and arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations - popularly referred to as the Saffron Revolution. In early May 2008, Cyclone Nargis struck Burma, which left over 138,000 dead and tens of thousands injured and homeless. Despite this tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May constitutional referendum, the first vote in Burma since 1990. The 2008 constitution reserves 25% of its seats to the military. Legislative elections held in November 2010, which the NLD boycotted and many in the international community considered flawed, saw the successor ruling junta's mass organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Party garner over 75% of the contested seats. ++ The national legislature convened in January 2011 and selected former Prime Minister THEIN SEIN as president. Although the vast majority of national-level appointees named by THEIN SEIN were former or current military officers, the government initiated a series of political and economic reforms leading to a substantial opening of the long-isolated country. These reforms included releasing hundreds of political prisoners, signing a nationwide cease-fire with several of the country's ethnic armed groups, pursuing legal reform, and gradually reducing restrictions on freedom of the press, association, and civil society. At least due in part to these reforms, AUNG SAN SUU KYI was elected to the national legislature in April 2012 and became chair of the Committee for Rule of Law and Tranquility. Burma served as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2014. In a flawed but largely credible national legislative election in November 2015 featuring more than 90 political parties, the NLD again won a landslide victory. Using its overwhelming majority in both houses of parliament, the NLD elected HTIN KYAW, AUNG SAN SUU KYI's confidant and long-time NLD supporter, as president. The new legislature created the position of State Counsellor, according AUNG SAN SUU KYI a formal role in the government and making her the de facto head of state. Burma's first credibly elected civilian government after more than five decades of military dictatorship was sworn into office on 30 March 2016. In March 2018, upon HTIN KYAW's resignation, parliament selected WIN MYINT, another long-time ally of AUNG SAN SUU KYI's, as president. ++ Attacks in October 2016 and August 2017 on security forces in northern Rakhine State by members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a Rohingya militant group, resulted in military crackdowns on the Rohingya population that reportedly caused thousands of deaths and human rights abuses. Following the August 2017 violence, over 740,000 Rohingya fled to neighboring Bangladesh as refugees. In November 2017, the US Department of State determined that the August 2017 violence constituted ethnic cleansing of Rohingyas. The UN has called for Burma to allow access to a Fact Finding Mission to investigate reports of human rights violations and abuses and to work with Bangladesh to facilitate repatriation of Rohingya refugees, and in September 2018 the International Criminal Court (ICC) determined it had jurisdiction to investigate reported human rights abuses against Rohingyas. Burma has rejected charges of ethnic cleansing and genocide, and has chosen not to work with the UN Fact Finding Mission or the ICC. In March 2018, President HTIN KYAW announced his voluntary retirement; NLD parliamentarian WIN MYINT was named by the parliament as his successor. In February 2019, the NLD announced it would establish a parliamentary committee to examine options for constitutional reform ahead of national the elections planned for 2020." } }, "Geography": { @@ -270,14 +270,11 @@ "text": "52.2% (2015/16)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 93% of population / rural: 76.9% of population / total: 81.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "23.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "18.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 7% of population / rural: 23.1% of population / total: 18.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -290,14 +287,11 @@ "text": "1 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 12.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 87.6% of population / rural: 67.6% of population / total: 73.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "32.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "26.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 12.4% of population / rural: 32.4% of population / total: 26.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -411,7 +405,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "7 regions (taing-myar, singular - taing), 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne), 1 union territory regions: Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy), Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon (Rangoon) states: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan union territory: Nay Pyi Taw" + "text": "7 regions (taing-myar, singular - taing), 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne), 1 union territory ++ regions: Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy), Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon (Rangoon) ++ states: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan ++ union territory: Nay Pyi Taw" }, "Independence": { "text": "4 January 1948 (from the UK)" @@ -478,13 +472,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Assembly of the Union or Pyidaungsu consists of:House of Nationalities or Amyotha Hluttaw, (224 seats; 168 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed and 56 appointed by the military; members serve 5-year terms)House of Representatives or Pyithu Hluttaw, (440 seats, currently 433; 330 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 110 appointed by the military; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Assembly of the Union or Pyidaungsu consists of: House of Nationalities or Amyotha Hluttaw, (224 seats; 168 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed and 56 appointed by the military; members serve 5-year terms) ++ House of Representatives or Pyithu Hluttaw, (440 seats, currently 433; 330 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 110 appointed by the military; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "House of Nationalities - last held on 8 November 2015 (next to be held on 8 November 2020)House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2015 (next to be held on 8 November 2020)" + "text": "House of Nationalities - last held on 8 November 2015 (next to be held on 8 November 2020) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2015 (next to be held on 8 November 2020)" }, "election results": { - "text": "House of Nationalities - percent of vote by party - NLD 60.3%, USDP 4.9%, ANP 4.5%, SNLD 1.3%, other 4%, military appointees 25%; seats by party - NLD 135, USDP 11, ANP 10, SNLD 3, TNP 2, ZCD 2, other 3, independent 2, military appointees 56; composition - men 201, women 23, percent of women 10.3%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NLD 58%, USDP 6.8%, ANP 2.7%, SNLD 2.7%, military 25%, other 4.8%; seats by party - NLD 255, USDP 30, ANP 12, SNLD 12, PNO 3, TNP 3, LNDP 2, ZCD 2, other 3, independent 1, canceled due to insurgence 7, military appointees 110; composition - men 392, women 41, percent of women 9.5%" + "text": "House of Nationalities - percent of vote by party - NLD 60.3%, USDP 4.9%, ANP 4.5%, SNLD 1.3%, other 4%, military appointees 25%; seats by party - NLD 135, USDP 11, ANP 10, SNLD 3, TNP 2, ZCD 2, other 3, independent 2, military appointees 56; composition - men 201, women 23, percent of women 10.3% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NLD 58%, USDP 6.8%, ANP 2.7%, SNLD 2.7%, military 25%, other 4.8%; seats by party - NLD 255, USDP 30, ANP 12, SNLD 12, PNO 3, TNP 3, LNDP 2, ZCD 2, other 3, independent 1, canceled due to insurgence 7, military appointees 110; composition - men 392, women 41, percent of women 9.5%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -499,7 +493,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "All Mon Region Democracy Party or AMRDPArakan National Party or ANP (formed from the 2013 merger of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party and the Arakan League for Democracy)National Democratic Force or NDF [KHIN MAUNG SWE]National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SAN SUU KYI]National Unity Party or NUP [THAN TIN]Pa-O National Organization or PNO [AUNG KHAM HTI]People's Party [KO KO GYI]Shan Nationalities Democratic Party or SNDP [SAI AIK PAUNG]Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [KHUN HTUN OO]Ta'ang National Party or TNP [AIK MONE]Union Solidarity and Development Party or USDP [THAN HTAY]Zomi Congress for Democracy or ZCD [PU CIN SIAN THANG]numerous smaller parties" + "text": "All Mon Region Democracy Party or AMRDP ++ Arakan National Party or ANP (formed from the 2013 merger of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party and the Arakan League for Democracy) ++ National Democratic Force or NDF [KHIN MAUNG SWE] ++ National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SAN SUU KYI] ++ National Unity Party or NUP [THAN TIN] ++ Pa-O National Organization or PNO [AUNG KHAM HTI] ++ People's Party [KO KO GYI] ++ Shan Nationalities Democratic Party or SNDP [SAI AIK PAUNG] ++ Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [KHUN HTUN OO] ++ Ta'ang National Party or TNP [AIK MONE] ++ Union Solidarity and Development Party or USDP [THAN HTAY] ++ Zomi Congress for Democracy or ZCD [PU CIN SIAN THANG] ++ numerous smaller parties" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -558,7 +552,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Since Burma began the transition to a civilian-led government in 2011, the country initiated economic reforms aimed at attracting foreign investment and reintegrating into the global economy. Burma established a managed float of the Burmese kyat in 2012, granted the Central Bank operational independence in July 2013, enacted a new anti-corruption law in September 2013, and granted licenses to 13 foreign banks in 2014-16. State Counsellor AUNG SAN SUU KYI and the ruling National League for Democracy, who took power in March 2016, have sought to improve Burma’s investment climate following the US sanctions lift in October 2016 and reinstatement of Generalized System of Preferences trade benefits in November 2016. In October 2016, Burma passed a foreign investment law that consolidates investment regulations and eases rules on foreign ownership of businesses. Burma’s economic growth rate recovered from a low growth under 6% in 2011 but has been volatile between 6% and 8% between 2014 and 2018. Burma’s abundant natural resources and young labor force have the potential to attract foreign investment in the energy, garment, information technology, and food and beverage sectors. The government is focusing on accelerating agricultural productivity and land reforms, modernizing and opening the financial sector, and developing transportation and electricity infrastructure. The government has also taken steps to improve transparency in the mining and oil sectors through publication of reports under the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in 2016 and 2018. Despite these improvements, living standards have not improved for the majority of the people residing in rural areas. Burma remains one of the poorest countries in Asia – approximately 26% of the country’s 51 million people live in poverty. The isolationist policies and economic mismanagement of previous governments have left Burma with poor infrastructure, endemic corruption, underdeveloped human resources, and inadequate access to capital, which will require a major commitment to reverse. The Burmese Government has been slow to address impediments to economic development such as unclear land rights, a restrictive trade licensing system, an opaque revenue collection system, and an antiquated banking system." + "text": "Since Burma began the transition to a civilian-led government in 2011, the country initiated economic reforms aimed at attracting foreign investment and reintegrating into the global economy. Burma established a managed float of the Burmese kyat in 2012, granted the Central Bank operational independence in July 2013, enacted a new anti-corruption law in September 2013, and granted licenses to 13 foreign banks in 2014-16. State Counsellor AUNG SAN SUU KYI and the ruling National League for Democracy, who took power in March 2016, have sought to improve Burma's investment climate following the US sanctions lift in October 2016 and reinstatement of Generalized System of Preferences trade benefits in November 2016. In October 2016, Burma passed a foreign investment law that consolidates investment regulations and eases rules on foreign ownership of businesses. ++ Burma's economic growth rate recovered from a low growth under 6% in 2011 but has been volatile between 6% and 8% between 2014 and 2018. Burma's abundant natural resources and young labor force have the potential to attract foreign investment in the energy, garment, information technology, and food and beverage sectors. The government is focusing on accelerating agricultural productivity and land reforms, modernizing and opening the financial sector, and developing transportation and electricity infrastructure. The government has also taken steps to improve transparency in the mining and oil sectors through publication of reports under the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in 2016 and 2018. ++ Despite these improvements, living standards have not improved for the majority of the people residing in rural areas. Burma remains one of the poorest countries in Asia – approximately 26% of the country's 51 million people live in poverty. The isolationist policies and economic mismanagement of previous governments have left Burma with poor infrastructure, endemic corruption, underdeveloped human resources, and inadequate access to capital, which will require a major commitment to reverse. The Burmese Government has been slow to address impediments to economic development such as unclear land rights, a restrictive trade licensing system, an opaque revenue collection system, and an antiquated banking system." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$329.8 billion (2017 est.) / $308.7 billion (2016 est.) / $291.5 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -823,7 +817,7 @@ } }, "Broadcast media": { - "text": "government controls all domestic broadcast media; 2 state-controlled TV stations with 1 of the stations controlled by the armed forces; 2 pay-TV stations are joint state-private ventures; access to satellite TV is limited; 1 state-controlled domestic radio station and 9 FM stations that are joint state-private ventures; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available in parts of Burma; the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia (RFA), BBC Burmese service, the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), and Radio Australia use shortwave to broadcast in Burma; VOA, RFA, and DVB produce daily TV news programs that are transmitted by satellite to audiences in Burma; in March 2017, the government granted licenses to 5 private broadcasters, allowing them digital free-to-air TV channels to be operated in partnership with government-owned Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) and will rely upon MRTV’s transmission infrastructure (2019)" + "text": "government controls all domestic broadcast media; 2 state-controlled TV stations with 1 of the stations controlled by the armed forces; 2 pay-TV stations are joint state-private ventures; access to satellite TV is limited; 1 state-controlled domestic radio station and 9 FM stations that are joint state-private ventures; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available in parts of Burma; the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia (RFA), BBC Burmese service, the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), and Radio Australia use shortwave to broadcast in Burma; VOA, RFA, and DVB produce daily TV news programs that are transmitted by satellite to audiences in Burma; in March 2017, the government granted licenses to 5 private broadcasters, allowing them digital free-to-air TV channels to be operated in partnership with government-owned Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) and will rely upon MRTV's transmission infrastructure (2019)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".mm" @@ -947,13 +941,13 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Burmese Defense Service (Tatmadaw): Army (Tatmadaw Kyi), Navy (Tatmadaw Yay), Air Force (Tatmadaw Lay), Directorate of People’s Militia and Border Guard Forces (2019)" + "text": "Burmese Defense Service (Tatmadaw): Army (Tatmadaw Kyi), Navy (Tatmadaw Yay), Air Force (Tatmadaw Lay), Directorate of People's Militia and Border Guard Forces (2019)" }, "Military expenditures": { "text": "2.9% of GDP (2018) / 3.2% of GDP (2017) / 3.7% of GDP (2016) / 4.1% of GDP (2015) / 3.6% of GDP (2014)" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "estimates of the Burmese Defense Service (Tatmadaw) vary widely; approximately 380,000 total active troops (est. 340,000 Army; 20,000 Navy; 20,000 Air Force); est. 35,000 People’s Militia (2019 est.)" + "text": "estimates of the Burmese Defense Service (Tatmadaw) vary widely; approximately 380,000 total active troops (est. 340,000 Army; 20,000 Navy; 20,000 Air Force); est. 35,000 People's Militia (2019 est.)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Burmese Defense Service's inventory is comprised mostly of older Chinese and Russian/Soviet-era equipment with a smaller mix of more modern acquisitions; since 2010, China and Russia are the leading suppliers of military hardware to Burma; other suppliers include Belarus, India, Israel, and South Korea (2019 est.)" @@ -989,7 +983,7 @@ } }, "Illicit drugs": { - "text": "world's second largest producer of illicit opium with an estimated poppy cultivation totaling 41,000 hectares in 2017, a decrease of 25% from the last survey in 2015; Shan state is the source of 91% of Burma's poppy cultivation; lack of government will to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; Burma is one of the world’s largest producers of amphetamine-type stimulants, which are trafficked throughout the region, as far afield as Australia and New Zealand" + "text": "world's second largest producer of illicit opium with an estimated poppy cultivation totaling 41,000 hectares in 2017, a decrease of 25% from the last survey in 2015; Shan state is the source of 91% of Burma's poppy cultivation; lack of government will to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; Burma is one of the world's largest producers of amphetamine-type stimulants, which are trafficked throughout the region, as far afield as Australia and New Zealand" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json index c40dac67..945d420f 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world. In 2017, Brunei celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Sultan Hassanal BOLKIAH’s accession to the throne." + "text": "The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world. In 2017, Brunei celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Sultan Hassanal BOLKIAH's accession to the throne." } }, "Geography": { @@ -243,8 +243,11 @@ "text": "1.75 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -485,7 +488,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Brunei is an energy-rich sultanate on the northern coast of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Brunei boasts a well-educated, largely English-speaking population; excellent infrastructure; and a stable government intent on attracting foreign investment. Crude oil and natural gas production account for approximately 65% of GDP and 95% of exports, with Japan as the primary export market. Per capita GDP is among the highest in the world, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic hydrocarbon production. Bruneian citizens pay no personal income taxes, and the government provides free medical services and free education through the university level. The Bruneian Government wants to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbon exports to other industries such as information and communications technology and halal manufacturing, permissible under Islamic law. Brunei’s trade increased in 2016 and 2017, following its regional economic integration in the ASEAN Economic Community, and the expected ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement." + "text": "Brunei is an energy-rich sultanate on the northern coast of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Brunei boasts a well-educated, largely English-speaking population; excellent infrastructure; and a stable government intent on attracting foreign investment. Crude oil and natural gas production account for approximately 65% of GDP and 95% of exports, with Japan as the primary export market. ++ Per capita GDP is among the highest in the world, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic hydrocarbon production. Bruneian citizens pay no personal income taxes, and the government provides free medical services and free education through the university level. ++ The Bruneian Government wants to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbon exports to other industries such as information and communications technology and halal manufacturing, permissible under Islamic law. Brunei's trade increased in 2016 and 2017, following its regional economic integration in the ASEAN Economic Community, and the expected ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$33.87 billion (2017 est.) / $33.42 billion (2016 est.) / $34.27 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json index d3090da4..c45f109e 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863, and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a seven-year struggle, communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off  20 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a cease-fire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders were tried for crimes against humanity by a hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal supported by international assistance. In 2018, the tribunal heard its final cases, but it remains in operation to hear appeals. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local (Commune Council) elections were held in Cambodia in 2012, with little of the violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2013 were disputed, with the opposition - the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) - boycotting the National Assembly. The political impasse was ended nearly a year later, with the CNRP agreeing to enter parliament in exchange for commitments by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) to electoral and legislative reforms. The CNRP made further gains in local commune elections in June 2017, accelerating sitting Prime Minister Hun SEN’s efforts to marginalize the CNRP before national elections in 2018. Hun Sen arrested CNRP President Kem SOKHA in September 2017. The Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP in November 2017 and banned its leaders from participating in politics for at least five years. The CNRP’s seats in the National Assembly were redistributed to smaller, less influential opposition parties, while all of the CNRP’s 5,007 seats in the commune councils throughout the country were reallocated to the CPP. With the CNRP banned, the CPP swept the 2018 national elections, winning all 125 National Assembly seats and effectively turning the country into a one-party state." + "text": "Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863, and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a seven-year struggle, communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off  20 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a cease-fire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders were tried for crimes against humanity by a hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal supported by international assistance. In 2018, the tribunal heard its final cases, but it remains in operation to hear appeals. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local (Commune Council) elections were held in Cambodia in 2012, with little of the violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2013 were disputed, with the opposition - the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) - boycotting the National Assembly. The political impasse was ended nearly a year later, with the CNRP agreeing to enter parliament in exchange for commitments by the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) to electoral and legislative reforms. The CNRP made further gains in local commune elections in June 2017, accelerating sitting Prime Minister Hun SEN's efforts to marginalize the CNRP before national elections in 2018. Hun Sen arrested CNRP President Kem SOKHA in September 2017. The Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP in November 2017 and banned its leaders from participating in politics for at least five years. The CNRP's seats in the National Assembly were redistributed to smaller, less influential opposition parties, while all of the CNRP's 5,007 seats in the commune councils throughout the country were reallocated to the CPP. With the CNRP banned, the CPP swept the 2018 national elections, winning all 125 National Assembly seats and effectively turning the country into a one-party state." } }, "Geography": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "56.3% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.4% of population / rural: 77.8% of population / total: 80.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "22.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "19.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.6% of population / rural: 22.2% of population / total: 19.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "1.9 beds/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 55.5% of population / total: 65.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "44.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "34.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 44.5% of population / total: 34.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -396,7 +390,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "24 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 1 municipality (krong, singular and plural) provinces: Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kampot, Kandal, Kep, Koh Kong, Kratie, Mondolkiri, Oddar Meanchey, Pailin, Preah Sihanouk, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Pursat, Ratanakiri, Siem Reap, Stung Treng, Svay Rieng, Takeo, Tbong Khmum municipalities: Phnom Penh (Phnum Penh)" + "text": "24 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 1 municipality (krong, singular and plural) ++ provinces: Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kampot, Kandal, Kep, Koh Kong, Kratie, Mondolkiri, Oddar Meanchey, Pailin, Preah Sihanouk, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Pursat, Ratanakiri, Siem Reap, Stung Treng, Svay Rieng, Takeo, Tbong Khmum ++ municipalities: Phnom Penh (Phnum Penh)" }, "Independence": { "text": "9 November 1953 (from France)" @@ -451,13 +445,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament of Cambodia consists of:Senate (62 seats; 58 indirectly elected by parliamentarians and commune councils, 2 indirectly elected by the National Assembly, and 2 appointed by the monarch; members serve 6-year terms) National Assembly (125 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament of Cambodia consists of: Senate (62 seats; 58 indirectly elected by parliamentarians and commune councils, 2 indirectly elected by the National Assembly, and 2 appointed by the monarch; members serve 6-year terms) ++ National Assembly (125 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "Senate - last held on 25 February 2018 (next to be held in 2024); National Assembly - last held on 29 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "  Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 96%, FUNCINPEC 2.4%, KNUP 1.6%; seats by party - CPP 58; composition - men 53, women 9, percent of women 14.5% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP 76.9%, FUNCINPEC 5.9%, LDP 4.9%, Khmer Will Party 3.4%, other 8.9%; seats by party - CPP 125; composition - men 100, women 25, percent of women 20%; note - total Parliament of Cambodia percent of women 18.2%" + "text": "  ++ Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 96%, FUNCINPEC 2.4%, KNUP 1.6%; seats by party - CPP 58; composition - men 53, women 9, percent of women 14.5% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP 76.9%, FUNCINPEC 5.9%, LDP 4.9%, Khmer Will Party 3.4%, other 8.9%; seats by party - CPP 125; composition - men 100, women 25, percent of women 20%; note - total Parliament of Cambodia percent of women 18.2%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -472,7 +466,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Cambodia National Rescue Party or CNRP [KHEM SOKHA] (dissolved by the Cambodian Supreme Court in November 2017; formed from a 2012 merger of the Sam Rangsi Party or SRP and the former Human Rights Party or HRP [KHEM SOKHA, also spelled KEM SOKHA])Cambodian Nationality Party or CNP [SENG SOKHENG]Cambodian People's Party or CPP [HUN SEN]Khmer Economic Development Party or KEDP [HUON REACH CHAMROEUN]Khmer National Unity Party or KNUP [NHEK BUN CHHAY]Khmer Will Party [KONG MONIKA]League for Democracy Party or LDP [KHEM Veasna]National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM RANARIDDH]" + "text": "Cambodia National Rescue Party or CNRP [KHEM SOKHA] (dissolved by the Cambodian Supreme Court in November 2017; formed from a 2012 merger of the Sam Rangsi Party or SRP and the former Human Rights Party or HRP [KHEM SOKHA, also spelled KEM SOKHA]) ++ Cambodian Nationality Party or CNP [SENG SOKHENG] ++ Cambodian People's Party or CPP [HUN SEN] ++ Khmer Economic Development Party or KEDP [HUON REACH CHAMROEUN] ++ Khmer National Unity Party or KNUP [NHEK BUN CHHAY] ++ Khmer Will Party [KONG MONIKA] ++ League for Democracy Party or LDP [KHEM Veasna] ++ National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM RANARIDDH]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, ARF, ASEAN, CICA, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINUSMA, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -531,7 +525,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Cambodia has experienced strong economic growth over the last decade; GDP grew at an average annual rate of over 8% between 2000 and 2010 and about 7% since 2011. The tourism, garment, construction and real estate, and agriculture sectors accounted for the bulk of growth. Around 700,000 people, the majority of whom are women, are employed in the garment and footwear sector. An additional 500,000 Cambodians are employed in the tourism sector, and a further 200,000 people in construction. Tourism has continued to grow rapidly with foreign arrivals exceeding 2 million per year in 2007 and reaching 5.6 million visitors in 2017. Mining also is attracting some investor interest and the government has touted opportunities for mining bauxite, gold, iron and gems.   Still, Cambodia remains one of the poorest countries in Asia, and long-term economic development remains a daunting challenge, inhibited by corruption, limited human resources, high income inequality, and poor job prospects. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the percentage of the population living in poverty decreased to 13.5% in 2016. More than 50% of the population is less than 25 years old. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the impoverished countryside, which also lacks basic infrastructure.   The World Bank in 2016 formally reclassified Cambodia as a lower middle-income country as a result of continued rapid economic growth over the past several years. Cambodia’s graduation from a low-income country will reduce its eligibility for foreign assistance and will challenge the government to seek new sources of financing. The Cambodian Government has been working with bilateral and multilateral donors, including the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and IMF, to address the country's many pressing needs; more than 20% of the government budget will come from donor assistance in 2018. A major economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's demographic imbalance.   Textile exports, which accounted for 68% of total exports in 2017, have driven much of Cambodia’s growth over the past several years. The textile sector relies on exports to the United States and European Union, and Cambodia’s dependence on its comparative advantage in textile production is a key vulnerability for the economy, especially because Cambodia has continued to run a current account deficit above 9% of GDP since 2014." + "text": "Cambodia has experienced strong economic growth over the last decade; GDP grew at an average annual rate of over 8% between 2000 and 2010 and about 7% since 2011. The tourism, garment, construction and real estate, and agriculture sectors accounted for the bulk of growth. Around 700,000 people, the majority of whom are women, are employed in the garment and footwear sector. An additional 500,000 Cambodians are employed in the tourism sector, and a further 200,000 people in construction. Tourism has continued to grow rapidly with foreign arrivals exceeding 2 million per year in 2007 and reaching 5.6 million visitors in 2017. Mining also is attracting some investor interest and the government has touted opportunities for mining bauxite, gold, iron and gems. ++   ++ Still, Cambodia remains one of the poorest countries in Asia, and long-term economic development remains a daunting challenge, inhibited by corruption, limited human resources, high income inequality, and poor job prospects. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the percentage of the population living in poverty decreased to 13.5% in 2016. More than 50% of the population is less than 25 years old. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the impoverished countryside, which also lacks basic infrastructure. ++   ++ The World Bank in 2016 formally reclassified Cambodia as a lower middle-income country as a result of continued rapid economic growth over the past several years. Cambodia's graduation from a low-income country will reduce its eligibility for foreign assistance and will challenge the government to seek new sources of financing. The Cambodian Government has been working with bilateral and multilateral donors, including the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and IMF, to address the country's many pressing needs; more than 20% of the government budget will come from donor assistance in 2018. A major economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's demographic imbalance. ++   ++ Textile exports, which accounted for 68% of total exports in 2017, have driven much of Cambodia's growth over the past several years. The textile sector relies on exports to the United States and European Union, and Cambodia's dependence on its comparative advantage in textile production is a key vulnerability for the economy, especially because Cambodia has continued to run a current account deficit above 9% of GDP since 2014." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$64.21 billion (2017 est.) / $60.09 billion (2016 est.) / $56.18 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -938,7 +932,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Cambodia is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Cambodian men, women, and children migrate to countries within the region and, increasingly, the Middle East for legitimate work but are subjected to sex trafficking, domestic servitude, or forced labor in fishing, agriculture, construction, and factories; Cambodian men recruited to work on Thai-owned fishing vessels are subsequently subjected to forced labor in international waters and are kept at sea for years; poor Cambodian children are vulnerable and, often with the families’ complicity, are subject to forced labor, including domestic servitude and forced begging, in Thailand and Vietnam; Cambodian and ethnic Vietnamese women and girls are trafficked from rural areas to urban centers and tourist spots for sexual exploitation; Cambodian men are the main exploiters of child prostitutes, but men from other Asian countries, and the West travel to Cambodia for child sex tourism" + "text": "Cambodia is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Cambodian men, women, and children migrate to countries within the region and, increasingly, the Middle East for legitimate work but are subjected to sex trafficking, domestic servitude, or forced labor in fishing, agriculture, construction, and factories; Cambodian men recruited to work on Thai-owned fishing vessels are subsequently subjected to forced labor in international waters and are kept at sea for years; poor Cambodian children are vulnerable and, often with the families' complicity, are subject to forced labor, including domestic servitude and forced begging, in Thailand and Vietnam; Cambodian and ethnic Vietnamese women and girls are trafficked from rural areas to urban centers and tourist spots for sexual exploitation; Cambodian men are the main exploiters of child prostitutes, but men from other Asian countries, and the West travel to Cambodia for child sex tourism" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Cambodia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute making significant efforts to meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; authorities made modest progress in prosecutions and convictions of traffickers in 2014 but did not provide comprehensive data; endemic corruption continued to impede law enforcement efforts, and no complicit officials were prosecuted or convicted; the government sustained efforts to identify victims and refer them to NGOs for care, but victim protection remained inadequate, particularly for assisting male victims and victims identified abroad; a new national action plan was adopted, but guidelines for victim identification and guidance on undercover investigation techniques are still pending after several years (2015)" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json index 7bc47461..ec4f59bc 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json @@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ "text": "overwhelming majority of the population is found in the eastern half of the country; the west, with its vast mountainous and desert areas, remains sparsely populated; though ranked first in the world in total population, overall density is less than that of many other countries in Asia and Europe; high population density is found along the Yangtze and Yellow River valleys, the Xi Jiang River delta, the Sichuan Basin (around Chengdu), in and around Beijing, and the industrial area around Shenyang" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence\nvolcanism: China contains some historically active volcanoes including Changbaishan (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or P'aektu-san), Hainan Dao, and Kunlun although most have been relatively inactive in recent centuries" + "text": "frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence ++ volcanism: China contains some historically active volcanoes including Changbaishan (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu, or P'aektu-san), Hainan Dao, and Kunlun although most have been relatively inactive in recent centuries" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal produces acid rain; China is the world's largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water shortages, particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; coastal destruction due to land reclamation, industrial development, and aquaculture; deforestation and habitat destruction; poor land management leads to soil erosion, landslides, floods, droughts, dust storms, and desertification; trade in endangered species" @@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US) and largest country situated entirely in Asia; Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak above sea levelnote 2: the largest cave chamber in the world is the Miao Room, in the Gebihe cave system at China's Ziyun Getu He Chuandong National Park, which encloses some 10.78 million cu m (380.7 million cu ft) of volumenote 3: China appears to have been the center of domestication for two of the world's leading cereal crops: millet in the north along the Yellow River and rice in the south along the lower or middle Yangtze River" + "text": "note 1: world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US) and largest country situated entirely in Asia; Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak above sea level ++ note 2: the largest cave chamber in the world is the Miao Room, in the Gebihe cave system at China's Ziyun Getu He Chuandong National Park, which encloses some 10.78 million cu m (380.7 million cu ft) of volume ++ note 3: China appears to have been the center of domestication for two of the world's leading cereal crops: millet in the north along the Yellow River and rice in the south along the lower or middle Yangtze River" } } }, @@ -272,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "84.5% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.7% of population / rural: 87.8% of population / total: 92.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "12.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "7.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.3% of population / rural: 12.2% of population / total: 7.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -292,14 +289,11 @@ "text": "4.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.1% of population / rural: 82% of population / total: 90.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "18% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "9.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.4% of population / rural: 18% of population / total: 9.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -363,7 +357,7 @@ } }, "People - note": { - "text": "in October 2015, the Chinese Government announced that it would change its rules to allow all couples to have two children, loosening a 1979 mandate that restricted many couples to one child; the new policy was implemented on 1 January 2016 to address China’s rapidly aging population and future economic needs" + "text": "in October 2015, the Chinese Government announced that it would change its rules to allow all couples to have two children, loosening a 1979 mandate that restricted many couples to one child; the new policy was implemented on 1 January 2016 to address China's rapidly aging population and future economic needs" } }, "Government": { @@ -401,11 +395,11 @@ "text": "UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "note: China is the largest country (in terms of area) with just one time zone; before 1949 it was divided into fiveetymology: the Chinese meaning is \"Northern Capital\"" + "text": "note: China is the largest country (in terms of area) with just one time zone; before 1949 it was divided into five ++ etymology: the Chinese meaning is \"Northern Capital\" ++" } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi, singular and plural) provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan) autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia), Ningxia, Xinjiang Uyghur, Xizang (Tibet) municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin", + "text": "23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi, singular and plural) ++ provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang; (see note on Taiwan) ++ autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia), Ningxia, Xinjiang Uyghur, Xizang (Tibet) ++ municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin", "note": { "text": "note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau" } @@ -421,7 +415,7 @@ "text": "several previous; latest promulgated 4 December 1982" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress or supported by more than one fifth of the National People’s Congress membership; passage requires more than two-thirds majority vote of the Congress membership; amended several times, last in 2018" + "text": "proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress or supported by more than one fifth of the National People's Congress membership; passage requires more than two-thirds majority vote of the Congress membership; amended several times, last in 2018" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -555,7 +549,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Since the late 1970s, China has moved from a closed, centrally planned system to a more market-oriented one that plays a major global role. China has implemented reforms in a gradualist fashion, resulting in efficiency gains that have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Reforms began with the phaseout of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, growth of the private sector, development of stock markets and a modern banking system, and opening to foreign trade and investment. China continues to pursue an industrial policy, state support of key sectors, and a restrictive investment regime. From 2013 to 2017, China had one of the fastest growing economies in the world, averaging slightly more than 7% real growth per year. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis that adjusts for price differences, China in 2017 stood as the largest economy in the world, surpassing the US in 2014 for the first time in modern history. China became the world's largest exporter in 2010, and the largest trading nation in 2013. Still, China's per capita income is below the world average. In July 2005 moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. From mid-2005 to late 2008, the renminbi (RMB) appreciated more than 20% against the US dollar, but the exchange rate remained virtually pegged to the dollar from the onset of the global financial crisis until June 2010, when Beijing announced it would resume a gradual appreciation. From 2013 until early 2015, the renminbi held steady against the dollar, but it depreciated 13% from mid-2015 until end-2016 amid strong capital outflows; in 2017 the RMB resumed appreciating against the dollar – roughly 7% from end-of-2016 to end-of-2017. In 2015, the People’s Bank of China announced it would continue to carefully push for full convertibility of the renminbi, after the currency was accepted as part of the IMF’s special drawing rights basket. However, since late 2015 the Chinese Government has strengthened capital controls and oversight of overseas investments to better manage the exchange rate and maintain financial stability. The Chinese Government faces numerous economic challenges including: (a) reducing its high domestic savings rate and correspondingly low domestic household consumption; (b) managing its high corporate debt burden to maintain financial stability; (c) controlling off-balance sheet local government debt used to finance infrastructure stimulus; (d) facilitating higher-wage job opportunities for the aspiring middle class, including rural migrants and college graduates, while maintaining competitiveness; (e) dampening speculative investment in the real estate sector without sharply slowing the economy; (f) reducing industrial overcapacity; and (g) raising productivity growth rates through the more efficient allocation of capital and state-support for innovation. Economic development has progressed further in coastal provinces than in the interior, and by 2016 more than 169.3 million migrant workers and their dependents had relocated to urban areas to find work. One consequence of China’s population control policy known as the \"one-child policy\" - which was relaxed in 2016 to permit all families to have two children - is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the North - is another long-term problem. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and urbanization. The Chinese Government is seeking to add energy production capacity from sources other than coal and oil, focusing on natural gas, nuclear, and clean energy development. In 2016, China ratified the Paris Agreement, a multilateral agreement to combat climate change, and committed to peak its carbon dioxide emissions between 2025 and 2030. The government's 13th Five-Year Plan, unveiled in March 2016, emphasizes the need to increase innovation and boost domestic consumption to make the economy less dependent on government investment, exports, and heavy industry. However, China has made more progress on subsidizing innovation than rebalancing the economy. Beijing has committed to giving the market a more decisive role in allocating resources, but the Chinese Government’s policies continue to favor state-owned enterprises and emphasize stability. Chinese leaders in 2010 pledged to double China’s GDP by 2020, and the 13th Five Year Plan includes annual economic growth targets of at least 6.5% through 2020 to achieve that goal. In recent years, China has renewed its support for state-owned enterprises in sectors considered important to \"economic security,\" explicitly looking to foster globally competitive industries. Chinese leaders also have undermined some market-oriented reforms by reaffirming the \"dominant\" role of the state in the economy, a stance that threatens to discourage private initiative and make the economy less efficient over time. The slight acceleration in economic growth in 2017—the first such uptick since 2010—gives Beijing more latitude to pursue its economic reforms, focusing on financial sector deleveraging and its Supply-Side Structural Reform agenda, first announced in late 2015." + "text": "Since the late 1970s, China has moved from a closed, centrally planned system to a more market-oriented one that plays a major global role. China has implemented reforms in a gradualist fashion, resulting in efficiency gains that have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Reforms began with the phaseout of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, growth of the private sector, development of stock markets and a modern banking system, and opening to foreign trade and investment. China continues to pursue an industrial policy, state support of key sectors, and a restrictive investment regime. From 2013 to 2017, China had one of the fastest growing economies in the world, averaging slightly more than 7% real growth per year. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis that adjusts for price differences, China in 2017 stood as the largest economy in the world, surpassing the US in 2014 for the first time in modern history. China became the world's largest exporter in 2010, and the largest trading nation in 2013. Still, China's per capita income is below the world average. ++ In July 2005 moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. From mid-2005 to late 2008, the renminbi (RMB) appreciated more than 20% against the US dollar, but the exchange rate remained virtually pegged to the dollar from the onset of the global financial crisis until June 2010, when Beijing announced it would resume a gradual appreciation. From 2013 until early 2015, the renminbi held steady against the dollar, but it depreciated 13% from mid-2015 until end-2016 amid strong capital outflows; in 2017 the RMB resumed appreciating against the dollar – roughly 7% from end-of-2016 to end-of-2017. In 2015, the People's Bank of China announced it would continue to carefully push for full convertibility of the renminbi, after the currency was accepted as part of the IMF's special drawing rights basket. However, since late 2015 the Chinese Government has strengthened capital controls and oversight of overseas investments to better manage the exchange rate and maintain financial stability. ++ The Chinese Government faces numerous economic challenges including: (a) reducing its high domestic savings rate and correspondingly low domestic household consumption; (b) managing its high corporate debt burden to maintain financial stability; (c) controlling off-balance sheet local government debt used to finance infrastructure stimulus; (d) facilitating higher-wage job opportunities for the aspiring middle class, including rural migrants and college graduates, while maintaining competitiveness; (e) dampening speculative investment in the real estate sector without sharply slowing the economy; (f) reducing industrial overcapacity; and (g) raising productivity growth rates through the more efficient allocation of capital and state-support for innovation. Economic development has progressed further in coastal provinces than in the interior, and by 2016 more than 169.3 million migrant workers and their dependents had relocated to urban areas to find work. One consequence of China's population control policy known as the \"one-child policy\" - which was relaxed in 2016 to permit all families to have two children - is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the North - is another long-term problem. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and urbanization. The Chinese Government is seeking to add energy production capacity from sources other than coal and oil, focusing on natural gas, nuclear, and clean energy development. In 2016, China ratified the Paris Agreement, a multilateral agreement to combat climate change, and committed to peak its carbon dioxide emissions between 2025 and 2030. ++ The government's 13th Five-Year Plan, unveiled in March 2016, emphasizes the need to increase innovation and boost domestic consumption to make the economy less dependent on government investment, exports, and heavy industry. However, China has made more progress on subsidizing innovation than rebalancing the economy. Beijing has committed to giving the market a more decisive role in allocating resources, but the Chinese Government's policies continue to favor state-owned enterprises and emphasize stability. Chinese leaders in 2010 pledged to double China's GDP by 2020, and the 13th Five Year Plan includes annual economic growth targets of at least 6.5% through 2020 to achieve that goal. In recent years, China has renewed its support for state-owned enterprises in sectors considered important to \"economic security,\" explicitly looking to foster globally competitive industries. Chinese leaders also have undermined some market-oriented reforms by reaffirming the \"dominant\" role of the state in the economy, a stance that threatens to discourage private initiative and make the economy less efficient over time. The slight acceleration in economic growth in 2017—the first such uptick since 2010—gives Beijing more latitude to pursue its economic reforms, focusing on financial sector deleveraging and its Supply-Side Structural Reform agenda, first announced in late 2015." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$25.36 trillion (2018) / $23.21 trillion (2017 est.) / $21.72 trillion (2016 est.)", @@ -957,7 +951,7 @@ } }, "Transportation - note": { - "text": "seven of the world’s ten largest container ports are in China" + "text": "seven of the world's ten largest container ports are in China" } }, "Military and Security": { @@ -968,7 +962,7 @@ "text": "1.9% of GDP (2019) / 1.9% of GDP (2018) / 1.9% of GDP (2017) / 1.9% of GDP (2016) / 1.9% of GDP (2015)" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "assessments of the size of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) vary; approximately 2 million total active duty troops (approximately 1.0 million Ground; 250,000 Navy/Marines; 350,000 Air Force; 120,000 Rocket Forces; 150,000 Strategic Support Forces); 650,000 People’s Armed Police (2019)" + "text": "assessments of the size of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) vary; approximately 2 million total active duty troops (approximately 1.0 million Ground; 250,000 Navy/Marines; 350,000 Air Force; 120,000 Rocket Forces; 150,000 Strategic Support Forces); 650,000 People's Armed Police (2019)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the PLA is outfitted primarily with a mix of older and modern domestically-produced systems heavily influenced by technology derived from other countries; Russia is the top supplier of foreign military equipment since 2010, followed by France and Ukraine (2019)" @@ -997,7 +991,7 @@ "text": "China is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; Chinese adults and children are forced into prostitution and various forms of forced labor, including begging and working in brick kilns, coal mines, and factories; women and children are recruited from rural areas and taken to urban centers for sexual exploitation, often lured by criminal syndicates or gangs with fraudulent job offers; state-sponsored forced labor, where detainees work for up to four years often with no remuneration, continues to be a serious concern; Chinese men, women, and children also may be subjected to conditions of sex trafficking and forced labor worldwide, particularly in overseas Chinese communities; women and children are trafficked to China from neighboring countries, as well as Africa and the Americas, for forced labor and prostitution" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List - China does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; official data for 2014 states that 194 alleged traffickers were arrested and at least 35 were convicted, but the government’s conflation of human trafficking with other crimes makes it difficult to assess law enforcement efforts to investigate and to prosecute trafficking offenses according to international law; despite reports of complicity, no government officials were investigated, prosecuted, or convicted for their roles in trafficking offenses; authorities did not adequately protect victims and did not provide the data needed to ascertain the number of victims identified or assisted or the services provided; the National People’s Congress ratified a decision to abolish \"reform through labor\" in 2013, but some continued to operate as state-sponsored drug detention or \"custody and education\" centers that force inmates to perform manual labor; some North Korean refugees continued to be forcibly repatriated as illegal economic migrants, despite reports that some were trafficking victims (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List - China does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; official data for 2014 states that 194 alleged traffickers were arrested and at least 35 were convicted, but the government's conflation of human trafficking with other crimes makes it difficult to assess law enforcement efforts to investigate and to prosecute trafficking offenses according to international law; despite reports of complicity, no government officials were investigated, prosecuted, or convicted for their roles in trafficking offenses; authorities did not adequately protect victims and did not provide the data needed to ascertain the number of victims identified or assisted or the services provided; the National People's Congress ratified a decision to abolish \"reform through labor\" in 2013, but some continued to operate as state-sponsored drug detention or \"custody and education\" centers that force inmates to perform manual labor; some North Korean refugees continued to be forcibly repatriated as illegal economic migrants, despite reports that some were trafficking victims (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json index ae6e3497..55061d1b 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json @@ -243,11 +243,11 @@ "text": "66.7% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: -1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: -1% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Physicians density": { @@ -257,11 +257,11 @@ "text": "5.4 beds/1,000 population (2018)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.4% of population / total: 96.4% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "3.6% of population (2017)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.6% of population / total: 3.6% of population (2017)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ "text": "several previous (governance documents while under British authority); latest drafted April 1988 to February 1989, approved March 1990, effective 1 July 1997 (Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as the constitution); note - since 1990, China's National People's Congress has interpreted specific articles of the Basic Law" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, and the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, approval by two thirds of Hong Kong’s deputies to the NPC, and approval by the Hong Kong chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC" + "text": "proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the People's Republic of China State Council, and the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, approval by two thirds of Hong Kong's deputies to the NPC, and approval by the Hong Kong chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -376,13 +376,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (70 seats; 35 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; 30 members indirectly elected by the approximately 220,000 members of various functional constituencies based on a variety of methods; 5 at large \"super-seat\" members directly elected by all of Hong Kong’s eligible voters who do not participate in a functional constituency; members serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (70 seats; 35 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; 30 members indirectly elected by the approximately 220,000 members of various functional constituencies based on a variety of methods; 5 at large \"super-seat\" members directly elected by all of Hong Kong's eligible voters who do not participate in a functional constituency; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "last held on 4 September 2016; (scheduled for September 2020, but delayed until 2021); note - byelection held on 11 March and 25 November 2018 to fill 5 seats left vacant after 5 legislators were removed from office" }, "election results": { - "text": "percent of vote by block - pro-democracy 36%; pro-Beijing 40.2%, localist 19%, other 4.8%; seats by block/party - pro-Beijing 40 (DAB 12, BPA 7, FTU 5, Liberal Party 4, NPP 3, other 9); pro-democracy 23 (Democratic Party 7, Civic Party 6, PP-LSD 2, Professional Commons 2, Labor 1, NWSC 1, PTU 1, other democrats 3), localists 6 (ALLinHK 2, CP-PPI-HKRO 1, Demosisto 1, Democracy Groundwork 1, other localist 1), non-aligned independent 1; composition - men 59, women 11, percent of women 15.7%; note - 2 localists were barred from taking office in November 2016 and 4 pro-democracy legislators were removed in July 2017; two pan-democratic, two DAB, and one pro-establishment candidates won the byelections in 2018 to fill the seats vacated by the 5 legislators removed from office; one pro-democracy seat remains unfilled pending a court appeal; percent of vote by block as of March 2019 - pro-Beijing 62% pro-democracy 38%; seats by block/party as of March 2019 - pro-Beijing 43 (DAB 13, BPA 7, FTU 5, Liberal Party 4, NPP 3, other 11); pro-democracy 26 (Democratic Party 7, Civic Party 5, Professional Commons 2, Civic Passion 1, Labor 1 PTU 1, Council Front 6, independent 3); composition as of March 2019 - men 58, women 11; percent of women 15.7%  " + "text": "percent of vote by block - pro-democracy 36%; pro-Beijing 40.2%, localist 19%, other 4.8%; seats by block/party - pro-Beijing 40 (DAB 12, BPA 7, FTU 5, Liberal Party 4, NPP 3, other 9); pro-democracy 23 (Democratic Party 7, Civic Party 6, PP-LSD 2, Professional Commons 2, Labor 1, NWSC 1, PTU 1, other democrats 3), localists 6 (ALLinHK 2, CP-PPI-HKRO 1, Demosisto 1, Democracy Groundwork 1, other localist 1), non-aligned independent 1; composition - men 59, women 11, percent of women 15.7%; note - 2 localists were barred from taking office in November 2016 and 4 pro-democracy legislators were removed in July 2017; two pan-democratic, two DAB, and one pro-establishment candidates won the byelections in 2018 to fill the seats vacated by the 5 legislators removed from office; one pro-democracy seat remains unfilled pending a court appeal; percent of vote by block as of March 2019 - pro-Beijing 62% pro-democracy 38%; seats by block/party as of March 2019 - pro-Beijing 43 (DAB 13, BPA 7, FTU 5, Liberal Party 4, NPP 3, other 11); pro-democracy 26 (Democratic Party 7, Civic Party 5, Professional Commons 2, Civic Passion 1, Labor 1 PTU 1, Council Front 6, independent 3); composition as of March 2019 - men 58, women 11; percent of women 15.7% ++  " } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "parties: ALLinHK (alliance of 6 localist groups)Business and Professional Alliance or BPA [LO Wai-kwok]Civic Party [Alvin YEUNG]Civic Passion or CP [CHENG Chung-tai] (part of Civic Passion-Proletariat Political Institute-Hong Kong Resurgence Order alliance or CP-PPI-HKRO that dissolved after the 2016 election)Democracy Groundwork [LAU Siu-lai]Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [Starry LEE Wai-king]Democratic Party [WU Chi-wai]Demosisto [Ivan LAM] (announced cessation of all operations, 30 June 2020)Federation of Trade Unions or FTU [Stanley NG Chau-pei]Labor Party [Steven KWOK Wing-kin]League of Social Democrats or LSD [Avery NG Man-yuen]Liberal Party [Felix CHUNG Kwok-pan]Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC [LEUNG Yui-chung]New People's Party or NPP [Regina IP Lau Su-yee]People Power or PP [Raymond CHAN]Youngspiration [Sixtus \"Baggio\" LEUNG Chung-hang]other: Professional Commons [Charles Peter MOK] (think tank)Professional Teachers Union or PTU", + "text": "parties: ++ ALLinHK (alliance of 6 localist groups) ++ Business and Professional Alliance or BPA [LO Wai-kwok] ++ Civic Party [Alvin YEUNG] ++ Civic Passion or CP [CHENG Chung-tai] (part of Civic Passion-Proletariat Political Institute-Hong Kong Resurgence Order alliance or CP-PPI-HKRO that dissolved after the 2016 election) ++ Democracy Groundwork [LAU Siu-lai] ++ Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [Starry LEE Wai-king] ++ Democratic Party [WU Chi-wai] ++ Demosisto [Ivan LAM] (announced cessation of all operations, 30 June 2020) ++ Federation of Trade Unions or FTU [Stanley NG Chau-pei] ++ Labor Party [Steven KWOK Wing-kin] ++ League of Social Democrats or LSD [Avery NG Man-yuen] ++ Liberal Party [Felix CHUNG Kwok-pan] ++ Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC [LEUNG Yui-chung] ++ New People's Party or NPP [Regina IP Lau Su-yee] ++ People Power or PP [Raymond CHAN] ++ Youngspiration [Sixtus \"Baggio\" LEUNG Chung-hang] ++ other: ++ Professional Commons [Charles Peter MOK] (think tank) ++ Professional Teachers Union or PTU", "note": { "text": "note: political blocks include: pro-democracy - Civic Party, Democratic Party, Labor Party, LSD, NWSC, PP, Professional Commons, PTU; pro-Beijing - DAB, FTU, Liberal Party, NPP, BPA; localist - ALLinHK, CP, Democracy Groundwork, Demosisto; there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies" } @@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ "text": "[852] 2523-9011" }, "embassy": { - "text": "U. S. Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau26 Garden RoadCentral Hong Kong" + "text": "U. S. Consulate General Hong Kong and Macau ++ 26 Garden Road ++ Central Hong Kong" }, "mailing address": { "text": "Unit 8000, Box 1, DPO AP 96521-0006" @@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Hong Kong has a free market economy, highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, is about four times GDP. Hong Kong has no tariffs on imported goods, and it levies excise duties on only four commodities, whether imported or produced locally: hard alcohol, tobacco, oil, and methyl alcohol. There are no quotas or dumping laws. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983. Excess liquidity, low interest rates and a tight housing supply have caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly. The lower and middle-income segments of the population increasingly find housing unaffordable. Hong Kong's open economy has left it exposed to the global economic situation. Its continued reliance on foreign trade and investment makes it vulnerable to renewed global financial market volatility or a slowdown in the global economy. Mainland China has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about half of Hong Kong's total trade by value. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 47.3 million in 2014, outnumbering visitors from all other countries combined. After peaking in 2014, overall tourist arrivals dropped 2.5% in 2015 and 4.5% in 2016. The tourism sector rebounded in 2017, with visitor arrivals rising 3.2% to 58.47 million. Travelers from Mainland China totaled 44.45 million, accounting for 76% of the total. The Hong Kong Government is promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the preferred business hub for renminbi (RMB) internationalization. Hong Kong residents are allowed to establish RMB-denominated savings accounts, RMB-denominated corporate and Chinese government bonds have been issued in Hong Kong, RMB trade settlement is allowed, and investment schemes such as the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) Program was first launched in Hong Kong. Offshore RMB activities experienced a setback, however, after the People’s Bank of China changed the way it set the central parity rate in August 2015. RMB deposits in Hong Kong fell from 1.0 trillion RMB at the end of 2014 to 559 billion RMB at the end of 2017, while RMB trade settlement handled by banks in Hong Kong also shrank from 6.8 trillion RMB in 2015 to 3.9 trillion RMB in 2017. Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. In 2015, mainland Chinese companies constituted about 50% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for about 66% of the exchange's market capitalization. During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly. In 2014, Hong Kong and China signed a new agreement on achieving basic liberalization of trade in services in Guangdong Province under the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), adopted in 2003 to forge closer ties between Hong Kong and the mainland. The new measures, which took effect in March 2015, cover a negative list and a most-favored treatment provision. On the basis of the Guangdong Agreement, the Agreement on Trade in Services signed in November 2015 further enhanced liberalization, including extending the implementation of the majority of Guangdong pilot liberalization measures to the whole Mainland, reducing the restrictive measures in the negative list, and adding measures in the positive lists for cross-border services as well as cultural and telecommunications services. In June 2017, the Investment Agreement and the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation (Ecotech Agreement) were signed under the framework of CEPA. Hong Kong’s economic integration with the mainland continues to be most evident in the banking and finance sector. Initiatives like the Hong Kong-Shanghai Stock Connect, the Hong Kong- Shenzhen Stock Connect the Mutual Recognition of Funds, and the Bond Connect scheme are all important steps towards opening up the Mainland’s capital markets and have reinforced Hong Kong’s role as China’s leading offshore RMB market. Additional connect schemes such as ETF Connect (for exchange-traded fund products) are also under exploration by Hong Kong authorities. In 2017, Chief Executive Carrie LAM announced plans to increase government spending on research and development, education, and technological innovation with the aim of spurring continued economic growth through greater sector diversification." + "text": "Hong Kong has a free market economy, highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, is about four times GDP. Hong Kong has no tariffs on imported goods, and it levies excise duties on only four commodities, whether imported or produced locally: hard alcohol, tobacco, oil, and methyl alcohol. There are no quotas or dumping laws. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983. ++ Excess liquidity, low interest rates and a tight housing supply have caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly. The lower and middle-income segments of the population increasingly find housing unaffordable. ++ Hong Kong's open economy has left it exposed to the global economic situation. Its continued reliance on foreign trade and investment makes it vulnerable to renewed global financial market volatility or a slowdown in the global economy. ++ Mainland China has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about half of Hong Kong's total trade by value. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 47.3 million in 2014, outnumbering visitors from all other countries combined. After peaking in 2014, overall tourist arrivals dropped 2.5% in 2015 and 4.5% in 2016. The tourism sector rebounded in 2017, with visitor arrivals rising 3.2% to 58.47 million. Travelers from Mainland China totaled 44.45 million, accounting for 76% of the total. ++ The Hong Kong Government is promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the preferred business hub for renminbi (RMB) internationalization. Hong Kong residents are allowed to establish RMB-denominated savings accounts, RMB-denominated corporate and Chinese government bonds have been issued in Hong Kong, RMB trade settlement is allowed, and investment schemes such as the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) Program was first launched in Hong Kong. Offshore RMB activities experienced a setback, however, after the People's Bank of China changed the way it set the central parity rate in August 2015. RMB deposits in Hong Kong fell from 1.0 trillion RMB at the end of 2014 to 559 billion RMB at the end of 2017, while RMB trade settlement handled by banks in Hong Kong also shrank from 6.8 trillion RMB in 2015 to 3.9 trillion RMB in 2017. ++ Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. In 2015, mainland Chinese companies constituted about 50% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for about 66% of the exchange's market capitalization. ++ During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly. In 2014, Hong Kong and China signed a new agreement on achieving basic liberalization of trade in services in Guangdong Province under the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), adopted in 2003 to forge closer ties between Hong Kong and the mainland. The new measures, which took effect in March 2015, cover a negative list and a most-favored treatment provision. On the basis of the Guangdong Agreement, the Agreement on Trade in Services signed in November 2015 further enhanced liberalization, including extending the implementation of the majority of Guangdong pilot liberalization measures to the whole Mainland, reducing the restrictive measures in the negative list, and adding measures in the positive lists for cross-border services as well as cultural and telecommunications services. In June 2017, the Investment Agreement and the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation (Ecotech Agreement) were signed under the framework of CEPA. ++ Hong Kong's economic integration with the mainland continues to be most evident in the banking and finance sector. Initiatives like the Hong Kong-Shanghai Stock Connect, the Hong Kong- Shenzhen Stock Connect the Mutual Recognition of Funds, and the Bond Connect scheme are all important steps towards opening up the Mainland's capital markets and have reinforced Hong Kong's role as China's leading offshore RMB market. Additional connect schemes such as ETF Connect (for exchange-traded fund products) are also under exploration by Hong Kong authorities. In 2017, Chief Executive Carrie LAM announced plans to increase government spending on research and development, education, and technological innovation with the aim of spurring continued economic growth through greater sector diversification." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$480.5 billion (2018) / $455.9 billion (2017 est.) / $439.2 billion (2016 est.)", @@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ "text": "China 55%, US 8.6% (2018 est.)" }, "Exports - commodities": { - "text": "electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, watches and clocks, toys, \"jewelry, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares, and other articles of precious or semi-precious materials\"; Hong Kong plays an important role as entrepot to the Chinese mainland; in 2017, 58% of Hong Kong’s re-exports originated in mainland China, and 54% were destined for the Chinese mainland" + "text": "electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, watches and clocks, toys, \"jewelry, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares, and other articles of precious or semi-precious materials\"; Hong Kong plays an important role as entrepot to the Chinese mainland; in 2017, 58% of Hong Kong's re-exports originated in mainland China, and 54% were destined for the Chinese mainland" }, "Imports": { "text": "$602.4 billion (2018 est.) / $561.8 billion (2017 est.) / $518.2 billion (2016 est.)" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json index fa336716..a1dfb1d6 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json @@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ "text": "major concentration on the island of Java, which is considered one of the most densely populated places on earth; of the outer islands (those surrounding Java and Bali), Sumatra contains some of the most significant clusters, particularly in the south near the Selat Sunda, and along the northeastern coast near Medan; the cities of Makasar (Sulawesi), Banjarmasin (Kalimantan) are also heavily populated" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "occasional floods; severe droughts; tsunamis; earthquakes; volcanoes; forest fires\nvolcanism: Indonesia contains the most volcanoes of any country in the world - some 76 are historically active; significant volcanic activity occurs on Java, Sumatra, the Sunda Islands, Halmahera Island, Sulawesi Island, Sangihe Island, and in the Banda Sea; Merapi (2,968 m), Indonesia's most active volcano and in eruption since 2010, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Agung, Awu, Karangetang, Krakatau (Krakatoa), Makian, Raung, and Tambora; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" + "text": "occasional floods; severe droughts; tsunamis; earthquakes; volcanoes; forest fires ++ volcanism: Indonesia contains the most volcanoes of any country in the world - some 76 are historically active; significant volcanic activity occurs on Java, Sumatra, the Sunda Islands, Halmahera Island, Sulawesi Island, Sangihe Island, and in the Banda Sea; Merapi (2,968 m), Indonesia's most active volcano and in eruption since 2010, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Agung, Awu, Karangetang, Krakatau (Krakatoa), Makian, Raung, and Tambora; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "large-scale deforestation (much of it illegal) and related wildfires cause heavy smog; over-exploitation of marine resources; environmental problems associated with rapid urbanization and economic development, including air pollution, traffic congestion, garbage management, and reliable water and waste water services; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage" @@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: according to Indonesia's National Coordinating Agency for Survey and Mapping, the total number of islands in the archipelago is 13,466, of which 922 are permanently inhabited (Indonesia is the world's largest country comprised solely of islands); the country straddles the equator and occupies a strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean note 2: Indonesia is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire note 3: despite having the fourth largest population in the world, Indonesia is the most heavily forested region on earth after the Amazon" + "text": "note 1: according to Indonesia's National Coordinating Agency for Survey and Mapping, the total number of islands in the archipelago is 13,466, of which 922 are permanently inhabited (Indonesia is the world's largest country comprised solely of islands); the country straddles the equator and occupies a strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean ++ note 2: Indonesia is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire ++ note 3: despite having the fourth largest population in the world, Indonesia is the most heavily forested region on earth after the Amazon" } } }, @@ -263,14 +263,11 @@ "text": "55.5% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.6% of population / rural: 83.7% of population / total: 90.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "16.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "9.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.4% of population / rural: 16.3% of population / total: 9.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -283,14 +280,11 @@ "text": "1 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 7.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 92.5% of population / rural: 76.8% of population / total: 85.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "23.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "14.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 7.5% of population / rural: 23.2% of population / total: 14.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -394,7 +388,7 @@ "text": "UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Indonesia has three time zonesetymology: \"Jakarta\" derives from the Sanscrit \"Jayakarta\" meaning \"victorious city\" and refers to a successful defeat and expulsion of the Portuguese in 1527; previously the port had been named \"Sunda Kelapa\"" + "text": "note: Indonesia has three time zones ++ etymology: \"Jakarta\" derives from the Sanscrit \"Jayakarta\" meaning \"victorious city\" and refers to a successful defeat and expulsion of the Portuguese in 1527; previously the port had been named \"Sunda Kelapa\"" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -414,7 +408,7 @@ "text": "drafted July to August 1945, effective 18 August 1945, abrogated by 1949 and 1950 constitutions; 1945 constitution restored 5 July 1959" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the People’s Consultative Assembly, with at least two thirds of its members present; passage requires simple majority vote by the Assembly membership; constitutional articles on the unitary form of the state cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2002" + "text": "proposed by the People's Consultative Assembly, with at least two thirds of its members present; passage requires simple majority vote by the Assembly membership; constitutional articles on the unitary form of the state cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2002" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -459,13 +453,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral People's Consultative Assembly or Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat consists of:Regional Representative Council or Dewan Perwakilan Daerah (136 seats; non-partisan members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - 4 each from the country's 34 electoral districts - by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms); note - the Regional Representative Council has no legislative authority House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (575 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by single non-transferable vote to serve 5-year terms) (2019)" + "text": "bicameral People's Consultative Assembly or Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat consists of: Regional Representative Council or Dewan Perwakilan Daerah (136 seats; non-partisan members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - 4 each from the country's 34 electoral districts - by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms); note - the Regional Representative Council has no legislative authority ++ House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (575 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by single non-transferable vote to serve 5-year terms) (2019)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Regional Representative Council - last held 17 April 2019 (next to be held 2024) House of Representatives - last held on 17 April 2019 (next to be held 2024) (2019)" + "text": "Regional Representative Council - last held 17 April 2019 (next to be held 2024) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 17 April 2019 (next to be held 2024) (2019)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Regional Representative Council - all seats elected on a non-partisan basis; compostion - NA House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDI-P 19.3%, Gerindra 12.6%, Golkar 12.3%,  PKB 9.7%, Nasdem 9.1%, PKS 8.2%, PD 7.8%, PAN 6.8%, PPP 4.5%, other 9.6%; seats by party - PDI-P 128, Golkar 85, Gerindra 78, Nasdem 59, PKB 58, PD 54, PKS 50, PAN 44, PPP 19; composition - men 475, women 100, percent of women 17.9%; total People's Consultative Assembly percent of women NA (2019)" + "text": "Regional Representative Council - all seats elected on a non-partisan basis; compostion - NA ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDI-P 19.3%, Gerindra 12.6%, Golkar 12.3%,  PKB 9.7%, Nasdem 9.1%, PKS 8.2%, PD 7.8%, PAN 6.8%, PPP 4.5%, other 9.6%; seats by party - PDI-P 128, Golkar 85, Gerindra 78, Nasdem 59, PKB 58, PD 54, PKS 50, PAN 44, PPP 19; composition - men 475, women 100, percent of women 17.9%; total People's Consultative Assembly percent of women NA (2019)" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -480,7 +474,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democrat Party or PD [Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO]Functional Groups Party or GOLKAR [Airlangga HARTARTO]Great Indonesia Movement Party or GERINDRA [PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo]Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri]National Awakening Party or PKB [Muhaiman ISKANDAR]National Democratic Party or NasDem [Surya PALOH]National Mandate Party or PAN [Zulkifli HASAN]Party of the Functional Groups or Golkar [Airlangga HARTARTO]People's Conscience Party or HANURA [Oesman Sapta ODANG]Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Muhammad Sohibul IMAN]United Development Party or PPP [Muhammad ROMAHURMUZIY] (2019)" + "text": "Democrat Party or PD [Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO] ++ Functional Groups Party or GOLKAR [Airlangga HARTARTO] ++ Great Indonesia Movement Party or GERINDRA [PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo] ++ Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri] ++ National Awakening Party or PKB [Muhaiman ISKANDAR] ++ National Democratic Party or NasDem [Surya PALOH] ++ National Mandate Party or PAN [Zulkifli HASAN] ++ Party of the Functional Groups or Golkar [Airlangga HARTARTO] ++ People's Conscience Party or HANURA [Oesman Sapta ODANG] ++ Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Muhammad Sohibul IMAN] ++ United Development Party or PPP [Muhammad ROMAHURMUZIY] (2019)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-11, G-15, G-20, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IORA, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, MSG (associate member), NAM, OECD (enhanced engagement), OIC, OPCW, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -548,7 +542,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, has seen a slowdown in growth since 2012, mostly due to the end of the commodities export boom. During the global financial crisis, Indonesia outperformed its regional neighbors and joined China and India as the only G20 members posting growth. Indonesia’s annual budget deficit is capped at 3% of GDP, and the Government of Indonesia lowered its debt-to-GDP ratio from a peak of 100% shortly after the Asian financial crisis in 1999 to 34% today. In May 2017 Standard & Poor’s became the last major ratings agency to upgrade Indonesia’s sovereign credit rating to investment grade. Poverty and unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, corruption, a complex regulatory environment, and unequal resource distribution among its regions are still part of Indonesia’s economic landscape. President Joko WIDODO - elected in July 2014 – seeks to develop Indonesia’s maritime resources and pursue other infrastructure development, including significantly increasing its electrical power generation capacity. Fuel subsidies were significantly reduced in early 2015, a move which has helped the government redirect its spending to development priorities. Indonesia, with the nine other ASEAN members, will continue to move towards participation in the ASEAN Economic Community, though full implementation of economic integration has not yet materialized." + "text": "Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, has seen a slowdown in growth since 2012, mostly due to the end of the commodities export boom. During the global financial crisis, Indonesia outperformed its regional neighbors and joined China and India as the only G20 members posting growth. Indonesia's annual budget deficit is capped at 3% of GDP, and the Government of Indonesia lowered its debt-to-GDP ratio from a peak of 100% shortly after the Asian financial crisis in 1999 to 34% today. In May 2017 Standard & Poor's became the last major ratings agency to upgrade Indonesia's sovereign credit rating to investment grade. ++ Poverty and unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, corruption, a complex regulatory environment, and unequal resource distribution among its regions are still part of Indonesia's economic landscape. President Joko WIDODO - elected in July 2014 – seeks to develop Indonesia's maritime resources and pursue other infrastructure development, including significantly increasing its electrical power generation capacity. Fuel subsidies were significantly reduced in early 2015, a move which has helped the government redirect its spending to development priorities. Indonesia, with the nine other ASEAN members, will continue to move towards participation in the ASEAN Economic Community, though full implementation of economic integration has not yet materialized." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$3.25 trillion (2017 est.) / $3.093 trillion (2016 est.) / $2.945 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -943,7 +937,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Indonesian National Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army (TNI-Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD)), Navy (TNI-Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL), includes marines (Korps Marinir, KorMar), naval air arm), Air Force (TNI-Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU)), National Air Defense Command (Komando Pertahanan Udara Nasional (Kohanudnas)), Armed Forces Special Operations Command (Koopssus), Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad)Indonesian Sea and Coast Guard (Kesatuan Penjagaan Laut dan Pantai, KPLP) is under the Ministry of Transportation (2019)", + "text": "Indonesian National Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, TNI): Army (TNI-Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD)), Navy (TNI-Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL), includes marines (Korps Marinir, KorMar), naval air arm), Air Force (TNI-Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU)), National Air Defense Command (Komando Pertahanan Udara Nasional (Kohanudnas)), Armed Forces Special Operations Command (Koopssus), Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) ++ Indonesian Sea and Coast Guard (Kesatuan Penjagaan Laut dan Pantai, KPLP) is under the Ministry of Transportation (2019)", "note": { "text": "note:  the Indonesian National Police includes a paramilitary Mobile Brigade Corps (BRIMOB)" } diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json index 9cfaed43..c8a772b1 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json @@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ "text": "all primary and secondary regions of high population density lie on the coast; one-third of the population resides in and around Tokyo on the central plain (Kanto Plain)" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors but occasional severe earthquakes) every year; tsunamis; typhoons\nvolcanism: both Unzen (1,500 m) and Sakura-jima (1,117 m), which lies near the densely populated city of Kagoshima, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Asama, Honshu Island's most active volcano, Aso, Bandai, Fuji, Iwo-Jima, Kikai, Kirishima, Komaga-take, Oshima, Suwanosejima, Tokachi, Yake-dake, and Usu; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" + "text": "many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors but occasional severe earthquakes) every year; tsunamis; typhoons ++ volcanism: both Unzen (1,500 m) and Sakura-jima (1,117 m), which lies near the densely populated city of Kagoshima, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Asama, Honshu Island's most active volcano, Aso, Bandai, Fuji, Iwo-Jima, Kikai, Kirishima, Komaga-take, Oshima, Suwanosejima, Tokachi, Yake-dake, and Usu; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain; acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these resources in Asia and elsewhere; following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan originally planned to phase out nuclear power, but it has now implemented a new policy of seeking to restart nuclear power plants that meet strict new safety standards; waste management is an ongoing issue; Japanese municipal facilities used to burn high volumes of trash, but air pollution issues forced the government to adopt an aggressive recycling policy" @@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: strategic location in northeast Asia; composed of four main islands - from north: Hokkaido, Honshu (the largest and most populous), Shikoku, and Kyushu (the \"Home Islands\") - and 6,848 smaller islands and islets note 2: Japan annually records the most earthquakes in the world; it is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire" + "text": "note 1: strategic location in northeast Asia; composed of four main islands - from north: Hokkaido, Honshu (the largest and most populous), Shikoku, and Kyushu (the \"Home Islands\") - and 6,848 smaller islands and islets ++ note 2: Japan annually records the most earthquakes in the world; it is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire" } } }, @@ -264,8 +264,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,8 +281,11 @@ "text": "13.1 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est. est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est. est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -420,13 +426,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of:House of Councillors or Sangi-in (242 seats; 146 members directly elected in multi-seat districts by simple majority vote and 96 directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with half the membership renewed every 3 years) House of Representatives or Shugi-in (465 seats; 289 members directly elected in single-seat districts by simple majority vote and 176 directly elected in multi-seat districts by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of: House of Councillors or Sangi-in (242 seats; 146 members directly elected in multi-seat districts by simple majority vote and 96 directly elected in a single national constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with half the membership renewed every 3 years) ++ House of Representatives or Shugi-in (465 seats; 289 members directly elected in single-seat districts by simple majority vote and 176 directly elected in multi-seat districts by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "House of Councillors - last held on 10 July 2016 (next to be held in July 2019) House of Representatives - last held on 22 October 2017 (next to be held by 21 October 2021)" + "text": "House of Councillors - last held on 10 July 2016 (next to be held in July 2019) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 22 October 2017 (next to be held by 21 October 2021)" }, "election results": { - "text": "House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDP 55, DP 32, Komeito 14, JCP 6, Osaka Ishin no Kai (Initiatives from Osaka) 7, PLPTYF 1, SDP 1, independent 5 House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDP 284, CDP 55, Party of Hope 50, Komeito 29, JCP 12, JIP 11, SDP 2, independent 22" + "text": "House of Councillors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDP 55, DP 32, Komeito 14, JCP 6, Osaka Ishin no Kai (Initiatives from Osaka) 7, PLPTYF 1, SDP 1, independent 5 ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDP 284, CDP 55, Party of Hope 50, Komeito 29, JCP 12, JIP 11, SDP 2, independent 22" }, "note": { "text": "note: the Diet in June 2017 redrew Japan's electoral district boundaries and reduced from 475 to 465 seats in the House of Representatives; the amended electoral law, which cuts 6 seats in single-seat districts and 4 in multi-seat districts, was reportedly intended to reduce voting disparities between densely and sparsely populated voting districts" @@ -444,7 +450,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan or CDP [Yukio EDANO]Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Kohei OTSUKA]Group of Reformists [Sakihito OZAWA]Initiatives from Osaka (Osaka Ishin no kai) [Ichiro MATSUI]Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]Japan Innovation Party or JIP [Ichiro MATSUI]Party of Hope or Kibo no To [Yuichiro TAMAKI]Komeito [Natsuo YAMAGUCHI]Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Yoshihide SUGA]Liberal Party [Ichiro OZAWA] (formerly People's Life Party & Taro Yamamoto and Friends or PLPTYF)New Renaissance Party [Hiroyuki ARAI]Party for Japanese Kokoro or PJK [Masashi NAKANO]Social Democratic Party or SDP [Tadatomo YOSHIDA]The Assembly to Energize Japan and the Independents [Kota MATSUDA]" + "text": "Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan or CDP [Yukio EDANO] ++ Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Kohei OTSUKA] ++ Group of Reformists [Sakihito OZAWA] ++ Initiatives from Osaka (Osaka Ishin no kai) [Ichiro MATSUI] ++ Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII] ++ Japan Innovation Party or JIP [Ichiro MATSUI] ++ Party of Hope or Kibo no To [Yuichiro TAMAKI] ++ Komeito [Natsuo YAMAGUCHI] ++ Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Yoshihide SUGA] ++ Liberal Party [Ichiro OZAWA] (formerly People's Life Party & Taro Yamamoto and Friends or PLPTYF)New Renaissance Party [Hiroyuki ARAI] ++ Party for Japanese Kokoro or PJK [Masashi NAKANO]Social Democratic Party or SDP [Tadatomo YOSHIDA]The Assembly to Energize Japan and the Independents [Kota MATSUDA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, CPLP (associate), EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -509,7 +515,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Over the past 70 years, government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (slightly less than 1% of GDP) have helped Japan develop an advanced economy. Two notable characteristics of the post-World War II economy were the close interlocking structures of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, known as keiretsu, and the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features have significantly eroded under the dual pressures of global competition and domestic demographic change. Measured on a purchasing power parity basis that adjusts for price differences, Japan in 2017 stood as the fourth-largest economy in the world after first-place China, which surpassed Japan in 2001, and third-place India, which edged out Japan in 2012. For three postwar decades, overall real economic growth was impressive - averaging 10% in the 1960s, 5% in the 1970s, and 4% in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the aftereffects of inefficient investment and the collapse of an asset price bubble in the late 1980s, which resulted in several years of economic stagnation as firms sought to reduce excess debt, capital, and labor. Modest economic growth continued after 2000, but the economy has fallen into recession four times since 2008. Japan enjoyed an uptick in growth since 2013, supported by Prime Minister Shinzo ABE’s \"Three Arrows\" economic revitalization agenda - dubbed \"Abenomics\" - of monetary easing, \"flexible\" fiscal policy, and structural reform. Led by the Bank of Japan’s aggressive monetary easing, Japan is making modest progress in ending deflation, but demographic decline – a low birthrate and an aging, shrinking population – poses a major long-term challenge for the economy. The government currently faces the quandary of balancing its efforts to stimulate growth and institute economic reforms with the need to address its sizable public debt, which stands at 235% of GDP. To help raise government revenue, Japan adopted legislation in 2012 to gradually raise the consumption tax rate. However, the first such increase, in April 2014, led to a sharp contraction, so Prime Minister ABE has twice postponed the next increase, which is now scheduled for October 2019. Structural reforms to unlock productivity are seen as central to strengthening the economy in the long-run. Scarce in critical natural resources, Japan has long been dependent on imported energy and raw materials. After the complete shutdown of Japan’s nuclear reactors following the earthquake and tsunami disaster in 2011, Japan's industrial sector has become even more dependent than before on imported fossil fuels. However, ABE’s government is seeking to restart nuclear power plants that meet strict new safety standards and is emphasizing nuclear energy’s importance as a base-load electricity source. In August 2015, Japan successfully restarted one nuclear reactor at the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Kagoshima prefecture, and several other reactors around the country have since resumed operations; however, opposition from local governments has delayed several more restarts that remain pending. Reforms of the electricity and gas sectors, including full liberalization of Japan’s energy market in April 2016 and gas market in April 2017, constitute an important part of Prime Minister Abe’s economic program. Under the Abe Administration, Japan’s government sought to open the country’s economy to greater foreign competition and create new export opportunities for Japanese businesses, including by joining 11 trading partners in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Japan became the first country to ratify the TPP in December 2016, but the United States signaled its withdrawal from the agreement in January 2017. In November 2017 the remaining 11 countries agreed on the core elements of a modified agreement, which they renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Japan also reached agreement with the European Union on an Economic Partnership Agreement in July 2017, and is likely seek to ratify both agreements in the Diet this year." + "text": "Over the past 70 years, government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (slightly less than 1% of GDP) have helped Japan develop an advanced economy. Two notable characteristics of the post-World War II economy were the close interlocking structures of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, known as keiretsu, and the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features have significantly eroded under the dual pressures of global competition and domestic demographic change. ++ Measured on a purchasing power parity basis that adjusts for price differences, Japan in 2017 stood as the fourth-largest economy in the world after first-place China, which surpassed Japan in 2001, and third-place India, which edged out Japan in 2012. For three postwar decades, overall real economic growth was impressive - averaging 10% in the 1960s, 5% in the 1970s, and 4% in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the aftereffects of inefficient investment and the collapse of an asset price bubble in the late 1980s, which resulted in several years of economic stagnation as firms sought to reduce excess debt, capital, and labor. Modest economic growth continued after 2000, but the economy has fallen into recession four times since 2008. ++ Japan enjoyed an uptick in growth since 2013, supported by Prime Minister Shinzo ABE's \"Three Arrows\" economic revitalization agenda - dubbed \"Abenomics\" - of monetary easing, \"flexible\" fiscal policy, and structural reform. Led by the Bank of Japan's aggressive monetary easing, Japan is making modest progress in ending deflation, but demographic decline – a low birthrate and an aging, shrinking population – poses a major long-term challenge for the economy. The government currently faces the quandary of balancing its efforts to stimulate growth and institute economic reforms with the need to address its sizable public debt, which stands at 235% of GDP. To help raise government revenue, Japan adopted legislation in 2012 to gradually raise the consumption tax rate. However, the first such increase, in April 2014, led to a sharp contraction, so Prime Minister ABE has twice postponed the next increase, which is now scheduled for October 2019. Structural reforms to unlock productivity are seen as central to strengthening the economy in the long-run. ++ Scarce in critical natural resources, Japan has long been dependent on imported energy and raw materials. After the complete shutdown of Japan's nuclear reactors following the earthquake and tsunami disaster in 2011, Japan's industrial sector has become even more dependent than before on imported fossil fuels. However, ABE's government is seeking to restart nuclear power plants that meet strict new safety standards and is emphasizing nuclear energy's importance as a base-load electricity source. In August 2015, Japan successfully restarted one nuclear reactor at the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Kagoshima prefecture, and several other reactors around the country have since resumed operations; however, opposition from local governments has delayed several more restarts that remain pending. Reforms of the electricity and gas sectors, including full liberalization of Japan's energy market in April 2016 and gas market in April 2017, constitute an important part of Prime Minister Abe's economic program. ++ Under the Abe Administration, Japan's government sought to open the country's economy to greater foreign competition and create new export opportunities for Japanese businesses, including by joining 11 trading partners in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Japan became the first country to ratify the TPP in December 2016, but the United States signaled its withdrawal from the agreement in January 2017. In November 2017 the remaining 11 countries agreed on the core elements of a modified agreement, which they renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Japan also reached agreement with the European Union on an Economic Partnership Agreement in July 2017, and is likely seek to ratify both agreements in the Diet this year." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$5.443 trillion (2017 est.) / $5.35 trillion (2016 est.) / $5.299 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -856,7 +862,7 @@ "text": "132 km 1.435-1.067-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2015)" }, "note": { - "text": "22,207 km 1.067-m gauge (15,430 km electrified) 48 km 0.762-m gauge (48 km electrified)" + "text": "22,207 km 1.067-m gauge (15,430 km electrified) ++ 48 km 0.762-m gauge (48 km electrified)" } }, "Roadways": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json index 75fe9e66..ebc18668 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored communist control. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic \"self-reliance\" as a check against outside influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM Il Sung's son, KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. Under KIM Jong Il's rein, the DPRK continued developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. KIM Jong Un was publicly unveiled as his father's successor in 2010. Following KIM Jong Il's death in 2011, KIM Jong Un quickly assumed power and has since occupied the regime's highest political and military posts.  After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has faced chronic food shortages. In recent years, the North's domestic agricultural production has increased, but still falls far short of producing sufficient food to provide for its entire population. The DPRK began to ease restrictions to allow semi-private markets, starting in 2002, but has made few other efforts to meet its goal of improving the overall standard of living. North Korea's history of regional military provocations; proliferation of military-related items; long-range missile development; WMD programs including tests of nuclear devices in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2016, and 2017; and massive conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international community and have limited the DPRK's international engagement, particularly economically. In 2013, the DPRK declared a policy of simultaneous development of its nuclear weapons program and economy. In late 2017, KIM Jong Un declared the North's nuclear weapons development complete. In 2018, KIM announced a pivot towards diplomacy, including a re-prioritization of economic development, a pause in missile testing beginning in late 2017, and a refrain from anti-US rhetoric starting in June 2018. Since 2018, KIM has participated in four meetings with Chinese President XI Jinping, three with ROK President MOON Jae-in, and three with US President TRUMP. Since July 2019, North Korea has restarted its short-range missile tests and issued statements condemning the US." + "text": "An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. Five years later, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored communist control. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed Republic of Korea (ROK) in the southern portion by force, North Korea (DPRK), under its founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic \"self-reliance\" as a check against outside influence. The DPRK demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda, and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. KIM Il Sung's son, KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. Under KIM Jong Il's rein, the DPRK continued developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. KIM Jong Un was publicly unveiled as his father's successor in 2010. Following KIM Jong Il's death in 2011, KIM Jong Un quickly assumed power and has since occupied the regime's highest political and military posts.  ++ After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has faced chronic food shortages. In recent years, the North's domestic agricultural production has increased, but still falls far short of producing sufficient food to provide for its entire population. The DPRK began to ease restrictions to allow semi-private markets, starting in 2002, but has made few other efforts to meet its goal of improving the overall standard of living. North Korea's history of regional military provocations; proliferation of military-related items; long-range missile development; WMD programs including tests of nuclear devices in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2016, and 2017; and massive conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international community and have limited the DPRK's international engagement, particularly economically. In 2013, the DPRK declared a policy of simultaneous development of its nuclear weapons program and economy. In late 2017, KIM Jong Un declared the North's nuclear weapons development complete. In 2018, KIM announced a pivot towards diplomacy, including a re-prioritization of economic development, a pause in missile testing beginning in late 2017, and a refrain from anti-US rhetoric starting in June 2018. Since 2018, KIM has participated in four meetings with Chinese President XI Jinping, three with ROK President MOON Jae-in, and three with US President TRUMP. Since July 2019, North Korea has restarted its short-range missile tests and issued statements condemning the US." } }, "Geography": { @@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ "text": "population concentrated in the plains and lowlands; least populated regions are the mountainous provinces adjacent to the Chinese border; largest concentrations are in the western provinces, particularly the municipal district of Pyongyang, and around Hungnam and Wonsan in the east" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall\nvolcanism: Changbaishan (2,744 m) (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu or P'aektu-san), on the Chinese border, is considered historically active" + "text": "late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall ++ volcanism: Changbaishan (2,744 m) (also known as Baitoushan, Baegdu or P'aektu-san), on the Chinese border, is considered historically active" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation" @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "70.2% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.2% of population / rural: 90.2% of population / total: 94.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "9.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "5.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.8% of population / rural: 9.8% of population / total: 5.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Physicians density": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "13.2 beds/1,000 population (2012)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 8.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 91.9% of population / rural: 72.3% of population / total: 84.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "27.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "15.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 8.1% of population / rural: 27.7% of population / total: 15.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -361,11 +355,11 @@ "text": "UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "note: on 5 May 2018, North Korea reverted to UTC+9, the same time zone as South Koreaetymology: the name translates as \"flat land\" in Korean" + "text": "note: on 5 May 2018, North Korea reverted to UTC+9, the same time zone as South Korea ++ etymology: the name translates as \"flat land\" in Korean" } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 3 cities (si, singular and plural) provinces: Chagang, Hambuk (North Hamgyong), Hamnam (South Hamgyong), Hwangbuk (North Hwanghae), Hwangnam (South Hwanghae), Kangwon, P'yongbuk (North Pyongan), P'yongnam (South Pyongan), Ryanggang major cities: Nampo, P'yongyang, Rason", + "text": "9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 3 cities (si, singular and plural) ++ provinces: Chagang, Hambuk (North Hamgyong), Hamnam (South Hamgyong), Hwangbuk (North Hwanghae), Hwangnam (South Hwanghae), Kangwon, P'yongbuk (North Pyongan), P'yongnam (South Pyongan), Ryanggang ++ major cities: Nampo, P'yongyang, Rason", "note": { "text": "note: Nampo is sometimes designated as a metropolitan city, P'yongyang as a directly controlled city, and Rason as a city" } @@ -381,7 +375,7 @@ "text": "previous 1948, 1972; latest adopted 1998 (during KIM Jong Il era)" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA); passage requires more than two-thirds majority vote of the total SPA membership; revised 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019" + "text": "proposed by the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA); passage requires more than two-thirds majority vote of the total SPA membership; revised 2009, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -435,7 +429,7 @@ "text": "last held on 10 March 2019 (next to be held March 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KWP 607, KSDP 50, Chondoist Chongu Party 22, General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) 5, religious associations 3; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; composition - men 575, women 112, percent of women 16.3%note: KWP, KSDP, Chondoist Chongu Party, and Chongryon are under the KWP's control; a token number of seats reserved for minor parties" + "text": "percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KWP 607, KSDP 50, Chondoist Chongu Party 22, General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) 5, religious associations 3; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected without opposition; composition - men 575, women 112, percent of women 16.3% ++ note: KWP, KSDP, Chondoist Chongu Party, and Chongryon are under the KWP's control; a token number of seats reserved for minor parties" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -450,7 +444,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "major parties:Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Un]General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) minor parties: Chondoist Chongu Party (under KWP control)Social Democratic Party or KSDP [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control)" + "text": "major parties: ++ Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Un] ++ General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) ++ minor parties: ++ Chondoist Chongu Party (under KWP control) ++ Social Democratic Party or KSDP [KIM Yong Dae] (under KWP control)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IMSO, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO" @@ -481,12 +475,12 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "North Korea, one of the world's most centrally directed and least open economies, faces chronic economic problems. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment, shortages of spare parts, and poor maintenance. Large-scale military spending and development of its ballistic missile and nuclear programs severely draws off resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. Industrial and power outputs have stagnated for years at a fraction of pre-1990 levels. Frequent weather-related crop failures aggravated chronic food shortages caused by on-going systemic problems, including a lack of arable land, collective farming practices, poor soil quality, insufficient fertilization, and persistent shortages of tractors and fuel.   The mid 1990s through mid-2000s were marked by severe famine and widespread starvation. Significant food aid was provided by the international community through 2009. Since that time, food assistance has declined significantly. In the last few years, domestic corn and rice production has improved, although domestic production does not fully satisfy demand. A large portion of the population continues to suffer from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Since 2002, the government has allowed semi-private markets to begin selling a wider range of goods, allowing North Koreans to partially make up for diminished public distribution system rations. It also implemented changes in the management process of communal farms in an effort to boost agricultural output.   In December 2009, North Korea carried out a redenomination of its currency, capping the amount of North Korean won that could be exchanged for the new notes, and limiting the exchange to a one-week window. A concurrent crackdown on markets and foreign currency use yielded severe shortages and inflation, forcing Pyongyang to ease the restrictions by February 2010. In response to the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island in 2010, South Korea’s government cut off most aid, trade, and bilateral cooperation activities. In February 2016, South Korea ceased its remaining bilateral economic activity by closing the Kaesong Industrial Complex in response to North Korea’s fourth nuclear test a month earlier. This nuclear test and another in September 2016 resulted in two United Nations Security Council Resolutions that targeted North Korea’s foreign currency earnings, particularly coal and other mineral exports. Throughout 2017, North Korea’s continued nuclear and missile tests led to a tightening of UN sanctions, resulting in full sectoral bans on DPRK exports and drastically limited key imports. Over the last decade, China has been North Korea’s primary trading partner.   The North Korean Government continues to stress its goal of improving the overall standard of living, but has taken few steps to make that goal a reality for its populace. In 2016, the regime used two mass mobilizations — one totaling 70 days and another 200 days — to spur the population to increase production and complete construction projects quickly. The regime released a five-year economic development strategy in May 2016 that outlined plans for promoting growth across sectors. Firm political control remains the government’s overriding concern, which likely will inhibit formal changes to North Korea’s current economic system." + "text": "North Korea, one of the world's most centrally directed and least open economies, faces chronic economic problems. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment, shortages of spare parts, and poor maintenance. Large-scale military spending and development of its ballistic missile and nuclear programs severely draws off resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. Industrial and power outputs have stagnated for years at a fraction of pre-1990 levels. Frequent weather-related crop failures aggravated chronic food shortages caused by on-going systemic problems, including a lack of arable land, collective farming practices, poor soil quality, insufficient fertilization, and persistent shortages of tractors and fuel. ++   ++ The mid 1990s through mid-2000s were marked by severe famine and widespread starvation. Significant food aid was provided by the international community through 2009. Since that time, food assistance has declined significantly. In the last few years, domestic corn and rice production has improved, although domestic production does not fully satisfy demand. A large portion of the population continues to suffer from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Since 2002, the government has allowed semi-private markets to begin selling a wider range of goods, allowing North Koreans to partially make up for diminished public distribution system rations. It also implemented changes in the management process of communal farms in an effort to boost agricultural output. ++   ++ In December 2009, North Korea carried out a redenomination of its currency, capping the amount of North Korean won that could be exchanged for the new notes, and limiting the exchange to a one-week window. A concurrent crackdown on markets and foreign currency use yielded severe shortages and inflation, forcing Pyongyang to ease the restrictions by February 2010. In response to the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island in 2010, South Korea's government cut off most aid, trade, and bilateral cooperation activities. In February 2016, South Korea ceased its remaining bilateral economic activity by closing the Kaesong Industrial Complex in response to North Korea's fourth nuclear test a month earlier. This nuclear test and another in September 2016 resulted in two United Nations Security Council Resolutions that targeted North Korea's foreign currency earnings, particularly coal and other mineral exports. Throughout 2017, North Korea's continued nuclear and missile tests led to a tightening of UN sanctions, resulting in full sectoral bans on DPRK exports and drastically limited key imports. Over the last decade, China has been North Korea's primary trading partner. ++   ++ The North Korean Government continues to stress its goal of improving the overall standard of living, but has taken few steps to make that goal a reality for its populace. In 2016, the regime used two mass mobilizations — one totaling 70 days and another 200 days — to spur the population to increase production and complete construction projects quickly. The regime released a five-year economic development strategy in May 2016 that outlined plans for promoting growth across sectors. Firm political control remains the government's overriding concern, which likely will inhibit formal changes to North Korea's current economic system." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$40 billion (2015 est.) / $40 billion (2014 est.) / $40 billion (2013 est.)", "note": { - "text": "note: data are in 2015 US dollarsNorth Korea does not publish reliable National Income Accounts data; the data shown are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP estimates that were made by Angus MADDISON in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2015 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the results were rounded to the nearest $10 billion." + "text": "note: data are in 2015 US dollars ++ North Korea does not publish reliable National Income Accounts data; the data shown are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP estimates that were made by Angus MADDISON in a study conducted for the OECD; his figure for 1999 was extrapolated to 2015 using estimated real growth rates for North Korea's GDP and an inflation factor based on the US GDP deflator; the results were rounded to the nearest $10 billion." } }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { @@ -855,7 +849,7 @@ "text": "Korean People's Army (KPA): KPA Ground Forces, KPA Navy, KPA Air Force (includes air defense), KPA Strategic Force (missile forces); Guard Command (protects the Kim family, other senior North Korean leadership figures, and government facilities in Pyongyang); Ministry of Public Security: Border Guards, civil security forces (2019)" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "assessments of the size of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) vary widely; approximately 1.1-1.2 million active troops (950,000-1.0 million Army; 110-120,000 Air Force; 60,000 Navy; 10,000 Strategic Missile Forces); est. 200,000 Public Security forces (2019)" + "text": "assessments of the size of the Korean People's Army (KPA) vary widely; approximately 1.1-1.2 million active troops (950,000-1.0 million Army; 110-120,000 Air Force; 60,000 Navy; 10,000 Strategic Missile Forces); est. 200,000 Public Security forces (2019)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the KPA is equipped mostly with older weapon systems originally acquired from the former Soviet Union, Russia, and China; North Korea manufactures copies and provides some upgrades to these weapon systems; it also has a robust domestic ballistic missile program based largely on missiles acquired from the former Soviet Union; since 2010, there were no publicly-reported transfers of weapons to North Korea; between 2000 and 2010, Russia was the only recorded provider of arms (2019 est.)" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/ks.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/ks.json index 2f153f68..3e421966 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ks.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ks.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. In 1910, Tokyo formally annexed the entire Peninsula. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the US in 1945. After World War II, a democratic government (Republic of Korea, ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a communist-style government was installed in the north (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside ROK soldiers to defend South Korea from a DPRK invasion supported by communist China and the Soviet Union. A 1953 armistice split the Peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. PARK Chung-hee took over leadership of the country in a 1961 coup. During his regime, from 1961 to 1979, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per capita income rising to roughly 17 times the level of North Korea in 1979. South Korea held its first free presidential election under a revised democratic constitution in 1987, with former ROK Army general ROH Tae-woo winning a close race. In 1993, KIM Young-sam (1993-98) became the first civilian president of South Korea's new democratic era. President KIM Dae-jung (1998-2003) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his contributions to South Korean democracy and his \"Sunshine\" policy of engagement with North Korea. President PARK Geun-hye, daughter of former ROK President PARK Chung-hee, took office in February 2013 as South Korea's first female leader. In December 2016, the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against President PARK over her alleged involvement in a corruption and influence-peddling scandal, immediately suspending her presidential authorities. The impeachment was upheld in March 2017, triggering an early presidential election in May 2017 won by MOON Jae-in. South Korea hosted the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in February 2018, in which North Korea also participated. Discord with North Korea has permeated inter-Korean relations for much of the past decade, highlighted by the North's attacks on a South Korean ship and island in 2010, the exchange of artillery fire across the DMZ in 2015, and multiple nuclear and missile tests in 2016 and 2017. North Korea’s participation in the Winter Olympics, dispatch of a senior delegation to Seoul, and three inter-Korean summits in 2018 appear to have ushered in a temporary period of respite, buoyed by the historic US-DPRK summits in 2018 and 2019.  " + "text": "An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan beginning in 1905 following the Russo-Japanese War. In 1910, Tokyo formally annexed the entire Peninsula. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the US in 1945. After World War II, a democratic government (Republic of Korea, ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a communist-style government was installed in the north (Democratic People's Republic of Korea, DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside ROK soldiers to defend South Korea from a DPRK invasion supported by communist China and the Soviet Union. A 1953 armistice split the Peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. PARK Chung-hee took over leadership of the country in a 1961 coup. During his regime, from 1961 to 1979, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth, with per capita income rising to roughly 17 times the level of North Korea in 1979. ++ South Korea held its first free presidential election under a revised democratic constitution in 1987, with former ROK Army general ROH Tae-woo winning a close race. In 1993, KIM Young-sam (1993-98) became the first civilian president of South Korea's new democratic era. President KIM Dae-jung (1998-2003) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his contributions to South Korean democracy and his \"Sunshine\" policy of engagement with North Korea. President PARK Geun-hye, daughter of former ROK President PARK Chung-hee, took office in February 2013 as South Korea's first female leader. In December 2016, the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against President PARK over her alleged involvement in a corruption and influence-peddling scandal, immediately suspending her presidential authorities. The impeachment was upheld in March 2017, triggering an early presidential election in May 2017 won by MOON Jae-in. South Korea hosted the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in February 2018, in which North Korea also participated. Discord with North Korea has permeated inter-Korean relations for much of the past decade, highlighted by the North's attacks on a South Korean ship and island in 2010, the exchange of artillery fire across the DMZ in 2015, and multiple nuclear and missile tests in 2016 and 2017. North Korea's participation in the Winter Olympics, dispatch of a senior delegation to Seoul, and three inter-Korean summits in 2018 appear to have ushered in a temporary period of respite, buoyed by the historic US-DPRK summits in 2018 and 2019.  " } }, "Geography": { @@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ "text": "with approximately 70% of the country considered mountainous, the country's population is primarily concentrated in the lowland areas, where density is quite high; Gyeonggi Province in the northwest, which surrounds the capital of Seoul and contains the port of Incheon, is the most densely populated province; Gangwon in the northeast is the least populated" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest\nvolcanism: Halla (1,950 m) is considered historically active although it has not erupted in many centuries" + "text": "occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest ++ volcanism: Halla (1,950 m) is considered historically active although it has not erupted in many centuries" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing; solid waste disposal; transboundary pollution" @@ -264,8 +264,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,8 +281,11 @@ "text": "12.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -382,7 +388,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "9 provinces (do, singular and plural), 6 metropolitan cities (gwangyeoksi, singular and plural), 1 special city (teugbyeolsi), and 1 special self-governing city (teukbyeoljachisi) provinces: Chungbuk (North Chungcheong), Chungnam (South Chungcheong), Gangwon, Gyeongbuk (North Gyeongsang), Gyeonggi, Gyeongnam (South Gyeongsang), Jeju, Jeonbuk (North Jeolla), Jeonnam (South Jeolla) metropolitan cities: Busan (Pusan), Daegu (Taegu), Daejeon (Taejon), Gwangju (Kwangju), Incheon (Inch'on), Ulsan special city: Seoul special self-governing city: Sejong" + "text": "9 provinces (do, singular and plural), 6 metropolitan cities (gwangyeoksi, singular and plural), 1 special city (teugbyeolsi), and 1 special self-governing city (teukbyeoljachisi) ++ provinces: Chungbuk (North Chungcheong), Chungnam (South Chungcheong), Gangwon, Gyeongbuk (North Gyeongsang), Gyeonggi, Gyeongnam (South Gyeongsang), Jeju, Jeonbuk (North Jeolla), Jeonnam (South Jeolla) ++ metropolitan cities: Busan (Pusan), Daegu (Taegu), Daejeon (Taejon), Gwangju (Kwangju), Incheon (Inch'on), Ulsan ++ special city: Seoul ++ special self-governing city: Sejong" }, "Independence": { "text": "15 August 1945 (from Japan)" @@ -461,7 +467,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Bareun Mirae Party or BMP [SOHN Hak-kyu] (merger of Bareun Party and People's Party)Democratic Party or DP [LEE Hae-chan] (renamed from Minjoo Party of Korea or MPK in October 2016; formerly New Politics Alliance for Democracy or NPAD, which was a merger of the Democratic Party or DP (formerly DUP) [KIM Han-gil] and the New Political Vision Party or NPVP [AHN Cheol-soo] in March 2014)Justice Party or JP [SIM Sang-jung]Minjung Party or MP (formed from the merger of the New People's Party (formerly the New People's Political Party or NPP) and the People's United Party or PUP)Open Democratic Pary or ODP [LEE Keun-shik] (formed in early 2020)Our Republic Party [CHO Won-jin and HONG Moon-jong] (formerly Korean Patriots' Party or KPP)Party for Democracy and Peace or PDP [CHUNG Dong-young]People Party or PP [AHN Cheol-soo] (formed in February 2020)Together Citizens' Party [WOO Hee-jong, ChOI Bae-geun] (formed in early 2020 in alliance with the Democratic Party)United Future Party or UFP (formed in early 2020 by the merger of Liberty Korea Party, New Conservative Party, Onward for Future 4.0, and several other minor parties; it has a sister relationship with the Future Korea Party" + "text": "Bareun Mirae Party or BMP [SOHN Hak-kyu] (merger of Bareun Party and People's Party) ++ Democratic Party or DP [LEE Hae-chan] (renamed from Minjoo Party of Korea or MPK in October 2016; formerly New Politics Alliance for Democracy or NPAD, which was a merger of the Democratic Party or DP (formerly DUP) [KIM Han-gil] and the New Political Vision Party or NPVP [AHN Cheol-soo] in March 2014) ++ Justice Party or JP [SIM Sang-jung] ++ Minjung Party or MP (formed from the merger of the New People's Party (formerly the New People's Political Party or NPP) and the People's United Party or PUP) ++ Open Democratic Pary or ODP [LEE Keun-shik] (formed in early 2020) ++ Our Republic Party [CHO Won-jin and HONG Moon-jong] (formerly Korean Patriots' Party or KPP) ++ Party for Democracy and Peace or PDP [CHUNG Dong-young] ++ People Party or PP [AHN Cheol-soo] (formed in February 2020) ++ Together Citizens' Party [WOO Hee-jong, ChOI Bae-geun] (formed in early 2020 in alliance with the Democratic Party) ++ United Future Party or UFP (formed in early 2020 by the merger of Liberty Korea Party, New Conservative Party, Onward for Future 4.0, and several other minor parties; it has a sister relationship with the Future Korea Party" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -520,7 +526,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "After emerging from the 1950-53 war with North Korea, South Korea emerged as one of the 20th century’s most remarkable economic success stories, becoming a developed, globally connected, high-technology society within decades. In the 1960s, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorest countries in the world. In 2004, South Korea's GDP surpassed one trillion dollars. Beginning in the 1960s under President PARK Chung-hee, the government promoted the import of raw materials and technology, encouraged saving and investment over consumption, kept wages low, and directed resources to export-oriented industries that remain important to the economy to this day. Growth surged under these policies, and frequently reached double-digits in the 1960s and 1970s. Growth gradually moderated in the 1990s as the economy matured, but remained strong enough to propel South Korea into the ranks of the advanced economies of the OECD by 1997. These policies also led to the emergence of family-owned chaebol conglomerates such as Daewoo, Hyundai, and Samsung, which retained their dominant positions even as the government loosened its grip on the economy amid the political changes of the 1980s and 1990s. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 hit South Korea’s companies hard because of their excessive reliance on short-term borrowing, and GDP ultimately plunged by 7% in 1998. South Korea tackled difficult economic reforms following the crisis, including restructuring some chaebols, increasing labor market flexibility, and opening up to more foreign investment and imports. These steps lead to a relatively rapid economic recovery. South Korea also began expanding its network of free trade agreements to help bolster exports, and has since implemented 16 free trade agreements covering 58 countries—including the United State and China—that collectively cover more than three-quarters of global GDP. In 2017, the election of President MOON Jae-in brought a surge in consumer confidence, in part, because of his successful efforts to increase wages and government spending. These factors combined with an uptick in export growth to drive real GDP growth to more than 3%, despite disruptions in South Korea’s trade with China over the deployment of a US missile defense system in South Korea. In 2018 and beyond, South Korea will contend with gradually slowing economic growth - in the 2-3% range - not uncommon for advanced economies. This could be partially offset by efforts to address challenges arising from its rapidly aging population, inflexible labor market, continued dominance of the chaebols, and heavy reliance on exports rather than domestic consumption. Socioeconomic problems also persist, and include rising inequality, poverty among the elderly, high youth unemployment, long working hours, low worker productivity, and corruption." + "text": "After emerging from the 1950-53 war with North Korea, South Korea emerged as one of the 20th century's most remarkable economic success stories, becoming a developed, globally connected, high-technology society within decades. In the 1960s, GDP per capita was comparable with levels in the poorest countries in the world. In 2004, South Korea's GDP surpassed one trillion dollars. ++ Beginning in the 1960s under President PARK Chung-hee, the government promoted the import of raw materials and technology, encouraged saving and investment over consumption, kept wages low, and directed resources to export-oriented industries that remain important to the economy to this day. Growth surged under these policies, and frequently reached double-digits in the 1960s and 1970s. Growth gradually moderated in the 1990s as the economy matured, but remained strong enough to propel South Korea into the ranks of the advanced economies of the OECD by 1997. These policies also led to the emergence of family-owned chaebol conglomerates such as Daewoo, Hyundai, and Samsung, which retained their dominant positions even as the government loosened its grip on the economy amid the political changes of the 1980s and 1990s. ++ The Asian financial crisis of 1997-98 hit South Korea's companies hard because of their excessive reliance on short-term borrowing, and GDP ultimately plunged by 7% in 1998. South Korea tackled difficult economic reforms following the crisis, including restructuring some chaebols, increasing labor market flexibility, and opening up to more foreign investment and imports. These steps lead to a relatively rapid economic recovery. South Korea also began expanding its network of free trade agreements to help bolster exports, and has since implemented 16 free trade agreements covering 58 countries—including the United State and China—that collectively cover more than three-quarters of global GDP. ++ In 2017, the election of President MOON Jae-in brought a surge in consumer confidence, in part, because of his successful efforts to increase wages and government spending. These factors combined with an uptick in export growth to drive real GDP growth to more than 3%, despite disruptions in South Korea's trade with China over the deployment of a US missile defense system in South Korea. ++ In 2018 and beyond, South Korea will contend with gradually slowing economic growth - in the 2-3% range - not uncommon for advanced economies. This could be partially offset by efforts to address challenges arising from its rapidly aging population, inflexible labor market, continued dominance of the chaebols, and heavy reliance on exports rather than domestic consumption. Socioeconomic problems also persist, and include rising inequality, poverty among the elderly, high youth unemployment, long working hours, low worker productivity, and corruption." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.035 trillion (2017 est.) / $1.974 trillion (2016 est.) / $1.918 trillion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/la.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/la.json index 39a9e1ac..b3f737d1 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/la.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/la.json @@ -249,14 +249,11 @@ "text": "54.1% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 5.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 94.4% of population / rural: 76.8% of population / total: 82.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "23.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "17.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 5.6% of population / rural: 23.2% of population / total: 17.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -269,14 +266,11 @@ "text": "1.5 beds/1,000 population (2012)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98% of population / rural: 66.3% of population / total: 77.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "33.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "22.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2% of population / rural: 33.7% of population / total: 22.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -522,7 +516,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The government of Laos, one of the few remaining one-party communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. Economic growth averaged more than 6% per year in the period 1988-2008, and Laos' growth has more recently been amongst the fastest in Asia, averaging more than 7% per year for most of the last decade. Nevertheless, Laos remains a country with an underdeveloped infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. It has a basic, but improving, road system, and limited external and internal land-line telecommunications. Electricity is available to 83% of the population. Agriculture, dominated by rice cultivation in lowland areas, accounts for about 20% of GDP and 73% of total employment. Recently, the country has faced a persistent current account deficit, falling foreign currency reserves, and growing public debt. Laos' economy is heavily dependent on capital-intensive natural resource exports. The economy has benefited from high-profile foreign direct investment in hydropower dams along the Mekong River, copper and gold mining, logging, and construction, although some projects in these industries have drawn criticism for their environmental impacts. Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US in 2004 and applied for Generalized System of Preferences trade benefits in 2013 after being admitted to the World Trade Organization earlier in the year. Laos held the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2016. Laos is in the process of implementing a value-added tax system. The government appears committed to raising the country's profile among foreign investors and has developed special economic zones replete with generous tax incentives, but a limited labor pool, a small domestic market, and corruption remain impediments to investment. Laos also has ongoing problems with the business environment, including onerous registration requirements, a gap between legislation and implementation, and unclear or conflicting regulations." + "text": "The government of Laos, one of the few remaining one-party communist states, began decentralizing control and encouraging private enterprise in 1986. Economic growth averaged more than 6% per year in the period 1988-2008, and Laos' growth has more recently been amongst the fastest in Asia, averaging more than 7% per year for most of the last decade. ++ Nevertheless, Laos remains a country with an underdeveloped infrastructure, particularly in rural areas. It has a basic, but improving, road system, and limited external and internal land-line telecommunications. Electricity is available to 83% of the population. Agriculture, dominated by rice cultivation in lowland areas, accounts for about 20% of GDP and 73% of total employment. Recently, the country has faced a persistent current account deficit, falling foreign currency reserves, and growing public debt. ++ Laos' economy is heavily dependent on capital-intensive natural resource exports. The economy has benefited from high-profile foreign direct investment in hydropower dams along the Mekong River, copper and gold mining, logging, and construction, although some projects in these industries have drawn criticism for their environmental impacts. ++ Laos gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US in 2004 and applied for Generalized System of Preferences trade benefits in 2013 after being admitted to the World Trade Organization earlier in the year. Laos held the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2016. Laos is in the process of implementing a value-added tax system. The government appears committed to raising the country's profile among foreign investors and has developed special economic zones replete with generous tax incentives, but a limited labor pool, a small domestic market, and corruption remain impediments to investment. Laos also has ongoing problems with the business environment, including onerous registration requirements, a gap between legislation and implementation, and unclear or conflicting regulations." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$49.34 billion (2017 est.) / $46.16 billion (2016 est.) / $43.13 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -889,7 +883,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "information is limited and estimates for the size of the Lao People’s Armed Forces (LPAF) vary; approximately 29,000 active duty troops (26,000 Army; 3500 Air Force); approximately 100,000 Self-Defense Militia Forces (2019)" + "text": "information is limited and estimates for the size of the Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF) vary; approximately 29,000 active duty troops (26,000 Army; 3500 Air Force); approximately 100,000 Self-Defense Militia Forces (2019)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the LPAF is armed largely with weapons from the former Soviet Union with a smaller mix of more modern weapons from China, Russia, and Ukraine; since 2010, China and Russia are the top suppliers of military hardware to Laos (2019 est.)" @@ -904,7 +898,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Laos is a source and, to a lesser extent, transit and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Lao economic migrants may encounter conditions of forced labor or sexual exploitation in destination countries, most often Thailand; Lao women and girls are exploited in Thailand’s commercial sex trade, domestic service, factories, and agriculture; a small, possibly growing, number of Lao women and girls are sold as brides in China and South Korea and subsequently sex trafficked; Lao men and boys are victims of forced labor in the Thai fishing, construction, and agriculture industries; some Lao children, as well as Vietnamese and Chinese women and girls, are subjected to sex trafficking in Laos; other Vietnamese and Chinese, and possibly Burmese, adults and girls transit Laos for sexual and labor exploitation in neighboring countries, particularly Thailand" + "text": "Laos is a source and, to a lesser extent, transit and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Lao economic migrants may encounter conditions of forced labor or sexual exploitation in destination countries, most often Thailand; Lao women and girls are exploited in Thailand's commercial sex trade, domestic service, factories, and agriculture; a small, possibly growing, number of Lao women and girls are sold as brides in China and South Korea and subsequently sex trafficked; Lao men and boys are victims of forced labor in the Thai fishing, construction, and agriculture industries; some Lao children, as well as Vietnamese and Chinese women and girls, are subjected to sex trafficking in Laos; other Vietnamese and Chinese, and possibly Burmese, adults and girls transit Laos for sexual and labor exploitation in neighboring countries, particularly Thailand" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Laos does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; authorities sustained moderate efforts to investigate, prosecute, and convict trafficking offenders; the government failed to make progress in proactively identifying victims exploited within the country or among those deported from abroad; the government continues to rely almost entirely on local and international organizations to provide and fund services to trafficking victims; although Lao men and boys are trafficked, most protective services are only available to women and girls, and long-term support is lacking; modest prevention efforts include the promotion of anti-trafficking awareness on state-controlled media (2015)" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/mc.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/mc.json index 7f1fe17e..82271db4 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/mc.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/mc.json @@ -234,11 +234,11 @@ "text": "0.96 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Physicians density": { @@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ "text": "previous 1976 (Organic Statute of Macau, under Portuguese authority); latest adopted 31 March 1993, effective 20 December 1999 (Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as Macau's constitution)" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, and the Macau Special Administrative Region; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Assembly of Macau, approval by two thirds of Macau's deputies to the NPC, and consent of the Macau chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC; amended 2005, 2012" + "text": "proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the People's Republic of China State Council, and the Macau Special Administrative Region; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Assembly of Macau, approval by two thirds of Macau's deputies to the NPC, and consent of the Macau chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC; amended 2005, 2012" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for Change or APM [Melinda CHAN Mei-yi]Alliance for a Happy Home or ABL [WONG Kit-cheng] (an electoral list of UPP)Civic Watch or Civico [Agnes LAM Iok-fong]Macau-Guangdong Union or UMG [MAK Soi-kun]Macau Citizens' Development Association or ACDM [Becky SONG Pek-kei] (an electoral list of ACUM)New Democratic Macau Association or ANMD [AU Kam-san]New Hope or NE [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]New Macau Association (New Macau Progressives) or AMN or ANPM [Sulu SOU Ka-hou]New Union for Macau's Development or NUDM [Angela LEONG On-kei]Prosperous Democratic Macau Association or APMD (an electoral list of AMN)Union for Development or UPD [Ella LEI Cheng-I]Union for Promoting Progress or UPP [HO Ion-sang]United Citizens Association of Macau or ACUM [CHAN Meng-kam]", + "text": "Alliance for Change or APM [Melinda CHAN Mei-yi] ++ Alliance for a Happy Home or ABL [WONG Kit-cheng] (an electoral list of UPP) ++ Civic Watch or Civico [Agnes LAM Iok-fong] ++ Macau-Guangdong Union or UMG [MAK Soi-kun] ++ Macau Citizens' Development Association or ACDM [Becky SONG Pek-kei] (an electoral list of ACUM)New Democratic Macau Association or ANMD [AU Kam-san] ++ New Hope or NE [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO] ++ New Macau Association (New Macau Progressives) or AMN or ANPM [Sulu SOU Ka-hou] ++ New Union for Macau's Development or NUDM [Angela LEONG On-kei] ++ Prosperous Democratic Macau Association or APMD (an electoral list of AMN) ++ Union for Development or UPD [Ella LEI Cheng-I] ++ Union for Promoting Progress or UPP [HO Ion-sang] ++ United Citizens Association of Macau or ACUM [CHAN Meng-kam]", "note": { "text": "note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies" } @@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Since opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, Macau has attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment, transforming the territory into one of the world's largest gaming centers. Macau's gaming and tourism businesses were fueled by China's decision to relax travel restrictions on Chinese citizens wishing to visit Macau. In 2016, Macau's gaming-related taxes accounted for more than 76% of total government revenue. Macau's economy slowed dramatically in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown, but strong growth resumed in the 2010-13 period, largely on the back of tourism from mainland China and the gaming sectors. In 2015, this city of 646,800 hosted nearly 30.7 million visitors. Almost 67% came from mainland China. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has slowed greatly since the termination of the Multi-Fiber Agreement in 2005. Services export — primarily gaming — increasingly has driven Macau’s economic performance. Mainland China’s anti-corruption campaign brought Macau’s gambling boom to a halt in 2014, with spending in casinos contracting 34.3% in 2015. As a result, Macau's inflation-adjusted GDP contracted 21.5% in 2015 and another 2.1% in 2016 - down from double-digit expansion rates in the period 2010-13 - but the economy recovered handsomely in 2017. Macau continues to face the challenges of managing its growing casino industry, risks from money-laundering activities, and the need to diversify the economy away from heavy dependence on gaming revenues. Macau's currency, the pataca, is closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar, which is also freely accepted in the territory." + "text": "Since opening up its locally-controlled casino industry to foreign competition in 2001, Macau has attracted tens of billions of dollars in foreign investment, transforming the territory into one of the world's largest gaming centers. Macau's gaming and tourism businesses were fueled by China's decision to relax travel restrictions on Chinese citizens wishing to visit Macau. In 2016, Macau's gaming-related taxes accounted for more than 76% of total government revenue. ++ Macau's economy slowed dramatically in 2009 as a result of the global economic slowdown, but strong growth resumed in the 2010-13 period, largely on the back of tourism from mainland China and the gaming sectors. In 2015, this city of 646,800 hosted nearly 30.7 million visitors. Almost 67% came from mainland China. Macau's traditional manufacturing industry has slowed greatly since the termination of the Multi-Fiber Agreement in 2005. Services export — primarily gaming — increasingly has driven Macau's economic performance. Mainland China's anti-corruption campaign brought Macau's gambling boom to a halt in 2014, with spending in casinos contracting 34.3% in 2015. As a result, Macau's inflation-adjusted GDP contracted 21.5% in 2015 and another 2.1% in 2016 - down from double-digit expansion rates in the period 2010-13 - but the economy recovered handsomely in 2017. ++ Macau continues to face the challenges of managing its growing casino industry, risks from money-laundering activities, and the need to diversify the economy away from heavy dependence on gaming revenues. Macau's currency, the pataca, is closely tied to the Hong Kong dollar, which is also freely accepted in the territory." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$77.33 billion (2018) / $71.82 billion (2017 est.) / $65.84 billion (2016 est.)", diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json index 6c6da376..8e4c87a0 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis KHAAN they established a huge Eurasian empire through conquest. After his death the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their original steppe homelands and in the late 17th century came under Chinese rule. Mongolia declared its independence from the Manchu-led Qing Empire in 1911 and achieved limited autonomy until 1919, when it again came under Chinese control. The Mongolian Revolution of 1921 ended Chinese dominance, and a communist regime, the Mongolian People’s Republic, took power in 1924. The modern country of Mongolia, represents only part of the Mongols' historical homeland; today, more ethnic Mongolians live in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China than in Mongolia. Since the country's peaceful democratic revolution in 1990, the ex-communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) - which took the name Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) in 2010 - has competed for political power with the Democratic Party (DP) and several other smaller parties, including a new party formed by former President ENKHBAYAR, which confusingly adopted for itself the MPRP name. In the country's most recent parliamentary elections in June 2016, Mongolians handed the MPP overwhelming control of Parliament, largely pushing out the DP, which had overseen a sharp decline in Mongolia’s economy during its control of Parliament in the preceding years. Mongolians elected a DP member, Khaltmaa BATTULGA, as president in 2017." + "text": "The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis KHAAN they established a huge Eurasian empire through conquest. After his death the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to their original steppe homelands and in the late 17th century came under Chinese rule. Mongolia declared its independence from the Manchu-led Qing Empire in 1911 and achieved limited autonomy until 1919, when it again came under Chinese control. The Mongolian Revolution of 1921 ended Chinese dominance, and a communist regime, the Mongolian People's Republic, took power in 1924. ++ The modern country of Mongolia, represents only part of the Mongols' historical homeland; today, more ethnic Mongolians live in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China than in Mongolia. Since the country's peaceful democratic revolution in 1990, the ex-communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) - which took the name Mongolian People's Party (MPP) in 2010 - has competed for political power with the Democratic Party (DP) and several other smaller parties, including a new party formed by former President ENKHBAYAR, which confusingly adopted for itself the MPRP name. In the country's most recent parliamentary elections in June 2016, Mongolians handed the MPP overwhelming control of Parliament, largely pushing out the DP, which had overseen a sharp decline in Mongolia's economy during its control of Parliament in the preceding years. Mongolians elected a DP member, Khaltmaa BATTULGA, as president in 2017." } }, "Geography": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "48.1% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.6% of population / rural: 59.2% of population / total: 85.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "40.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "14.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.4% of population / rural: 40.8% of population / total: 14.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "8 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.4% of population / rural: 65.1% of population / total: 86.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "34.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "13.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.6% of population / rural: 34.9% of population / total: 13.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -378,7 +372,7 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins last Saturday in March; ends last Saturday in September" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Mongolia has two time zones - Ulaanbaatar Time (8 hours in advance of UTC) and Hovd Time (7 hours in advance of UTC)etymology: the name means \"red hero\" in Mongolian and honors national hero Damdin Sukhbaatar, leader of the partisan army that with Soviet Red Army help, liberated Mongolia from Chinese occupation in the early 1920s" + "text": "note: Mongolia has two time zones - Ulaanbaatar Time (8 hours in advance of UTC) and Hovd Time (7 hours in advance of UTC) ++ etymology: the name means \"red hero\" in Mongolian and honors national hero Damdin Sukhbaatar, leader of the partisan army that with Soviet Red Army help, liberated Mongolia from Chinese occupation in the early 1920s" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -461,7 +455,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Party or DP [Sodnomzundui ERDENE; resigned June 2020]Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP [Bayanjargal TSOGTGEREL]Mongolian People's Party or MPP [Ukhnaa KHURELSUKH]Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambar ENKHBAYAR]Civil Will-Green Party or CWGP [Tserendorjiin GANKHUYAG] Mongolian Traditionally United Party or MTUP [Batdelgeriin BATBOLD]National Labor Party or HUN [B. NAIDALAA] Mongolian Social Democratic Party or MSDP [A. GANBAATAR] Justice Party [B. NASANBILEG]", + "text": "Democratic Party or DP [Sodnomzundui ERDENE; resigned June 2020] ++ Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP [Bayanjargal TSOGTGEREL] ++ Mongolian People's Party or MPP [Ukhnaa KHURELSUKH] ++ Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambar ENKHBAYAR] ++ Civil Will-Green Party or CWGP [Tserendorjiin GANKHUYAG] ++ Mongolian Traditionally United Party or MTUP [Batdelgeriin BATBOLD] ++ National Labor Party or HUN [B. NAIDALAA] ++ Mongolian Social Democratic Party or MSDP [A. GANBAATAR] ++ Justice Party [B. NASANBILEG]", "note": { "text": "note - there are 36 total registered parties as of March 2020" } @@ -523,7 +517,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Foreign direct investment in Mongolia's extractive industries – which are based on extensive deposits of copper, gold, coal, molybdenum, fluorspar, uranium, tin, and tungsten - has transformed Mongolia's landlocked economy from its traditional dependence on herding and agriculture. Exports now account for more than 40% of GDP. Mongolia depends on China for more than 60% of its external trade - China receives some 90% of Mongolia's exports and supplies Mongolia with more than one-third of its imports. Mongolia also relies on Russia for 90% of its energy supplies, leaving it vulnerable to price increases. Remittances from Mongolians working abroad, particularly in South Korea, are significant. Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw Mongolia endure both deep recession, because of political inaction, and natural disasters, as well as strong economic growth, because of market reforms and extensive privatization of the formerly state-run economy. The country opened a fledgling stock exchange in 1991. Mongolia joined the WTO in 1997 and seeks to expand its participation in regional economic and trade regimes. Growth averaged nearly 9% per year in 2004-08 largely because of high copper prices globally and new gold production. By late 2008, Mongolia was hit by the global financial crisis and Mongolia's real economy contracted 1.3% in 2009. In early 2009, the IMF reached a $236 million Stand-by Arrangement with Mongolia and it emerged from the crisis with a stronger banking sector and better fiscal management. In October 2009, Mongolia passed long-awaited legislation on an investment agreement to develop the Oyu Tolgoi (OT) mine, among the world's largest untapped copper-gold deposits. However, a dispute with foreign investors developing OT called into question the attractiveness of Mongolia as a destination for foreign investment. This caused a severe drop in FDI, and a slowing economy, leading to the dismissal of Prime Minister Norovyn ALTANKHUYAG in November 2014. The economy had grown more than 10% per year between 2011 and 2013 - largely on the strength of commodity exports and high government spending - before slowing to 7.8% in 2014, and falling to the 2% level in 2015. Growth rebounded from a brief 1.6% contraction in the third quarter of 2016 to 5.8% during the first three quarters of 2017, largely due to rising commodity prices. The May 2015 agreement with Rio Tinto to restart the OT mine and the subsequent $4.4 billion finance package signing in December 2015 stemmed the loss of investor confidence. The current government has made restoring investor trust and reviving the economy its top priority, but has failed to invigorate the economy in the face of the large drop-off in foreign direct investment, mounting external debt, and a sizeable budget deficit. Mongolia secured a $5.5 billion financial assistance package from the IMF and a host of international creditors in May 2017, which is expected to improve Mongolia’s long-term fiscal and economic stability as long as Ulaanbaatar can advance the agreement’s difficult contingent reforms, such as consolidating the government’s off-balance sheet liabilities and rehabilitating the Mongolian banking sector." + "text": "Foreign direct investment in Mongolia's extractive industries – which are based on extensive deposits of copper, gold, coal, molybdenum, fluorspar, uranium, tin, and tungsten - has transformed Mongolia's landlocked economy from its traditional dependence on herding and agriculture. Exports now account for more than 40% of GDP. Mongolia depends on China for more than 60% of its external trade - China receives some 90% of Mongolia's exports and supplies Mongolia with more than one-third of its imports. Mongolia also relies on Russia for 90% of its energy supplies, leaving it vulnerable to price increases. Remittances from Mongolians working abroad, particularly in South Korea, are significant. ++ Soviet assistance, at its height one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw Mongolia endure both deep recession, because of political inaction, and natural disasters, as well as strong economic growth, because of market reforms and extensive privatization of the formerly state-run economy. The country opened a fledgling stock exchange in 1991. Mongolia joined the WTO in 1997 and seeks to expand its participation in regional economic and trade regimes. ++ Growth averaged nearly 9% per year in 2004-08 largely because of high copper prices globally and new gold production. By late 2008, Mongolia was hit by the global financial crisis and Mongolia's real economy contracted 1.3% in 2009. In early 2009, the IMF reached a $236 million Stand-by Arrangement with Mongolia and it emerged from the crisis with a stronger banking sector and better fiscal management. In October 2009, Mongolia passed long-awaited legislation on an investment agreement to develop the Oyu Tolgoi (OT) mine, among the world's largest untapped copper-gold deposits. However, a dispute with foreign investors developing OT called into question the attractiveness of Mongolia as a destination for foreign investment. This caused a severe drop in FDI, and a slowing economy, leading to the dismissal of Prime Minister Norovyn ALTANKHUYAG in November 2014. The economy had grown more than 10% per year between 2011 and 2013 - largely on the strength of commodity exports and high government spending - before slowing to 7.8% in 2014, and falling to the 2% level in 2015. Growth rebounded from a brief 1.6% contraction in the third quarter of 2016 to 5.8% during the first three quarters of 2017, largely due to rising commodity prices. ++ The May 2015 agreement with Rio Tinto to restart the OT mine and the subsequent $4.4 billion finance package signing in December 2015 stemmed the loss of investor confidence. The current government has made restoring investor trust and reviving the economy its top priority, but has failed to invigorate the economy in the face of the large drop-off in foreign direct investment, mounting external debt, and a sizeable budget deficit. Mongolia secured a $5.5 billion financial assistance package from the IMF and a host of international creditors in May 2017, which is expected to improve Mongolia's long-term fiscal and economic stability as long as Ulaanbaatar can advance the agreement's difficult contingent reforms, such as consolidating the government's off-balance sheet liabilities and rehabilitating the Mongolian banking sector." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$43.54 billion (2018) / $39.73 billion (2017 est.) / $37.81 billion (2016 est.)", diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json index d6cf2051..c04d7292 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "52.2% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 89.3% of population / total: 96.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "11.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "3.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 11.7% of population / total: 3.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "1.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 98.7% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 1.3% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -409,7 +403,7 @@ "text": "previous 1948; latest drafted 21 February 1957, effective 27 August 1957" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed as a bill by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in the bill’s second and third readings; a number of constitutional sections are excluded from amendment or repeal; amended many times, last in 2010" + "text": "proposed as a bill by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in the bill's second and third readings; a number of constitutional sections are excluded from amendment or repeal; amended many times, last in 2010" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -451,13 +445,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament of Malaysia or Parlimen Malaysia consists of:Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 members appointed by the king and 26 indirectly elected by 13 state legislatures; members serve 3-year terms) House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) (2019)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament of Malaysia or Parlimen Malaysia consists of: Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 members appointed by the king and 26 indirectly elected by 13 state legislatures; members serve 3-year terms) ++ House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) (2019)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - appointedHouse of Representatives - last held on 9 May 2018 (next to be held no later than May 2023)" + "text": "Senate - appointed ++ House of Representatives - last held on 9 May 2018 (next to be held no later than May 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - appointed; composition - men 54, women 14, percent of women 20.6%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - PH 45.6%, BN 33.8%, PAS 16.9%, WARISAN 2.3%, other 1.4%; seats by party/coalition - PH 113, BN 79, PAS 18, WARISAN 8, USA 1, independent 3; composition - men 199, women 23, percent of women 10.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women 12.8%" + "text": "Senate - appointed; composition - men 54, women 14, percent of women 20.6% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - PH 45.6%, BN 33.8%, PAS 16.9%, WARISAN 2.3%, other 1.4%; seats by party/coalition - PH 113, BN 79, PAS 18, WARISAN 8, USA 1, independent 3; composition - men 199, women 23, percent of women 10.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women 12.8%" }, "note": { "text": "note: as of 16 November 2019, seats by party - PH 129, BN 41, GS 18, GPS 18, WARISAN 9, GBS 3, UPKO 1, PSB 1, independent 1, vacant 1" @@ -475,7 +469,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN: Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [LIOW Tiong Lai]Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [S. SUBRAMANIAM]United Malays National Organization or UMNO [MOHAMAD Hasan, acting](Formerly - Coalition of Hope (Pakatan Harapan) or PH (formerly the People's Alliance, before former PM MAHATHIR resigns 24 February 2020): Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [TAN Kok Wai]Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM [Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin; note - former PM MAHATHIR steps down 24 Feb 2020]National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH [Mohamad SABU]People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [ANWAR Ibrahim]New - Fighters of the Nation Party (Parti Pejuang Tanah Air) or Pejuang [former PM MAHATHIR bin Mohamad; interim president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir note - started August 2020]  Other: Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]Progressive Democratic Party or PDP [TIONG King Sing]Sabah Heritage Party (Parti Warisan Sabah) or WARISAN [SHAFIE Apdal]Sarawak Parties Alliance (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) or GPS [ABANG JOHARI Openg] (includes PBB, SUPP, PRS, PDP)Sarawak People's Party (Parti Rakyat Sarawak) or PRS [James MASING]Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [Dr. SIM Kui Hian]United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Wilfred Madius TANGAU]United Sabah Alliance or USA (Gabungan Sabah)United Sabah Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah) or PBS [Maximus ONGKILI]United Sabah People's (Party Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]United Traditional Bumiputera Party (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersata) or PBB; note - PBB is listed under GPS above" + "text": "National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN: ++ Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [LIOW Tiong Lai] ++ Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [S. SUBRAMANIAM] ++ United Malays National Organization or UMNO [MOHAMAD Hasan, acting] ++ (Formerly - Coalition of Hope (Pakatan Harapan) or PH (formerly the People's Alliance, before former PM MAHATHIR resigns 24 February 2020):  ++ Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [TAN Kok Wai] ++ Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM [Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin; note - former PM MAHATHIR steps down 24 Feb 2020] ++ National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH [Mohamad SABU] ++ People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [ANWAR Ibrahim] ++ New - Fighters of the Nation Party (Parti Pejuang Tanah Air) or Pejuang [former PM MAHATHIR bin Mohamad; interim president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir note - started August 2020]  ++ ++ Other: ++ Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang] ++ Progressive Democratic Party or PDP [TIONG King Sing] ++ Sabah Heritage Party (Parti Warisan Sabah) or WARISAN [SHAFIE Apdal] ++ Sarawak Parties Alliance (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) or GPS [ABANG JOHARI Openg] (includes PBB, SUPP, PRS, PDP) ++ Sarawak People's Party (Parti Rakyat Sarawak) or PRS [James MASING] ++ Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [Dr. SIM Kui Hian] ++ United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Wilfred Madius TANGAU] ++ United Sabah Alliance or USA (Gabungan Sabah) ++ United Sabah Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah) or PBS [Maximus ONGKILI] ++ United Sabah People's (Party Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) or PBRS [Joseph KURUP] ++ United Traditional Bumiputera Party (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersata) or PBB; note - PBB is listed under GPS above" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -537,7 +531,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Malaysia, an upper middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into a multi-sector economy. Under current Prime Minister NAJIB, Malaysia is attempting to achieve high-income status by 2020 and to move further up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in high technology, knowledge-based industries and services. NAJIB's Economic Transformation Program is a series of projects and policy measures intended to accelerate the country's economic growth. The government has also taken steps to liberalize some services sub-sectors. Malaysia is vulnerable to a fall in world commodity prices or a general slowdown in global economic activity. The NAJIB administration is continuing efforts to boost domestic demand and reduce the economy's dependence on exports. Domestic demand continues to anchor economic growth, supported mainly by private consumption, which accounts for 53% of GDP. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics, oil and gas, and palm oil - remain a significant driver of the economy. In 2015, gross exports of goods and services were equivalent to 73% of GDP. The oil and gas sector supplied about 22% of government revenue in 2015, down significantly from prior years amid a decline in commodity prices and diversification of government revenues. Malaysia has embarked on a fiscal reform program aimed at achieving a balanced budget by 2020, including rationalization of subsidies and the 2015 introduction of a 6% value added tax. Sustained low commodity prices throughout the period not only strained government finances, but also shrunk Malaysia’s current account surplus and weighed heavily on the Malaysian ringgit, which was among the region’s worst performing currencies during 2013-17. The ringgit hit new lows following the US presidential election amid a broader selloff of emerging market assets. Bank Negara Malaysia (the central bank) maintains adequate foreign exchange reserves; a well-developed regulatory regime has limited Malaysia's exposure to riskier financial instruments, although it remains vulnerable to volatile global capital flows. In order to increase Malaysia’s competitiveness, Prime Minister NAJIB raised possible revisions to the special economic and social preferences accorded to ethnic Malays under the New Economic Policy of 1970, but retreated in 2013 after he encountered significant opposition from Malay nationalists and other vested interests. In September 2013 NAJIB launched the new Bumiputra Economic Empowerment Program, policies that favor and advance the economic condition of ethnic Malays. Malaysia signed the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement in February 2016, although the future of the TPP remains unclear following the US withdrawal from the agreement. Along with nine other ASEAN members, Malaysia established the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, which aims to advance regional economic integration." + "text": "Malaysia, an upper middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into a multi-sector economy. Under current Prime Minister NAJIB, Malaysia is attempting to achieve high-income status by 2020 and to move further up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in high technology, knowledge-based industries and services. NAJIB's Economic Transformation Program is a series of projects and policy measures intended to accelerate the country's economic growth. The government has also taken steps to liberalize some services sub-sectors. Malaysia is vulnerable to a fall in world commodity prices or a general slowdown in global economic activity. ++ The NAJIB administration is continuing efforts to boost domestic demand and reduce the economy's dependence on exports. Domestic demand continues to anchor economic growth, supported mainly by private consumption, which accounts for 53% of GDP. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics, oil and gas, and palm oil - remain a significant driver of the economy. In 2015, gross exports of goods and services were equivalent to 73% of GDP. The oil and gas sector supplied about 22% of government revenue in 2015, down significantly from prior years amid a decline in commodity prices and diversification of government revenues. Malaysia has embarked on a fiscal reform program aimed at achieving a balanced budget by 2020, including rationalization of subsidies and the 2015 introduction of a 6% value added tax. Sustained low commodity prices throughout the period not only strained government finances, but also shrunk Malaysia's current account surplus and weighed heavily on the Malaysian ringgit, which was among the region's worst performing currencies during 2013-17. The ringgit hit new lows following the US presidential election amid a broader selloff of emerging market assets. ++ Bank Negara Malaysia (the central bank) maintains adequate foreign exchange reserves; a well-developed regulatory regime has limited Malaysia's exposure to riskier financial instruments, although it remains vulnerable to volatile global capital flows. In order to increase Malaysia's competitiveness, Prime Minister NAJIB raised possible revisions to the special economic and social preferences accorded to ethnic Malays under the New Economic Policy of 1970, but retreated in 2013 after he encountered significant opposition from Malay nationalists and other vested interests. In September 2013 NAJIB launched the new Bumiputra Economic Empowerment Program, policies that favor and advance the economic condition of ethnic Malays. ++ Malaysia signed the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement in February 2016, although the future of the TPP remains unclear following the US withdrawal from the agreement. Along with nine other ASEAN members, Malaysia established the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, which aims to advance regional economic integration." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$933.3 billion (2017 est.) / $881.3 billion (2016 est.) / $845.6 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -975,7 +969,7 @@ "text": "Malaysia is a destination and, to a lesser extent, a source and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; Malaysia is mainly a destination country for foreign workers who migrate willingly from countries, including Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Nepal, Burma, and other Southeast Asian countries, but subsequently encounter forced labor or debt bondage in agriculture, construction, factories, and domestic service at the hands of employers, employment agents, and labor recruiters; women from Southeast Asia and, to a much lesser extent, Africa, are recruited for legal work in restaurants, hotels, and salons but are forced into prostitution; refugees, including Rohingya adults and children, are not legally permitted to work and are vulnerable to trafficking; a small number of Malaysians are trafficked internally and subjected to sex trafficking abroad" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch list - Malaysia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, amendments to strengthen existing anti-trafficking laws, including enabling victims to move freely and to work and for NGOs to run protective facilities, were drafted by the government and are pending approval from Parliament; authorities more than doubled investigations and prosecutions but convicted only three traffickers for forced labor and none for sex trafficking, a decline from 2013 and a disproportionately small number compared to the scale of the country’s trafficking problem; NGOs provided the majority of victim rehabilitation and counseling services with no financial support from the government (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch list - Malaysia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, amendments to strengthen existing anti-trafficking laws, including enabling victims to move freely and to work and for NGOs to run protective facilities, were drafted by the government and are pending approval from Parliament; authorities more than doubled investigations and prosecutions but convicted only three traffickers for forced labor and none for sex trafficking, a decline from 2013 and a disproportionately small number compared to the scale of the country's trafficking problem; NGOs provided the majority of victim rehabilitation and counseling services with no financial support from the government (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/pg.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/pg.json index 8713190c..d38b2de2 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/pg.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/pg.json @@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military - note": { - "text": "Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and VietnamChina: assessed to have 7 outposts (Fiery Cross, Mischief, Subi, Cuarteron, Gavin, Hughes, and Johnson reefs); the outposts on Fiery Cross, Mischief, and Subi include air bases with helipads and dozens of fighter jet hangers, naval port facilities, surveillance radars, air defense sites, anti-ship cruise missiles, and other military infrastructure such as communications, barracks, maintenance facilities, and ammunition and fuel bunkers Malaysia:  assessed to have 5 outposts in the southern portion of the archipelago, closest to the Malaysian state of Sabah (Ardasier Reef, Eric Reef, Mariveles Reef, Shallow Reef, and Investigator Shoal); all the outposts have helicopter landing pads, while Shallow Reef also has an airstrip Philippines: assessed to occupy 9 features (Commodore Reef, Second Thomas Shoal, Flat Island, Loaita Cay, Loaita Island, Nanshan Island, Northeast Cay, Thitu Island, and West York Island); Thitu Island has the only Philippine airstrip in the Spratlys Taiwan: maintains an outpost with an airstrip on Itu Aba Island Vietnam: assessed to occupy about 49 outposts spread across 27 features, including facilities on 21 rocks and reefs in the Spratlys, plus 14 platforms known as “economic, scientific, and technological service stations,” or Dịch vụ-Khoa (DK1), on six underwater banks to the southeast that Vietnam does not consider part of the disputed island chain, although China and Taiwan disagree; Spratly Islands outposts are on Alison Reef, Amboyna Cay, Barque Canada Reef, Central Reef, Collins Reef, Cornwallis South Reef, Discovery Great Reef, East Reef, Grierson Reef, Ladd Reef, Landsdowne Reef, Namyit Island, Pearson Reef, Petley Reef, Sand Cay, Sin Cowe Island, South Reef, Southwest Cay, Spratly Island, Tennent Reef, West Reef; Spratly Island includes an airstrip with aircraft hangers; the six underwater banks with outposts include Vanguard, Rifleman, Prince of Wales, Prince Consort, Grainger, and Alexandra (2020)" + "text": "Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam ++ China: assessed to have 7 outposts (Fiery Cross, Mischief, Subi, Cuarteron, Gavin, Hughes, and Johnson reefs); the outposts on Fiery Cross, Mischief, and Subi include air bases with helipads and dozens of fighter jet hangers, naval port facilities, surveillance radars, air defense sites, anti-ship cruise missiles, and other military infrastructure such as communications, barracks, maintenance facilities, and ammunition and fuel bunkers ++ Malaysia:  assessed to have 5 outposts in the southern portion of the archipelago, closest to the Malaysian state of Sabah (Ardasier Reef, Eric Reef, Mariveles Reef, Shallow Reef, and Investigator Shoal); all the outposts have helicopter landing pads, while Shallow Reef also has an airstrip ++ Philippines: assessed to occupy 9 features (Commodore Reef, Second Thomas Shoal, Flat Island, Loaita Cay, Loaita Island, Nanshan Island, Northeast Cay, Thitu Island, and West York Island); Thitu Island has the only Philippine airstrip in the Spratlys ++ Taiwan: maintains an outpost with an airstrip on Itu Aba Island ++ Vietnam: assessed to occupy about 49 outposts spread across 27 features, including facilities on 21 rocks and reefs in the Spratlys, plus 14 platforms known as “economic, scientific, and technological service stations,” or Dịch vụ-Khoa (DK1), on six underwater banks to the southeast that Vietnam does not consider part of the disputed island chain, although China and Taiwan disagree; Spratly Islands outposts are on Alison Reef, Amboyna Cay, Barque Canada Reef, Central Reef, Collins Reef, Cornwallis South Reef, Discovery Great Reef, East Reef, Grierson Reef, Ladd Reef, Landsdowne Reef, Namyit Island, Pearson Reef, Petley Reef, Sand Cay, Sin Cowe Island, South Reef, Southwest Cay, Spratly Island, Tennent Reef, West Reef; Spratly Island includes an airstrip with aircraft hangers; the six underwater banks with outposts include Vanguard, Rifleman, Prince of Wales, Prince Consort, Grainger, and Alexandra (2020)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json index 5b980060..7ae176a6 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json @@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ "text": "population concentrated in the highlands and eastern coastal areas on the island of New Guinea; predominantly a rural distribution with only about one-fifth of the population residing in urban areas" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "active volcanism; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis\nvolcanism: severe volcanic activity; Ulawun (2,334 m), one of Papua New Guinea's potentially most dangerous volcanoes, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Rabaul (688 m) destroyed the city of Rabaul in 1937 and 1994; Lamington erupted in 1951 killing 3,000 people; Manam's 2004 eruption forced the island's abandonment; other historically active volcanoes include Bam, Bagana, Garbuna, Karkar, Langila, Lolobau, Long Island, Pago, St. Andrew Strait, Victory, and Waiowa; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" + "text": "active volcanism; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis ++ volcanism: severe volcanic activity; Ulawun (2,334 m), one of Papua New Guinea's potentially most dangerous volcanoes, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Rabaul (688 m) destroyed the city of Rabaul in 1937 and 1994; Lamington erupted in 1951 killing 3,000 people; Manam's 2004 eruption forced the island's abandonment; other historically active volcanoes include Bam, Bagana, Garbuna, Karkar, Langila, Lolobau, Long Island, Pago, St. Andrew Strait, Victory, and Waiowa; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "rain forest loss as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; unsustainable logging practices result in soil erosion, water quality degredation, and loss of habitat and biodiversity; large-scale mining projects cause adverse impacts on forests and water quality (discharge of heavy metals, cyanide, and acids into rivers); severe drought; inappropriate farming practices accelerate land degradion (soil erosion, siltation, loss of soil fertility); destructive fishing practices and coastal pollution due to run-off from land-based activities and oil spills" @@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; generally east-west trending highlands break up New Guinea into diverse ecoregions; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast note 2: Papua New Guinea is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire" + "text": "note 1: shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; generally east-west trending highlands break up New Guinea into diverse ecoregions; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast ++ note 2: Papua New Guinea is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire" } } }, @@ -263,14 +263,11 @@ "text": "36.7% (2016/18)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 10.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 89.4% of population / rural: 36.1% of population / total: 43% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "63.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "57% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 10.6% of population / rural: 63.9% of population / total: 57% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -280,14 +277,11 @@ "text": "0.05 physicians/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 44.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 55.5% of population / rural: 9.1% of population / total: 15.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "90.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "84.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 44.5% of population / rural: 90.9% of population / total: 84.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -383,7 +377,7 @@ "text": "UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Papua New Guinea has two time zones, including Bougainville (UTC+11)etymology: named in 1873 by Captain John Moresby (1830-1922) in honor of his father, British Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby (1786-1877)" + "text": "note: Papua New Guinea has two time zones, including Bougainville (UTC+11) ++ etymology: named in 1873 by Captain John Moresby (1830-1922) in honor of his father, British Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby (1786-1877)" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -466,7 +460,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "National Alliance Party or NAP [Patrick PRUAITCH]Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU [Sam BASIL]Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP [Belden NAMAH]People's National Congress Party or PNC [Peter Paire O'NEILL]People's Party or PP [Peter IPATAS]People's Progress Party or PPP [Sir Julius CHAN]Social Democratic Party or SDP [Powes PARKOP]Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party or THE [Don POLYE]United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA]", + "text": "National Alliance Party or NAP [Patrick PRUAITCH] ++ Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU [Sam BASIL] ++ Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP [Belden NAMAH] ++ People's National Congress Party or PNC [Peter Paire O'NEILL] ++ People's Party or PP [Peter IPATAS] ++ People's Progress Party or PPP [Sir Julius CHAN] ++ Social Democratic Party or SDP [Powes PARKOP] ++ Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party or THE [Don POLYE] ++ United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA]", "note": { "text": "note: as of 8 July 2017, 45 political parties were registered" } @@ -476,7 +470,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge D’Affaires Cephas KAYO (since 31 January 2018)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Cephas KAYO (since 31 January 2018)" }, "chancery": { "text": "1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20036" @@ -525,7 +519,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Papua New Guinea (PNG) is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain, land tenure issues, and the high cost of developing infrastructure. The economy has a small formal sector, focused mainly on the export of those natural resources, and an informal sector, employing the majority of the population. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the people. The global financial crisis had little impact because of continued foreign demand for PNG's commodities. Mineral deposits, including copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. Natural gas reserves amount to an estimated 155 billion cubic meters. Following construction of a $19 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, PNG LNG, a consortium led by ExxonMobil, began exporting liquefied natural gas to Asian markets in May 2014. The project was delivered on time and only slightly above budget. The success of the project has encouraged other companies to look at similar LNG projects. French supermajor Total is hopes to begin construction on the Papua LNG project by 2020. Due to lower global commodity prices, resource revenues of all types have fallen dramatically. PNG’s government has recently been forced to adjust spending levels downward. Numerous challenges still face the government of Peter O'NEILL, including providing physical security for foreign investors, regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and maintaining good relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including chronic law and order and land tenure issues. In August, 2017, PNG launched its first-ever national trade policy, PNG Trade Policy 2017-2032. The policy goal is to maximize trade and investment by increasing exports, to reduce imports, and to increase foreign direct investment (FDI)." + "text": "Papua New Guinea (PNG) is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain, land tenure issues, and the high cost of developing infrastructure. The economy has a small formal sector, focused mainly on the export of those natural resources, and an informal sector, employing the majority of the population. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the people. The global financial crisis had little impact because of continued foreign demand for PNG's commodities. ++ Mineral deposits, including copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. Natural gas reserves amount to an estimated 155 billion cubic meters. Following construction of a $19 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, PNG LNG, a consortium led by ExxonMobil, began exporting liquefied natural gas to Asian markets in May 2014. The project was delivered on time and only slightly above budget. The success of the project has encouraged other companies to look at similar LNG projects. French supermajor Total is hopes to begin construction on the Papua LNG project by 2020. Due to lower global commodity prices, resource revenues of all types have fallen dramatically. PNG's government has recently been forced to adjust spending levels downward. ++ Numerous challenges still face the government of Peter O'NEILL, including providing physical security for foreign investors, regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by privatizing moribund state institutions, and maintaining good relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including chronic law and order and land tenure issues. In August, 2017, PNG launched its first-ever national trade policy, PNG Trade Policy 2017-2032. The policy goal is to maximize trade and investment by increasing exports, to reduce imports, and to increase foreign direct investment (FDI)." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$30.19 billion (2017 est.) / $29.44 billion (2016 est.) / $28.98 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json index 3493ce6e..b9ec1dea 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected president and was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a 10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese occupation during World War II, and US forces and Filipinos fought together during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Republic of the Philippines attained its independence. A 21-year rule by Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a \"people power\" movement in Manila (\"EDSA 1\") forced him into exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was hampered by several coup attempts that prevented a return to full political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was elected president in 1992. His administration was marked by increased stability and by progress on economic reforms. In 1992, the US closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was elected president in 1998. He was succeeded by his vice-president, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and another \"people power\" movement (\"EDSA 2\") demanded his resignation. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a six-year term as president in May 2004. Her presidency was marred by several corruption allegations but the Philippine economy was one of the few to avoid contraction following the 2008 global financial crisis, expanding each year of her administration. Benigno AQUINO III was elected to a six-year term as president in May 2010 and was succeeded by Rodrigo DUTERTE in May 2016. The Philippine Government faces threats from several groups, some of which are on the US Government's Foreign Terrorist Organization list. Manila has waged a decades-long struggle against ethnic Moro insurgencies in the southern Philippines, which led to a peace accord with the Moro National Liberation Front and a separate agreement with a break away faction, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The decades-long Maoist-inspired New People's Army insurgency also operates through much of the country. In 2017, Philippine armed forces battled an ISIS-Philippines siege in Marawi City, driving DUTERTE to declare martial law in the region. The Philippines faces increased tension with China over disputed territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea." + "text": "The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected president and was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a 10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese occupation during World War II, and US forces and Filipinos fought together during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Republic of the Philippines attained its independence. A 21-year rule by Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a \"people power\" movement in Manila (\"EDSA 1\") forced him into exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was hampered by several coup attempts that prevented a return to full political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was elected president in 1992. His administration was marked by increased stability and by progress on economic reforms. In 1992, the US closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was elected president in 1998. He was succeeded by his vice-president, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and another \"people power\" movement (\"EDSA 2\") demanded his resignation. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a six-year term as president in May 2004. Her presidency was marred by several corruption allegations but the Philippine economy was one of the few to avoid contraction following the 2008 global financial crisis, expanding each year of her administration. Benigno AQUINO III was elected to a six-year term as president in May 2010 and was succeeded by Rodrigo DUTERTE in May 2016. ++ The Philippine Government faces threats from several groups, some of which are on the US Government's Foreign Terrorist Organization list. Manila has waged a decades-long struggle against ethnic Moro insurgencies in the southern Philippines, which led to a peace accord with the Moro National Liberation Front and a separate agreement with a break away faction, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The decades-long Maoist-inspired New People's Army insurgency also operates through much of the country. In 2017, Philippine armed forces battled an ISIS-Philippines siege in Marawi City, driving DUTERTE to declare martial law in the region. The Philippines faces increased tension with China over disputed territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea." } }, "Geography": { @@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ "text": "population concentrated where good farmlands lie; highest concentrations are northwest and south-central Luzon, the southeastern extension of Luzon, and the islands of the Visayan Sea, particularly Cebu and Negros; Manila is home to one-eighth of the entire national population" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms each year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis\nvolcanism: significant volcanic activity; Taal (311 m), which has shown recent unrest and may erupt in the near future, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Mayon (2,462 m), the country's most active volcano, erupted in 2009 forcing over 33,000 to be evacuated; other historically active volcanoes include Biliran, Babuyan Claro, Bulusan, Camiguin, Camiguin de Babuyanes, Didicas, Iraya, Jolo, Kanlaon, Makaturing, Musuan, Parker, Pinatubo, and Ragang; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" + "text": "astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms each year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis ++ volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Taal (311 m), which has shown recent unrest and may erupt in the near future, has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Mayon (2,462 m), the country's most active volcano, erupted in 2009 forcing over 33,000 to be evacuated; other historically active volcanoes include Biliran, Babuyan Claro, Bulusan, Camiguin, Camiguin de Babuyanes, Didicas, Iraya, Jolo, Kanlaon, Makaturing, Musuan, Parker, Pinatubo, and Ragang; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed areas; illegal mining and logging; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds; coastal erosion; dynamite fishing; wildlife extinction" @@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: for decades, the Philippine archipelago was reported as having 7,107 islands; in 2016, the national mapping authority reported that hundreds of new islands had been discovered and increased the number of islands to 7,641 - though not all of the new islands have been verified; the country is favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and Luzon Strait note 2: Philippines is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire note 3: the Philippines sits astride the Pacific typhoon belt and an average of 9 typhoons make landfall on the islands each year - with about 5 of these being destructive; the country is the most exposed in the world to tropical storms" + "text": "note 1: for decades, the Philippine archipelago was reported as having 7,107 islands; in 2016, the national mapping authority reported that hundreds of new islands had been discovered and increased the number of islands to 7,641 - though not all of the new islands have been verified; the country is favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and Luzon Strait ++ note 2: Philippines is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire ++ note 3: the Philippines sits astride the Pacific typhoon belt and an average of 9 typhoons make landfall on the islands each year - with about 5 of these being destructive; the country is the most exposed in the world to tropical storms" } } }, @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "54.1% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.7% of population / rural: 92.7% of population / total: 95.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "7.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "4.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.3% of population / rural: 7.3% of population / total: 4.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "1 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95% of population / rural: 88.2% of population / total: 91.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "11.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "8.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 5% of population / rural: 11.8% of population / total: 8.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -396,7 +390,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "81 provinces and 38 chartered cities provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela, Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte, Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay; chartered cities: Angeles, Bacolod, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Caloocan, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Davao, General Santos, Iligan, Iloilo, Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Lucena, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Naga, Navotas, Olongapo, Ormoc, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, San Juan, Santiago, Tacloban, Taguig, Valenzuela, Zamboanga" + "text": "81 provinces and 38 chartered cities ++ provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela, Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte, Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay; ++ chartered cities: Angeles, Bacolod, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Caloocan, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Davao, General Santos, Iligan, Iloilo, Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Lucena, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Naga, Navotas, Olongapo, Ormoc, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, San Juan, Santiago, Tacloban, Taguig, Valenzuela, Zamboanga" }, "Independence": { "text": "4 July 1946 (from the US)" @@ -454,13 +448,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of:Senate or Senado (24 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by majority vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (297 seats; 238 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 59 representing minorities directly elected by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 3-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of: Senate or Senado (24 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by majority vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) ++ House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (297 seats; 238 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 59 representing minorities directly elected by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 3-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - elections last held on 9 May 2016 (next to be held on 13 May 2019) House of Representatives - elections last held on 9 May 2016 (next to be held on 13 May 2019)" + "text": "Senate - elections last held on 9 May 2016 (next to be held on 13 May 2019) ++ House of Representatives - elections last held on 9 May 2016 (next to be held on 13 May 2019)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - LP 31.3%, NPC 10.1%, UNA 7.6%, Akbayan 5.0%, other 30.9%, independent 15.1%; seats by party - LP 6, NPC 3, UNA 4, Akbayan 1, other 10; composition - men 18, women 6, percent of women 25% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LP 41.7%, NPC 17.0%, UNA 6.6%, NUP 9.7%, NP 9.4%, independent 6.0%, others 10.1%; seats by party - LP 115, NPC 42, NUP 23, NP 24, UNA 11, other 19, independent 4, party-list 59; composition - men 210, women 87, percent of women 29.8%; note - total Congress percent of women 29.4%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - LP 31.3%, NPC 10.1%, UNA 7.6%, Akbayan 5.0%, other 30.9%, independent 15.1%; seats by party - LP 6, NPC 3, UNA 4, Akbayan 1, other 10; composition - men 18, women 6, percent of women 25% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LP 41.7%, NPC 17.0%, UNA 6.6%, NUP 9.7%, NP 9.4%, independent 6.0%, others 10.1%; seats by party - LP 115, NPC 42, NUP 23, NP 24, UNA 11, other 19, independent 4, party-list 59; composition - men 210, women 87, percent of women 29.8%; note - total Congress percent of women 29.4%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -475,7 +469,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Akbayon [Machris CABREROS]Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or LDP [Edgardo ANGARA]Lakas ng EDSA-Christian Muslim Democrats or Lakas-CMD [Ferdinand Martin ROMUALDEZ]Liberal Party or LP [Francis PANGILINAN]Nacionalista Party or NP [Manuel \"Manny\" VILLAR]Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC [Eduardo COJUNGCO, Jr.]National Unity Party or NUP [Albert GARCIA]PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL III]People's Reform Party or PRP [Narcisco SANTIAGO]Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (Force of the Philippine Masses) or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA]United Nationalist Alliance or UNA" + "text": "Akbayon [Machris CABREROS] ++ Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or LDP [Edgardo ANGARA] ++ Lakas ng EDSA-Christian Muslim Democrats or Lakas-CMD [Ferdinand Martin ROMUALDEZ] ++ Liberal Party or LP [Francis PANGILINAN] ++ Nacionalista Party or NP [Manuel \"Manny\" VILLAR] ++ Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC [Eduardo COJUNGCO, Jr.] ++ National Unity Party or NUP [Albert GARCIA] ++ PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL III] ++ People's Reform Party or PRP [Narcisco SANTIAGO] ++ Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (Force of the Philippine Masses) or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA] ++ United Nationalist Alliance or UNA" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CD, CICA (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -537,7 +531,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The economy has been relatively resilient to global economic shocks due to less exposure to troubled international securities, lower dependence on exports, relatively resilient domestic consumption, large remittances from about 10 million overseas Filipino workers and migrants, and a rapidly expanding services industry. During 2017, the current account balance fell into the negative range, the first time since the 2008 global financial crisis, in part due to an ambitious new infrastructure spending program announced this year. However, international reserves remain at comfortable levels and the banking system is stable. Efforts to improve tax administration and expenditures management have helped ease the Philippines' debt burden and tight fiscal situation. The Philippines received investment-grade credit ratings on its sovereign debt under the former AQUINO administration and has had little difficulty financing its budget deficits. However, weak absorptive capacity and implementation bottlenecks have prevented the government from maximizing its expenditure plans. Although it has improved, the low tax-to-GDP ratio remains a constraint to supporting increasingly higher spending levels and sustaining high and inclusive growth over the longer term. Economic growth has accelerated, averaging over 6% per year from 2011 to 2017, compared with 4.5% under the MACAPAGAL-ARROYO government; and competitiveness rankings have improved. Although 2017 saw a new record year for net foreign direct investment inflows, FDI to the Philippines has continued to lag regional peers, in part because the Philippine constitution and other laws limit foreign investment and restrict foreign ownership in important activities/sectors - such as land ownership and public utilities. Although the economy grew at a rapid pace under the AQUINO government, challenges to achieving more inclusive growth remain. Wealth is concentrated in the hands of the rich. The unemployment rate declined from 7.3% to 5.7% between 2010 and 2017; while there has been some improvement, underemployment remains high at around 17% to 18% of the employed population. At least 40% of the employed work in the informal sector. Poverty afflicts more than a fifth of the total population but is as high as 75% in some areas of the southern Philippines. More than 60% of the poor reside in rural areas, where the incidence of poverty (about 30%) is more severe - a challenge to raising rural farm and non-farm incomes. Continued efforts are needed to improve governance, the judicial system, the regulatory environment, the infrastructure, and the overall ease of doing business. 2016 saw the election of President Rodrigo DUTERTE, who has pledged to make inclusive growth and poverty reduction his top priority. DUTERTE believes that illegal drug use, crime and corruption are key barriers to economic development. The administration wants to reduce the poverty rate to 17% and graduate the economy to upper-middle income status by the end of President DUTERTE’s term in 2022. Key themes under the government’s Ten-Point Socioeconomic Agenda include continuity of macroeconomic policy, tax reform, higher investments in infrastructure and human capital development, and improving competitiveness and the overall ease of doing business. The administration sees infrastructure shortcomings as a key barrier to sustained economic growth and has pledged to spend $165 billion on infrastructure by 2022. Although the final outcome has yet to be seen, the current administration is shepherding legislation for a comprehensive tax reform program to raise revenues for its ambitious infrastructure spending plan and to promote a more equitable and efficient tax system. However, the need to finance rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the southern region of Mindanao following the 2017 Marawi City siege may compete with other spending on infrastructure." + "text": "The economy has been relatively resilient to global economic shocks due to less exposure to troubled international securities, lower dependence on exports, relatively resilient domestic consumption, large remittances from about 10 million overseas Filipino workers and migrants, and a rapidly expanding services industry. During 2017, the current account balance fell into the negative range, the first time since the 2008 global financial crisis, in part due to an ambitious new infrastructure spending program announced this year. However, international reserves remain at comfortable levels and the banking system is stable. ++ Efforts to improve tax administration and expenditures management have helped ease the Philippines' debt burden and tight fiscal situation. The Philippines received investment-grade credit ratings on its sovereign debt under the former AQUINO administration and has had little difficulty financing its budget deficits. However, weak absorptive capacity and implementation bottlenecks have prevented the government from maximizing its expenditure plans. Although it has improved, the low tax-to-GDP ratio remains a constraint to supporting increasingly higher spending levels and sustaining high and inclusive growth over the longer term. ++ Economic growth has accelerated, averaging over 6% per year from 2011 to 2017, compared with 4.5% under the MACAPAGAL-ARROYO government; and competitiveness rankings have improved. Although 2017 saw a new record year for net foreign direct investment inflows, FDI to the Philippines has continued to lag regional peers, in part because the Philippine constitution and other laws limit foreign investment and restrict foreign ownership in important activities/sectors - such as land ownership and public utilities. ++ Although the economy grew at a rapid pace under the AQUINO government, challenges to achieving more inclusive growth remain. Wealth is concentrated in the hands of the rich. The unemployment rate declined from 7.3% to 5.7% between 2010 and 2017; while there has been some improvement, underemployment remains high at around 17% to 18% of the employed population. At least 40% of the employed work in the informal sector. Poverty afflicts more than a fifth of the total population but is as high as 75% in some areas of the southern Philippines. More than 60% of the poor reside in rural areas, where the incidence of poverty (about 30%) is more severe - a challenge to raising rural farm and non-farm incomes. Continued efforts are needed to improve governance, the judicial system, the regulatory environment, the infrastructure, and the overall ease of doing business. ++ 2016 saw the election of President Rodrigo DUTERTE, who has pledged to make inclusive growth and poverty reduction his top priority. DUTERTE believes that illegal drug use, crime and corruption are key barriers to economic development. The administration wants to reduce the poverty rate to 17% and graduate the economy to upper-middle income status by the end of President DUTERTE's term in 2022. Key themes under the government's Ten-Point Socioeconomic Agenda include continuity of macroeconomic policy, tax reform, higher investments in infrastructure and human capital development, and improving competitiveness and the overall ease of doing business. The administration sees infrastructure shortcomings as a key barrier to sustained economic growth and has pledged to spend $165 billion on infrastructure by 2022. Although the final outcome has yet to be seen, the current administration is shepherding legislation for a comprehensive tax reform program to raise revenues for its ambitious infrastructure spending plan and to promote a more equitable and efficient tax system. However, the need to finance rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the southern region of Mindanao following the 2017 Marawi City siege may compete with other spending on infrastructure." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$877.2 billion (2017 est.) / $822.2 billion (2016 est.) / $769.3 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -799,7 +793,7 @@ } }, "Broadcast media": { - "text": "multiple national private TV and radio networks; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; more than 400 TV stations; about 1,500 cable TV providers with more than 2 million subscribers, and some 1,400 radio stations; the Philippines adopted Japan’s Integrated Service Digital Broadcast – Terrestrial standard for digital terrestrial television in November 2013 and is scheduled to complete the switch from analog to digital broadcasting by the end of 2023 (2019)" + "text": "multiple national private TV and radio networks; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; more than 400 TV stations; about 1,500 cable TV providers with more than 2 million subscribers, and some 1,400 radio stations; the Philippines adopted Japan's Integrated Service Digital Broadcast – Terrestrial standard for digital terrestrial television in November 2013 and is scheduled to complete the switch from analog to digital broadcasting by the end of 2023 (2019)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".ph" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/sn.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/sn.json index dd3496ba..46339c2a 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/sn.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/sn.json @@ -250,11 +250,11 @@ "text": "0.87 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -267,11 +267,11 @@ "text": "2.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population (2015 est.) / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "National Solidarity Party or NSP [Reno FONG]People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]People's Power Party or (PPP) [Goh Meng SENG]People's Voice or PV [Lim TEAN]Progress Singapore Party or PSP [Tan Cheng Bock]Red Dot United or RDU [Ravi PHILEMON]Reform Party or RP [Kenneth JEYARETNAM]Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [Abu MOHAMED]Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [Dr. CHEE Soon Juan]Singapore People's Party or SPP [Steve Chia]Workers' Party or WP [Pritam SINGH] (2020)" + "text": "National Solidarity Party or NSP [Reno FONG] ++ People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong] ++ People's Power Party or (PPP) [Goh Meng SENG] ++ People's Voice or PV [Lim TEAN] ++ Progress Singapore Party or PSP [Tan Cheng Bock] ++ Red Dot United or RDU [Ravi PHILEMON] ++ Reform Party or RP [Kenneth JEYARETNAM] ++ Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [Abu MOHAMED] ++ Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [Dr. CHEE Soon Juan] ++ Singapore People's Party or SPP [Steve Chia] ++ Workers' Party or WP [Pritam SINGH] (2020)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, AOSIS, APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It enjoys an open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed countries. Unemployment is very low. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly of electronics, petroleum products, chemicals, medical and optical devices, pharmaceuticals, and on Singapore’s vibrant transportation, business, and financial services sectors. The economy contracted 0.6% in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis, but has continued to grow since 2010. Growth from 2012-2017 was slower than during the previous decade, a result of slowing structural growth - as Singapore reached high-income levels - and soft global demand for exports. Growth recovered to 3.6% in 2017 with a strengthening global economy. The government is attempting to restructure Singapore’s economy to reduce its dependence on foreign labor, raise productivity growth, and increase wages amid slowing labor force growth and an aging population. Singapore has attracted major investments in advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and medical technology production and will continue efforts to strengthen its position as Southeast Asia's leading financial and technology hub. Singapore is a signatory of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and a party to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations with nine other ASEAN members plus Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand. In 2015, Singapore formed, with the other ASEAN members, the ASEAN Economic Community." + "text": "Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It enjoys an open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed countries. Unemployment is very low. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly of electronics, petroleum products, chemicals, medical and optical devices, pharmaceuticals, and on Singapore's vibrant transportation, business, and financial services sectors. ++ The economy contracted 0.6% in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis, but has continued to grow since 2010. Growth from 2012-2017 was slower than during the previous decade, a result of slowing structural growth - as Singapore reached high-income levels - and soft global demand for exports. Growth recovered to 3.6% in 2017 with a strengthening global economy. ++ The government is attempting to restructure Singapore's economy to reduce its dependence on foreign labor, raise productivity growth, and increase wages amid slowing labor force growth and an aging population. Singapore has attracted major investments in advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and medical technology production and will continue efforts to strengthen its position as Southeast Asia's leading financial and technology hub. Singapore is a signatory of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and a party to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations with nine other ASEAN members plus Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand. In 2015, Singapore formed, with the other ASEAN members, the ASEAN Economic Community." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$528.1 billion (2017 est.) / $509.7 billion (2016 est.) / $497.8 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json index 7961bd2e..1bc1b0c5 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been colonized by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. After the Japanese invaded Thailand in 1941, the government split into a pro-Japan faction and a pro-Ally faction backed by the King. Following the war, Thailand became a US treaty ally in 1954 after sending troops to Korea and later fighting alongside the US in Vietnam. Thailand since 2005 has experienced several rounds of political turmoil including a military coup in 2006 that ousted then Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat, followed by large-scale street protests by competing political factions in 2008, 2009, and 2010. THAKSIN's youngest sister, YINGLAK Chinnawat, in 2011 led the Puea Thai Party to an electoral win and assumed control of the government. In early May 2014, after months of large-scale anti-government protests in Bangkok beginning in November 2013, YINGLAK was removed from office by the Constitutional Court and in late May 2014 the Royal Thai Army, led by Royal Thai Army Gen. PRAYUT Chan-ocha, staged a coup against the caretaker government. PRAYUT was appointed prime minister in August 2014. PRAYUT also serves as the head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), a military-affiliated body that oversees the interim government. This body created several interim institutions to promote reform and draft a new constitution, which was passed in a national referendum in August 2016. In late 2017, PRAYUT announced elections would be held by November 2018; he has subsequently suggested they might occur in February 2019. As of mid-December 2018, a previoulsy held ban on campaigning and political activity has been lifted and per parliamentary laws, an election must be held within 150 days. King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet passed away in October 2016 after 70 years on the throne; his only son, WACHIRALONGKON Bodinthrathepphayawarangkun, ascended the throne in December 2016. He signed the new constitution in April 2017. Thailand has also experienced violence associated with the ethno-nationalist insurgency in its southern Malay-Muslim majority provinces. Since January 2004, thousands have been killed and wounded in the insurgency." + "text": "A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been colonized by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. After the Japanese invaded Thailand in 1941, the government split into a pro-Japan faction and a pro-Ally faction backed by the King. Following the war, Thailand became a US treaty ally in 1954 after sending troops to Korea and later fighting alongside the US in Vietnam. Thailand since 2005 has experienced several rounds of political turmoil including a military coup in 2006 that ousted then Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat, followed by large-scale street protests by competing political factions in 2008, 2009, and 2010. THAKSIN's youngest sister, YINGLAK Chinnawat, in 2011 led the Puea Thai Party to an electoral win and assumed control of the government. ++ In early May 2014, after months of large-scale anti-government protests in Bangkok beginning in November 2013, YINGLAK was removed from office by the Constitutional Court and in late May 2014 the Royal Thai Army, led by Royal Thai Army Gen. PRAYUT Chan-ocha, staged a coup against the caretaker government. PRAYUT was appointed prime minister in August 2014. PRAYUT also serves as the head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), a military-affiliated body that oversees the interim government. This body created several interim institutions to promote reform and draft a new constitution, which was passed in a national referendum in August 2016. In late 2017, PRAYUT announced elections would be held by November 2018; he has subsequently suggested they might occur in February 2019. As of mid-December 2018, a previoulsy held ban on campaigning and political activity has been lifted and per parliamentary laws, an election must be held within 150 days. King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet passed away in October 2016 after 70 years on the throne; his only son, WACHIRALONGKON Bodinthrathepphayawarangkun, ascended the throne in December 2016. He signed the new constitution in April 2017. Thailand has also experienced violence associated with the ethno-nationalist insurgency in its southern Malay-Muslim majority provinces. Since January 2004, thousands have been killed and wounded in the insurgency." } }, "Geography": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "78.4% (2015/16)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "2.1 beds/1,000 population (2010)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 99.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -392,7 +386,7 @@ "text": "UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "etymology: Bangkok was likely originally a colloquial name, but one that was widely adopted by foreign visitors; the name may derive from \"bang ko,\" where \"bang\" is the Thai word for \"village on a stream\" and \"ko\" means \"island,\" both referencing the area's landscape, which was carved by rivers and canals; alternatively, the name may come from \"bang makok,\" where \"makok\" is the name of the Java plum, a plant bearing olive-like fruit; this possibility is supported by the former name of Wat Arun, a historic temple in the area, that used to be called Wat Makok; Krung Thep, the city's Thai name, means \"City of the Deity\" and is a shortening of the full ceremonial name: Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit; translated the meaning is: City of angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of the nine gems, seat of the king, city of royal palaces, home of gods incarnate, erected by Vishvakarman at Indra's behest; it holds the world's record as the longest place name (169 letters)" + "text": "etymology: Bangkok was likely originally a colloquial name, but one that was widely adopted by foreign visitors; the name may derive from \"bang ko,\" where \"bang\" is the Thai word for \"village on a stream\" and \"ko\" means \"island,\" both referencing the area's landscape, which was carved by rivers and canals; alternatively, the name may come from \"bang makok,\" where \"makok\" is the name of the Java plum, a plant bearing olive-like fruit; this possibility is supported by the former name of Wat Arun, a historic temple in the area, that used to be called Wat Makok; ++ Krung Thep, the city's Thai name, means \"City of the Deity\" and is a shortening of the full ceremonial name: Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit; translated the meaning is: City of angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of the nine gems, seat of the king, city of royal palaces, home of gods incarnate, erected by Vishvakarman at Indra's behest; it holds the world's record as the longest place name (169 letters)" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -454,13 +448,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Assembly or Rathhasapha consists of:Senate or Wuthissapha (250 seats; members appointed by the Royal Thai Army to serve 5-year terms)House of Representatives or Saphaphuthan Ratsadon (500 seats; 375 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 150 members elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Assembly or Rathhasapha consists of: Senate or Wuthissapha (250 seats; members appointed by the Royal Thai Army to serve 5-year terms) ++ House of Representatives or Saphaphuthan Ratsadon (500 seats; 375 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 150 members elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 14 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024) House of Representatives - last held on 24 March 2019 (next to be held in 2023)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 14 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 24 March 2019 (next to be held in 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 224, women 26, percent of women 10.4%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PPRP 23.7%, PTP 22.2%, FFP 17.8%, DP 11.1%, PJT 10.5%, TLP 2.3%, CTP 2.2%, NEP 1.4%, PCC 1.4%, ACT 1.2%, PCP 1.2%,  other 5.1%; seats by party - PTP 136, PPRP 116, FFP 81, DP 53, PJT 51, CTP 10, TLP 10, PCC 7, PCP 5, NEP 6, ACT 5, other 20; composition - men 421, women 79, percent of women 15.8%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 14%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 224, women 26, percent of women 10.4% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PPRP 23.7%, PTP 22.2%, FFP 17.8%, DP 11.1%, PJT 10.5%, TLP 2.3%, CTP 2.2%, NEP 1.4%, PCC 1.4%, ACT 1.2%, PCP 1.2%,  other 5.1%; seats by party - PTP 136, PPRP 116, FFP 81, DP 53, PJT 51, CTP 10, TLP 10, PCC 7, PCP 5, NEP 6, ACT 5, other 20; composition - men 421, women 79, percent of women 15.8%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 14%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -475,7 +469,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Action Coalition of Thailand Party or ACT [TAWEESAK Na Takuathung (acting); CHATUMONGKHON Sonakun resigned June 2020]Anakhot Mai Party (Future Forward Party) or FFP [THANATHON Chuengrungrueangkit] (dissolved, February 2020)Chat Phatthana Party (National Development Party) [THEWAN Liptaphanlop]Chat Thai Phatthana Party (Thai Nation Development Party) or CTP [KANCHANA Sinlapa-acha]New Economics Party or NEP [MINGKHWAN Sangsuwan]Phalang Pracharat Party or PPP [UTTAMA Sawanayon]Phumchai Thai Party (Thai Pride Party) or PJT [ANUTHIN Chanwirakun]Prachachat Party of PCC [WAN Muhamad NOOR Matha]Prachathipat Party (Democrat Party) or DP [CHURIN Laksanawisit]Puea Chat Party (For Nation Party) or PCP [SONGKHRAM Kitletpairot]Puea Thai Party (For Thais Party) or PTP [WIROT Paoin]Puea Tham Party (For Dharma Party) [NALINI Thawisin]Seri Ruam Thai Party (Thai Liberal Party) or TLP [SERIPHISUT Temiyawet]Thai Forest Conservation Party or TFCP [DAMRONG Phidet]Thai Local Power Party or TLP [collective leadership]Thai Raksa Chat Party (Thai National Preservation Party) [PRICHAPHON Phongpanit]", + "text": "Action Coalition of Thailand Party or ACT [TAWEESAK Na Takuathung (acting); CHATUMONGKHON Sonakun resigned June 2020] ++ Anakhot Mai Party (Future Forward Party) or FFP [THANATHON Chuengrungrueangkit] (dissolved, February 2020) ++ Chat Phatthana Party (National Development Party) [THEWAN Liptaphanlop] ++ Chat Thai Phatthana Party (Thai Nation Development Party) or CTP [KANCHANA Sinlapa-acha] ++ New Economics Party or NEP [MINGKHWAN Sangsuwan] ++ Phalang Pracharat Party or PPP [UTTAMA Sawanayon] ++ Phumchai Thai Party (Thai Pride Party) or PJT [ANUTHIN Chanwirakun] ++ Prachachat Party of PCC [WAN Muhamad NOOR Matha] ++ Prachathipat Party (Democrat Party) or DP [CHURIN Laksanawisit] ++ Puea Chat Party (For Nation Party) or PCP [SONGKHRAM Kitletpairot] ++ Puea Thai Party (For Thais Party) or PTP [WIROT Paoin] ++ Puea Tham Party (For Dharma Party) [NALINI Thawisin] ++ Seri Ruam Thai Party (Thai Liberal Party) or TLP [SERIPHISUT Temiyawet] ++ Thai Forest Conservation Party or TFCP [DAMRONG Phidet] ++ Thai Local Power Party or TLP [collective leadership] ++ Thai Raksa Chat Party (Thai National Preservation Party) [PRICHAPHON Phongpanit]", "note": { "text": "note: as of 5 April 2018, 98 new parties applied to be registered with the Election Commission in accordance with the provisions of the new organic law on political parties" } @@ -543,7 +537,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "With a relatively well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and generally pro-investment policies, Thailand is highly dependent on international trade, with exports accounting for about two thirds of GDP. Thailand’s exports include electronics, agricultural commodities, automobiles and parts, and processed foods. The industry and service sectors produce about 90% of GDP. The agricultural sector, comprised mostly of small-scale farms, contributes only 10% of GDP but employs about one third of the labor force. Thailand has attracted an estimated 3.0-4.5 million migrant workers, mostly from neighboring countries. Over the last few decades, Thailand has reduced poverty substantially. In 2013, the Thai Government implemented a nationwide 300 baht (roughly $10) per day minimum wage policy and deployed new tax reforms designed to lower rates on middle-income earners. Thailand’s economy is recovering from slow growth during the years since the 2014 coup. Thailand’s economic fundamentals are sound, with low inflation, low unemployment, and reasonable public and external debt levels. Tourism and government spending - mostly on infrastructure and short-term stimulus measures – have helped to boost the economy, and The Bank of Thailand has been supportive, with several interest rate reductions. Over the longer-term, household debt levels, political uncertainty, and an aging population pose risks to growth." + "text": "With a relatively well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and generally pro-investment policies, Thailand is highly dependent on international trade, with exports accounting for about two thirds of GDP. Thailand's exports include electronics, agricultural commodities, automobiles and parts, and processed foods. The industry and service sectors produce about 90% of GDP. The agricultural sector, comprised mostly of small-scale farms, contributes only 10% of GDP but employs about one third of the labor force. Thailand has attracted an estimated 3.0-4.5 million migrant workers, mostly from neighboring countries. ++ Over the last few decades, Thailand has reduced poverty substantially. In 2013, the Thai Government implemented a nationwide 300 baht (roughly $10) per day minimum wage policy and deployed new tax reforms designed to lower rates on middle-income earners. ++ Thailand's economy is recovering from slow growth during the years since the 2014 coup. Thailand's economic fundamentals are sound, with low inflation, low unemployment, and reasonable public and external debt levels. Tourism and government spending - mostly on infrastructure and short-term stimulus measures – have helped to boost the economy, and The Bank of Thailand has been supportive, with several interest rate reductions. ++ Over the longer-term, household debt levels, political uncertainty, and an aging population pose risks to growth." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.236 trillion (2017 est.) / $1.19 trillion (2016 est.) / $1.152 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -676,7 +670,7 @@ "text": "$203.2 billion (2017 est.) / $177.7 billion (2016 est.)" }, "Imports - commodities": { - "text": "machinery and parts, crude oil, electrical machinery and parts, chemicals, iron & steel and product, electronic integrated circuit, automobile’s parts, jewelry including silver bars and gold, computers and parts, electrical household appliances, soybean, soybean meal, wheat, cotton, dairy products" + "text": "machinery and parts, crude oil, electrical machinery and parts, chemicals, iron & steel and product, electronic integrated circuit, automobile's parts, jewelry including silver bars and gold, computers and parts, electrical household appliances, soybean, soybean meal, wheat, cotton, dairy products" }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "China 20%, Japan 14.5%, US 6.8%, Malaysia 5.4% (2017)" @@ -928,7 +922,7 @@ "Military and security forces": { "text": "Royal Thai Armed Forces (Kongthap Thai, RTARF): Royal Thai Army (Kongthap Bok Thai, RTA; includes Thai Rangers (Thahan Phrahan)), Royal Thai Navy (Kongthap Ruea Thai, RTN; includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force (Kongthap Akaat Thai, RTAF); Interior Ministry paramilitary forces: Volunteer Defense Corps (2019)", "note": { - "text": "note: the Thai Rangers (aka Thahan Phrahan or 'Hunter Soldiers’) is a paramilitary force formed in 1978 to clear Communist Party of Thailand guerrillas from mountain strongholds in the country's northeast; it is a light infantry force led by regular officers and non-commissioned officers and comprised of both full‐ and part‐time personnel; it conducts counterinsurgency operations in the southern, predominantly Muslim, region; on the eastern border with Laos and Cambodia, the Rangers have primary responsibility for border surveillance and protection" + "text": "note: the Thai Rangers (aka Thahan Phrahan or 'Hunter Soldiers') is a paramilitary force formed in 1978 to clear Communist Party of Thailand guerrillas from mountain strongholds in the country's northeast; it is a light infantry force led by regular officers and non-commissioned officers and comprised of both full‐ and part‐time personnel; it conducts counterinsurgency operations in the southern, predominantly Muslim, region; on the eastern border with Laos and Cambodia, the Rangers have primary responsibility for border surveillance and protection" } }, "Military expenditures": { @@ -970,7 +964,7 @@ "text": "Thailand is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; victims from Burma, Cambodia, Laos, China, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, and India, migrate to Thailand in search of jobs but are forced, coerced, or defrauded into labor in commercial fishing, fishing-related industries, factories, domestic work, street begging, or the sex trade; some Thai, Burmese, Cambodian, and Indonesian men forced to work on fishing boats are kept at sea for years; sex trafficking of adults and children from Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Burma remains a significant problem; Thailand is a transit country for victims from China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Burma subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Russia, South Korea, the US, and countries in Western Europe; Thai victims are also trafficked in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List - Thailand does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, and is not making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, authorities investigated, prosecuted, and convicted fewer traffickers and identified fewer victims; some cases of official complicity were investigated and prosecuted, but trafficking-related corruption continues to hinder progress in combatting trafficking; authorities’ efforts to screen for victims among vulnerable populations remained inadequate due to a poor understanding of trafficking indicators, a failure to recognize non-physical forms of coercion, and a shortage of language interpreters; the government passed new labor laws increasing the minimum age in the fishing industry to 18 years old, guaranteeing the minimum wage, and requiring work contracts, but weak law enforcement and poor coordination among regulatory agencies enabled exploitive labor practices to continue; the government increased efforts to raise public awareness to the dangers of human trafficking and to deny entry to foreign sex tourists (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List - Thailand does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, and is not making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, authorities investigated, prosecuted, and convicted fewer traffickers and identified fewer victims; some cases of official complicity were investigated and prosecuted, but trafficking-related corruption continues to hinder progress in combatting trafficking; authorities' efforts to screen for victims among vulnerable populations remained inadequate due to a poor understanding of trafficking indicators, a failure to recognize non-physical forms of coercion, and a shortage of language interpreters; the government passed new labor laws increasing the minimum age in the fishing industry to 18 years old, guaranteeing the minimum wage, and requiring work contracts, but weak law enforcement and poor coordination among regulatory agencies enabled exploitive labor practices to continue; the government increased efforts to raise public awareness to the dangers of human trafficking and to deny entry to foreign sex tourists (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/tt.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/tt.json index 4fb2e2f0..28aff6c0 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/tt.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/tt.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Timor was actively involved in Southeast Asian trading networks for centuries and by the 14th century exported aromatic sandalwood, slaves, honey, and wax. A number of local chiefdoms ruled the island in the early 16th century when Portuguese traders arrived, chiefly attracted by the relative abundance of sandalwood on Timor; by mid century, the Portuguese had colonized the island. Skirmishing with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan occupied Portuguese Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of Timor Timur (East Timor). An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 people died. In an August 1999 UN-supervised popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of Timor-Leste voted for independence from Indonesia. However, in the next three weeks, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed approximately 1,400 Timorese and forced 300,000 people into western Timor as refugees. Most of the country's infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, and schools, and nearly all of the country's electrical grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999, Australian-led peacekeeping troops deployed to the country and brought the violence to an end. On 20 May 2002, Timor-Leste was internationally recognized as an independent state. In 2006, internal tensions threatened the new nation's security when a military strike led to violence and a breakdown of law and order. At Dili's request, an Australian-led International Stabilization Force (ISF) deployed to Timor-Leste, and the UN Security Council established the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), which included an authorized police presence of over 1,600 personnel. The ISF and UNMIT restored stability, allowing for presidential and parliamentary elections in 2007 in a largely peaceful atmosphere. In February 2008, a rebel group staged an unsuccessful attack against the president and prime minister. The ringleader was killed in the attack, and most of the rebels surrendered in April 2008. Since the attack, the government has enjoyed one of its longest periods of post-independence stability, including successful 2012 elections for both the parliament and president and a successful transition of power in February 2015. In late 2012, the UN Security Council ended its peacekeeping mission in Timor-Leste and both the ISF and UNMIT departed the country. Early parliamentary elections in the spring of 2017 finally produced a majority government after months of impasse. Currently, the government is a coalition of three parties and the president is a member of the opposition party. In 2018 and 2019, this configuration stymied nominations for key ministerial positions and slowed progress on certain policy issues." + "text": "Timor was actively involved in Southeast Asian trading networks for centuries and by the 14th century exported aromatic sandalwood, slaves, honey, and wax. A number of local chiefdoms ruled the island in the early 16th century when Portuguese traders arrived, chiefly attracted by the relative abundance of sandalwood on Timor; by mid century, the Portuguese had colonized the island. Skirmishing with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan occupied Portuguese Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of Timor Timur (East Timor). An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 people died. In an August 1999 UN-supervised popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of Timor-Leste voted for independence from Indonesia. However, in the next three weeks, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale, scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed approximately 1,400 Timorese and forced 300,000 people into western Timor as refugees. Most of the country's infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply systems, and schools, and nearly all of the country's electrical grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999, Australian-led peacekeeping troops deployed to the country and brought the violence to an end. On 20 May 2002, Timor-Leste was internationally recognized as an independent state. ++ In 2006, internal tensions threatened the new nation's security when a military strike led to violence and a breakdown of law and order. At Dili's request, an Australian-led International Stabilization Force (ISF) deployed to Timor-Leste, and the UN Security Council established the UN Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT), which included an authorized police presence of over 1,600 personnel. The ISF and UNMIT restored stability, allowing for presidential and parliamentary elections in 2007 in a largely peaceful atmosphere. In February 2008, a rebel group staged an unsuccessful attack against the president and prime minister. The ringleader was killed in the attack, and most of the rebels surrendered in April 2008. Since the attack, the government has enjoyed one of its longest periods of post-independence stability, including successful 2012 elections for both the parliament and president and a successful transition of power in February 2015. In late 2012, the UN Security Council ended its peacekeeping mission in Timor-Leste and both the ISF and UNMIT departed the country. Early parliamentary elections in the spring of 2017 finally produced a majority government after months of impasse. Currently, the government is a coalition of three parties and the president is a member of the opposition party. In 2018 and 2019, this configuration stymied nominations for key ministerial positions and slowed progress on certain policy issues." } }, "Geography": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "26.1% (2016)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 72.3% of population / total: 80.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "27.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "19.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 27.7% of population / total: 19.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "0.75 physicians/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 9.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 90.9% of population / rural: 50.3% of population / total: 62.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "49.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "57.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 9.1% of population / rural: 49.7% of population / total: 57.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -478,7 +472,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for Change and Progress or AMP [Xanana GUSMAO] (alliance includes CNRT, KHUNTO, PLP)Democratic Development Forum or DDFDemocratic Party or PDFrenti-Mudanca [Jose Luis GUTERRES]Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan or KHUNTONational Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT [Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO]People's Liberation Party or PLP [Taur Matan RUAK]Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN [Mari ALKATIRI]" + "text": "Alliance for Change and Progress or AMP [Xanana GUSMAO] (alliance includes CNRT, KHUNTO, PLP) ++ Democratic Development Forum or DDF ++ Democratic Party or PD ++ Frenti-Mudanca [Jose Luis GUTERRES] ++ Kmanek Haburas Unidade Nasional Timor Oan or KHUNTO ++ National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction or CNRT [Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO] ++ People's Liberation Party or PLP [Taur Matan RUAK] ++ Revolutionary Front of Independent Timor-Leste or FRETILIN [Mari ALKATIRI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, ADB, AOSIS, ARF, ASEAN (observer), CPLP, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO" @@ -534,7 +528,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Since independence in 1999, Timor-Leste has faced great challenges in rebuilding its infrastructure, strengthening the civil administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the work force. The development of offshore oil and gas resources has greatly supplemented government revenues. This technology-intensive industry, however, has done little to create jobs in part because there are no production facilities in Timor-Leste. Gas is currently piped to Australia for processing, but Timor-Leste has expressed interest in developing a domestic processing capability. In June 2005, the National Parliament unanimously approved the creation of the Timor-Leste Petroleum Fund to serve as a repository for all petroleum revenues and to preserve the value of Timor-Leste's petroleum wealth for future generations. The Fund held assets of $16 billion, as of mid-2016. Oil accounts for over 90% of government revenues, and the drop in the price of oil in 2014-16 has led to concerns about the long-term sustainability of government spending. Timor-Leste compensated for the decline in price by exporting more oil. The Ministry of Finance maintains that the Petroleum Fund is sufficient to sustain government operations for the foreseeable future. Annual government budget expenditures increased markedly between 2009 and 2012 but dropped significantly through 2016. Historically, the government failed to spend as much as its budget allowed. The government has focused significant resources on basic infrastructure, including electricity and roads, but limited experience in procurement and infrastructure building has hampered these projects. The underlying economic policy challenge the country faces remains how best to use oil-and-gas wealth to lift the non-oil economy onto a higher growth path and to reduce poverty." + "text": "Since independence in 1999, Timor-Leste has faced great challenges in rebuilding its infrastructure, strengthening the civil administration, and generating jobs for young people entering the work force. The development of offshore oil and gas resources has greatly supplemented government revenues. This technology-intensive industry, however, has done little to create jobs in part because there are no production facilities in Timor-Leste. Gas is currently piped to Australia for processing, but Timor-Leste has expressed interest in developing a domestic processing capability. ++ In June 2005, the National Parliament unanimously approved the creation of the Timor-Leste Petroleum Fund to serve as a repository for all petroleum revenues and to preserve the value of Timor-Leste's petroleum wealth for future generations. The Fund held assets of $16 billion, as of mid-2016. Oil accounts for over 90% of government revenues, and the drop in the price of oil in 2014-16 has led to concerns about the long-term sustainability of government spending. Timor-Leste compensated for the decline in price by exporting more oil. The Ministry of Finance maintains that the Petroleum Fund is sufficient to sustain government operations for the foreseeable future. ++ Annual government budget expenditures increased markedly between 2009 and 2012 but dropped significantly through 2016. Historically, the government failed to spend as much as its budget allowed. The government has focused significant resources on basic infrastructure, including electricity and roads, but limited experience in procurement and infrastructure building has hampered these projects. The underlying economic policy challenge the country faces remains how best to use oil-and-gas wealth to lift the non-oil economy onto a higher growth path and to reduce poverty." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$7.426 billion (2017 est.) / $7.784 billion (2016 est.) / $7.391 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -908,7 +902,7 @@ "text": "Timor-Leste is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Timorese women and girls from rural areas are lured to the capital with promises of legitimate jobs or education prospects and are then forced into prostitution or domestic servitude, and other women and girls may be sent to Indonesia for domestic servitude; Timorese family members force children into bonded domestic or agricultural labor to repay debts; foreign migrant women are vulnerable to sex trafficking in Timor-Leste, while men and boys from Burma, Cambodia, and Thailand are forced to work on fishing boats in Timorese waters under inhumane conditions" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Timor-Leste does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, legislation was drafted but not finalized or implemented that outlines procedures for screening potential trafficking victims; law enforcement made modest progress, including one conviction for sex trafficking, but efforts are hindered by prosecutors’ and judges’ lack of expertise in applying anti-trafficking laws effectively; the government rescued two child victims with support from an NGO but did not provide protective services (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Timor-Leste does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, legislation was drafted but not finalized or implemented that outlines procedures for screening potential trafficking victims; law enforcement made modest progress, including one conviction for sex trafficking, but efforts are hindered by prosecutors' and judges' lack of expertise in applying anti-trafficking laws effectively; the government rescued two child victims with support from an NGO but did not provide protective services (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/tw.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/tw.json index 4b6eabfe..525ab169 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/tw.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/tw.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "First inhabited by Austronesian people, Taiwan became home to Han immigrants beginning in the late Ming Dynasty (17th century). In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan, which then governed Taiwan for 50 years. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist (Kuomintang, KMT) control after World War II. With the communist victory in the Chinese civil war in 1949, the Nationalist-controlled Republic of China government and 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and continued to claim to be the legitimate government for mainland China and Taiwan based on a 1947 Constitution drawn up for all of China. Until 1987, however, the Nationalist government ruled Taiwan under a civil war martial law declaration dating to 1948. Beginning in the 1970s, Nationalist authorities gradually began to incorporate the native population into the governing structure beyond the local level. The democratization process expanded rapidly in the 1980s, leading to the then illegal founding of Taiwan’s first opposition party (the Democratic Progressive Party or DPP) in 1986 and the lifting of martial law the following year. Taiwan held legislative elections in 1992, the first in over forty years, and its first direct presidential election in 1996. In the 2000 presidential elections, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power with the KMT loss to the DPP and afterwards experienced two additional democratic transfers of power in 2008 and 2016. Throughout this period, the island prospered, became one of East Asia's economic \"Tigers,\" and after 2000 became a major investor in mainland China as cross-Strait ties matured. The dominant political issues continue to be economic reform and growth as well as management of sensitive relations between Taiwan and China." + "text": "First inhabited by Austronesian people, Taiwan became home to Han immigrants beginning in the late Ming Dynasty (17th century). In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan, which then governed Taiwan for 50 years. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist (Kuomintang, KMT) control after World War II. With the communist victory in the Chinese civil war in 1949, the Nationalist-controlled Republic of China government and 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and continued to claim to be the legitimate government for mainland China and Taiwan based on a 1947 Constitution drawn up for all of China. Until 1987, however, the Nationalist government ruled Taiwan under a civil war martial law declaration dating to 1948. Beginning in the 1970s, Nationalist authorities gradually began to incorporate the native population into the governing structure beyond the local level. The democratization process expanded rapidly in the 1980s, leading to the then illegal founding of Taiwan's first opposition party (the Democratic Progressive Party or DPP) in 1986 and the lifting of martial law the following year. Taiwan held legislative elections in 1992, the first in over forty years, and its first direct presidential election in 1996. In the 2000 presidential elections, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power with the KMT loss to the DPP and afterwards experienced two additional democratic transfers of power in 2008 and 2016. Throughout this period, the island prospered, became one of East Asia's economic \"Tigers,\" and after 2000 became a major investor in mainland China as cross-Strait ties matured. The dominant political issues continue to be economic reform and growth as well as management of sensitive relations between Taiwan and China." } }, "Geography": { @@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ "text": "distribution exhibits a peripheral coastal settlement pattern, with the largest populations on the north and west coasts" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "earthquakes; typhoons\nvolcanism: Kueishantao Island (401 m), east of Taiwan, is its only historically active volcano, although it has not erupted in centuries" + "text": "earthquakes; typhoons ++ volcanism: Kueishantao Island (401 m), east of Taiwan, is its only historically active volcano, although it has not erupted in centuries" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal" @@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Han Chinese (including Hoklo, who compose approximately 70% of Taiwan's population, Hakka, and other groups originating in mainland China) more than 95%, indigenous Malayo-Polynesian peoples 2.3%", "note": { - "text": "note 1: there are 16 officially recognized indigenous groups: Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Hla'alua, Kanakaravu, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Sakizaya, Seediq, Thao, Truku, Tsou, and Yami; Amis, Paiwan, and Atayal are the largest and account for roughly 70% of the indigenous populationnote 2: although not definitive, the majority of current genetic, archeological, and linguistic data support the theory that Taiwan is the ultimate source for the spread of humans across the Pacific to Polynesia; the expansion (ca. 3000 B.C. to A.D. 1200) took place via the Philippines and eastern Indonesia and reached Fiji and Tonga by about 900 B.C.; from there voyagers spread across all of the rest of the Pacific islands over the next two millennia" + "text": "note 1: there are 16 officially recognized indigenous groups: Amis, Atayal, Bunun, Hla'alua, Kanakaravu, Kavalan, Paiwan, Puyuma, Rukai, Saisiyat, Sakizaya, Seediq, Thao, Truku, Tsou, and Yami; Amis, Paiwan, and Atayal are the largest and account for roughly 70% of the indigenous population ++ note 2: although not definitive, the majority of current genetic, archeological, and linguistic data support the theory that Taiwan is the ultimate source for the spread of humans across the Pacific to Polynesia; the expansion (ca. 3000 B.C. to A.D. 1200) took place via the Philippines and eastern Indonesia and reached Fiji and Tonga by about 900 B.C.; from there voyagers spread across all of the rest of the Pacific islands over the next two millennia" } }, "Languages": { @@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 13 counties (xian, singular and plural), 3 cities (shi, singular and plural), and 6 special municipalities directly under the jurisdiction of the Executive Yuan counties: Changhua, Chiayi, Hsinchu, Hualien, Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu, Pingtung, Taitung, Yilan, Yunlin cities: Chiayi, Hsinchu, Keelung special municipalities: Kaohsiung (city), New Taipei (city), Taichung (city), Tainan (city), Taipei (city), Taoyuan (city)", + "text": "includes main island of Taiwan plus smaller islands nearby and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 13 counties (xian, singular and plural), 3 cities (shi, singular and plural), and 6 special municipalities directly under the jurisdiction of the Executive Yuan ++ counties: Changhua, Chiayi, Hsinchu, Hualien, Kinmen, Lienchiang, Miaoli, Nantou, Penghu, Pingtung, Taitung, Yilan, Yunlin ++ cities: Chiayi, Hsinchu, Keelung ++ special municipalities: Kaohsiung (city), New Taipei (city), Taichung (city), Tainan (city), Taipei (city), Taoyuan (city)", "note": { "text": "note: Taiwan uses a variety of romanization systems; while a modified Wade-Giles system still dominates, the city of Taipei has adopted a Pinyin romanization for street and place names within its boundaries; other local authorities use different romanization systems" } @@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [CHO Jung-tai]Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Den-yih]New Power Party or NPP [CHIU Hsien-chih]Non-Partisan Solidarity Union or NPSU [LIN Pin-kuan]People First Party or PFP [James SOONG Chu-yu]" + "text": "Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [CHO Jung-tai] ++ Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [WU Den-yih] ++ New Power Party or NPP [CHIU Hsien-chih] ++ Non-Partisan Solidarity Union or NPSU [LIN Pin-kuan] ++ People First Party or PFP [James SOONG Chu-yu]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (Taipei, China), APEC (Chinese Taipei), BCIE, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), SICA (observer), WTO (Taipei, China);", @@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy that is driven largely by industrial manufacturing, and especially exports of electronics, machinery, and petrochemicals. This heavy dependence on exports exposes the economy to fluctuations in global demand. Taiwan's diplomatic isolation, low birth rate, rapidly aging population, and increasing competition from China and other Asia Pacific markets are other major long-term challenges. Following the landmark Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) signed with China in June 2010, Taiwan in July 2013 signed a free trade deal with New Zealand - Taipei’s first-ever with a country with which it does not maintain diplomatic relations - and, in November of that year, inked a trade pact with Singapore. However, follow-on components of the ECFA, including a signed agreement on trade in services and negotiations on trade in goods and dispute resolution, have stalled. In early 2014, the government bowed to public demand and proposed a new law governing the oversight of cross-Strait agreements, before any additional deals with China are implemented; the legislature has yet to vote on such legislation, leaving the future of ECFA uncertain. President TSAI since taking office in May 2016 has promoted greater economic integration with South and Southeast Asia through the New Southbound Policy initiative and has also expressed interest in Taiwan joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership as well as bilateral trade deals with partners such as the US. These overtures have likely played a role in increasing Taiwan’s total exports, which rose 11% during the first half of 2017, buoyed by strong demand for semiconductors. Taiwan's total fertility rate of just over one child per woman is among the lowest in the world, raising the prospect of future labor shortages, falling domestic demand, and declining tax revenues. Taiwan's population is aging quickly, with the number of people over 65 expected to account for nearly 20% of the island's total population by 2025. The island runs a trade surplus with many economies, including China and the US, and its foreign reserves are the world's fifth largest, behind those of China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland. In 2006, China overtook the US to become Taiwan's second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Taiwan since 2009 has gradually loosened rules governing Chinese investment and has also secured greater market access for its investors on the mainland. In August 2012, the Taiwan Central Bank signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cross-Strait currency settlement with its Chinese counterpart. The MOU allows for the direct settlement of Chinese renminbi (RMB) and the New Taiwan dollar across the Strait, which has helped Taiwan develop into a local RMB hub. Closer economic links with the mainland bring opportunities for Taiwan’s economy but also pose challenges as political differences remain unresolved and China’s economic growth is slowing. President TSAI’s administration has made little progress on the domestic economic issues that loomed large when she was elected, including concerns about stagnant wages, high housing prices, youth unemployment, job security, and financial security in retirement. TSAI has made more progress on boosting trade with South and Southeast Asia, which may help insulate Taiwan’s economy from a fall in mainland demand should China’s growth slow in 2018." + "text": "Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy that is driven largely by industrial manufacturing, and especially exports of electronics, machinery, and petrochemicals. This heavy dependence on exports exposes the economy to fluctuations in global demand. Taiwan's diplomatic isolation, low birth rate, rapidly aging population, and increasing competition from China and other Asia Pacific markets are other major long-term challenges. ++ Following the landmark Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) signed with China in June 2010, Taiwan in July 2013 signed a free trade deal with New Zealand - Taipei's first-ever with a country with which it does not maintain diplomatic relations - and, in November of that year, inked a trade pact with Singapore. However, follow-on components of the ECFA, including a signed agreement on trade in services and negotiations on trade in goods and dispute resolution, have stalled. In early 2014, the government bowed to public demand and proposed a new law governing the oversight of cross-Strait agreements, before any additional deals with China are implemented; the legislature has yet to vote on such legislation, leaving the future of ECFA uncertain. President TSAI since taking office in May 2016 has promoted greater economic integration with South and Southeast Asia through the New Southbound Policy initiative and has also expressed interest in Taiwan joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership as well as bilateral trade deals with partners such as the US. These overtures have likely played a role in increasing Taiwan's total exports, which rose 11% during the first half of 2017, buoyed by strong demand for semiconductors. ++ Taiwan's total fertility rate of just over one child per woman is among the lowest in the world, raising the prospect of future labor shortages, falling domestic demand, and declining tax revenues. Taiwan's population is aging quickly, with the number of people over 65 expected to account for nearly 20% of the island's total population by 2025. ++ The island runs a trade surplus with many economies, including China and the US, and its foreign reserves are the world's fifth largest, behind those of China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland. In 2006, China overtook the US to become Taiwan's second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Taiwan since 2009 has gradually loosened rules governing Chinese investment and has also secured greater market access for its investors on the mainland. In August 2012, the Taiwan Central Bank signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cross-Strait currency settlement with its Chinese counterpart. The MOU allows for the direct settlement of Chinese renminbi (RMB) and the New Taiwan dollar across the Strait, which has helped Taiwan develop into a local RMB hub. ++ Closer economic links with the mainland bring opportunities for Taiwan's economy but also pose challenges as political differences remain unresolved and China's economic growth is slowing. President TSAI's administration has made little progress on the domestic economic issues that loomed large when she was elected, including concerns about stagnant wages, high housing prices, youth unemployment, job security, and financial security in retirement. TSAI has made more progress on boosting trade with South and Southeast Asia, which may help insulate Taiwan's economy from a fall in mainland demand should China's growth slow in 2018." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.189 trillion (2017 est.) / $1.156 trillion (2016 est.) / $1.14 trillion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/vm.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/vm.json index 929a8846..7fa7f568 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/vm.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/vm.json @@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across at its narrowest point note 2: Son Doong in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is the world's largest cave (greatest cross sectional area) and is the largest known cave passage in the world by volume; it currently measures a total of 38.5 million cu m (about 1.35 billion cu ft); it connects to Thung cave (but not yet officially); when recognized, it will add an additional 1.6 million cu m in volume; Son Doong is so massive that it contains its own jungle, underground river, and localized weather system; clouds form inside the cave and spew out from its exits and two dolines (openings (sinkhole skylights) created by collapsed ceilings that allow sunlight to stream in)" + "text": "note 1: extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across at its narrowest point ++ note 2: Son Doong in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is the world's largest cave (greatest cross sectional area) and is the largest known cave passage in the world by volume; it currently measures a total of 38.5 million cu m (about 1.35 billion cu ft); it connects to Thung cave (but not yet officially); when recognized, it will add an additional 1.6 million cu m in volume; Son Doong is so massive that it contains its own jungle, underground river, and localized weather system; clouds form inside the cave and spew out from its exits and two dolines (openings (sinkhole skylights) created by collapsed ceilings that allow sunlight to stream in) ++ ++" } } }, @@ -260,14 +260,11 @@ "text": "77.5% (2016)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.6% of population / rural: 92.6% of population / total: 94.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "7.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "5.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.4% of population / rural: 7.4% of population / total: 5.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -280,14 +277,11 @@ "text": "2.6 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.9% of population / rural: 82.1% of population / total: 87.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "17.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "12.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.1% of population / rural: 17.9% of population / total: 12.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -384,7 +378,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thanh pho, singular and plural) provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Ha Nam, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong, Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Ha Noi (Hanoi), Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)" + "text": "58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thanh pho, singular and plural) ++ provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Ha Nam, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong, Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai ++ municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Ha Noi (Hanoi), Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)" }, "Independence": { "text": "2 September 1945 (from France)" @@ -397,7 +391,7 @@ "text": "several previous; latest adopted 28 November 2013, effective 1 January 2014" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the president, by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee, or by at least two thirds of the National Assembly membership; a decision to draft an amendment requires approval by at least a two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership, followed by the formation of a constitutional drafting committee to write a draft and collect citizens’ opinions; passage requires at least two-thirds majority of the Assembly membership; the Assembly can opt to conduct a referendum" + "text": "proposed by the president, by the National Assembly's Standing Committee, or by at least two thirds of the National Assembly membership; a decision to draft an amendment requires approval by at least a two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership, followed by the formation of a constitutional drafting committee to write a draft and collect citizens' opinions; passage requires at least two-thirds majority of the Assembly membership; the Assembly can opt to conduct a referendum" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -463,7 +457,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nguyen Phu TRONG]", + "text": "Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nguyen Phu TRONG] ++", "note": { "text": "note: other parties proscribed" } @@ -531,7 +525,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Vietnam is a densely populated developing country that has been transitioning since 1986 from the rigidities of a centrally planned, highly agrarian economy to a more industrial and market based economy, and it has raised incomes substantially. Vietnam exceeded its 2017 GDP growth target of 6.7% with growth of 6.8%, primarily due to unexpected increases in domestic demand, and strong manufacturing exports. Vietnam has a young population, stable political system, commitment to sustainable growth, relatively low inflation, stable currency, strong FDI inflows, and strong manufacturing sector. In addition, the country is committed to continuing its global economic integration. Vietnam joined the WTO in January 2007 and concluded several free trade agreements in 2015-16, including the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (which the EU has not yet ratified), the Korean Free Trade Agreement, and the Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement. In 2017, Vietnam successfully chaired the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Conference with its key priorities including inclusive growth, innovation, strengthening small and medium enterprises, food security, and climate change. Seeking to diversify its opportunities, Vietnam also signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Transpacific Partnership in 2018 and continued to pursue the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. To continue its trajectory of strong economic growth, the government acknowledges the need to spark a ‘second wave’ of reforms, including reforming state-owned-enterprises, reducing red tape, increasing business sector transparency, reducing the level of non-performing loans in the banking sector, and increasing financial sector transparency. Vietnam’s public debt to GDP ratio is nearing the government mandated ceiling of 65%. In 2016, Vietnam cancelled its civilian nuclear energy development program, citing public concerns about safety and the high cost of the program; it faces growing pressure on energy infrastructure. Overall, the country’s infrastructure fails to meet the needs of an expanding middle class. Vietnam has demonstrated a commitment to sustainable growth over the last several years, but despite the recent speed-up in economic growth the government remains cautious about the risk of external shocks." + "text": "Vietnam is a densely populated developing country that has been transitioning since 1986 from the rigidities of a centrally planned, highly agrarian economy to a more industrial and market based economy, and it has raised incomes substantially. Vietnam exceeded its 2017 GDP growth target of 6.7% with growth of 6.8%, primarily due to unexpected increases in domestic demand, and strong manufacturing exports. ++ Vietnam has a young population, stable political system, commitment to sustainable growth, relatively low inflation, stable currency, strong FDI inflows, and strong manufacturing sector. In addition, the country is committed to continuing its global economic integration. Vietnam joined the WTO in January 2007 and concluded several free trade agreements in 2015-16, including the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (which the EU has not yet ratified), the Korean Free Trade Agreement, and the Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement. In 2017, Vietnam successfully chaired the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Conference with its key priorities including inclusive growth, innovation, strengthening small and medium enterprises, food security, and climate change. Seeking to diversify its opportunities, Vietnam also signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Transpacific Partnership in 2018 and continued to pursue the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. ++ To continue its trajectory of strong economic growth, the government acknowledges the need to spark a ‘second wave' of reforms, including reforming state-owned-enterprises, reducing red tape, increasing business sector transparency, reducing the level of non-performing loans in the banking sector, and increasing financial sector transparency. Vietnam's public debt to GDP ratio is nearing the government mandated ceiling of 65%. ++ In 2016, Vietnam cancelled its civilian nuclear energy development program, citing public concerns about safety and the high cost of the program; it faces growing pressure on energy infrastructure. Overall, the country's infrastructure fails to meet the needs of an expanding middle class. Vietnam has demonstrated a commitment to sustainable growth over the last several years, but despite the recent speed-up in economic growth the government remains cautious about the risk of external shocks." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$648.7 billion (2017 est.) / $607.4 billion (2016 est.) / $571.9 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -783,7 +777,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "despite being a communist country there are plans to part privatize the state’s holdings in telecom companies as well as a large number of other enterprises; competition is thriving in the market place; mobile dominates over fixed-line; FttH market growing, as is e-commerce; govt. is the driving force for growth and moving towards commercializing 5G services with test licenses issued in 2019; 5 major operators; Ho Chi Minh City to become the first smart city in Vietnam with cloud computing infrastructure, big data, data centers and security-monitoring centers (2020)" + "text": "despite being a communist country there are plans to part privatize the state's holdings in telecom companies as well as a large number of other enterprises; competition is thriving in the market place; mobile dominates over fixed-line; FttH market growing, as is e-commerce; govt. is the driving force for growth and moving towards commercializing 5G services with test licenses issued in 2019; 5 major operators; Ho Chi Minh City to become the first smart city in Vietnam with cloud computing infrastructure, big data, data centers and security-monitoring centers (2020)" }, "domestic": { "text": "all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly; fixed-line 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular 141 per 100 (2019)" @@ -929,7 +923,7 @@ "text": "2.3% of GDP (2018) / 2.3% of GDP (2017) / 2.5% of GDP (2016) / 2.4% of GDP (2015) / 2.3% of GDP (2014)" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "information is limited and estimates of the size of the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) vary; approximately 475,000 active duty troops (405,000 ground; 40,000 naval; 30,000 air); est. 40,000 Border Defense Force and Coast Guard (2019)" + "text": "information is limited and estimates of the size of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) vary; approximately 475,000 active duty troops (405,000 ground; 40,000 naval; 30,000 air); est. 40,000 Border Defense Force and Coast Guard (2019)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the PAVN is armed largely with weapons and equipment from Russia and the former Soviet Union; Russia remains the main supplier of newer PAVN military equipment, although in recent years Vietnam has begun diversifying its procurement with purchases from other countries including Belarus, India, Israel, and Ukraine (2019 est.)" @@ -943,7 +937,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of Asian swine fever; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and armed encroachments along border; Cambodia accuses Vietnam of a wide variety of illicit cross-border activities; progress on a joint development area with Cambodia is hampered by an unresolved dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands; an estimated 300,000 Vietnamese refugees reside in China; establishment of a maritime boundary with Cambodia is hampered by unresolved dispute over the sovereignty of offshore islands; the decade-long demarcation of the China-Vietnam land boundary was completed in 2009; China occupies the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; Brunei claims a maritime boundary extending beyond as far as a median with Vietnam, thus asserting an implicit claim to Lousia Reef; the 2002 \"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea\" eased tensions but differences between the parties negotiating the Code of Conduct continue; Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; Economic Exclusion Zone negotiations with Indonesia are ongoing, and the two countries in Fall 2011 agreed to work together to reduce illegal fishing along their maritime boundary; in May 2018, Russia’s RosneftVietnam unit started drilling at a block southeast of Vietnam which is within the area outlined by China’s nine-dash line and Beijing issued a warning" + "text": "southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of Asian swine fever; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and armed encroachments along border; Cambodia accuses Vietnam of a wide variety of illicit cross-border activities; progress on a joint development area with Cambodia is hampered by an unresolved dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands; an estimated 300,000 Vietnamese refugees reside in China; establishment of a maritime boundary with Cambodia is hampered by unresolved dispute over the sovereignty of offshore islands; the decade-long demarcation of the China-Vietnam land boundary was completed in 2009; China occupies the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; Brunei claims a maritime boundary extending beyond as far as a median with Vietnam, thus asserting an implicit claim to Lousia Reef; the 2002 \"Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea\" eased tensions but differences between the parties negotiating the Code of Conduct continue; Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; Economic Exclusion Zone negotiations with Indonesia are ongoing, and the two countries in Fall 2011 agreed to work together to reduce illegal fishing along their maritime boundary; in May 2018, Russia's RosneftVietnam unit started drilling at a block southeast of Vietnam which is within the area outlined by China's nine-dash line and Beijing issued a warning" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "stateless persons": { diff --git a/europe/al.json b/europe/al.json index dba0fc54..500f0f83 100644 --- a/europe/al.json +++ b/europe/al.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939 and occupied by Germany in 1943. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended 46 years of isolated communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, dilapidated infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made progress in its democratic development since it first held multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. Most of Albania's post-communist elections were marred by claims of electoral fraud; however, international observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and in June 2014 became an EU candidate. Albania in April 2017 received a European Commission recommendation to open EU accession negotiations following the passage of historic EU-mandated justice reforms in 2016. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, it has slowed, and the country is still one of the poorest in Europe. A large informal economy and a weak energy and transportation infrastructure remain obstacles." + "text": "Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939 and occupied by Germany in 1943. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended 46 years of isolated communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, dilapidated infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. ++ Albania has made progress in its democratic development since it first held multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. Most of Albania's post-communist elections were marred by claims of electoral fraud; however, international observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and in June 2014 became an EU candidate. Albania in April 2017 received a European Commission recommendation to open EU accession negotiations following the passage of historic EU-mandated justice reforms in 2016. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, it has slowed, and the country is still one of the poorest in Europe. A large informal economy and a weak energy and transportation infrastructure remain obstacles." } }, "Geography": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "46% (2017/18)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.8% of population / rural: 95.3% of population / total: 96.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "4.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "3.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 4.7% of population / rural: 4.7% of population / total: 3.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "2.9 beds/1,000 population (2013)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 99.5% of population / total: 99.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0.5% of population / total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -464,7 +458,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Party or PD [Lulzim BASHA]Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU [Shpetim IDRIZI] (formerly part of APMI)Social Democratic Party or PSD [Paskal MILO]Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Monika KRYEMADHI]Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]" + "text": "Democratic Party or PD [Lulzim BASHA] ++ Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU [Shpetim IDRIZI] (formerly part of APMI) ++ Social Democratic Party or PSD [Paskal MILO] ++ Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Monika KRYEMADHI] ++ Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -523,7 +517,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Albania, a formerly closed, centrally planned state, is a developing country with a modern open-market economy. Albania managed to weather the first waves of the global financial crisis but, the negative effects of the crisis caused a significant economic slowdown. Since 2014, Albania’s economy has steadily improved and economic growth reached 3.8% in 2017. However, close trade, remittance, and banking sector ties with Greece and Italy make Albania vulnerable to spillover effects of possible debt crises and weak growth in the euro zone.   Remittances, a significant catalyst for economic growth, declined from 12-15% of GDP before the 2008 financial crisis to 5.8% of GDP in 2015, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy. The agricultural sector, which accounts for more than 40% of employment but less than one quarter of GDP, is limited primarily to small family operations and subsistence farming, because of a lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Complex tax codes and licensing requirements, a weak judicial system, endemic corruption, poor enforcement of contracts and property issues, and antiquated infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment making attracting foreign investment difficult. Since 2015, Albania has launched an ambitious program to increase tax compliance and bring more businesses into the formal economy. In July 2016, Albania passed constitutional amendments reforming the judicial system in order to strengthen the rule of law and to reduce deeply entrenched corruption.   Albania’s electricity supply is uneven despite upgraded transmission capacities with neighboring countries. However, the government has recently taken steps to stem non-technical losses and has begun to upgrade the distribution grid. Better enforcement of electricity contracts has improved the financial viability of the sector, decreasing its reliance on budget support. Also, with help from international donors, the government is taking steps to improve the poor road and rail networks, a long standing barrier to sustained economic growth.   Inward foreign direct investment has increased significantly in recent years as the government has embarked on an ambitious program to improve the business climate through fiscal and legislative reforms. The government is focused on the simplification of licensing requirements and tax codes, and it entered into a new arrangement with the IMF for additional financial and technical support. Albania’s three-year IMF program, an extended fund facility arrangement, was successfully concluded in February 2017. The Albanian Government has strengthened tax collection amid moderate public wage and pension increases in an effort to reduce its budget deficit. The country continues to face high public debt, exceeding its former statutory limit of 60% of GDP in 2013 and reaching 72% in 2016." + "text": "Albania, a formerly closed, centrally planned state, is a developing country with a modern open-market economy. Albania managed to weather the first waves of the global financial crisis but, the negative effects of the crisis caused a significant economic slowdown. Since 2014, Albania's economy has steadily improved and economic growth reached 3.8% in 2017. However, close trade, remittance, and banking sector ties with Greece and Italy make Albania vulnerable to spillover effects of possible debt crises and weak growth in the euro zone. ++   ++ Remittances, a significant catalyst for economic growth, declined from 12-15% of GDP before the 2008 financial crisis to 5.8% of GDP in 2015, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy. The agricultural sector, which accounts for more than 40% of employment but less than one quarter of GDP, is limited primarily to small family operations and subsistence farming, because of a lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Complex tax codes and licensing requirements, a weak judicial system, endemic corruption, poor enforcement of contracts and property issues, and antiquated infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment making attracting foreign investment difficult. Since 2015, Albania has launched an ambitious program to increase tax compliance and bring more businesses into the formal economy. In July 2016, Albania passed constitutional amendments reforming the judicial system in order to strengthen the rule of law and to reduce deeply entrenched corruption. ++   ++ Albania's electricity supply is uneven despite upgraded transmission capacities with neighboring countries. However, the government has recently taken steps to stem non-technical losses and has begun to upgrade the distribution grid. Better enforcement of electricity contracts has improved the financial viability of the sector, decreasing its reliance on budget support. Also, with help from international donors, the government is taking steps to improve the poor road and rail networks, a long standing barrier to sustained economic growth. ++   ++ Inward foreign direct investment has increased significantly in recent years as the government has embarked on an ambitious program to improve the business climate through fiscal and legislative reforms. The government is focused on the simplification of licensing requirements and tax codes, and it entered into a new arrangement with the IMF for additional financial and technical support. Albania's three-year IMF program, an extended fund facility arrangement, was successfully concluded in February 2017. The Albanian Government has strengthened tax collection amid moderate public wage and pension increases in an effort to reduce its budget deficit. The country continues to face high public debt, exceeding its former statutory limit of 60% of GDP in 2013 and reaching 72% in 2016." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$36.01 billion (2017 est.) / $34.67 billion (2016 est.) / $33.55 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/an.json b/europe/an.json index 0c543e50..3c5ac0fe 100644 --- a/europe/an.json +++ b/europe/an.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The landlocked Principality of Andorra is one of the smallest states in Europe, nestled high in the Pyrenees between the French and Spanish borders. For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique coprincipality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Bishop of Urgell). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the introduction of a modern constitution; the co-princes remained as titular heads of state, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Andorra has become a popular tourist destination visited by approximately 8 million people each year drawn by the winter sports, summer climate, and duty-free shopping. Andorra has also become a wealthy international commercial center because of its mature banking sector and low taxes. As part of its effort to modernize its economy, Andorra has opened to foreign investment, and engaged in other reforms, such as advancing tax initiatives aimed at supporting a broader infrastructure. Although not a member of the EU, Andorra enjoys a special relationship with the bloc that is governed by various customs and cooperation agreements and uses the euro as its national currency." + "text": "The landlocked Principality of Andorra is one of the smallest states in Europe, nestled high in the Pyrenees between the French and Spanish borders. For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a unique coprincipality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from 1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Bishop of Urgell). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the introduction of a modern constitution; the co-princes remained as titular heads of state, but the government transformed into a parliamentary democracy. ++ Andorra has become a popular tourist destination visited by approximately 8 million people each year drawn by the winter sports, summer climate, and duty-free shopping. Andorra has also become a wealthy international commercial center because of its mature banking sector and low taxes. As part of its effort to modernize its economy, Andorra has opened to foreign investment, and engaged in other reforms, such as advancing tax initiatives aimed at supporting a broader infrastructure. Although not a member of the EU, Andorra enjoys a special relationship with the bloc that is governed by various customs and cooperation agreements and uses the euro as its national currency." } }, "Geography": { @@ -229,14 +229,11 @@ "text": "1.43 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -249,14 +246,11 @@ "text": "2.5 beds/1,000 population (2009)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -407,7 +401,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democrats for Andorra or DA [Xaviar ESPOT ZAMORA]Social Democratic Party or PS [Vicenc ALFY FERRER]Liberals of Andorra or L'A [Jordi GALLARDO FERNANDEZ]Third Way/Lauredian Union [Josep PINTAT FORNE]Social Democracy and Progress or SDP [Victor NAUDI ZAMORA]United for the Progress of Andorra or UPA [Alfons CLAVERA ARIZTI]", + "text": "Democrats for Andorra or DA [Xaviar ESPOT ZAMORA] ++ Social Democratic Party or PS [Vicenc ALFY FERRER] ++ Liberals of Andorra or L'A [Jordi GALLARDO FERNANDEZ] ++ Third Way/Lauredian Union [Josep PINTAT FORNE] ++ Social Democracy and Progress or SDP [Victor NAUDI ZAMORA] ++ United for the Progress of Andorra or UPA [Alfons CLAVERA ARIZTI]", "note": { "text": "note: Andorra has several smaller parties at the parish level (one is Lauredian Union)" } @@ -455,7 +449,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Andorra has a developed economy and a free market, with per capita income above the European average and above the level of its neighbors, Spain and France. The country has developed a sophisticated infrastructure including a one-of-a-kind micro-fiber-optic network for the entire country. Tourism, retail sales, and finance comprise more than three-quarters of GDP. Duty-free shopping for some products and the country’s summer and winter resorts attract millions of visitors annually. Andorra uses the euro and is effectively subject to the monetary policy of the European Central Bank. Andorra's comparative advantage as a tax haven eroded when the borders of neighboring France and Spain opened and the government eased bank secrecy laws under pressure from the EU and OECD. Agricultural production is limited - only about 5% of the land is arable - and most food has to be imported, making the economy vulnerable to changes in fuel and food prices. The principal livestock is sheep. Manufacturing output and exports consist mainly of perfumes and cosmetic products, products of the printing industry, electrical machinery and equipment, clothing, tobacco products, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products. To provide incentives for growth and diversification in the economy, the Andorran government began sweeping economic reforms in 2006. The Parliament approved three laws to complement the first phase of economic openness: on companies (October 2007), on business accounting (December 2007), and on foreign investment (April 2008 and June 2012). From 2011 to 2015, the Parliament also approved direct taxes in the form of taxes on corporations, on individual incomes of residents and non-residents, and on capital gains, savings, and economic activities. These regulations aim to establish a transparent, modern, and internationally comparable regulatory framework, in order to attract foreign investment and businesses that offer higher value added." + "text": "Andorra has a developed economy and a free market, with per capita income above the European average and above the level of its neighbors, Spain and France. The country has developed a sophisticated infrastructure including a one-of-a-kind micro-fiber-optic network for the entire country. Tourism, retail sales, and finance comprise more than three-quarters of GDP. Duty-free shopping for some products and the country's summer and winter resorts attract millions of visitors annually. Andorra uses the euro and is effectively subject to the monetary policy of the European Central Bank. Andorra's comparative advantage as a tax haven eroded when the borders of neighboring France and Spain opened and the government eased bank secrecy laws under pressure from the EU and OECD. ++ Agricultural production is limited - only about 5% of the land is arable - and most food has to be imported, making the economy vulnerable to changes in fuel and food prices. The principal livestock is sheep. Manufacturing output and exports consist mainly of perfumes and cosmetic products, products of the printing industry, electrical machinery and equipment, clothing, tobacco products, and furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs) and as a non-EU member for agricultural products. ++ To provide incentives for growth and diversification in the economy, the Andorran government began sweeping economic reforms in 2006. The Parliament approved three laws to complement the first phase of economic openness: on companies (October 2007), on business accounting (December 2007), and on foreign investment (April 2008 and June 2012). From 2011 to 2015, the Parliament also approved direct taxes in the form of taxes on corporations, on individual incomes of residents and non-residents, and on capital gains, savings, and economic activities. These regulations aim to establish a transparent, modern, and internationally comparable regulatory framework, in order to attract foreign investment and businesses that offer higher value added." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$3.327 billion (2015 est.) / $3.363 billion (2014 est.) / $3.273 billion (2013 est.)", diff --git a/europe/be.json b/europe/be.json index 7e356849..10832f48 100644 --- a/europe/be.json +++ b/europe/be.json @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "66.7% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "5.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -423,13 +417,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate or Senaat (in Dutch), Senat (in French) (60 seats; 50 members indirectly elected by the community and regional parliaments based on their election results, and 10 elected by the 50 other senators; members serve 5-year terms) Chamber of Representatives or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers (in Dutch), Chambre des Representants (in French) (150 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate or Senaat (in Dutch), Senat (in French) (60 seats; 50 members indirectly elected by the community and regional parliaments based on their election results, and 10 elected by the 50 other senators; members serve 5-year terms) ++ Chamber of Representatives or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers (in Dutch), Chambre des Representants (in French) (150 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "Senate - last held 26 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024) Chamber of Representatives - last held on 26 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024); note - elections coincided with the EU elections" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition men 32, women 28, percent of women 46.7%Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - N-VA 16.0%, VB 11.9%, PS 9.5%, CD&V 8.9%, PVDA+/PTB 8.62%, Open VLD 8.5%, MR 7.6%, SP.A 6.7%, Ecolo 6.1%, Groen 6.1%, CDH 3.7%, Defi 2.2%, PP 1.1%, other 20.1%; seats by party - N-VA 25, VB 18, PS 20, CD&V 12, PVDA+PTB 12, Open VLD 12, MR 14, SP.A 9, Ecolo 13, Groen 8, CDH 5, Defi 2; composition - men 86, women 64, percent of women 42.7%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition men 32, women 28, percent of women 46.7% ++ Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - N-VA 16.0%, VB 11.9%, PS 9.5%, CD&V 8.9%, PVDA+/PTB 8.62%, Open VLD 8.5%, MR 7.6%, SP.A 6.7%, Ecolo 6.1%, Groen 6.1%, CDH 3.7%, Defi 2.2%, PP 1.1%, other 20.1%; seats by party - N-VA 25, VB 18, PS 20, CD&V 12, PVDA+PTB 12, Open VLD 12, MR 14, SP.A 9, Ecolo 13, Groen 8, CDH 5, Defi 2; composition - men 86, women 64, percent of women 42.7%" }, "note": { "text": "note: the 1993 constitutional revision that further devolved Belgium into a federal state created three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments, each with its own legislative assembly; changes above occurred since the sixth state reform" @@ -447,7 +441,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Flemish parties: Christian Democratic and Flemish or CD&V [Wouter BEKE]Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Gwendolyn RUTTEN]Groen [Meyrem ALMACI] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens)New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER]Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [John CROMBEZ]Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Tom VAN GRIEKEN]Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Marc NOLLET, Zakia KHATTABI]Francophone Federalist Democrats or Defi [Olivier MAINGAIN]Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Maxine PREVOT]People's Party or PP [Mischael MODRIKAMEN]Reform Movement or MR [Charles MICHEL]Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]Workers' Party or PTB [Peter MERTENS]other minor parties" + "text": "Flemish parties: ++ Christian Democratic and Flemish or CD&V [Wouter BEKE] ++ Flemish Liberals and Democrats or Open VLD [Gwendolyn RUTTEN] ++ Groen [Meyrem ALMACI] (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) ++ New Flemish Alliance or N-VA [Bart DE WEVER] ++ Social Progressive Alternative or SP.A [John CROMBEZ] ++ Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Tom VAN GRIEKEN] ++ Francophone parties: ++ Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Marc NOLLET, Zakia KHATTABI] ++ Francophone Federalist Democrats or Defi [Olivier MAINGAIN] ++ Humanist and Democratic Center or CDH [Maxine PREVOT] ++ People's Party or PP [Mischael MODRIKAMEN] ++ Reform Movement or MR [Charles MICHEL] ++ Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO] ++ Workers' Party or PTB [Peter MERTENS] ++ other minor parties" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -506,7 +500,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Belgium’s central geographic location and highly developed transport network have helped develop a well-diversified economy, with a broad mix of transport, services, manufacturing, and high tech. Service and high-tech industries are concentrated in the northern Flanders region while the southern region of Wallonia is home to industries like coal and steel manufacturing. Belgium is completely reliant on foreign sources of fossil fuels, and the planned closure of its seven nuclear plants by 2025 should increase its dependence on foreign energy. Its role as a regional logistical hub makes its economy vulnerable to shifts in foreign demand, particularly with EU trading partners. Roughly three-quarters of Belgium's trade is with other EU countries, and the port of Zeebrugge conducts almost half its trade with the United Kingdom alone, leaving Belgium’s economy vulnerable to the outcome of negotiations on the UK’s exit from the EU. Belgium’s GDP grew by 1.7% in 2017 and the budget deficit was 1.5% of GDP. Unemployment stood at 7.3%, however the unemployment rate is lower in Flanders than Wallonia, 4.4% compared to 9.4%, because of industrial differences between the regions. The economy largely recovered from the March 2016 terrorist attacks that mainly impacted the Brussels region tourist and hospitality industry. Prime Minister Charles MICHEL's center-right government has pledged to further reduce the deficit in response to EU pressure to decrease Belgium's high public debt of about 104% of GDP, but such efforts would also dampen economic growth. In addition to restrained public spending, low wage growth and higher inflation promise to curtail a more robust recovery in private consumption. The government has pledged to pursue a reform program to improve Belgium’s competitiveness, including changes to labor market rules and welfare benefits. These changes have generally made Belgian wages more competitive regionally, but have raised tensions with trade unions, which have called for extended strikes. In 2017, Belgium approved a tax reform plan to ease corporate rates from 33% to 29% by 2018 and down to 25% by 2020. The tax plan also included benefits for innovation and SMEs, intended to spur competitiveness and private investment." + "text": "Belgium's central geographic location and highly developed transport network have helped develop a well-diversified economy, with a broad mix of transport, services, manufacturing, and high tech. Service and high-tech industries are concentrated in the northern Flanders region while the southern region of Wallonia is home to industries like coal and steel manufacturing. Belgium is completely reliant on foreign sources of fossil fuels, and the planned closure of its seven nuclear plants by 2025 should increase its dependence on foreign energy. Its role as a regional logistical hub makes its economy vulnerable to shifts in foreign demand, particularly with EU trading partners. Roughly three-quarters of Belgium's trade is with other EU countries, and the port of Zeebrugge conducts almost half its trade with the United Kingdom alone, leaving Belgium's economy vulnerable to the outcome of negotiations on the UK's exit from the EU. ++ Belgium's GDP grew by 1.7% in 2017 and the budget deficit was 1.5% of GDP. Unemployment stood at 7.3%, however the unemployment rate is lower in Flanders than Wallonia, 4.4% compared to 9.4%, because of industrial differences between the regions. The economy largely recovered from the March 2016 terrorist attacks that mainly impacted the Brussels region tourist and hospitality industry. Prime Minister Charles MICHEL's center-right government has pledged to further reduce the deficit in response to EU pressure to decrease Belgium's high public debt of about 104% of GDP, but such efforts would also dampen economic growth. In addition to restrained public spending, low wage growth and higher inflation promise to curtail a more robust recovery in private consumption. ++ The government has pledged to pursue a reform program to improve Belgium's competitiveness, including changes to labor market rules and welfare benefits. These changes have generally made Belgian wages more competitive regionally, but have raised tensions with trade unions, which have called for extended strikes. In 2017, Belgium approved a tax reform plan to ease corporate rates from 33% to 29% by 2018 and down to 25% by 2020. The tax plan also included benefits for innovation and SMEs, intended to spur competitiveness and private investment." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$529.2 billion (2017 est.) / $520.2 billion (2016 est.) / $513 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/bk.json b/europe/bk.json index 031b2607..c0f3ef95 100644 --- a/europe/bk.json +++ b/europe/bk.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Bosnia and Herzegovina declared sovereignty in October 1991 and independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a \"Greater Serbia.\" In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak-Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that ended three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995).\nThe Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a multiethnic and democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government composed of two entities roughly equal in size: the predominantly Bosniak-Bosnian Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the predominantly Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments are responsible for overseeing most government functions. Additionally, the Dayton Accords established the Office of the High Representative to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. The Peace Implementation Council at its conference in Bonn in 1997 also gave the High Representative the authority to impose legislation and remove officials, the so-called \"Bonn Powers.\" An original NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops assembled in 1995 was succeeded over time by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR). In 2004, European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR. Currently, EUFOR deploys around 600 troops in theater in a security assistance and training capacity." + "text": "Bosnia and Herzegovina declared sovereignty in October 1991 and independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a \"Greater Serbia.\" In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak-Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that ended three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). ++ The Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a multiethnic and democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government composed of two entities roughly equal in size: the predominantly Bosniak-Bosnian Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the predominantly Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments are responsible for overseeing most government functions. Additionally, the Dayton Accords established the Office of the High Representative to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. The Peace Implementation Council at its conference in Bonn in 1997 also gave the High Representative the authority to impose legislation and remove officials, the so-called \"Bonn Powers.\" An original NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops assembled in 1995 was succeeded over time by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR). In 2004, European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR. Currently, EUFOR deploys around 600 troops in theater in a security assistance and training capacity." } }, "Geography": { @@ -252,14 +252,11 @@ "text": "45.8% (2011/12)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.9% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 99.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.1% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "3.5 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.9% of population / rural: 92.1% of population / total: 95.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "7.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "4.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.1% of population / rural: 7.9% of population / total: 4.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -446,13 +440,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of:House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats - 5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members designated by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's House of Peoples and the Republika Srpska's National Assembly to serve 4-year terms)House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats to include 28 seats allocated to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 to the Republika Srpska; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms); note - the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a bicameral legislature that consists of the House of Peoples (58 seats - 17 Bosniak, 17 Croat, 17 Serb, 7 other) and the House of Representatives (98 seats; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms); Republika Srpska's unicameral legislature is the National Assembly (83 directly elected delegates serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of: House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats - 5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members designated by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's House of Peoples and the Republika Srpska's National Assembly to serve 4-year terms) ++ House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats to include 28 seats allocated to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 to the Republika Srpska; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms); note - the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a bicameral legislature that consists of the House of Peoples (58 seats - 17 Bosniak, 17 Croat, 17 Serb, 7 other) and the House of Representatives (98 seats; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms); Republika Srpska's unicameral legislature is the National Assembly (83 directly elected delegates serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "House of Peoples - last held on 18 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022)House of Representatives - last held on 7 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022)" + "text": "House of Peoples - last held on 18 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 7 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "House of Peoples - percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - NA; composition - men 13, women 2, percent of women 13.3%House of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition/party - SDA 17%, SNSD 16%, SDS/NDP/NS/SRS-VS 9.8%, SDP 9.1%, HDZ-BiH/HSS/HKDU/HSP-AS BiH/HDU BiH 9.1%, DF, 5.8%, PDP 5.1%, DNS 4.2%, SBB BiH 4.2%, NS/HC 2.9%, NB 2.5%, PDA 2.3%, SP 1.9%, A-SDA 1.8%, other 17.4%; seats by coalition/party - SDA 9, SNSD 6, SDP 5, HDZ-BiH/HSS/HKDU/HSP-AS BiH/HDU BiH 5, SDS/NDP/NS/SRS-VS 3, DF 3, PDP 2, SBB BiH 2, NS/HC 2, DNS 1, NB 1 PDA 1, SP 1, A-SDA 1; composition - men 33, women 9, percent of women 21.4%; note - total Parliamentary Assembly percent of women 19.3%" + "text": "House of Peoples - percent of vote by coalition/party - NA; seats by coalition/party - NA; composition - men 13, women 2, percent of women 13.3% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition/party - SDA 17%, SNSD 16%, SDS/NDP/NS/SRS-VS 9.8%, SDP 9.1%, HDZ-BiH/HSS/HKDU/HSP-AS BiH/HDU BiH 9.1%, DF, 5.8%, PDP 5.1%, DNS 4.2%, SBB BiH 4.2%, NS/HC 2.9%, NB 2.5%, PDA 2.3%, SP 1.9%, A-SDA 1.8%, other 17.4%; seats by coalition/party - SDA 9, SNSD 6, SDP 5, HDZ-BiH/HSS/HKDU/HSP-AS BiH/HDU BiH 5, SDS/NDP/NS/SRS-VS 3, DF 3, PDP 2, SBB BiH 2, NS/HC 2, DNS 1, NB 1 PDA 1, SP 1, A-SDA 1; composition - men 33, women 9, percent of women 21.4%; note - total Parliamentary Assembly percent of women 19.3%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -467,7 +461,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for a Better Future of BiH or SBB BiH [Fahrudin RADONCIC]Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK]Alternative Party for Democratic Activity or A-SDA [Nermin OGRESEVIC]Croat Peasants' Party or HSS [Mario KARAMATIC]Croatian Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Ivan MUSA]Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDU-BiH [Miro GRABOVAC-TITAN]Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BiH [Dragan COVIC]Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ-1990 [Ilija CVITANOVIC]Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starcevic or HSP-AS Bih [Karlo STARCEVIC]Democratic Alliance or DEMOS [Nedeljko CUBRILOVIC]Democratic Front of DF [Zeljko KOMSIC]Democratic Peoples' Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC]Independent Bloc or NB [Senad SEPIC]Movement for Democratic Action or PDA [Mirsad KUKIC]Progressive Srpska or NS [Goran DORDIC]Our Party or NS/HC [Predrag KOJOVIC]Party for Democratic Action or SDA [Bakir IZETBEGOVIC]Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Branislav BORENOVIC]People's Democratic Movement or NDP [Dragan CAVIC]Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Vukota GOVEDARICA]Serb Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Vojislav SESELJ] (members joined the PDP)Social Democratic Party or SDP [Nermin NIKSIC]Socialist Party or SP [Petar DOKIC]United Srpska or US [Nenad STEVANDIC]" + "text": "Alliance for a Better Future of BiH or SBB BiH [Fahrudin RADONCIC] ++ Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK] ++ Alternative Party for Democratic Activity or A-SDA [Nermin OGRESEVIC] ++ Croat Peasants' Party or HSS [Mario KARAMATIC] ++ Croatian Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Ivan MUSA] ++ Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDU-BiH [Miro GRABOVAC-TITAN] ++ Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BiH [Dragan COVIC] ++ Croatian Democratic Union 1990 or HDZ-1990 [Ilija CVITANOVIC] ++ Croatian Party of Rights dr. Ante Starcevic or HSP-AS Bih [Karlo STARCEVIC] ++ Democratic Alliance or DEMOS [Nedeljko CUBRILOVIC] ++ Democratic Front of DF [Zeljko KOMSIC] ++ Democratic Peoples' Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC] ++ Independent Bloc or NB [Senad SEPIC] ++ Movement for Democratic Action or PDA [Mirsad KUKIC] ++ Progressive Srpska or NS [Goran DORDIC] ++ Our Party or NS/HC [Predrag KOJOVIC] ++ Party for Democratic Action or SDA [Bakir IZETBEGOVIC] ++ Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Branislav BORENOVIC] ++ People's Democratic Movement or NDP [Dragan CAVIC] ++ Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Vukota GOVEDARICA] ++ Serb Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Vojislav SESELJ] (members joined the PDP) ++ Social Democratic Party or SDP [Nermin NIKSIC] ++ Socialist Party or SP [Petar DOKIC] ++ United Srpska or US [Nenad STEVANDIC]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -532,7 +526,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Bosnia and Herzegovina has a transitional economy with limited market reforms. The economy relies heavily on the export of metals, energy, textiles, and furniture as well as on remittances and foreign aid. A highly decentralized government hampers economic policy coordination and reform, while excessive bureaucracy and a segmented market discourage foreign investment. The economy is among the least competitive in the region. Foreign banks, primarily from Austria and Italy, control much of the banking sector, though the largest bank is a private domestic one. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark) - the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged to the euro through a currency board arrangement, which has maintained confidence in the currency and has facilitated reliable trade links with European partners. Bosnia and Herzegovina became a full member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement in September 2007. In 2016, Bosnia began a three-year IMF loan program, but it has struggled to meet the economic reform benchmarks required to receive all funding installments. Bosnia and Herzegovina's private sector is growing slowly, but foreign investment dropped sharply after 2007 and remains low. High unemployment remains the most serious macroeconomic problem. Successful implementation of a value-added tax in 2006 provided a steady source of revenue for the government and helped rein in gray-market activity, though public perceptions of government corruption and misuse of taxpayer money has encouraged a large informal economy to persist. National-level statistics have improved over time, but a large share of economic activity remains unofficial and unrecorded. Bosnia and Herzegovina's top economic priorities are: acceleration of integration into the EU; strengthening the fiscal system; public administration reform; World Trade Organization membership; and securing economic growth by fostering a dynamic, competitive private sector." + "text": "Bosnia and Herzegovina has a transitional economy with limited market reforms. The economy relies heavily on the export of metals, energy, textiles, and furniture as well as on remittances and foreign aid. A highly decentralized government hampers economic policy coordination and reform, while excessive bureaucracy and a segmented market discourage foreign investment. The economy is among the least competitive in the region. Foreign banks, primarily from Austria and Italy, control much of the banking sector, though the largest bank is a private domestic one. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark) - the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged to the euro through a currency board arrangement, which has maintained confidence in the currency and has facilitated reliable trade links with European partners. Bosnia and Herzegovina became a full member of the Central European Free Trade Agreement in September 2007. In 2016, Bosnia began a three-year IMF loan program, but it has struggled to meet the economic reform benchmarks required to receive all funding installments. ++ Bosnia and Herzegovina's private sector is growing slowly, but foreign investment dropped sharply after 2007 and remains low. High unemployment remains the most serious macroeconomic problem. Successful implementation of a value-added tax in 2006 provided a steady source of revenue for the government and helped rein in gray-market activity, though public perceptions of government corruption and misuse of taxpayer money has encouraged a large informal economy to persist. National-level statistics have improved over time, but a large share of economic activity remains unofficial and unrecorded. ++ Bosnia and Herzegovina's top economic priorities are: acceleration of integration into the EU; strengthening the fiscal system; public administration reform; World Trade Organization membership; and securing economic growth by fostering a dynamic, competitive private sector." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$44.83 billion (2017 est.) / $43.54 billion (2016 est.) / $42.19 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/bo.json b/europe/bo.json index e0402894..4c612732 100644 --- a/europe/bo.json +++ b/europe/bo.json @@ -252,14 +252,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 98.3% of population / total: 99.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 1.7% of population / total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "10.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.8% of population / rural: 97.9% of population / total: 99.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "2.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.2% of population / rural: 2.1% of population / total: 0.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -434,13 +428,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobraniye consists of:Council of the Republic or Sovet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members indirectly elected by regional and Minsk city councils and 8 members appointed by the president; members serve 4-year terms)House of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobraniye consists of: Council of the Republic or Sovet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members indirectly elected by regional and Minsk city councils and 8 members appointed by the president; members serve 4-year terms) ++ House of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Council of the Republic - indirect election last held on 7 November 2019House of Representatives - last held on 17 November 2019 (next to be held in 2023); OSCE observers determined that the election was neither free nor impartial and that vote counting was problematic in a number of polling stations; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won every seat; international observers determined that the previous elections, on 28 September 2008, 23 September 2012, and 11 September 2016 also fell short of democratic standards, with pro-LUKASHENKO candidates winning every, or virtually every, seat" + "text": "Council of the Republic - indirect election last held on 7 November 2019 ++ House of Representatives - last held on 17 November 2019 (next to be held in 2023); OSCE observers determined that the election was neither free nor impartial and that vote counting was problematic in a number of polling stations; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won every seat; international observers determined that the previous elections, on 28 September 2008, 23 September 2012, and 11 September 2016 also fell short of democratic standards, with pro-LUKASHENKO candidates winning every, or virtually every, seat" }, "election results": { - "text": "Council of the Republic - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NAHouse of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KPB 11, Republican Party of Labor and Justice 6, Belarusian Patriotic Party 2, LDP 1, AP 1, independent 89; composition - men 66, women 44, percent of women 40%; note - total National Assembly percent of women - NA" + "text": "Council of the Republic - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KPB 11, Republican Party of Labor and Justice 6, Belarusian Patriotic Party 2, LDP 1, AP 1, independent 89; composition - men 66, women 44, percent of women 40%; note - total National Assembly percent of women - NA" }, "note": { "text": "note: the US does not recognize the legitimacy of the National Assembly" @@ -458,7 +452,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "pro-government parties: Belarusian Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY]Belarusian Patriotic Party [Nikolai ULAKHOVICH]Belarusian Social Sport Party [Vladimir ALEKSANDROVICH]Communist Party of Belarus or KPB [Aleksei SOKOL]Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Sergey GAYDUKEVICH]Republican Party [Vladimir BELOZOR]Republican Party of Labor and Justice [Vasiliy ZADNEPRYANIY]Social Democratic Party of Popular Accord [Sergei YERMAK]opposition parties: Belarusian Christian Democracy Party [Paval SEVIARYNETS, Volha KAVALKOVA, Vital RYMASHEWSKI] (unregistered)Belarusian Party of the Green [Anastasiya DOROFEYEVA]Belarusian Party of the Left \"Just World\" [Sergey KALYAKIN]Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Ryhor KASTUSEU]Belarusian Social-Democratic Assembly [Sergei CHERECHEN]Belarusian Social Democratic Party (\"Assembly\") or BSDPH [Ihar BARYSAU]Belarusian Social Democratic Party (People's Assembly) [Mikalay STATKEVICH] (unregistered)Christian Conservative Party or BPF [Zyanon PAZNYAK]United Civic Party or UCP [Nikolay KOZLOV]" + "text": "pro-government parties: ++ Belarusian Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY] ++ Belarusian Patriotic Party [Nikolai ULAKHOVICH] ++ Belarusian Social Sport Party [Vladimir ALEKSANDROVICH] ++ Communist Party of Belarus or KPB [Aleksei SOKOL] ++ Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Sergey GAYDUKEVICH] ++ Republican Party [Vladimir BELOZOR] ++ Republican Party of Labor and Justice [Vasiliy ZADNEPRYANIY] ++ Social Democratic Party of Popular Accord [Sergei YERMAK] ++ opposition parties: ++ Belarusian Christian Democracy Party [Paval SEVIARYNETS, Volha KAVALKOVA, Vital RYMASHEWSKI] (unregistered) ++ Belarusian Party of the Green [Anastasiya DOROFEYEVA] ++ Belarusian Party of the Left \"Just World\" [Sergey KALYAKIN] ++ Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Ryhor KASTUSEU] ++ Belarusian Social-Democratic Assembly [Sergei CHERECHEN] ++ Belarusian Social Democratic Party (\"Assembly\") or BSDPH [Ihar BARYSAU] ++ Belarusian Social Democratic Party (People's Assembly) [Mikalay STATKEVICH] (unregistered) ++ Christian Conservative Party or BPF [Zyanon PAZNYAK] ++ United Civic Party or UCP [Nikolay KOZLOV]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CEI, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC" @@ -517,7 +511,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "As part of the former Soviet Union, Belarus had a relatively well-developed industrial base, but it is now outdated, inefficient, and dependent on subsidized Russian energy and preferential access to Russian markets. The country’s agricultural base is largely dependent on government subsidies. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, an initial burst of economic reforms included privatization of state enterprises, creation of private property rights, and the acceptance of private entrepreneurship, but by 1994 the reform effort dissipated. About 80% of industry remains in state hands, and foreign investment has virtually disappeared. Several businesses have been renationalized. State-owned entities account for 70-75% of GDP, and state banks make up 75% of the banking sector. Economic output declined for several years following the break-up of the Soviet Union, but revived in the mid-2000s. Belarus has only small reserves of crude oil and imports crude oil and natural gas from Russia at subsidized, below market, prices. Belarus derives export revenue by refining Russian crude and selling it at market prices. Russia and Belarus have had serious disagreements over prices and quantities for Russian energy. Beginning in early 2016, Russia claimed Belarus began accumulating debt – reaching $740 million by April 2017 – for paying below the agreed price for Russian natural gas and Russia cut back its export of crude oil as a result of the debt. In April 2017, Belarus agreed to pay its gas debt and Russia restored the flow of crude. New non-Russian foreign investment has been limited in recent years, largely because of an unfavorable financial climate. In 2011, a financial crisis lead to a nearly three-fold devaluation of the Belarusian ruble. The Belarusian economy has continued to struggle under the weight of high external debt servicing payments and a trade deficit. In mid-December 2014, the devaluation of the Russian ruble triggered a near 40% devaluation of the Belarusian ruble. Belarus’s economy stagnated between 2012 and 2016, widening productivity and income gaps between Belarus and neighboring countries. Budget revenues dropped because of falling global prices on key Belarusian export commodities. Since 2015, the Belarusian government has tightened its macro-economic policies, allowed more flexibility to its exchange rate, taken some steps towards price liberalization, and reduced subsidized government lending to state-owned enterprises. Belarus returned to modest growth in 2017, largely driven by improvement of external conditions and Belarus issued sovereign debt for the first time since 2011, which provided the country with badly-needed liquidity, and issued $600 million worth of Eurobonds in February 2018, predominantly to US and British investors." + "text": "As part of the former Soviet Union, Belarus had a relatively well-developed industrial base, but it is now outdated, inefficient, and dependent on subsidized Russian energy and preferential access to Russian markets. The country's agricultural base is largely dependent on government subsidies. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, an initial burst of economic reforms included privatization of state enterprises, creation of private property rights, and the acceptance of private entrepreneurship, but by 1994 the reform effort dissipated. About 80% of industry remains in state hands, and foreign investment has virtually disappeared. Several businesses have been renationalized. State-owned entities account for 70-75% of GDP, and state banks make up 75% of the banking sector. ++ Economic output declined for several years following the break-up of the Soviet Union, but revived in the mid-2000s. Belarus has only small reserves of crude oil and imports crude oil and natural gas from Russia at subsidized, below market, prices. Belarus derives export revenue by refining Russian crude and selling it at market prices. Russia and Belarus have had serious disagreements over prices and quantities for Russian energy. Beginning in early 2016, Russia claimed Belarus began accumulating debt – reaching $740 million by April 2017 – for paying below the agreed price for Russian natural gas and Russia cut back its export of crude oil as a result of the debt. In April 2017, Belarus agreed to pay its gas debt and Russia restored the flow of crude. ++ New non-Russian foreign investment has been limited in recent years, largely because of an unfavorable financial climate. In 2011, a financial crisis lead to a nearly three-fold devaluation of the Belarusian ruble. The Belarusian economy has continued to struggle under the weight of high external debt servicing payments and a trade deficit. In mid-December 2014, the devaluation of the Russian ruble triggered a near 40% devaluation of the Belarusian ruble. ++ Belarus's economy stagnated between 2012 and 2016, widening productivity and income gaps between Belarus and neighboring countries. Budget revenues dropped because of falling global prices on key Belarusian export commodities. Since 2015, the Belarusian government has tightened its macro-economic policies, allowed more flexibility to its exchange rate, taken some steps towards price liberalization, and reduced subsidized government lending to state-owned enterprises. Belarus returned to modest growth in 2017, largely driven by improvement of external conditions and Belarus issued sovereign debt for the first time since 2011, which provided the country with badly-needed liquidity, and issued $600 million worth of Eurobonds in February 2018, predominantly to US and British investors." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$179.4 billion (2017 est.) / $175.1 billion (2016 est.) / $179.7 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -923,7 +917,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Belarus is a source, transit, and destination country for women, men, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; more victims are exploited within Belarus than abroad; Belarusians exploited abroad are primarily trafficked to Germany, Poland, Russian, and Turkey but also other European countries, the Middle East, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Mexico; Moldovans, Russians, Ukrainians, and Vietnamese are exploited in Belarus; state-sponsored forced labor is a continuing problem; students are forced to do farm labor without pay and military conscripts are forced to perform unpaid non-military work; the government has retained a decree forbidding workers in state-owned wood processing factories from leaving their jobs without their employers’ permission" + "text": "Belarus is a source, transit, and destination country for women, men, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; more victims are exploited within Belarus than abroad; Belarusians exploited abroad are primarily trafficked to Germany, Poland, Russian, and Turkey but also other European countries, the Middle East, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Mexico; Moldovans, Russians, Ukrainians, and Vietnamese are exploited in Belarus; state-sponsored forced labor is a continuing problem; students are forced to do farm labor without pay and military conscripts are forced to perform unpaid non-military work; the government has retained a decree forbidding workers in state-owned wood processing factories from leaving their jobs without their employers' permission" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 3 – Belarus does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and was placed on Tier 3 after being on the Tier 2 Watch List for two consecutive years without making progress; government efforts to repeal state-sponsored forced labor policies and domestic trafficking were inadequate; no trafficking offenders were convicted in 2014, and the number of investigations progressively declined from 2005-14; efforts to protect trafficking victims remain insufficient, with no identification and referral mechanism in place; care facilities were not trafficking-specific and were poorly equipped, leading most victims to seek assistance from private shelters (2015)" diff --git a/europe/bu.json b/europe/bu.json index 3bdaeabb..79d08301 100644 --- a/europe/bu.json +++ b/europe/bu.json @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "1.49 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 98% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 2% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "7.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -461,7 +455,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alternative for Bulgarian Revival or ABV [Rumen PETKOV]Attack (Ataka) [Volen Nikolov SIDEROV]Bulgarian Agrarian People’s Union [Nikolay NENCHEV]Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Korneliya NINOVA]Bulgaria of the Citizens or DBG [Dimiter DELCHEV]]Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB [Boyko BORISSOV]Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Atanas ATANASOV]Democrats for Responsibility, Solidarity, and Tolerance or DOST [Lyutvi MESTAN]IMRO - Bulgarian National Movement or IMRO-BNM [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]Movement for Rights and Freedoms or DPS [Mustafa KARADAYI]National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria or NFSB [Valeri SIMEONOV]Reformist Bloc or RB (a four-party alliance including DBG and SDS)United Patriots (alliance of IMRO-BNM, NFSB, and Attack)Union of Democratic Forces or SDS [Bozhidar LUKARSKI]Yes! Bulgaria [Hristo IVANOV]Volya [Veselin MARESHKI]" + "text": "Alternative for Bulgarian Revival or ABV [Rumen PETKOV] ++ Attack (Ataka) [Volen Nikolov SIDEROV] ++ Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union [Nikolay NENCHEV] ++ Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Korneliya NINOVA] ++ Bulgaria of the Citizens or DBG [Dimiter DELCHEV]] ++ Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria or GERB [Boyko BORISSOV] ++ Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB [Atanas ATANASOV] ++ Democrats for Responsibility, Solidarity, and Tolerance or DOST [Lyutvi MESTAN] ++ IMRO - Bulgarian National Movement or IMRO-BNM [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV] ++ Movement for Rights and Freedoms or DPS [Mustafa KARADAYI] ++ National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria or NFSB [Valeri SIMEONOV] ++ Reformist Bloc or RB (a four-party alliance including DBG and SDS) ++ United Patriots (alliance of IMRO-BNM, NFSB, and Attack) ++ Union of Democratic Forces or SDS [Bozhidar LUKARSKI] ++ Yes! Bulgaria [Hristo IVANOV] ++ Volya [Veselin MARESHKI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EU, FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -523,7 +517,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Bulgaria, a former communist country that entered the EU in 2007, has an open economy that historically has demonstrated strong growth, but its per-capita income remains the lowest among EU members and its reliance on energy imports and foreign demand for its exports makes its growth sensitive to external market conditions. The government undertook significant structural economic reforms in the 1990s to move the economy from a centralized, planned economy to a more liberal, market-driven economy. These reforms included privatization of state-owned enterprises, liberalization of trade, and strengthening of the tax system - changes that initially caused some economic hardships but later helped to attract investment, spur growth, and make gradual improvements to living conditions. From 2000 through 2008, Bulgaria maintained robust, average annual real GDP growth in excess of 6%, which was followed by a deep recession in 2009 as the financial crisis caused domestic demand, exports, capital inflows and industrial production to contract, prompting the government to rein in spending. Real GDP growth remained slow - less than 2% annually - until 2015, when demand from EU countries for Bulgarian exports, plus an inflow of EU development funds, boosted growth to more than 3%. In recent years, strong domestic demand combined with low international energy prices have contributed to Bulgaria’s economic growth approaching 4% and have also helped to ease inflation. Bulgaria’s prudent public financial management contributed to budget surpluses both in 2016 and 2017. Bulgaria is heavily reliant on energy imports from Russia, a potential vulnerability, and is a participant in EU-backed efforts to diversify regional natural gas supplies. In late 2016, the Bulgarian Government provided funding to Bulgaria’s National Electric Company to cover the $695 million compensation owed to Russian nuclear equipment manufacturer Atomstroyexport for the cancellation of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant project, which the Bulgarian Government terminated in 2012. As of early 2018, the government was floating the possibility of resurrecting the Belene project. The natural gas market, dominated by state-owned Bulgargaz, is also almost entirely supplied by Russia. Infrastructure projects such as the Inter-Connector Greece-Bulgaria and Inter-Connector Bulgaria-Serbia, which would enable Bulgaria to have access to non-Russian gas, have either stalled or made limited progress. In 2016, the Bulgarian Government established the State eGovernment Agency. This new agency is responsible for the electronic governance, coordinating national policies with the EU, and strengthening cybersecurity. Despite a favorable investment regime, including low, flat corporate income taxes, significant challenges remain. Corruption in public administration, a weak judiciary, low productivity, lack of transparency in public procurements, and the presence of organized crime continue to hamper the country's investment climate and economic prospects." + "text": "Bulgaria, a former communist country that entered the EU in 2007, has an open economy that historically has demonstrated strong growth, but its per-capita income remains the lowest among EU members and its reliance on energy imports and foreign demand for its exports makes its growth sensitive to external market conditions. ++ The government undertook significant structural economic reforms in the 1990s to move the economy from a centralized, planned economy to a more liberal, market-driven economy. These reforms included privatization of state-owned enterprises, liberalization of trade, and strengthening of the tax system - changes that initially caused some economic hardships but later helped to attract investment, spur growth, and make gradual improvements to living conditions. From 2000 through 2008, Bulgaria maintained robust, average annual real GDP growth in excess of 6%, which was followed by a deep recession in 2009 as the financial crisis caused domestic demand, exports, capital inflows and industrial production to contract, prompting the government to rein in spending. Real GDP growth remained slow - less than 2% annually - until 2015, when demand from EU countries for Bulgarian exports, plus an inflow of EU development funds, boosted growth to more than 3%. In recent years, strong domestic demand combined with low international energy prices have contributed to Bulgaria's economic growth approaching 4% and have also helped to ease inflation. Bulgaria's prudent public financial management contributed to budget surpluses both in 2016 and 2017. ++ Bulgaria is heavily reliant on energy imports from Russia, a potential vulnerability, and is a participant in EU-backed efforts to diversify regional natural gas supplies. In late 2016, the Bulgarian Government provided funding to Bulgaria's National Electric Company to cover the $695 million compensation owed to Russian nuclear equipment manufacturer Atomstroyexport for the cancellation of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant project, which the Bulgarian Government terminated in 2012. As of early 2018, the government was floating the possibility of resurrecting the Belene project. The natural gas market, dominated by state-owned Bulgargaz, is also almost entirely supplied by Russia. Infrastructure projects such as the Inter-Connector Greece-Bulgaria and Inter-Connector Bulgaria-Serbia, which would enable Bulgaria to have access to non-Russian gas, have either stalled or made limited progress. In 2016, the Bulgarian Government established the State eGovernment Agency. This new agency is responsible for the electronic governance, coordinating national policies with the EU, and strengthening cybersecurity. ++ Despite a favorable investment regime, including low, flat corporate income taxes, significant challenges remain. Corruption in public administration, a weak judiciary, low productivity, lack of transparency in public procurements, and the presence of organized crime continue to hamper the country's investment climate and economic prospects." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$153.5 billion (2017 est.) / $148.2 billion (2016 est.) / $142.6 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -949,7 +943,7 @@ "text": "Bulgaria is a source and, to a lesser extent, a transit and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; Bulgaria is one of the main sources of human trafficking in the EU; women and children are increasingly sex trafficked domestically, as well as in Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and the US; adults and children become forced laborers in agriculture, construction, and the service sector in Europe, Israel, and Zambia; Romanian girls are also subjected to sex trafficking in Bulgaria" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Bulgaria does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, authorities prosecuted and convicted fewer traffickers and issued suspended sentences for the majority of those convicted; victim protection efforts declined and were minimal relative to the number of victims identified; funding for the state’s two NGO-operated shelters was significantly cut, forcing them to close; specialized services for child and adult male victims were non-existent; the government took action to combat trafficking-related complicity among public officials and police officers (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Bulgaria does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, authorities prosecuted and convicted fewer traffickers and issued suspended sentences for the majority of those convicted; victim protection efforts declined and were minimal relative to the number of victims identified; funding for the state's two NGO-operated shelters was significantly cut, forcing them to close; specialized services for child and adult male victims were non-existent; the government took action to combat trafficking-related complicity among public officials and police officers (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/europe/cy.json b/europe/cy.json index 906d6ac9..b5174271 100644 --- a/europe/cy.json +++ b/europe/cy.json @@ -267,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "1.48 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -287,14 +284,11 @@ "text": "3.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 98.4% of population / total: 99% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 1.6% of population / total: 1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -410,7 +404,7 @@ "text": "ratified 16 August 1960; note - in 1963, the constitution was partly suspended as Turkish Cypriots withdrew from the government; Turkish-held territory in 1983 was declared the \"Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus\" (\"TRNC\"); in 1985, the \"TRNC\" approved its own constitution" }, "amendments": { - "text": "constitution of the Republic of Cyprus - proposed by the House of Representatives; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership of the \"Greek Community\" and the \"Turkish Community\"; however, all seats of Turkish Cypriot members have remained vacant since 1964; amended 10 times, last in 2016constitution of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” - proposed by at least 10 members of the \"Assembly of the Republic\"; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total Assembly membership and approval by referendum; amended 2014" + "text": "constitution of the Republic of Cyprus - proposed by the House of Representatives; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership of the \"Greek Community\" and the \"Turkish Community\"; however, all seats of Turkish Cypriot members have remained vacant since 1964; amended 10 times, last in 2016 ++ constitution of the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” - proposed by at least 10 members of the \"Assembly of the Republic\"; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total Assembly membership and approval by referendum; amended 2014" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -479,7 +473,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "area under government control: Citizens' Alliance or SP [Giorgos LILLIKAS]Democratic Party or DIKO [Nicolas PAPADOPOULOS]Democratic Rally or DISY [Averof NEOPHYTOU]Movement of Ecologists and Environmentalists or KOP (Green party) [Giorgos PERDIKIS]I, the Citizen or EOP [Georgios KOUNTOURIS]Movement of Social Democrats EDEK [Marinos SIZOPOULOS]National Popular Front or ELAM [Christos CHRISTOU]Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist party) [Andros KYPRIANOU]Solidarity Movement [Eleni THEOCHAROUS]United Democrats or EDI [Praxoula ANTONIADOU]Democratic Front or DIPA [Marios GAROYIAN]Animal Party Cyprus or APC [Kyriacos KYRIACOU]area administered by Turkish Cypriots: Communal Democracy Party or TDP [Cemal OZYIGIT]Communal Liberation Party-New Forces or TKP-YG [Mehmet CAKICI]Cyprus Socialist Party or KSP [Mehmet BIRINCI]Democratic Party or DP [Serdar DENKTAS]National Democratic Party or NDP [Buray BUSKUVUTCU]National Unity Party or UBP [Ersin TATAR]New Cyprus Party or YKP [Murat KANATLI]People's Party or HP [Kudret OZERSAY]Rebirth Party or YDP [Erhan ARIKLI]Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Tufan ERHURMAN]United Cyprus Party or BKP [Izzet IZCAN]" + "text": "area under government control: ++ Citizens' Alliance or SP [Giorgos LILLIKAS] ++ Democratic Party or DIKO [Nicolas PAPADOPOULOS] ++ Democratic Rally or DISY [Averof NEOPHYTOU] ++ Movement of Ecologists and Environmentalists or KOP (Green party) [Giorgos PERDIKIS] ++ I, the Citizen or EOP [Georgios KOUNTOURIS] ++ Movement of Social Democrats EDEK [Marinos SIZOPOULOS] ++ National Popular Front or ELAM [Christos CHRISTOU] ++ Progressive Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist party) [Andros KYPRIANOU] ++ Solidarity Movement [Eleni THEOCHAROUS] ++ United Democrats or EDI [Praxoula ANTONIADOU] ++ Democratic Front or DIPA [Marios GAROYIAN] ++ Animal Party Cyprus or APC [Kyriacos KYRIACOU] ++ area administered by Turkish Cypriots: ++ Communal Democracy Party or TDP [Cemal OZYIGIT] ++ Communal Liberation Party-New Forces or TKP-YG [Mehmet CAKICI] ++ Cyprus Socialist Party or KSP [Mehmet BIRINCI] ++ Democratic Party or DP [Serdar DENKTAS] ++ National Democratic Party or NDP [Buray BUSKUVUTCU] ++ National Unity Party or UBP [Ersin TATAR] ++ New Cyprus Party or YKP [Murat KANATLI] ++ People's Party or HP [Kudret OZERSAY] ++ Rebirth Party or YDP [Erhan ARIKLI] ++ Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Tufan ERHURMAN] ++ United Cyprus Party or BKP [Izzet IZCAN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, C, CD, CE, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -524,7 +518,7 @@ "Flag description": { "text": "centered on a white field is a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the island has long been famous for its copper deposits) above two olive-green-colored, crossed olive branches; the branches symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek and Turkish communities", "note": { - "text": "note: one of only two national flags that uses a map as a design element; the flag of Kosovo is the other\nnote: the \"Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus\" flag retains the white field of the Cyprus national flag but displays narrow horizontal red stripes positioned a small distance from the top and bottom edges between which are centered a red crescent and a red five-pointed star; the banner is modeled after the Turkish national flag but with the colors reversed" + "text": "note: one of only two national flags that uses a map as a design element; the flag of Kosovo is the other ++ note: the \"Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus\" flag retains the white field of the Cyprus national flag but displays narrow horizontal red stripes positioned a small distance from the top and bottom edges between which are centered a red crescent and a red five-pointed star; the banner is modeled after the Turkish national flag but with the colors reversed" } }, "National symbol(s)": { @@ -544,7 +538,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The area of the Republic of Cyprus under government control has a market economy dominated by a services sector that accounts for more than four-fifths of GDP. Tourism, finance, shipping, and real estate have traditionally been the most important services. Cyprus has been a member of the EU since May 2004 and adopted the euro as its national currency in January 2008. During the first five years of EU membership, the Cyprus economy grew at an average rate of about 4%, with unemployment between 2004 and 2008 averaging about 4%. However, the economy tipped into recession in 2009 as the ongoing global financial crisis and resulting low demand hit the tourism and construction sectors. An overextended banking sector with excessive exposure to Greek debt added to the contraction. Cyprus’ biggest two banks were among the largest holders of Greek bonds in Europe and had a substantial presence in Greece through bank branches and subsidiaries. Following numerous downgrades of its credit rating, Cyprus lost access to international capital markets in May 2011. In July 2012, Cyprus became the fifth euro-zone government to request an economic bailout program from the European Commission, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund - known collectively as the \"Troika.\" Shortly after the election of President Nikos ANASTASIADES in February 2013, Cyprus reached an agreement with the Troika on a $13 billion bailout that triggered a two-week bank closure and the imposition of capital controls that remained partially in place until April 2015. Cyprus' two largest banks merged and the combined entity was recapitalized through conversion of some large bank deposits to shares and imposition of losses on bank bondholders. As with other EU countries, the Troika conditioned the bailout on passing financial and structural reforms and privatizing state-owned enterprises. Despite downsizing and restructuring, the Cypriot financial sector remains burdened by the largest stock of non-performing loans in the euro zone, equal to nearly half of all loans. Since the bailout, Cyprus has received positive appraisals by the Troika and outperformed fiscal targets but has struggled to overcome political opposition to bailout-mandated legislation, particularly regarding privatizations. The rate of non-performing loans (NPLs) is still very high at around 49%, and growth would accelerate if Cypriot banks could increase the pace of resolution of the NPLs. In October 2013, a US-Israeli consortium completed preliminary appraisals of hydrocarbon deposits in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which estimated gross mean reserves of about 130 billion cubic meters. Though exploration continues in Cyprus’ EEZ, no additional commercially exploitable reserves have been identified. Developing offshore hydrocarbon resources remains a critical component of the government’s economic recovery efforts, but development has been delayed as a result of regional developments and disagreements about exploitation methods." + "text": "The area of the Republic of Cyprus under government control has a market economy dominated by a services sector that accounts for more than four-fifths of GDP. Tourism, finance, shipping, and real estate have traditionally been the most important services. Cyprus has been a member of the EU since May 2004 and adopted the euro as its national currency in January 2008. ++ During the first five years of EU membership, the Cyprus economy grew at an average rate of about 4%, with unemployment between 2004 and 2008 averaging about 4%. However, the economy tipped into recession in 2009 as the ongoing global financial crisis and resulting low demand hit the tourism and construction sectors. An overextended banking sector with excessive exposure to Greek debt added to the contraction. Cyprus' biggest two banks were among the largest holders of Greek bonds in Europe and had a substantial presence in Greece through bank branches and subsidiaries. Following numerous downgrades of its credit rating, Cyprus lost access to international capital markets in May 2011. In July 2012, Cyprus became the fifth euro-zone government to request an economic bailout program from the European Commission, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund - known collectively as the \"Troika.\" ++ Shortly after the election of President Nikos ANASTASIADES in February 2013, Cyprus reached an agreement with the Troika on a $13 billion bailout that triggered a two-week bank closure and the imposition of capital controls that remained partially in place until April 2015. Cyprus' two largest banks merged and the combined entity was recapitalized through conversion of some large bank deposits to shares and imposition of losses on bank bondholders. As with other EU countries, the Troika conditioned the bailout on passing financial and structural reforms and privatizing state-owned enterprises. Despite downsizing and restructuring, the Cypriot financial sector remains burdened by the largest stock of non-performing loans in the euro zone, equal to nearly half of all loans. Since the bailout, Cyprus has received positive appraisals by the Troika and outperformed fiscal targets but has struggled to overcome political opposition to bailout-mandated legislation, particularly regarding privatizations. The rate of non-performing loans (NPLs) is still very high at around 49%, and growth would accelerate if Cypriot banks could increase the pace of resolution of the NPLs. ++ In October 2013, a US-Israeli consortium completed preliminary appraisals of hydrocarbon deposits in Cyprus' exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which estimated gross mean reserves of about 130 billion cubic meters. Though exploration continues in Cyprus' EEZ, no additional commercially exploitable reserves have been identified. Developing offshore hydrocarbon resources remains a critical component of the government's economic recovery efforts, but development has been delayed as a result of regional developments and disagreements about exploitation methods." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$31.78 billion (2017 est.) / $30.59 billion (2016 est.) / $29.58 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -692,7 +686,7 @@ "text": "euros (EUR) per US dollar - / 0.885 (2017 est.) / 0.903 (2016 est.) / 0.9214 (2015 est.) / 0.885 (2014 est.) / 0.7634 (2013 est.)" }, "": { - "text": "Economy - overview: Even though the whole of the island is part of the EU, implementation of the EU \"acquis communautaire\" has been suspended in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, known locally as the \"Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus\" (\"TRNC\"), until political conditions permit the reunification of the island. The market-based economy of the \"TRNC\" is roughly one-fifth the size of its southern neighbor and is likewise dominated by the service sector with a large portion of the population employed by the government. In 2012 - the latest year for which data are available - the services sector, which includes the public sector, trade, tourism, and education, contributed 58.7% to economic output. In the same year, light manufacturing and agriculture contributed 2.7% and 6.2%, respectively. Manufacturing is limited mainly to food and beverages, furniture and fixtures, construction materials, metal and non-metal products, textiles and clothing. The \"TRNC\" maintains few economic ties with the Republic of Cyprus outside of trade in construction materials. Since its creation, the \"TRNC\" has heavily relied on financial assistance from Turkey, which supports the \"TRNC\" defense, telecommunications, water and postal services. The Turkish Lira is the preferred currency, though foreign currencies are widely accepted in business transactions. The \"TRNC\" remains vulnerable to the Turkish market and monetary policy because of its use of the Turkish Lira. The \"TRNC\" weathered the European financial crisis relatively unscathed - compared to the Republic of Cyprus - because of the lack of financial sector development, the health of the Turkish economy, and its separation from the rest of the island. The \"TRNC\" economy experienced growth estimated at 2.8% in 2013 and 2.3% in 2014 and is projected to grow 3.8% in 2015.; GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.829 billion (2007 est.); GDP - real growth rate: 2.3% (2014 est.); 2.8% (2013 est.); GDP - per capita: $11,700 (2007 est.); GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.2%,; industry: 35.1%,; services: 58.7% (2012 est.); Labor force: 95,030 (2007 est.); Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14.5%,; industry: 29%,; services: 56.5% (2004); Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2005 est.); Population below poverty line: %NA; Inflation rate: 11.4% (2006); Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion,; expenditures: $2.5 billion (2006); Agriculture - products: citrus fruit, dairy, potatoes, grapes, olives, poultry, lamb; Industries: foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, ship repair, clay, gypsum, copper, furniture; Industrial production growth rate: -0.3% (2007 est.); Electricity production: 998.9 million kWh (2005); Electricity consumption: 797.9 million kWh (2005); Exports: $68.1 million, f.o.b. (2007 est.); Export - commodities: citrus, dairy, potatoes, textiles; Export - partners: Turkey 40%; direct trade between the area administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government control remains limited; Imports: $1.2 billion, f.o.b. (2007 est.); Import - commodities: vehicles, fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals, chemicals, machinery; Import - partners: Turkey 60%; direct trade between the area administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government control remains limited; Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: NA; Debt - external: NA; Currency (code): Turkish new lira (YTL); Exchange rates: Turkish new lira per US dollar:; 1.9 (2013); 1.8 (2012); 1.668 (2011); 1.5026 (2010); 1.55 (2009);" + "text": "Economy - overview: Even though the whole of the island is part of the EU, implementation of the EU \"acquis communautaire\" has been suspended in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, known locally as the \"Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus\" (\"TRNC\"), until political conditions permit the reunification of the island. The market-based economy of the \"TRNC\" is roughly one-fifth the size of its southern neighbor and is likewise dominated by the service sector with a large portion of the population employed by the government. In 2012 - the latest year for which data are available - the services sector, which includes the public sector, trade, tourism, and education, contributed 58.7% to economic output. In the same year, light manufacturing and agriculture contributed 2.7% and 6.2%, respectively. Manufacturing is limited mainly to food and beverages, furniture and fixtures, construction materials, metal and non-metal products, textiles and clothing. The \"TRNC\" maintains few economic ties with the Republic of Cyprus outside of trade in construction materials. Since its creation, the \"TRNC\" has heavily relied on financial assistance from Turkey, which supports the \"TRNC\" defense, telecommunications, water and postal services. The Turkish Lira is the preferred currency, though foreign currencies are widely accepted in business transactions. The \"TRNC\" remains vulnerable to the Turkish market and monetary policy because of its use of the Turkish Lira. The \"TRNC\" weathered the European financial crisis relatively unscathed - compared to the Republic of Cyprus - because of the lack of financial sector development, the health of the Turkish economy, and its separation from the rest of the island. The \"TRNC\" economy experienced growth estimated at 2.8% in 2013 and 2.3% in 2014 and is projected to grow 3.8% in 2015.; ++ GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.829 billion (2007 est.); ++ GDP - real growth rate: 2.3% (2014 est.); ++ 2.8% (2013 est.); ++ GDP - per capita: $11,700 (2007 est.); ++ GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.2%,; industry: 35.1%,; services: 58.7% (2012 est.); ++ Labor force: 95,030 (2007 est.); ++ Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 14.5%,; industry: 29%,; services: 56.5% (2004); ++ Unemployment rate: 9.4% (2005 est.); ++ Population below poverty line: %NA; ++ Inflation rate: 11.4% (2006); ++ Budget: revenues: $2.5 billion,; expenditures: $2.5 billion (2006); ++ Agriculture - products: citrus fruit, dairy, potatoes, grapes, olives, poultry, lamb; ++ Industries: foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, ship repair, clay, gypsum, copper, furniture; ++ Industrial production growth rate: -0.3% (2007 est.); ++ Electricity production: 998.9 million kWh (2005); ++ Electricity consumption: 797.9 million kWh (2005); ++ Exports: $68.1 million, f.o.b. (2007 est.); ++ Export - commodities: citrus, dairy, potatoes, textiles; ++ Export - partners: Turkey 40%; direct trade between the area administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government control remains limited; ++ Imports: $1.2 billion, f.o.b. (2007 est.); ++ Import - commodities: vehicles, fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals, chemicals, machinery; ++ Import - partners: Turkey 60%; direct trade between the area administered by Turkish Cypriots and the area under government control remains limited; ++ Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: NA; ++ Debt - external: NA; ++ Currency (code): Turkish new lira (YTL); ++ Exchange rates: Turkish new lira per US dollar:; 1.9 (2013); 1.8 (2012); 1.668 (2011); 1.5026 (2010); 1.55 (2009);" } }, "Energy": { diff --git a/europe/da.json b/europe/da.json index 4ceda9bd..075741c8 100644 --- a/europe/da.json +++ b/europe/da.json @@ -267,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "1.78 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -287,14 +284,11 @@ "text": "2.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -370,7 +364,7 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October; note - applies to continental Denmark only, not to its North Atlantic components" }, "note": { - "text": "etymology: name derives from the city's Danish appellation Kobenhavn, meaning \"Merchant's Harbor\"" + "text": "etymology: name derives from the city's Danish appellation Kobenhavn, meaning \"Merchant's Harbor\" ++" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -450,7 +444,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "The Alternative A or AP (vacant)Conservative People's Party or DKF or C [Soren PAPE POULSEN]Danish People's Party or DF or O [Kristian THULESEN DAHL]Liberal Alliance or LA [Alex VANOPSLAGH]Liberal Party (Venstre) or V [Jakob ELLEMAN-JENSEN]New Right Party or D or NB [Pernille VERMUND]Red-Green Alliance (Unity List) or EL [collective leadership, Pernille SKIPPER, spokesperson]Social Democrats or A or SDP [Mette FREDERIKSEN]Social Liberal Party or B or SLP [Sofie CARSTEN]Socialist People's Party or SF [Pia OLSEN DYHR]" + "text": "The Alternative A or AP (vacant) ++ Conservative People's Party or DKF or C [Soren PAPE POULSEN] ++ Danish People's Party or DF or O [Kristian THULESEN DAHL] ++ Liberal Alliance or LA [Alex VANOPSLAGH] ++ Liberal Party (Venstre) or V [Jakob ELLEMAN-JENSEN] ++ New Right Party or D or NB [Pernille VERMUND] ++ Red-Green Alliance (Unity List) or EL [collective leadership, Pernille SKIPPER, spokesperson] ++ Social Democrats or A or SDP [Mette FREDERIKSEN] ++ Social Liberal Party or B or SLP [Sofie CARSTEN] ++ Socialist People's Party or SF [Pia OLSEN DYHR]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -512,7 +506,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "This thoroughly modern market economy features advanced industry with world-leading firms in pharmaceuticals, maritime shipping, and renewable energy, and a high-tech agricultural sector. Danes enjoy a high standard of living, and the Danish economy is characterized by extensive government welfare measures and an equitable distribution of income. An aging population will be a long-term issue. Denmark’s small open economy is highly dependent on foreign trade, and the government strongly supports trade liberalization. Denmark is a net exporter of food, oil, and gas and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus, but depends on imports of raw materials for the manufacturing sector. Denmark is a member of the EU but not the eurozone. Despite previously meeting the criteria to join the European Economic and Monetary Union, Denmark has negotiated an opt-out with the EU and is not required to adopt the euro. Denmark is experiencing a modest economic expansion. The economy grew by 2.0% in 2016 and 2.1% in 2017. The expansion is expected to decline slightly in 2018. Unemployment stood at 5.5% in 2017, based on the national labor survey. The labor market was tight in 2017, with corporations experiencing some difficulty finding appropriately-skilled workers to fill billets. The Danish Government offers extensive programs to train unemployed persons to work in sectors that need qualified workers. Denmark maintained a healthy budget surplus for many years up to 2008, but the global financial crisis swung the budget balance into deficit. Since 2014 the balance has shifted between surplus and deficit. In 2017 there was a surplus of 1.0%. The government projects a lower deficit in 2018 and 2019 of 0.7%, and public debt (EMU debt) as a share of GDP is expected to decline to 35.6% in 2018 and 34.8% in 2019. The Danish Government plans to address increasing municipal, public housing and integration spending in 2018." + "text": "This thoroughly modern market economy features advanced industry with world-leading firms in pharmaceuticals, maritime shipping, and renewable energy, and a high-tech agricultural sector. Danes enjoy a high standard of living, and the Danish economy is characterized by extensive government welfare measures and an equitable distribution of income. An aging population will be a long-term issue. ++ Denmark's small open economy is highly dependent on foreign trade, and the government strongly supports trade liberalization. Denmark is a net exporter of food, oil, and gas and enjoys a comfortable balance of payments surplus, but depends on imports of raw materials for the manufacturing sector. ++ Denmark is a member of the EU but not the eurozone. Despite previously meeting the criteria to join the European Economic and Monetary Union, Denmark has negotiated an opt-out with the EU and is not required to adopt the euro. ++ Denmark is experiencing a modest economic expansion. The economy grew by 2.0% in 2016 and 2.1% in 2017. The expansion is expected to decline slightly in 2018. Unemployment stood at 5.5% in 2017, based on the national labor survey. The labor market was tight in 2017, with corporations experiencing some difficulty finding appropriately-skilled workers to fill billets. The Danish Government offers extensive programs to train unemployed persons to work in sectors that need qualified workers. ++ Denmark maintained a healthy budget surplus for many years up to 2008, but the global financial crisis swung the budget balance into deficit. Since 2014 the balance has shifted between surplus and deficit. In 2017 there was a surplus of 1.0%. The government projects a lower deficit in 2018 and 2019 of 0.7%, and public debt (EMU debt) as a share of GDP is expected to decline to 35.6% in 2018 and 34.8% in 2019. The Danish Government plans to address increasing municipal, public housing and integration spending in 2018." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$287.8 billion (2017 est.) / $281.4 billion (2016 est.) / $276 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/ee.json b/europe/ee.json index 88492659..c9828fd8 100644 --- a/europe/ee.json +++ b/europe/ee.json @@ -1,10 +1,10 @@ { "Introduction": { "": { - "text": "The evolution of what is today the European Union (EU) from a regional economic agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization of 27 countries across the European continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals of history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the norm in Europe; on a few occasions even country-level unions were arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples. But for such a large number of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching entity is unique. Although the EU is not a federation in the strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such as ASEAN or Mercosur, and it has certain attributes associated with independent nations: its own flag, currency (for some members), and law-making abilities, as well as diplomatic representation and a common foreign and security policy in its dealings with external partners. Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed appropriate as a separate entity in The World Factbook. However, because of the EU's special status, this description is placed after the regular country entries." + "text": "The evolution of what is today the European Union (EU) from a regional economic agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization of 27 countries across the European continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals of history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the norm in Europe; on a few occasions even country-level unions were arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples. But for such a large number of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching entity is unique. ++ Although the EU is not a federation in the strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such as ASEAN or Mercosur, and it has certain attributes associated with independent nations: its own flag, currency (for some members), and law-making abilities, as well as diplomatic representation and a common foreign and security policy in its dealings with external partners. ++ Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed appropriate as a separate entity in The World Factbook. However, because of the EU's special status, this description is placed after the regular country entries." }, "Background": { - "text": "Following the two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century, a number of far-sighted European leaders in the late 1940s sought a response to the overwhelming desire for peace and reconciliation on the continent. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed pooling the production of coal and steel in Western Europe and setting up an organization for that purpose that would bring France and the Federal Republic of Germany together and would be open to other countries as well. The following year, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members - Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands - signed the Treaty of Paris. The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other elements of the countries' economies. In 1957, envisioning an \"ever closer union,\" the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the body known today as the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and have been held every five years since. In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the UK. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU), at the time standing alongside the EC. In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU/EC, raising the membership total to 15. A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all EU member states except Denmark, Sweden, and the UK. In 2002, citizens of those 12 countries began using euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007 and Croatia in 2013, but the UK withdrew in 2020. Current membership stands at 27. (Seven of the new countries - Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia, and Slovenia - have now adopted the euro, bringing total euro-zone membership to 19.) In an effort to ensure that the EU could function efficiently with an expanded membership, the Treaty of Nice (concluded in 2000; entered into force in 2003) set forth rules to streamline the size and procedures of EU institutions. An effort to establish a \"Constitution for Europe,\" growing out of a Convention held in 2002-2003, foundered when it was rejected in referenda in France and the Netherlands in 2005. A subsequent effort in 2007 incorporated many of the features of the rejected draft Constitutional Treaty while also making a number of substantive and symbolic changes. The new treaty, referred to as the Treaty of Lisbon, sought to amend existing treaties rather than replace them. The treaty was approved at the EU intergovernmental conference of the then 27 member states held in Lisbon in December 2007, after which the process of national ratifications began. In October 2009, an Irish referendum approved the Lisbon Treaty (overturning a previous rejection) and cleared the way for an ultimate unanimous endorsement. Poland and the Czech Republic ratified soon after. The Lisbon Treaty came into force on 1 December 2009 and the EU officially replaced and succeeded the EC. The Treaty's provisions are part of the basic consolidated versions of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) now governing what remains a very specific integration project. UK citizens on 23 June 2016 narrowly voted to leave the EU; the formal exit took place on 31 January 2020. The EU and UK have negotiated and ratified a Withdrawal Agreement that includes a status quo transition period through December 2020, which can be extended if both sides agree." + "text": "Following the two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century, a number of far-sighted European leaders in the late 1940s sought a response to the overwhelming desire for peace and reconciliation on the continent. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed pooling the production of coal and steel in Western Europe and setting up an organization for that purpose that would bring France and the Federal Republic of Germany together and would be open to other countries as well. The following year, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members - Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands - signed the Treaty of Paris. ++ The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other elements of the countries' economies. In 1957, envisioning an \"ever closer union,\" the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the body known today as the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and have been held every five years since. ++ In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the UK. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU), at the time standing alongside the EC. In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU/EC, raising the membership total to 15. ++ A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it became the unit of exchange for all EU member states except Denmark, Sweden, and the UK. In 2002, citizens of those 12 countries began using euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Bulgaria and Romania joined in 2007 and Croatia in 2013, but the UK withdrew in 2020. Current membership stands at 27. (Seven of the new countries - Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia, and Slovenia - have now adopted the euro, bringing total euro-zone membership to 19.) ++ In an effort to ensure that the EU could function efficiently with an expanded membership, the Treaty of Nice (concluded in 2000; entered into force in 2003) set forth rules to streamline the size and procedures of EU institutions. An effort to establish a \"Constitution for Europe,\" growing out of a Convention held in 2002-2003, foundered when it was rejected in referenda in France and the Netherlands in 2005. A subsequent effort in 2007 incorporated many of the features of the rejected draft Constitutional Treaty while also making a number of substantive and symbolic changes. The new treaty, referred to as the Treaty of Lisbon, sought to amend existing treaties rather than replace them. The treaty was approved at the EU intergovernmental conference of the then 27 member states held in Lisbon in December 2007, after which the process of national ratifications began. In October 2009, an Irish referendum approved the Lisbon Treaty (overturning a previous rejection) and cleared the way for an ultimate unanimous endorsement. Poland and the Czech Republic ratified soon after. The Lisbon Treaty came into force on 1 December 2009 and the EU officially replaced and succeeded the EC. The Treaty's provisions are part of the basic consolidated versions of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) now governing what remains a very specific integration project. ++ UK citizens on 23 June 2016 narrowly voted to leave the EU; the formal exit took place on 31 January 2020. The EU and UK have negotiated and ratified a Withdrawal Agreement that includes a status quo transition period through December 2020, which can be extended if both sides agree." } }, "Geography": { @@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ "text": "4,236,351 sq km" }, "note": { - "text": "rank by area (sq km):1. France (includes five overseas regions) 643,801 2. Spain 505,370 3. Sweden 450,295 4. Germany 357,022 5. Finland 338,145 6. Poland 312,685 7. Italy 301,3408. Romania 238,391 9. Greece 131,957 10. Bulgaria 110,879 11. Hungary 93,028 12. Portugal 92,090 13. Austria 83,871 14. Czechia 78,867 15. Ireland 70,273 16. Lithuania 65,300 17. Latvia 64,589 18. Croatia 56,594 19. Slovakia 49,035 20. Estonia 45,228 21. Denmark 43,094 22. Netherlands 41,543 23. Belgium 30,528 24. Slovenia 20,273 25. Cyprus 9,251 26. Luxembourg 2,586 27. Malta 316" + "text": "rank by area (sq km): ++ 1. France (includes five overseas regions) 643,801 ++ 2. Spain 505,370 ++ 3. Sweden 450,295 ++ 4. Germany 357,022 ++ 5. Finland 338,145 ++ 6. Poland 312,685 ++ 7. Italy 301,340 ++ 8. Romania 238,391 ++ 9. Greece 131,957 ++ 10. Bulgaria 110,879 ++ 11. Hungary 93,028 ++ 12. Portugal 92,090 ++ 13. Austria 83,871 ++ 14. Czechia 78,867 ++ 15. Ireland 70,273 ++ 16. Lithuania 65,300 ++ 17. Latvia 64,589 ++ 18. Croatia 56,594 ++ 19. Slovakia 49,035 ++ 20. Estonia 45,228 ++ 21. Denmark 43,094 ++ 22. Netherlands 41,543 ++ 23. Belgium 30,528 ++ 24. Slovenia 20,273 ++ 25. Cyprus 9,251 ++ 26. Luxembourg 2,586 ++ 27. Malta 316" } }, "Area - comparative": { @@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ }, "Major infectious diseases": { "note": { - "text": "note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring regionally; the US Department of Homeland Security has issued instructions requiring US passengers who have been in the European Union’s Schengen Area (comprised of the following 26 European states: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland) to travel through select airports where the US Government has implemented enhanced screening procedures" + "text": "note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring regionally; the US Department of Homeland Security has issued instructions requiring US passengers who have been in the European Union's Schengen Area (comprised of the following 26 European states: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland) to travel through select airports where the US Government has implemented enhanced screening procedures" } }, "Education expenditures": { @@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ }, "Government": { "": { - "text": "27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden; note - candidate countries: Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey there are 13 overseas countries and territories (OCTs) (1 with Denmark [Greenland], 6 with France [French Polynesia; French Southern and Antarctic Lands; New Caledonia; Saint Barthelemy; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; Wallis and Futuna], and 6 with the Netherlands [Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten]), all are part of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA)", + "text": "27 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden; note - candidate countries: Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey ++ there are 13 overseas countries and territories (OCTs) (1 with Denmark [Greenland], 6 with France [French Polynesia; French Southern and Antarctic Lands; New Caledonia; Saint Barthelemy; Saint Pierre and Miquelon; Wallis and Futuna], and 6 with the Netherlands [Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten]), all are part of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA)", "note": { "text": "note: there are non-European OCTs having special relations with Denmark, France, and the Netherlands (list is annexed to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union), that are associated with the EU to promote their economic and social development; member states apply to their trade with OCTs the same treatment as they accord each other pursuant to the treaties; OCT nationals are in principle EU citizens, but these countries are neither part of the EU, nor subject to the EU" } @@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ "text": "none; note - the EU legal order relies primarily on two consolidated texts encompassing all provisions as amended from a series of past treaties: the Treaty on European Union (TEU), as modified by the 2009 Lisbon Treaty states in Article 1 that \"the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES establish among themselves a EUROPEAN UNION ... on which the Member States confer competences to attain objectives they have in common\"; Article 1 of the TEU states further that the EU is \"founded on the present Treaty and on the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (hereinafter referred to as 'the Treaties'),\" both possessing the same legal value; Article 6 of the TEU provides that a separately adopted Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union \"shall have the same legal value as the Treaties\"" }, "amendments": { - "text": "European Union treaties can be amended in several ways: 1) Ordinary Revision Procedure (for key amendments to the treaties); initiated by an EU country’s government, by the European Parliament, or by the European Commission; following adoption of the proposal by the European Council, a convention is formed of national government representatives to review the proposal and subsequently a conference of government representatives also reviews the proposal; passage requires ratification by all EU countries; 2) Simplified Revision Procedure (for amendment of EU internal policies and actions); passage of a proposal requires unanimous European Council vote following European Council consultation with the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Central Bank (if the amendment concerns monetary matters) and requires ratification by all EU countries; 3) Passerelle Clause (allows the alteration of a legislative procedure without a formal amendment of the treaties); 4) Flexibility Clause (permits the EU to decide in subject areas where EU competences have not been explicitly granted in the Treaties but are necessary to the attainment of the objectives set out in the Treaty); note - the Treaty of Lisbon (signed in December 2007 and effective in December 2009) amended the two treaties that formed the EU - the Maastricht Treaty (1993) and the Treaty of Rome (1958), known in updated form as the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union" + "text": "European Union treaties can be amended in several ways: 1) Ordinary Revision Procedure (for key amendments to the treaties); initiated by an EU country's government, by the European Parliament, or by the European Commission; following adoption of the proposal by the European Council, a convention is formed of national government representatives to review the proposal and subsequently a conference of government representatives also reviews the proposal; passage requires ratification by all EU countries; 2) Simplified Revision Procedure (for amendment of EU internal policies and actions); passage of a proposal requires unanimous European Council vote following European Council consultation with the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Central Bank (if the amendment concerns monetary matters) and requires ratification by all EU countries; 3) Passerelle Clause (allows the alteration of a legislative procedure without a formal amendment of the treaties); 4) Flexibility Clause (permits the EU to decide in subject areas where EU competences have not been explicitly granted in the Treaties but are necessary to the attainment of the objectives set out in the Treaty); note - the Treaty of Lisbon (signed in December 2007 and effective in December 2009) amended the two treaties that formed the EU - the Maastricht Treaty (1993) and the Treaty of Rome (1958), known in updated form as the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -264,9 +264,9 @@ "text": "18 years of age (16 years in Austria); universal; voting for the European Parliament is permitted in each member state" }, "Executive branch": { - "text": "under the EU treaties there are three distinct institutions, each of which conducts functions that may be regarded as executive in nature:European Council - brings together heads of state and government, along with the president of the European Commission, and meets at least four times a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the development of the Union and to issue general policy guidelines; the Treaty of Lisbon established the position of \"permanent\" (full-time) president of the European Council; leaders of the EU member states appoint the president for a 2 1/2 year term, renewable once; the president's responsibilities include chairing the EU summits and providing policy and organizational continuity; the current president is Donald TUSK (Poland), since 1 December 2014, succeeding Herman VAN ROMPUY (Belgian; 2009-14)Council of the European Commission - consists of ministers of each EU member state and meets regularly in 10 different configurations depending on the subject matter; it conducts policymaking and coordinating functions as well as legislative functions; ministers of EU member states chair meetings of the Council of the EU based on a 6-month rotating presidency except for the meetings of EU Foreign Ministers in the Foreign Affairs Council that are chaired by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security PolicyEuropean Commission - headed by a College of Commissioners comprised of 28 members (one from each member country) including the president; each commissioner is responsible for one or more policy areas; the Commission's main responsibilities include the sole right to initiate EU legislation (except for foreign and security/defense policy), promoting the general interest of the EU, acting as \"guardian of the Treaties\" by monitoring the application of EU law, implementing/executing the EU budget, managing programs, negotiating on the EU's behalf in core policy areas such as trade, and ensuring the Union's external representation in some policy areas; its current president is Jean-Claude JUNCKER (Luxembourg) elected on 15 July 2014 (took office on 1 November 2014); the president of the European Commission is nominated by the European Council and formally \"elected\" by the European Parliament; the Commission president allocates specific responsibilities among the members of the College (appointed by common accord of the member state governments in consultation with the president-elect); the European Parliament confirms the entire Commission for a 5-year term; President JUNCKER reorganized the structure of the College around clusters or project teams coordinated by 7 vice presidents in line with the current Commission's main political priorities and appointed Frans TIMMERMANS (Netherlands) to act as his first vice president; the confirmation process for the next Commission expected be held in the fall of 2019", + "text": "under the EU treaties there are three distinct institutions, each of which conducts functions that may be regarded as executive in nature: European Council - brings together heads of state and government, along with the president of the European Commission, and meets at least four times a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the development of the Union and to issue general policy guidelines; the Treaty of Lisbon established the position of \"permanent\" (full-time) president of the European Council; leaders of the EU member states appoint the president for a 2 1/2 year term, renewable once; the president's responsibilities include chairing the EU summits and providing policy and organizational continuity; the current president is Donald TUSK (Poland), since 1 December 2014, succeeding Herman VAN ROMPUY (Belgian; 2009-14) ++ Council of the European Commission - consists of ministers of each EU member state and meets regularly in 10 different configurations depending on the subject matter; it conducts policymaking and coordinating functions as well as legislative functions; ministers of EU member states chair meetings of the Council of the EU based on a 6-month rotating presidency except for the meetings of EU Foreign Ministers in the Foreign Affairs Council that are chaired by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy ++ European Commission - headed by a College of Commissioners comprised of 28 members (one from each member country) including the president; each commissioner is responsible for one or more policy areas; the Commission's main responsibilities include the sole right to initiate EU legislation (except for foreign and security/defense policy), promoting the general interest of the EU, acting as \"guardian of the Treaties\" by monitoring the application of EU law, implementing/executing the EU budget, managing programs, negotiating on the EU's behalf in core policy areas such as trade, and ensuring the Union's external representation in some policy areas; its current president is Jean-Claude JUNCKER (Luxembourg) elected on 15 July 2014 (took office on 1 November 2014); the president of the European Commission is nominated by the European Council and formally \"elected\" by the European Parliament; the Commission president allocates specific responsibilities among the members of the College (appointed by common accord of the member state governments in consultation with the president-elect); the European Parliament confirms the entire Commission for a 5-year term; President JUNCKER reorganized the structure of the College around clusters or project teams coordinated by 7 vice presidents in line with the current Commission's main political priorities and appointed Frans TIMMERMANS (Netherlands) to act as his first vice president; the confirmation process for the next Commission expected be held in the fall of 2019 ++ ++", "note": { - "text": "note: for external representation and foreign policy making, leaders of the EU member states appointed Federica MOGHERINI (Italy) as the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; MOGHERINI took office on 1 November 2014, succeeding Catherine ASHTON (UK) (2009-14); the High Representative's concurrent appointment as Vice President of the European Commission was meant to bring more coherence to the EU’s foreign policy (horizontally, between policies managed by the Commission that are particularly relevant for EU external relations, such as trade, humanitarian aid and crisis management, neighborhood policy and enlargement; and vertically, between national capitals and the EU); the High Representative helps develop and implement the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defense Policy components, chairs the Foreign Affairs Council, represents and acts for the Union in many international contexts, and oversees the European External Action Service, the diplomatic corps of the EU, established on 1 December 2010" + "text": "note: for external representation and foreign policy making, leaders of the EU member states appointed Federica MOGHERINI (Italy) as the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; MOGHERINI took office on 1 November 2014, succeeding Catherine ASHTON (UK) (2009-14); the High Representative's concurrent appointment as Vice President of the European Commission was meant to bring more coherence to the EU's foreign policy (horizontally, between policies managed by the Commission that are particularly relevant for EU external relations, such as trade, humanitarian aid and crisis management, neighborhood policy and enlargement; and vertically, between national capitals and the EU); the High Representative helps develop and implement the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defense Policy components, chairs the Foreign Affairs Council, represents and acts for the Union in many international contexts, and oversees the European External Action Service, the diplomatic corps of the EU, established on 1 December 2010" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE [Guy VERHOFSTADT]European United Left-Nordic Green Left or GUE/NGL [Gabriele ZIMMER]Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy or EFDD [Nigel FARAGE]Europe of Nations and Freedom or ENF or ENL [Nicolas BAY and Marcel DE GRAAFF]European Conservatives and Reformists or ECR [Syed KAMALL and Ryszard LEGUTKO]European Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA [Ska KELLER, Philippe LAMBERTS]European People's Party or EPP [Manfred WEBER]Identity and Democracy Party [Marco ZANNI]Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats or S&D [Udo BULLMANN]" + "text": "Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE [Guy VERHOFSTADT] ++ European United Left-Nordic Green Left or GUE/NGL [Gabriele ZIMMER] ++ Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy or EFDD [Nigel FARAGE] ++ Europe of Nations and Freedom or ENF or ENL [Nicolas BAY and Marcel DE GRAAFF] ++ European Conservatives and Reformists or ECR [Syed KAMALL and Ryszard LEGUTKO] ++ European Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA [Ska KELLER, Philippe LAMBERTS] ++ European People's Party or EPP [Manfred WEBER] ++ Identity and Democracy Party [Marco ZANNI] ++ Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats or S&D [Udo BULLMANN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ARF, ASEAN (dialogue member), Australian Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CERN, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-8, G-10, G-20, IDA, IEA, IGAD (partners), LAIA (observer), NSG (observer), OAS (observer), OECD, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), UN (observer), UNRWA (observer), WCO, WTO, ZC (observer)" @@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The 27 member states that make up the EU have adopted an internal single market with free movement of goods, services, capital, and labor. The EU, which is also a customs union, aims to bolster Europe's trade position and its political and economic weight in international affairs.   Despite great differences in per capita income among member states (from $28,000 to $109,000) and in national attitudes toward issues like inflation, debt, and foreign trade, the EU has achieved a high degree of coordination of monetary and fiscal policies. A common currency – the euro – circulates among 19 of the member states that make up the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Eleven member states introduced the euro as their common currency on 1 January 1999 (Greece did so two years later). Since 2004, 13 states acceded to the EU. Of the 13, Slovenia (2007), Cyprus and Malta (2008), Slovakia (2009), Estonia (2011), Latvia (2014), and Lithuania (2015) have adopted the euro; seven other member states - excluding Denmark, which has a formal opt-out - are required by EU treaties to adopt the common currency upon meeting fiscal and monetary convergence criteria.   The EU economy posted moderate GDP growth for 2014 through 2017, capping five years of sustained growth since the 2008-09 global economic crisis and the ensuing sovereign debt crisis in the euro zone in 2011. However, the bloc’s recovery was uneven. Some EU member states (Czechia, Ireland, Malta, Romania, Sweden, and Spain) recorded strong growth, others (Italy) experienced modest expansion, and Greece finally ended its EU rescue program in August 2018. Overall, the EU’s recovery was buoyed by lower commodities prices and accommodative monetary policy, which lowered interest rates and stimulated demand. The euro zone, which makes up about 70% of the total EU economy, performed well, achieving a growth rate not seen in a decade. In October 2017 the European Central Bank (ECB) announced it would extend its bond-buying program through September 2018, and possibly beyond that date, to keep the euro zone recovery on track. The ECB’s efforts to spur more lending and investment through its asset-buying program, negative interest rates, and long-term loan refinancing programs have not yet raised inflation in line with the ECB’s statutory target of just under 2%.   Despite its performance, high unemployment in some member states, high levels of public and private debt, muted productivity, an incomplete single market in services, and an aging population remain sources of potential drag on the EU’s future growth. Moreover, the EU economy remains vulnerable to a slowdown of global trade and bouts of political and financial turmoil. In June 2016, the UK voted to withdraw from the EU, the first member country ever to attempt to secede. Continued uncertainty about the implications of the UK’s exit from the EU (concluded January 2020) could hurt consumer and investor confidence and dampen EU growth, particularly if trade and cross-border investment significantly declines. Political disagreements between EU member states on reforms to fiscal and economic policy also may impair the EU’s ability to bolster its crisis-prevention and resolution mechanisms. International investors’ fears of a broad dissolution of the single currency area have largely dissipated, but these concerns could resurface if elected leaders implement policies that contravene euro-zone budget or banking rules. State interventions in ailing banks, including rescue of banks in Italy and resolution of banks in Spain, have eased financial vulnerabilities in the European banking sector even though some banks are struggling with low profitability and a large stock of bad loans, fragilities that could precipitate localized crises. Externally, the EU has continued to pursue comprehensive free trade agreements to expand EU external market share, particularly with Asian countries; EU and Japanese leaders reached a political-level agreement on a free trade agreement in July 2017, and agreement with Mexico in April 2018 on updates to an existing free trade agreement." + "text": "The 27 member states that make up the EU have adopted an internal single market with free movement of goods, services, capital, and labor. The EU, which is also a customs union, aims to bolster Europe's trade position and its political and economic weight in international affairs. ++   ++ Despite great differences in per capita income among member states (from $28,000 to $109,000) and in national attitudes toward issues like inflation, debt, and foreign trade, the EU has achieved a high degree of coordination of monetary and fiscal policies. A common currency – the euro – circulates among 19 of the member states that make up the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Eleven member states introduced the euro as their common currency on 1 January 1999 (Greece did so two years later). Since 2004, 13 states acceded to the EU. Of the 13, Slovenia (2007), Cyprus and Malta (2008), Slovakia (2009), Estonia (2011), Latvia (2014), and Lithuania (2015) have adopted the euro; seven other member states - excluding Denmark, which has a formal opt-out - are required by EU treaties to adopt the common currency upon meeting fiscal and monetary convergence criteria. ++   ++ The EU economy posted moderate GDP growth for 2014 through 2017, capping five years of sustained growth since the 2008-09 global economic crisis and the ensuing sovereign debt crisis in the euro zone in 2011. However, the bloc's recovery was uneven. Some EU member states (Czechia, Ireland, Malta, Romania, Sweden, and Spain) recorded strong growth, others (Italy) experienced modest expansion, and Greece finally ended its EU rescue program in August 2018. Overall, the EU's recovery was buoyed by lower commodities prices and accommodative monetary policy, which lowered interest rates and stimulated demand. The euro zone, which makes up about 70% of the total EU economy, performed well, achieving a growth rate not seen in a decade. In October 2017 the European Central Bank (ECB) announced it would extend its bond-buying program through September 2018, and possibly beyond that date, to keep the euro zone recovery on track. The ECB's efforts to spur more lending and investment through its asset-buying program, negative interest rates, and long-term loan refinancing programs have not yet raised inflation in line with the ECB's statutory target of just under 2%. ++   ++ Despite its performance, high unemployment in some member states, high levels of public and private debt, muted productivity, an incomplete single market in services, and an aging population remain sources of potential drag on the EU's future growth. Moreover, the EU economy remains vulnerable to a slowdown of global trade and bouts of political and financial turmoil. In June 2016, the UK voted to withdraw from the EU, the first member country ever to attempt to secede. Continued uncertainty about the implications of the UK's exit from the EU (concluded January 2020) could hurt consumer and investor confidence and dampen EU growth, particularly if trade and cross-border investment significantly declines. Political disagreements between EU member states on reforms to fiscal and economic policy also may impair the EU's ability to bolster its crisis-prevention and resolution mechanisms. International investors' fears of a broad dissolution of the single currency area have largely dissipated, but these concerns could resurface if elected leaders implement policies that contravene euro-zone budget or banking rules. State interventions in ailing banks, including rescue of banks in Italy and resolution of banks in Spain, have eased financial vulnerabilities in the European banking sector even though some banks are struggling with low profitability and a large stock of bad loans, fragilities that could precipitate localized crises. Externally, the EU has continued to pursue comprehensive free trade agreements to expand EU external market share, particularly with Asian countries; EU and Japanese leaders reached a political-level agreement on a free trade agreement in July 2017, and agreement with Mexico in April 2018 on updates to an existing free trade agreement." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$20.85 trillion (2017 est.) / $20.38 trillion (2016 est.) / $19.98 trillion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/ei.json b/europe/ei.json index 2099cdab..8cea33a2 100644 --- a/europe/ei.json +++ b/europe/ei.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600 and 150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. Norman invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. The Irish famine of the mid-19th century was responsible for a drop in the island's population by more than one quarter through starvation, disease, and emigration. For more than a century afterward, the population of the island continued to fall only to begin growing again in the 1960s. Over the last 50 years, Ireland's high birthrate has made it demographically one of the youngest populations in the EU.\nThe modern Irish state traces its origins to the failed 1916 Easter Monday Uprising that touched off several years of guerrilla warfare resulting in independence from the UK in 1921 for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. Deep sectarian divides between the Catholic and Protestant populations and systemic discrimination in Northern Ireland erupted into years of violence known as the \"Troubles\" that began in the 1960s. The Government of Ireland was part of a process along with the UK and US Governments that helped broker the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland in 1998. This initiated a new phase of cooperation between the Irish and British Governments. Ireland was neutral in World War II and continues its policy of military neutrality. Ireland joined the European Community in 1973 and the euro-zone currency union in 1999. The economic boom years of the Celtic Tiger (1995-2007) saw rapid economic growth, which came to an abrupt end in 2008 with the meltdown of the Irish banking system. Today the economy is recovering, fueled by large and growing foreign direct investment, especially from US multi-nationals." + "text": "Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600 and 150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. Norman invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. The Irish famine of the mid-19th century was responsible for a drop in the island's population by more than one quarter through starvation, disease, and emigration. For more than a century afterward, the population of the island continued to fall only to begin growing again in the 1960s. Over the last 50 years, Ireland's high birthrate has made it demographically one of the youngest populations in the EU. ++ The modern Irish state traces its origins to the failed 1916 Easter Monday Uprising that touched off several years of guerrilla warfare resulting in independence from the UK in 1921 for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. Deep sectarian divides between the Catholic and Protestant populations and systemic discrimination in Northern Ireland erupted into years of violence known as the \"Troubles\" that began in the 1960s. The Government of Ireland was part of a process along with the UK and US Governments that helped broker the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland in 1998. This initiated a new phase of cooperation between the Irish and British Governments. Ireland was neutral in World War II and continues its policy of military neutrality. Ireland joined the European Community in 1973 and the euro-zone currency union in 1999. The economic boom years of the Celtic Tiger (1995-2007) saw rapid economic growth, which came to an abrupt end in 2008 with the meltdown of the Irish banking system. Today the economy is recovering, fueled by large and growing foreign direct investment, especially from US multi-nationals." } }, "Geography": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97% of population / rural: 98.1% of population / total: 97.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3% of population / rural: 1.9% of population / total: 2.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.7% of population / rural: 99% of population / total: 98.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.3% of population / rural: 1% of population / total: 1.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -420,13 +414,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of:Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats; 43 members indirectly elected from 5 vocational panels of nominees by an electoral college consisting of members from the House of Representatives, outgoing Senate members, and city and county council members, 11 appointed by the prime minister, and 6 elected by 2 university constituencies - 3 each from the University of Dublin (Trinity College) and the National University of Ireland) House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (158 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; all Parliament members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of: Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats; 43 members indirectly elected from 5 vocational panels of nominees by an electoral college consisting of members from the House of Representatives, outgoing Senate members, and city and county council members, 11 appointed by the prime minister, and 6 elected by 2 university constituencies - 3 each from the University of Dublin (Trinity College) and the National University of Ireland) ++ House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (158 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; all Parliament members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held in April and May 2016 (next to be held no later than 2021) House of Representatives - last held on 8 February 2020 (next to be held no later than 2025)" + "text": "Senate - last held in April and May 2016 (next to be held no later than 2021) ++ House of Representatives - last held on 8 February 2020 (next to be held no later than 2025)" }, "election results": { - "text": "  Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fine Gael 19, Fianna Fail 14, Sinn Fein 7, Labor Party 5, Green Party 1, independent 14; composition - men 42, women 18, percent of women 30%   House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Sinn Fein 23%, Fianna Fail 23%, Fine Gael 22%, Green Party 8%, Labor Party 4%, Social Democrats 4%, AAA-PBD 3%, Aontu 0.6%, Independents for Change 0.6%, Ceann Comhairle 0.6%, Independents 12%; seats by party - Sinn Fein 37, Fianna Fail 37, Fine Gael 35, Green Party 12, Labor Party 6, Social Democrats 6, AAA-PBD 5, Aontu l, Independents for Change 1, Ceann Comhairle 1, Independents 19; composition - men 123, women 35, percent of women 22.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 24.3%" + "text": "  ++ Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fine Gael 19, Fianna Fail 14, Sinn Fein 7, Labor Party 5, Green Party 1, independent 14; composition - men 42, women 18, percent of women 30%   ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Sinn Fein 23%, Fianna Fail 23%, Fine Gael 22%, Green Party 8%, Labor Party 4%, Social Democrats 4%, AAA-PBD 3%, Aontu 0.6%, Independents for Change 0.6%, Ceann Comhairle 0.6%, Independents 12%; seats by party - Sinn Fein 37, Fianna Fail 37, Fine Gael 35, Green Party 12, Labor Party 6, Social Democrats 6, AAA-PBD 5, Aontu l, Independents for Change 1, Ceann Comhairle 1, Independents 19; composition - men 123, women 35, percent of women 22.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 24.3%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -441,7 +435,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Solidarity-People Before Profit or AAAS-PBP [collective leadership]Fianna Fail [Micheal MARTIN]Fine Gael [Leo VARADKAR]Green Party [Eamon RYAN]Labor (Labour) Party (vacant)Renua Ireland (vacant)Sinn Fein [Mary Lou MCDONALD]Social Democrats [Catherine MURPHY, Roisin SHORTALL]Socialist Party [collective leadership]The Workers' Party [Michael DONNELLY]" + "text": "Solidarity-People Before Profit or AAAS-PBP [collective leadership] ++ Fianna Fail [Micheal MARTIN] ++ Fine Gael [Leo VARADKAR] ++ Green Party [Eamon RYAN] ++ Labor (Labour) Party (vacant) ++ Renua Ireland (vacant) ++ Sinn Fein [Mary Lou MCDONALD] ++ Social Democrats [Catherine MURPHY, Roisin SHORTALL] ++ Socialist Party [collective leadership] ++ The Workers' Party [Michael DONNELLY]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -503,7 +497,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy. It was among the initial group of 12 EU nations that began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002. GDP growth averaged 6% in 1995-2007, but economic activity dropped sharply during the world financial crisis and the subsequent collapse of its domestic property market and construction industry during 2008-11. Faced with sharply reduced revenues and a burgeoning budget deficit from efforts to stabilize its fragile banking sector, the Irish Government introduced the first in a series of draconian budgets in 2009. These measures were not sufficient to stabilize Ireland’s public finances. In 2010, the budget deficit reached 32.4% of GDP - the world's largest deficit, as a percentage of GDP. In late 2010, the former COWEN government agreed to a $92 billion loan package from the EU and IMF to help Dublin recapitalize Ireland’s banking sector and avoid defaulting on its sovereign debt. In March 2011, the KENNY government intensified austerity measures to meet the deficit targets under Ireland's EU-IMF bailout program. In late 2013, Ireland formally exited its EU-IMF bailout program, benefiting from its strict adherence to deficit-reduction targets and success in refinancing a large amount of banking-related debt. In 2014, the economy rapidly picked up. In late 2014, the government introduced a fiscally neutral budget, marking the end of the austerity program. Continued growth of tax receipts has allowed the government to lower some taxes and increase public spending while keeping to its deficit-reduction targets. In 2015, GDP growth exceeded 26%. The magnitude of the increase reflected one-off statistical revisions, multinational corporate restructurings in intellectual property, and the aircraft leasing sector, rather than real gains in the domestic economy, which was still growing. Growth moderated to around 4.1% in 2017, but the recovering economy assisted lowering the deficit to 0.6% of GDP. In the wake of the collapse of the construction sector and the downturn in consumer spending and business investment during the 2008-11 economic crisis, the export sector, dominated by foreign multinationals, has become an even more important component of Ireland's economy. Ireland’s low corporation tax of 12.5% and a talented pool of high-tech laborers have been some of the key factors in encouraging business investment. Loose tax residency requirements made Ireland a common destination for international firms seeking to pay less tax or, in the case of U.S. multinationals, defer taxation owed to the United States. In 2014, amid growing international pressure, the Irish government announced it would phase in more stringent tax laws, effectively closing a commonly used loophole. The Irish economy continued to grow in 2017 and is forecast to do so through 2019, supported by a strong export sector, robust job growth, and low inflation, to the point that the Government must now address concerns about overheating and potential loss of competitiveness. The greatest risks to the economy are the UK’s scheduled departure from the European Union (\"Brexit\") in March 2019, possible changes to international taxation policies that could affect Ireland’s revenues, and global trade pressures." + "text": "Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy. It was among the initial group of 12 EU nations that began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002. GDP growth averaged 6% in 1995-2007, but economic activity dropped sharply during the world financial crisis and the subsequent collapse of its domestic property market and construction industry during 2008-11. Faced with sharply reduced revenues and a burgeoning budget deficit from efforts to stabilize its fragile banking sector, the Irish Government introduced the first in a series of draconian budgets in 2009. These measures were not sufficient to stabilize Ireland's public finances. In 2010, the budget deficit reached 32.4% of GDP - the world's largest deficit, as a percentage of GDP. In late 2010, the former COWEN government agreed to a $92 billion loan package from the EU and IMF to help Dublin recapitalize Ireland's banking sector and avoid defaulting on its sovereign debt. In March 2011, the KENNY government intensified austerity measures to meet the deficit targets under Ireland's EU-IMF bailout program. ++ In late 2013, Ireland formally exited its EU-IMF bailout program, benefiting from its strict adherence to deficit-reduction targets and success in refinancing a large amount of banking-related debt. In 2014, the economy rapidly picked up. In late 2014, the government introduced a fiscally neutral budget, marking the end of the austerity program. Continued growth of tax receipts has allowed the government to lower some taxes and increase public spending while keeping to its deficit-reduction targets. In 2015, GDP growth exceeded 26%. The magnitude of the increase reflected one-off statistical revisions, multinational corporate restructurings in intellectual property, and the aircraft leasing sector, rather than real gains in the domestic economy, which was still growing. Growth moderated to around 4.1% in 2017, but the recovering economy assisted lowering the deficit to 0.6% of GDP. ++ In the wake of the collapse of the construction sector and the downturn in consumer spending and business investment during the 2008-11 economic crisis, the export sector, dominated by foreign multinationals, has become an even more important component of Ireland's economy. Ireland's low corporation tax of 12.5% and a talented pool of high-tech laborers have been some of the key factors in encouraging business investment. Loose tax residency requirements made Ireland a common destination for international firms seeking to pay less tax or, in the case of U.S. multinationals, defer taxation owed to the United States. In 2014, amid growing international pressure, the Irish government announced it would phase in more stringent tax laws, effectively closing a commonly used loophole. The Irish economy continued to grow in 2017 and is forecast to do so through 2019, supported by a strong export sector, robust job growth, and low inflation, to the point that the Government must now address concerns about overheating and potential loss of competitiveness. The greatest risks to the economy are the UK's scheduled departure from the European Union (\"Brexit\") in March 2019, possible changes to international taxation policies that could affect Ireland's revenues, and global trade pressures." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$353.3 billion (2017 est.) / $329.5 billion (2016 est.) / $314.1 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/en.json b/europe/en.json index 9c95603b..e7149a11 100644 --- a/europe/en.json +++ b/europe/en.json @@ -252,14 +252,11 @@ "text": "1.61 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "4.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -384,7 +378,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "15 urban municipalities (linnad, singular - linn), 64 rural municipalities (vallad, singular vald) urban municipalities: Haapsalu, Keila, Kohtla-Jarve, Loksa, Maardu, Narva, Narva-Joesuu, Paide, Parnu, Rakvere, Sillamae, Tallinn, Tartu, Viljandi, Vorurural municipalities: Alutaguse, Anija, Antsla, Elva, Haademeeste, Haljala, Harku, Hiiumaa, Jarva, Joelahtme, Jogeva, Johvi, Kadrina, Kambja, Kanepi, Kastre, Kehtna, Kihnu, Kiili, Kohila, Kose, Kuusalu, Laane-Harju, Laane-Nigula, Laaneranna, Luganuse, Luunja, Marjamaa, Muhu, Mulgi, Mustvee, Noo, Otepaa, Peipsiaare, Pohja-Parnumaa, Pohja-Sakala, Poltsamaa, Polva, Raasiku, Rae, Rakvere, Räpina, Rapla, Rouge, Ruhnu, Saarde, Saaremaa, Saku, Saue, Setomaa, Tapa, Tartu, Toila, Tori, Torva, Turi, Vaike-Maarja, Valga, Viimsi, Viljandi, Vinni, Viru-Nigula, Vormsi, Voru" + "text": "15 urban municipalities (linnad, singular - linn), 64 rural municipalities (vallad, singular vald) ++ urban municipalities: Haapsalu, Keila, Kohtla-Jarve, Loksa, Maardu, Narva, Narva-Joesuu, Paide, Parnu, Rakvere, Sillamae, Tallinn, Tartu, Viljandi, Voru ++ rural municipalities: Alutaguse, Anija, Antsla, Elva, Haademeeste, Haljala, Harku, Hiiumaa, Jarva, Joelahtme, Jogeva, Johvi, Kadrina, Kambja, Kanepi, Kastre, Kehtna, Kihnu, Kiili, Kohila, Kose, Kuusalu, Laane-Harju, Laane-Nigula, Laaneranna, Luganuse, Luunja, Marjamaa, Muhu, Mulgi, Mustvee, Noo, Otepaa, Peipsiaare, Pohja-Parnumaa, Pohja-Sakala, Poltsamaa, Polva, Raasiku, Rae, Rakvere, Räpina, Rapla, Rouge, Ruhnu, Saarde, Saaremaa, Saku, Saue, Setomaa, Tapa, Tartu, Toila, Tori, Torva, Turi, Vaike-Maarja, Valga, Viimsi, Viljandi, Vinni, Viru-Nigula, Vormsi, Voru" }, "Independence": { "text": "24 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 20 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)" @@ -463,7 +457,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) or K [Juri RATAS]Estonia 200 [Kristina KALLAS]Estonian Conservative People's Party (Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond) or EKRE [Mart HELME]Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) or RE [Kaja KALLAS]Free Party or EV [Andres HERKEL]Pro Patria (Isamaa) [Helir-Valdor SEEDER]Social Democratic Party or SDE [Jevgeni OSSINOVSKI]" + "text": "Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) or K [Juri RATAS] ++ Estonia 200 [Kristina KALLAS] ++ Estonian Conservative People's Party (Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond) or EKRE [Mart HELME] ++ Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) or RE [Kaja KALLAS] ++ Free Party or EV [Andres HERKEL] ++ Pro Patria (Isamaa) [Helir-Valdor SEEDER] ++ Social Democratic Party or SDE [Jevgeni OSSINOVSKI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -522,7 +516,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Estonia, a member of the EU since 2004 and the euro zone since 2011, has a modern market-based economy and one of the higher per capita income levels in Central Europe and the Baltic region, but its economy is highly dependent on trade, leaving it vulnerable to external shocks. Estonia's successive governments have pursued a free market, pro-business economic agenda, and sound fiscal policies that have resulted in balanced budgets and the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the EU. The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and strong trade ties with Finland, Sweden, Germany, and Russia. The economy’s 4.9% GDP growth in 2017 was the fastest in the past six years, leaving the Estonian economy in its best position since the financial crisis 10 years ago. For the first time in many years, labor productivity increased faster than labor costs in 2017. Inflation also rose in 2017 to 3.5% alongside increased global prices for food and energy, which make up a large share of Estonia’s consumption. Estonia is challenged by a shortage of labor, both skilled and unskilled, although the government has amended its immigration law to allow easier hiring of highly qualified foreign workers, and wage growth that outpaces productivity gains. The government is also pursuing efforts to boost productivity growth with a focus on innovations that emphasize technology start-ups and e-commerce." + "text": "Estonia, a member of the EU since 2004 and the euro zone since 2011, has a modern market-based economy and one of the higher per capita income levels in Central Europe and the Baltic region, but its economy is highly dependent on trade, leaving it vulnerable to external shocks. Estonia's successive governments have pursued a free market, pro-business economic agenda, and sound fiscal policies that have resulted in balanced budgets and the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the EU. ++ The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and strong trade ties with Finland, Sweden, Germany, and Russia. The economy's 4.9% GDP growth in 2017 was the fastest in the past six years, leaving the Estonian economy in its best position since the financial crisis 10 years ago. For the first time in many years, labor productivity increased faster than labor costs in 2017. Inflation also rose in 2017 to 3.5% alongside increased global prices for food and energy, which make up a large share of Estonia's consumption. ++ Estonia is challenged by a shortage of labor, both skilled and unskilled, although the government has amended its immigration law to allow easier hiring of highly qualified foreign workers, and wage growth that outpaces productivity gains. The government is also pursuing efforts to boost productivity growth with a focus on innovations that emphasize technology start-ups and e-commerce." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$41.65 billion (2017 est.) / $39.72 billion (2016 est.) / $38.92 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/ez.json b/europe/ez.json index adb836c9..d06bdc68 100644 --- a/europe/ez.json +++ b/europe/ez.json @@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europenote 2: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed underwater cave at 404 m (1,325 ft); its survey is not complete and it could end up being some 800-1,200 m deep" + "text": "note 1: landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in central Europe ++ note 2: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed underwater cave at 404 m (1,325 ft); its survey is not complete and it could end up being some 800-1,200 m deep" } } }, @@ -248,14 +248,11 @@ "text": "1.48 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -268,14 +265,11 @@ "text": "6.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -427,13 +421,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of:Senate or Senat (81 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years)Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members directly elected in 14 multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote with a 5% threshold required to fill a seat; members serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of: Senate or Senat (81 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 2 years) ++ Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members directly elected in 14 multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote with a 5% threshold required to fill a seat; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held in 2 rounds on 2-3 and 9-10 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2022)Chamber of Deputies - last held on 20-21 October 2017 (next to be held by October 2021)" + "text": "Senate - last held in 2 rounds on 2-3 and 9-10 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2022) ++ Chamber of Deputies - last held on 20-21 October 2017 (next to be held by October 2021)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - STAN 19, ODS 18, KDU-CSL 12, ANO 5, TOP 09 5, CSSD 3, SEN 21 3, Pirates 2, SZ 1, minor parties with one seat each 9, independents 4Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ANO 29.6%, ODS 11.3%, Pirates 10.8%, SPD 10.6%, KSCM 7.8%, CSSD 7.3%, KDU-CSL 5.8%, TOP 09 5.3%, STAN 5.2%, other 6.3%; seats by party - ANO 78, ODS 25, Pirates 22, SPD 22, CSSD 15, KSCM 15, KDU-CSL 10, TOP 09 7, STAN 6; composition - men 155, women 45, percent of women 24%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20.6%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - STAN 19, ODS 18, KDU-CSL 12, ANO 5, TOP 09 5, CSSD 3, SEN 21 3, Pirates 2, SZ 1, minor parties with one seat each 9, independents 4 ++ Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - ANO 29.6%, ODS 11.3%, Pirates 10.8%, SPD 10.6%, KSCM 7.8%, CSSD 7.3%, KDU-CSL 5.8%, TOP 09 5.3%, STAN 5.2%, other 6.3%; seats by party - ANO 78, ODS 25, Pirates 22, SPD 22, CSSD 15, KSCM 15, KDU-CSL 10, TOP 09 7, STAN 6; composition - men 155, women 45, percent of women 24%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20.6%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -448,7 +442,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Pavel BELOBRADEK]Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Petr FIALA]Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP]Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Jan HAMACEK]Freedom and Direct Democracy or SPD [Tomio OKAMURA]Green Party or SZ [Petr STEPANEK]Mayors and Independents or STAN [Petr GAZDIK]Movement of Dissatisfied Citizens or ANO [Andrej BABIS]Party of Civic Rights or SPO [Lubomir NECAS]Pirate Party or Pirates [Ivan BARTOS]Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 or TOP 09 [Jiri POSPISIL]" + "text": "Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Pavel BELOBRADEK] ++ Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Petr FIALA] ++ Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Vojtech FILIP] ++ Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD [Jan HAMACEK] ++ Freedom and Direct Democracy or SPD [Tomio OKAMURA] ++ Green Party or SZ [Petr STEPANEK] ++ Mayors and Independents or STAN [Petr GAZDIK] ++ Movement of Dissatisfied Citizens or ANO [Andrej BABIS] ++ Party of Civic Rights or SPO [Lubomir NECAS] ++ Pirate Party or Pirates [Ivan BARTOS] ++ Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09 or TOP 09 [Jiri POSPISIL]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -510,7 +504,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Czechia is a prosperous market economy that boasts one of the highest GDP growth rates and lowest unemployment levels in the EU, but its dependence on exports makes economic growth vulnerable to contractions in external demand. Czechia’s exports comprise some 80% of GDP and largely consist of automobiles, the country’s single largest industry. Czechia acceded to the EU in 2004 but has yet to join the euro-zone. While the flexible koruna helps Czechia weather external shocks, it was one of the world’s strongest performing currencies in 2017, appreciating approximately 16% relative to the US dollar after the central bank (Czech National Bank - CNB) ended its cap on the currency’s value in early April 2017, which it had maintained since November 2013. The CNB hiked rates in August and November 2017 - the first rate changes in nine years - to address rising inflationary pressures brought by strong economic growth and a tight labor market. Since coming to power in 2014, the new government has undertaken some reforms to try to reduce corruption, attract investment, and improve social welfare programs, which could help increase the government’s revenues and improve living conditions for Czechs. The government introduced in December 2016 an online tax reporting system intended to reduce tax evasion and increase revenues. The government also plans to remove labor market rigidities to improve the business climate, bring procurement procedures in line with EU best practices, and boost wages. The country's low unemployment rate has led to steady increases in salaries, and the government is facing pressure from businesses to allow greater migration of qualified workers, at least from Ukraine and neighboring Central European countries. Long-term challenges include dealing with a rapidly aging population, a shortage of skilled workers, a lagging education system, funding an unsustainable pension and health care system, and diversifying away from manufacturing and toward a more high-tech, services-based, knowledge economy." + "text": "Czechia is a prosperous market economy that boasts one of the highest GDP growth rates and lowest unemployment levels in the EU, but its dependence on exports makes economic growth vulnerable to contractions in external demand. Czechia's exports comprise some 80% of GDP and largely consist of automobiles, the country's single largest industry. Czechia acceded to the EU in 2004 but has yet to join the euro-zone. While the flexible koruna helps Czechia weather external shocks, it was one of the world's strongest performing currencies in 2017, appreciating approximately 16% relative to the US dollar after the central bank (Czech National Bank - CNB) ended its cap on the currency's value in early April 2017, which it had maintained since November 2013. The CNB hiked rates in August and November 2017 - the first rate changes in nine years - to address rising inflationary pressures brought by strong economic growth and a tight labor market. ++ Since coming to power in 2014, the new government has undertaken some reforms to try to reduce corruption, attract investment, and improve social welfare programs, which could help increase the government's revenues and improve living conditions for Czechs. The government introduced in December 2016 an online tax reporting system intended to reduce tax evasion and increase revenues. The government also plans to remove labor market rigidities to improve the business climate, bring procurement procedures in line with EU best practices, and boost wages. The country's low unemployment rate has led to steady increases in salaries, and the government is facing pressure from businesses to allow greater migration of qualified workers, at least from Ukraine and neighboring Central European countries. ++ Long-term challenges include dealing with a rapidly aging population, a shortage of skilled workers, a lagging education system, funding an unsustainable pension and health care system, and diversifying away from manufacturing and toward a more high-tech, services-based, knowledge economy." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$375.9 billion (2017 est.) / $360.5 billion (2016 est.) / $351.9 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/fi.json b/europe/fi.json index 08f59045..b54fc252 100644 --- a/europe/fi.json +++ b/europe/fi.json @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "3.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -447,7 +441,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Aland Coalition (a coalition of several political parties on the Aland Islands)Center Party or Kesk [Katri KULMUNI]Christian Democrats or KD [Sari ESSAYAH]Finns Party or PS [Jussi HALLA-AHO]Green League or Vihr [Pekka HAAVISTO]Left Alliance or Vas [Li ANDERSSON]National Coalition Party or Kok [Petteri ORPO]Social Democratic Party or SDP [Antti RINNE]Swedish People's Party or SFP [Anna-Maja HENRIKSSON]" + "text": "Aland Coalition (a coalition of several political parties on the Aland Islands) ++ Center Party or Kesk [Katri KULMUNI] ++ Christian Democrats or KD [Sari ESSAYAH] ++ Finns Party or PS [Jussi HALLA-AHO] ++ Green League or Vihr [Pekka HAAVISTO] ++ Left Alliance or Vas [Li ANDERSSON] ++ National Coalition Party or Kok [Petteri ORPO] ++ Social Democratic Party or SDP [Antti RINNE] ++ Swedish People's Party or SFP [Anna-Maja HENRIKSSON]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -506,7 +500,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy with per capita GDP almost as high as that of Austria and the Netherlands and slightly above that of Germany and Belgium. Trade is important, with exports accounting for over one-third of GDP in recent years. The government is open to, and actively takes steps to attract, foreign direct investment. Finland is historically competitive in manufacturing, particularly in the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Finland excels in export of technology as well as promotion of startups in the information and communications technology, gaming, cleantech, and biotechnology sectors. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the cold climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export industry, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. Finland had been one of the best performing economies within the EU before 2009 and its banks and financial markets avoided the worst of global financial crisis. However, the world slowdown hit exports and domestic demand hard in that year, causing Finland’s economy to contract from 2012 to 2014. The recession affected general government finances and the debt ratio. The economy returned to growth in 2016, posting a 1.9% GDP increase before growing an estimated 3.3% in 2017, supported by a strong increase in investment, private consumption, and net exports. Finnish economists expect GDP to grow a rate of 2-3% in the next few years. Finland's main challenges will be reducing high labor costs and boosting demand for its exports. In June 2016, the government enacted a Competitiveness Pact aimed at reducing labor costs, increasing hours worked, and introducing more flexibility into the wage bargaining system. As a result, wage growth was nearly flat in 2017. The Government was also seeking to reform the health care system and social services. In the long term, Finland must address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity in traditional industries that threaten competitiveness, fiscal sustainability, and economic growth." + "text": "Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy with per capita GDP almost as high as that of Austria and the Netherlands and slightly above that of Germany and Belgium. Trade is important, with exports accounting for over one-third of GDP in recent years. The government is open to, and actively takes steps to attract, foreign direct investment. ++ Finland is historically competitive in manufacturing, particularly in the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Finland excels in export of technology as well as promotion of startups in the information and communications technology, gaming, cleantech, and biotechnology sectors. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the cold climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export industry, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. ++ Finland had been one of the best performing economies within the EU before 2009 and its banks and financial markets avoided the worst of global financial crisis. However, the world slowdown hit exports and domestic demand hard in that year, causing Finland's economy to contract from 2012 to 2014. The recession affected general government finances and the debt ratio. The economy returned to growth in 2016, posting a 1.9% GDP increase before growing an estimated 3.3% in 2017, supported by a strong increase in investment, private consumption, and net exports. Finnish economists expect GDP to grow a rate of 2-3% in the next few years. ++ Finland's main challenges will be reducing high labor costs and boosting demand for its exports. In June 2016, the government enacted a Competitiveness Pact aimed at reducing labor costs, increasing hours worked, and introducing more flexibility into the wage bargaining system. As a result, wage growth was nearly flat in 2017. The Government was also seeking to reform the health care system and social services. In the long term, Finland must address a rapidly aging population and decreasing productivity in traditional industries that threaten competitiveness, fiscal sustainability, and economic growth." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$244.9 billion (2017 est.) / $238.2 billion (2016 est.) / $232.4 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -765,7 +759,7 @@ "text": "a mix of 3 publicly operated TV stations and numerous privately owned TV stations; several free and special-interest pay-TV channels; cable and satellite multi-channel subscription services are available; all TV signals are broadcast digitally; Internet television, such as Netflix and others, is available; public broadcasting maintains a network of 13 national and 25 regional radio stations; a large number of private radio broadcasters and access to Internet radio" }, "Internet country code": { - "text": ".fi  ", + "text": ".fi ++  ", "note": { "text": "note - Aland Islands assigned .ax" } diff --git a/europe/fo.json b/europe/fo.json index 7d4c59df..e2e4ef81 100644 --- a/europe/fo.json +++ b/europe/fo.json @@ -224,8 +224,11 @@ "text": "2.31 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 99% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Physicians density": { @@ -235,8 +238,11 @@ "text": "4.1 beds/1,000 population (2015)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 1% of population (2017)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 1% of population (2017)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -337,13 +343,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (33 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)the Faroe Islands elect 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms" + "text": "unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (33 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) ++ the Faroe Islands elect 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms" }, "elections": { - "text": "Faroese Parliament - last held on 31 August 2019 (next to be held in 2023)Faroese seats in the Danish Parliament last held on 5 June 2019 (next to be held no later than June 2023)" + "text": "Faroese Parliament - last held on 31 August 2019 (next to be held in 2023) ++ Faroese seats in the Danish Parliament last held on 5 June 2019 (next to be held no later than June 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Faroese Parliament percent of vote by party - People's Party 24.5%, JF 22.1%, Union Party 20.3%, Republic 18.1%, Center Party 5.4%, Progressive Party 4.6%, New Self-Government Party 3.4%, other 1.4%, seats by party - People's Party 8, JF 7, Union Party 7, Republic 6, Center Party 2, Progressive Party 2, New Self-Government Party 1, composition - men 25, women 8; percent of women 24.2% Faroese seats in Danish Parliament - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Social Democratic Party 1, Republican Party 1; composition - 2 men" + "text": "Faroese Parliament percent of vote by party - People's Party 24.5%, JF 22.1%, Union Party 20.3%, Republic 18.1%, Center Party 5.4%, Progressive Party 4.6%, New Self-Government Party 3.4%, other 1.4%, seats by party - People's Party 8, JF 7, Union Party 7, Republic 6, Center Party 2, Progressive Party 2, New Self-Government Party 1, composition - men 25, women 8; percent of women 24.2% ++ Faroese seats in Danish Parliament - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Social Democratic Party 1, Republican Party 1; composition - 2 men" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -355,7 +361,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Center Party (Midflokkurin) [Jenis av RANA]Self-Government Party (Sjalvstyri or Sjalvstyrisflokkurin) [Jogvan SKORHEIM]People's Party (Folkaflokkurin) [Jorgen NICLASEN]Progressive Party (Framsokn) [Poul MICHELSEN]Republic (Tjodveldi) [Hogni HOYDAL] (formerly the Republican Party)Social Democratic Party (Javnadarflokkurin) or JF [Aksel V. JOHANNESEN]Union Party (Sambandsflokkurin) [Bardhur A STEIG NIELSEN]" + "text": "Center Party (Midflokkurin) [Jenis av RANA] ++ Self-Government Party (Sjalvstyri or Sjalvstyrisflokkurin) [Jogvan SKORHEIM] ++ People's Party (Folkaflokkurin) [Jorgen NICLASEN] ++ Progressive Party (Framsokn) [Poul MICHELSEN] ++ Republic (Tjodveldi) [Hogni HOYDAL] (formerly the Republican Party) ++ Social Democratic Party (Javnadarflokkurin) or JF [Aksel V. JOHANNESEN] ++ Union Party (Sambandsflokkurin) [Bardhur A STEIG NIELSEN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Arctic Council, IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UNESCO (associate), UPU" @@ -391,7 +397,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The Faroese economy has experienced a period of significant growth since 2011, due to higher fish prices and increased salmon farming and catches in the pelagic fisheries. Fishing has been the main source of income for the Faroe Islands since the late 19th century, but dependence on fishing makes the economy vulnerable to price fluctuations. Nominal GDP, measured in current prices, grew 5.6% in 2015 and 6.8% in 2016. GDP growth was forecast at 6.2% in 2017, slowing to 0.5% in 2018, due to lower fisheries quotas, higher oil prices and fewer farmed salmon combined with lower salmon prices. The fisheries sector accounts for about 97% of exports, and half of GDP. Unemployment is low, estimated at 2.1% in early 2018. Aided by an annual subsidy from Denmark, which amounts to about 11% of Faroese GDP , Faroese have a standard of living equal to that of Denmark. The Faroe Islands have bilateral free trade agreements with the EU, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey. For the first time in 8 years, the Faroe Islands managed to generate a public budget surplus in 2016, a trend which continued in 2017. The local government intends to use this to reduce public debt, which reached 38% of GDP in 2015. A fiscal sustainability analysis of the Faroese economy shows that a long-term tightening of fiscal policy of 5% of GDP is required for fiscal sustainability. Increasing public infrastructure investments are likely to lead to continued growth in the short term, and the Faroese economy is becoming somewhat more diversified. Growing industries include financial services, petroleum-related businesses, shipping, maritime manufacturing services, civil aviation, IT, telecommunications, and tourism." + "text": "The Faroese economy has experienced a period of significant growth since 2011, due to higher fish prices and increased salmon farming and catches in the pelagic fisheries. Fishing has been the main source of income for the Faroe Islands since the late 19th century, but dependence on fishing makes the economy vulnerable to price fluctuations. Nominal GDP, measured in current prices, grew 5.6% in 2015 and 6.8% in 2016. GDP growth was forecast at 6.2% in 2017, slowing to 0.5% in 2018, due to lower fisheries quotas, higher oil prices and fewer farmed salmon combined with lower salmon prices. The fisheries sector accounts for about 97% of exports, and half of GDP. Unemployment is low, estimated at 2.1% in early 2018. Aided by an annual subsidy from Denmark, which amounts to about 11% of Faroese GDP , Faroese have a standard of living equal to that of Denmark. The Faroe Islands have bilateral free trade agreements with the EU, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey. ++ For the first time in 8 years, the Faroe Islands managed to generate a public budget surplus in 2016, a trend which continued in 2017. The local government intends to use this to reduce public debt, which reached 38% of GDP in 2015. A fiscal sustainability analysis of the Faroese economy shows that a long-term tightening of fiscal policy of 5% of GDP is required for fiscal sustainability. ++ Increasing public infrastructure investments are likely to lead to continued growth in the short term, and the Faroese economy is becoming somewhat more diversified. Growing industries include financial services, petroleum-related businesses, shipping, maritime manufacturing services, civil aviation, IT, telecommunications, and tourism." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.001 billion (2014 est.) / $1.89 billion (2013 est.) / $1.608 billion (2012 est.)" @@ -701,7 +707,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "no regular military forces or conscription; the Government of Denmark has responsibility for defense; as such, the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk, Greenland is responsible for territorial defense of the Faroe Islands; the Joint Arctic Command has a contact element in the capital of Torshavn (2019)" + "text": "no regular military forces or conscription; the Government of Denmark has responsibility for defense; as such, the Danish military's Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk, Greenland is responsible for territorial defense of the Faroe Islands; the Joint Arctic Command has a contact element in the capital of Torshavn (2019)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "defense is the responsibility of Denmark" diff --git a/europe/fr.json b/europe/fr.json index 1f5b41f5..e3a7c071 100644 --- a/europe/fr.json +++ b/europe/fr.json @@ -6,13 +6,13 @@ }, "Geography": { "Location": { - "text": "metropolitan France: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain; French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname; Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico; Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago; Mayotte: Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about halfway between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique; Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar" + "text": "metropolitan France: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain; ++ French Guiana: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname; ++ Guadeloupe: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico; ++ Martinique: Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago; ++ Mayotte: Southern Indian Ocean, island in the Mozambique Channel, about halfway between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique; ++ Reunion: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar" }, "Geographic coordinates": { - "text": "metropolitan France: 46 00 N, 2 00 E; French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W; Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W; Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W; Mayotte: 12 50 S, 45 10 E; Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E" + "text": "metropolitan France: 46 00 N, 2 00 E; ++ French Guiana: 4 00 N, 53 00 W; ++ Guadeloupe: 16 15 N, 61 35 W; ++ Martinique: 14 40 N, 61 00 W; ++ Mayotte: 12 50 S, 45 10 E; ++ Reunion: 21 06 S, 55 36 E" }, "Map references": { - "text": "metropolitan France: Europe; French Guiana: South America; Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean; Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean; Mayotte: Africa; Reunion: World" + "text": "metropolitan France: Europe; ++ French Guiana: South America; ++ Guadeloupe: Central America and the Caribbean; ++ Martinique: Central America and the Caribbean; ++ Mayotte: Africa; ++ Reunion: World" }, "Area": { "total": { @@ -63,10 +63,10 @@ } }, "Climate": { - "text": "metropolitan France: generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as the mistral; French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation; Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average; Mayotte: tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November); Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)" + "text": "metropolitan France: generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as the mistral; ++ French Guiana: tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation; ++ Guadeloupe and Martinique: subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average; ++ Mayotte: tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November); ++ Reunion: tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry (May to November), hot and rainy (November to April)" }, "Terrain": { - "text": "metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east; French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains; Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin; Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano; Mayotte: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks; Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast" + "text": "metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east; ++ French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains; ++ Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin; ++ Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano; ++ Mayotte: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks; ++ Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast" }, "Elevation": { "mean elevation": { @@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ "text": "much of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast; although there are many urban agglomerations throughout the country, Paris is by far the largest city, with Lyon ranked a distant second" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean; overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding; volcanism: Montagne Pelee (1,394 m) on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean is the most active volcano of the Lesser Antilles arc, it last erupted in 1932; a catastrophic eruption in May 1902 destroyed the city of St. Pierre, killing an estimated 30,000 people;; La Soufriere (1,467 m) on the island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean last erupted from July 1976 to March 1977;; these volcanoes are part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south" + "text": "metropolitan France: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires in south near the Mediterranean; ++ overseas departments: hurricanes (cyclones); flooding; ++ volcanism: Montagne Pelee (1,394 m) on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean is the most active volcano of the Lesser Antilles arc, it last erupted in 1932; a catastrophic eruption in May 1902 destroyed the city of St. Pierre, killing an estimated 30,000 people;; La Soufriere (1,467 m) on the island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean last erupted from July 1976 to March 1977;; these volcanoes are part of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends from Saba in the north to Grenada in the south" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff" @@ -285,14 +285,11 @@ "text": "78.4% (2010/11)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -305,14 +302,11 @@ "text": "6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -393,7 +387,7 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October" }, "note": { - "text": "note: applies to metropolitan France only; for its overseas regions the time difference is UTC-4 for Guadeloupe and Martinique, UTC-3 for French Guiana, UTC+3 for Mayotte, and UTC+4 for Reunionetymology: name derives from the Parisii, a Celtic tribe that inhabited the area from the 3rd century B.C., but who were conquered by the Romans in the 1st century B.C.; the Celtic settlement became the Roman town of Lutetia Parisiorum (Lutetia of the Parisii); over subsequent centuries it became Parisium and then just Paris" + "text": "note: applies to metropolitan France only; for its overseas regions the time difference is UTC-4 for Guadeloupe and Martinique, UTC-3 for French Guiana, UTC+3 for Mayotte, and UTC+4 for Reunion ++ etymology: name derives from the Parisii, a Celtic tribe that inhabited the area from the 3rd century B.C., but who were conquered by the Romans in the 1st century B.C.; the Celtic settlement became the Roman town of Lutetia Parisiorum (Lutetia of the Parisii); over subsequent centuries it became Parisium and then just Paris ++ ++" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -419,7 +413,7 @@ "text": "many previous; latest effective 4 October 1958" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the president of the republic (upon recommendation of the prime minister and Parliament) or by Parliament; proposals submitted by Parliament members require passage by both houses followed by approval in a referendum; passage of proposals submitted by the government can bypass a referendum if submitted by the president to Parliament and passed by at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament’s National Assembly; amended many times, last in 2008; note - in May 2018, the prime minister submitted a bill to the National Assembly to amend several provisions of the constitution" + "text": "proposed by the president of the republic (upon recommendation of the prime minister and Parliament) or by Parliament; proposals submitted by Parliament members require passage by both houses followed by approval in a referendum; passage of proposals submitted by the government can bypass a referendum if submitted by the president to Parliament and passed by at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament's National Assembly; amended many times, last in 2008; note - in May 2018, the prime minister submitted a bill to the National Assembly to amend several provisions of the constitution" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -464,13 +458,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:Senate or Senat (348 seats - 328 for metropolitan France and overseas departments and regions of Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion, and Mayotte, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for French Polynesia, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 1 for Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 1 for Wallis and Futuna, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members indirectly elected by departmental electoral colleges using absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for departments with 1-3 members and proportional representation vote in departments with 4 or more members; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats - 556 for metropolitan France, 10 for overseas departments, and 11 for citizens abroad; members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of: Senate or Senat (348 seats - 328 for metropolitan France and overseas departments and regions of Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion, and Mayotte, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for French Polynesia, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 1 for Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 1 for Wallis and Futuna, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members indirectly elected by departmental electoral colleges using absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for departments with 1-3 members and proportional representation vote in departments with 4 or more members; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) ++ National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats - 556 for metropolitan France, 10 for overseas departments, and 11 for citizens abroad; members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 24 September 2017 (next to be held on 24 September 2020) National Assembly - last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held in June 2022)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 24 September 2017 (next to be held on 24 September 2020) ++ National Assembly - last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held in June 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by political caucus (party or group of parties)  - LR 144, PS 73, UC 51. LREM 23, RDSE 22, CRCE 16, RTLI 13, other 6; composition - men 246, women 102, percent of women 29.3% National Assembly - percent of vote by party first round - LREM 28.2%, LR 15.8%. FN 13.2%, FI 11%, PS 7.4%, other 24.4%; percent of vote by party second round - LREM 43.1%, LR 22.2%, FN 8.8%, MoDEM 6.1%, PS 5.7%. FI 4.9%, other 9.2%; seats by political caucus (party or group of parties) - LREM 306, LR 104, MoDEM 46, UDI/Agir 29, PS 29, UDI 18, FI 17, Liberties and Territories 16, PCF 16, other 14; composition - men 349, women 228, percent of women 39.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 35.7%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by political caucus (party or group of parties)  - LR 144, PS 73, UC 51. LREM 23, RDSE 22, CRCE 16, RTLI 13, other 6; composition - men 246, women 102, percent of women 29.3% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party first round - LREM 28.2%, LR 15.8%. FN 13.2%, FI 11%, PS 7.4%, other 24.4%; percent of vote by party second round - LREM 43.1%, LR 22.2%, FN 8.8%, MoDEM 6.1%, PS 5.7%. FI 4.9%, other 9.2%; seats by political caucus (party or group of parties) - LREM 306, LR 104, MoDEM 46, UDI/Agir 29, PS 29, UDI 18, FI 17, Liberties and Territories 16, PCF 16, other 14; composition - men 349, women 228, percent of women 39.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 35.7%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -488,7 +482,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Presidential majority Parties [Edouard PHILIPPE]     Democratic Movement or MoDem [Francois BAYROU]     La Republique en Marche! or LREM [Richard FERRAND]     Movement of Progressives or MDP  Robert HUE]Parliamentary right Parties [Francois BAROIN]     Hunting, Fishing, Nature and Tradition or CPNT [Eddie PUYJAION]     The Republicans or LR [Annie GENEVARD]     Union of Democrats and Independents or UDI [Jean-Christophe    CAMBADELIS]      Parliamentary left Parties [Bernard CAZENEUVE]     Sociatlist Party or PS [Jean-Christophe CAMBADEMAND]     Radical Party of the Left or PRG [Sylvia PINEL]     Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC [Jean-Luc LAURENT]     Martinican Progressive Party or PPM [Aiem CESAIRE]Debout la France or DLF [Nicolas DUPONT-AIGNAN]Ecology Democracy Solidarity or EDS [Paula FORTEZA, Matthieu ORPHELIN (splinter party formed in May 2020 by defectors of LREM)Europe Ecologists - the Greens or EELV [David CORMAND]French Communist Party or PCF [Pierre LAURENT]La France Insoumise or FI [Jean-Luc MELENCHONLIS]National Front or FN [Marine LE PEN]" + "text": "Presidential majority Parties [Edouard PHILIPPE] ++      Democratic Movement or MoDem [Francois BAYROU] ++      La Republique en Marche! or LREM [Richard FERRAND] ++      Movement of Progressives or MDP  Robert HUE] ++ Parliamentary right Parties [Francois BAROIN] ++      Hunting, Fishing, Nature and Tradition or CPNT [Eddie PUYJAION] ++      The Republicans or LR [Annie GENEVARD] ++      Union of Democrats and Independents or UDI [Jean-Christophe    CAMBADELIS] ++       ++ Parliamentary left Parties [Bernard CAZENEUVE] ++      Sociatlist Party or PS [Jean-Christophe CAMBADEMAND] ++      Radical Party of the Left or PRG [Sylvia PINEL] ++      Citizen and Republican Movement or MRC [Jean-Luc LAURENT] ++      Martinican Progressive Party or PPM [Aiem CESAIRE] ++ Debout la France or DLF [Nicolas DUPONT-AIGNAN] ++ Ecology Democracy Solidarity or EDS [Paula FORTEZA, Matthieu ORPHELIN ++ (splinter party formed in May 2020 by defectors of LREM) ++ Europe Ecologists - the Greens or EELV [David CORMAND] ++ French Communist Party or PCF [Pierre LAURENT] ++ La France Insoumise or FI [Jean-Luc MELENCHONLIS] ++ National Front or FN [Marine LE PEN] ++" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, FZ, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UN Security Council (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -556,7 +550,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The French economy is diversified across all sectors. The government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales. However, the government maintains a strong presence in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. France is the most visited country in the world with 89 million foreign tourists in 2017. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that mitigate economic inequality. France's real GDP grew by 1.9% in 2017, up from 1.2% the year before. The unemployment rate (including overseas territories) increased from 7.8% in 2008 to 10.2% in 2015, before falling to 9.0% in 2017. Youth unemployment in metropolitan France decreased from 24.6% in the fourth quarter of 2014 to 20.6% in the fourth quarter of 2017. France’s public finances have historically been strained by high spending and low growth. In 2017, the budget deficit improved to 2.7% of GDP, bringing it in compliance with the EU-mandated 3% deficit target. Meanwhile, France's public debt rose from 89.5% of GDP in 2012 to 97% in 2017. Since entering office in May 2017, President Emmanuel MACRON launched a series of economic reforms to improve competitiveness and boost economic growth. President MACRON campaigned on reforming France’s labor code and in late 2017 implemented a range of reforms to increase flexibility in the labor market by making it easier for firms to hire and fire and simplifying negotiations between employers and employees. In addition to labor reforms, President MACRON’s 2018 budget cuts public spending, taxes, and social security contributions to spur private investment and increase purchasing power. The government plans to gradually reduce corporate tax rate for businesses from 33.3% to 25% by 2022." + "text": "The French economy is diversified across all sectors. The government has partially or fully privatized many large companies, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and Thales. However, the government maintains a strong presence in some sectors, particularly power, public transport, and defense industries. France is the most visited country in the world with 89 million foreign tourists in 2017. France's leaders remain committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that mitigate economic inequality. ++ France's real GDP grew by 1.9% in 2017, up from 1.2% the year before. The unemployment rate (including overseas territories) increased from 7.8% in 2008 to 10.2% in 2015, before falling to 9.0% in 2017. Youth unemployment in metropolitan France decreased from 24.6% in the fourth quarter of 2014 to 20.6% in the fourth quarter of 2017. ++ France's public finances have historically been strained by high spending and low growth. In 2017, the budget deficit improved to 2.7% of GDP, bringing it in compliance with the EU-mandated 3% deficit target. Meanwhile, France's public debt rose from 89.5% of GDP in 2012 to 97% in 2017. ++ Since entering office in May 2017, President Emmanuel MACRON launched a series of economic reforms to improve competitiveness and boost economic growth. President MACRON campaigned on reforming France's labor code and in late 2017 implemented a range of reforms to increase flexibility in the labor market by making it easier for firms to hire and fire and simplifying negotiations between employers and employees. In addition to labor reforms, President MACRON's 2018 budget cuts public spending, taxes, and social security contributions to spur private investment and increase purchasing power. The government plans to gradually reduce corporate tax rate for businesses from 33.3% to 25% by 2022." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.856 trillion (2017 est.) / $2.791 trillion (2016 est.) / $2.761 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -1004,7 +998,7 @@ } }, "Illicit drugs": { - "text": "metropolitan France: transshipment point for South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics; French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe; Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe" + "text": "metropolitan France: transshipment point for South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics; ++ French Guiana: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe; ++ Martinique: transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/europe/gi.json b/europe/gi.json index 93d12564..aec4cd55 100644 --- a/europe/gi.json +++ b/europe/gi.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. The subsequent granting of autonomy in 1969 by the UK led Spain to close the border and sever all communication links. Between 1997 and 2002, the UK and Spain held a series of talks on establishing temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these talks, the Gibraltar Government called a referendum in late 2002 in which the majority of citizens voted overwhelmingly against any sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since late 2004, Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar have held tripartite talks with the aim of cooperatively resolving problems that affect the local population, and work continues on cooperation agreements in areas such as taxation and financial services; communications and maritime security; policy, legal and customs services; environmental protection; and education and visa services. A new noncolonial constitution came into force in 2007, and the European Court of First Instance recognized Gibraltar's right to regulate its own tax regime in December 2008. The UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign relations, internal security, and financial stability. Spain and the UK continue to spar over the territory. Throughout 2009, a dispute over Gibraltar's claim to territorial waters extending out three miles gave rise to periodic non-violent maritime confrontations between Spanish and UK naval patrols and in 2013, the British reported a record number of entries by Spanish vessels into waters claimed by Gibraltar following a dispute over Gibraltar's creation of an artificial reef in those waters. Spain renewed its demands for an eventual return of Gibraltar to Spanish control after the UK’s June 2016 vote to leave the EU, but London has dismissed any connection between the vote and its continued sovereignty over Gibraltar. The EU has said that Gibraltar will be ouside the territorial scope of any future UK-EU trade deal and that separate agreements between the EU and UK regarding Gibraltar would require Spain's prior approval." + "text": "Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. The subsequent granting of autonomy in 1969 by the UK led Spain to close the border and sever all communication links. Between 1997 and 2002, the UK and Spain held a series of talks on establishing temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these talks, the Gibraltar Government called a referendum in late 2002 in which the majority of citizens voted overwhelmingly against any sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since late 2004, Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar have held tripartite talks with the aim of cooperatively resolving problems that affect the local population, and work continues on cooperation agreements in areas such as taxation and financial services; communications and maritime security; policy, legal and customs services; environmental protection; and education and visa services. A new noncolonial constitution came into force in 2007, and the European Court of First Instance recognized Gibraltar's right to regulate its own tax regime in December 2008. The UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign relations, internal security, and financial stability. ++ Spain and the UK continue to spar over the territory. Throughout 2009, a dispute over Gibraltar's claim to territorial waters extending out three miles gave rise to periodic non-violent maritime confrontations between Spanish and UK naval patrols and in 2013, the British reported a record number of entries by Spanish vessels into waters claimed by Gibraltar following a dispute over Gibraltar's creation of an artificial reef in those waters. Spain renewed its demands for an eventual return of Gibraltar to Spanish control after the UK's June 2016 vote to leave the EU, but London has dismissed any connection between the vote and its continued sovereignty over Gibraltar. The EU has said that Gibraltar will be ouside the territorial scope of any future UK-EU trade deal and that separate agreements between the EU and UK regarding Gibraltar would require Spain's prior approval." } }, "Geography": { @@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea note 2: one of only two British territories where traffic drives on the right, the other being the island of Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory" + "text": "note 1: strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea ++ note 2: one of only two British territories where traffic drives on the right, the other being the island of Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory" } } }, @@ -214,19 +214,19 @@ "text": "1.9 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Gibraltar Liberal Party or Liberal Party of Gibraltar or LPG [Joseph GARCIA]Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Keith AZOPARDI]Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Fabian PICARDO]GSLP-Liberal Alliance (includes GSLP and LPG)Together Gibraltar or TG [Marlene HASSAN-NAHON]" + "text": "Gibraltar Liberal Party or Liberal Party of Gibraltar or LPG [Joseph GARCIA] ++ Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Keith AZOPARDI] ++ Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Fabian PICARDO] ++ GSLP-Liberal Alliance (includes GSLP and LPG) ++ Together Gibraltar or TG [Marlene HASSAN-NAHON]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ICC (NGOs), Interpol (subbureau), UPU" @@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. Tax rates are low to attract foreign investment. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment. The financial sector, tourism (over 11 million visitors in 2012), gaming revenues, shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, tourism, and the shipping sector contribute 30%, 30%, and 25%, respectively, of GDP. Telecommunications, e-commerce, and e-gaming account for the remaining 15%." + "text": "Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. Tax rates are low to attract foreign investment. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment. ++ The financial sector, tourism (over 11 million visitors in 2012), gaming revenues, shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, tourism, and the shipping sector contribute 30%, 30%, and 25%, respectively, of GDP. Telecommunications, e-commerce, and e-gaming account for the remaining 15%." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.044 billion (2014 est.) / $1.85 billion (2013 est.) / $2 billion (2012 est.)", diff --git a/europe/gk.json b/europe/gk.json index c3a75e4c..78d0f105 100644 --- a/europe/gk.json +++ b/europe/gk.json @@ -219,16 +219,22 @@ "text": "1.57 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 5.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 94.2% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 5.9% of population (2017 est.)" }, "note": { "text": "note: includes data for Jersey" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 98% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 1.2% of population (2017 est.)" }, "note": { "text": "note: data represent Guernsey and Jersey" diff --git a/europe/gm.json b/europe/gm.json index d9a90267..4b74cc40 100644 --- a/europe/gm.json +++ b/europe/gm.json @@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ "Ethnic groups": { "text": "German 87.2%, Turkish 1.8%, Polish 1%, Syrian 1%, other 9% (2017 est.)", "note": { - "text": "note:  data represent population by nationality" + "text": "++ note:  data represent population by nationality" } }, "Languages": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "8 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -435,13 +429,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of:Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 seats; members appointed by each of the 16 state governments) Federal Diet or Bundestag (709 seats - total seats can vary each electoral term; approximately one-half of members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and approximately one-half directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of: Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 seats; members appointed by each of the 16 state governments) ++ Federal Diet or Bundestag (709 seats - total seats can vary each electoral term; approximately one-half of members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and approximately one-half directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Bundesrat - none; composition is determined by the composition of the state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election Bundestag - last held on 24 September 2017 (next to be held in 2021 at the latest); most postwar German governments have been coalitions" + "text": "Bundesrat - none; composition is determined by the composition of the state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election ++ Bundestag - last held on 24 September 2017 (next to be held in 2021 at the latest); most postwar German governments have been coalitions" }, "election results": { - "text": "Bundesrat - composition - men 50, women 19, percent of women 27.5%Bundestag - percent of vote by party - CDU/CSU 33%, SPD 20.5%, AfD 12.6%, FDP 10.7%, The Left 9.2%, Alliance '90/Greens 8.9%, other 5%; seats by party - CDU/CSU 246, SPD 152, AfD 91, FDP 80, The Left 69, Alliance '90/Greens 67; composition - men 490, women 219, percent of women 30.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 30.5%" + "text": "Bundesrat - composition - men 50, women 19, percent of women 27.5% ++ Bundestag - percent of vote by party - CDU/CSU 33%, SPD 20.5%, AfD 12.6%, FDP 10.7%, The Left 9.2%, Alliance '90/Greens 8.9%, other 5%; seats by party - CDU/CSU 246, SPD 152, AfD 91, FDP 80, The Left 69, Alliance '90/Greens 67; composition - men 490, women 219, percent of women 30.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 30.5%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -456,7 +450,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance '90/Greens [Annalena BAERBOCK and Robert HABECK]Alternative for Germany or AfD [Alexander GAULAND and Joerg MEUTHEN]Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Annegret KRAMP-KARRENBAUER]Christian Social Union or CSU [Markus SOEDER]Free Democratic Party or FDP [Christian LINDNER]The Left or Die Linke [Katja KIPPING and Bernd RIEXINGER]Social Democratic Party or SPD [Andrea NAHLES]" + "text": "Alliance '90/Greens [Annalena BAERBOCK and Robert HABECK] ++ Alternative for Germany or AfD [Alexander GAULAND and Joerg MEUTHEN] ++ Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Annegret KRAMP-KARRENBAUER] ++ Christian Social Union or CSU [Markus SOEDER] ++ Free Democratic Party or FDP [Christian LINDNER] ++ The Left or Die Linke [Katja KIPPING and Bernd RIEXINGER] ++ Social Democratic Party or SPD [Andrea NAHLES]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -518,7 +512,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The German economy - the fifth largest economy in the world in PPP terms and Europe's largest - is a leading exporter of machinery, vehicles, chemicals, and household equipment. Germany benefits from a highly skilled labor force, but, like its Western European neighbors, faces significant demographic challenges to sustained long-term growth. Low fertility rates and a large increase in net immigration are increasing pressure on the country's social welfare system and necessitate structural reforms. Reforms launched by the government of Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (1998-2005), deemed necessary to address chronically high unemployment and low average growth, contributed to strong economic growth and falling unemployment. These advances, as well as a government subsidized, reduced working hour scheme, help explain the relatively modest increase in unemployment during the 2008-09 recession - the deepest since World War II. The German Government introduced a minimum wage in 2015 that increased to $9.79 (8.84 euros) in January 2017. Stimulus and stabilization efforts initiated in 2008 and 2009 and tax cuts introduced in Chancellor Angela MERKEL's second term increased Germany's total budget deficit - including federal, state, and municipal - to 4.1% in 2010, but slower spending and higher tax revenues reduced the deficit to 0.8% in 2011 and in 2017 Germany reached a budget surplus of 0.7%. A constitutional amendment approved in 2009 limits the federal government to structural deficits of no more than 0.35% of GDP per annum as of 2016, though the target was already reached in 2012. Following the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Chancellor Angela MERKEL announced in May 2011 that eight of the country's 17 nuclear reactors would be shut down immediately and the remaining plants would close by 2022. Germany plans to replace nuclear power largely with renewable energy, which accounted for 29.5% of gross electricity consumption in 2016, up from 9% in 2000. Before the shutdown of the eight reactors, Germany relied on nuclear power for 23% of its electricity generating capacity and 46% of its base-load electricity production. The German economy suffers from low levels of investment, and a government plan to invest 15 billion euros during 2016-18, largely in infrastructure, is intended to spur needed private investment. Domestic consumption, investment, and exports are likely to drive German GDP growth in 2018, and the country’s budget and trade surpluses are likely to remain high." + "text": "The German economy - the fifth largest economy in the world in PPP terms and Europe's largest - is a leading exporter of machinery, vehicles, chemicals, and household equipment. Germany benefits from a highly skilled labor force, but, like its Western European neighbors, faces significant demographic challenges to sustained long-term growth. Low fertility rates and a large increase in net immigration are increasing pressure on the country's social welfare system and necessitate structural reforms. ++ Reforms launched by the government of Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (1998-2005), deemed necessary to address chronically high unemployment and low average growth, contributed to strong economic growth and falling unemployment. These advances, as well as a government subsidized, reduced working hour scheme, help explain the relatively modest increase in unemployment during the 2008-09 recession - the deepest since World War II. The German Government introduced a minimum wage in 2015 that increased to $9.79 (8.84 euros) in January 2017. ++ Stimulus and stabilization efforts initiated in 2008 and 2009 and tax cuts introduced in Chancellor Angela MERKEL's second term increased Germany's total budget deficit - including federal, state, and municipal - to 4.1% in 2010, but slower spending and higher tax revenues reduced the deficit to 0.8% in 2011 and in 2017 Germany reached a budget surplus of 0.7%. A constitutional amendment approved in 2009 limits the federal government to structural deficits of no more than 0.35% of GDP per annum as of 2016, though the target was already reached in 2012. ++ Following the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Chancellor Angela MERKEL announced in May 2011 that eight of the country's 17 nuclear reactors would be shut down immediately and the remaining plants would close by 2022. Germany plans to replace nuclear power largely with renewable energy, which accounted for 29.5% of gross electricity consumption in 2016, up from 9% in 2000. Before the shutdown of the eight reactors, Germany relied on nuclear power for 23% of its electricity generating capacity and 46% of its base-load electricity production. ++ The German economy suffers from low levels of investment, and a government plan to invest 15 billion euros during 2016-18, largely in infrastructure, is intended to spur needed private investment. Domestic consumption, investment, and exports are likely to drive German GDP growth in 2018, and the country's budget and trade surpluses are likely to remain high." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$4.199 trillion (2017 est.) / $4.099 trillion (2016 est.) / $4.012 trillion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/gr.json b/europe/gr.json index e25dc377..7a3f0ebf 100644 --- a/europe/gr.json +++ b/europe/gr.json @@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ "text": "one-third of the population lives in and around metropolitan Athens; the remainder of the country has moderate population density mixed with sizeable urban clusters" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "severe earthquakes\nvolcanism: Santorini (367 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; although there have been very few eruptions in recent centuries, Methana and Nisyros in the Aegean are classified as historically active" + "text": "severe earthquakes ++ volcanism: Santorini (367 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; although there have been very few eruptions in recent centuries, Methana and Nisyros in the Aegean are classified as historically active" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "air pollution; air emissions from transport and electricity power stations; water pollution; degradation of coastal zones; loss of biodiversity in terrestrial and marine ecosystems; increasing municipal and industrial waste" @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "1.38 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "4.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -458,7 +452,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Anticapitalist Left Cooperation for the Overthrow or ANTARSYA [collective leadership]Coalition of the Radical Left or SYRIZA [Alexios (Alexis) TSIPRAS]Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Dimitrios KOUTSOUMBAS]Democratic Left or DIMAR [Athanasios (Thanasis) THEOCHAROPOULOS]European Realistic Disobedience Front or MeRA25 [Yanis VAROUFAKIS]Greek Solution [Kyriakos VELOPOULOS]Independent Greeks or ANEL [Panagiotis (Panos) KAMMENOS]Movement for Change or KINAL [Foteini (Fofi) GENIMMATA] New Democracy or ND [Kyriakos MITSOTAKIS]People's Association-Golden Dawn [Nikolaos MICHALOLIAKOS]Popular Unity or LAE [Panagiotis LAFAZANIS]The River (To Potami) [Stavros THEODORAKIS]Union of Centrists or EK [Vasileios (Vasilis) LEVENTIS]" + "text": "Anticapitalist Left Cooperation for the Overthrow or ANTARSYA [collective leadership] ++ Coalition of the Radical Left or SYRIZA [Alexios (Alexis) TSIPRAS] ++ Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Dimitrios KOUTSOUMBAS] ++ Democratic Left or DIMAR [Athanasios (Thanasis) THEOCHAROPOULOS] ++ European Realistic Disobedience Front or MeRA25 [Yanis VAROUFAKIS] ++ Greek Solution [Kyriakos VELOPOULOS] ++ Independent Greeks or ANEL [Panagiotis (Panos) KAMMENOS] ++ Movement for Change or KINAL [Foteini (Fofi) GENIMMATA] ++ New Democracy or ND [Kyriakos MITSOTAKIS] ++ People's Association-Golden Dawn [Nikolaos MICHALOLIAKOS] ++ Popular Unity or LAE [Panagiotis LAFAZANIS] ++ The River (To Potami) [Stavros THEODORAKIS] ++ Union of Centrists or EK [Vasileios (Vasilis) LEVENTIS]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -526,7 +520,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Greece has a capitalist economy with a public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP about two-thirds that of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 18% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in agricultural and unskilled jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. The Greek economy averaged growth of about 4% per year between 2003 and 2007, but the economy went into recession in 2009 as a result of the world financial crisis, tightening credit conditions, and Athens' failure to address a growing budget deficit. By 2013, the economy had contracted 26%, compared with the pre-crisis level of 2007. Greece met the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criterion of no more than 3% of GDP in 2007-08, but violated it in 2009, when the deficit reached 15% of GDP. Deteriorating public finances, inaccurate and misreported statistics, and consistent underperformance on reforms prompted major credit rating agencies to downgrade Greece's international debt rating in late 2009 and led the country into a financial crisis. Under intense pressure from the EU and international market participants, the government accepted a bailout program that called on Athens to cut government spending, decrease tax evasion, overhaul the civil-service, health-care, and pension systems, and reform the labor and product markets. Austerity measures reduced the deficit to 1.3% in 2017. Successive Greek governments, however, failed to push through many of the most unpopular reforms in the face of widespread political opposition, including from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public. In April 2010, a leading credit agency assigned Greek debt its lowest possible credit rating, and in May 2010, the IMF and euro-zone governments provided Greece emergency short- and medium-term loans worth $147 billion so that the country could make debt repayments to creditors. Greece, however, struggled to meet the targets set by the EU and the IMF, especially after Eurostat - the EU's statistical office - revised upward Greece's deficit and debt numbers for 2009 and 2010. European leaders and the IMF agreed in October 2011 to provide Athens a second bailout package of $169 billion. The second deal called for holders of Greek government bonds to write down a significant portion of their holdings to try to alleviate Greece’s government debt burden. However, Greek banks, saddled with a significant portion of sovereign debt, were adversely affected by the write down and $60 billion of the second bailout package was set aside to ensure the banking system was adequately capitalized. In 2014, the Greek economy began to turn the corner on the recession. Greece achieved three significant milestones: balancing the budget - not including debt repayments; issuing government debt in financial markets for the first time since 2010; and generating 0.7% GDP growth — the first economic expansion since 2007. Despite the nascent recovery, widespread discontent with austerity measures helped propel the far-left Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) party into government in national legislative elections in January 2015. Between January and July 2015, frustrations grew between the SYRIZA-led government and Greece’s EU and IMF creditors over the implementation of bailout measures and disbursement of funds. The Greek government began running up significant arrears to suppliers, while Greek banks relied on emergency lending, and Greece’s future in the euro zone was called into question. To stave off a collapse of the banking system, Greece imposed capital controls in June 2015, then became the first developed nation to miss a loan payment to the IMF, rattling international financial markets. Unable to reach an agreement with creditors, Prime Minister Alexios TSIPRAS held a nationwide referendum on 5 July on whether to accept the terms of Greece’s bailout, campaigning for the ultimately successful \"no\" vote. The TSIPRAS government subsequently agreed, however, to a new $96 billion bailout in order to avert Greece’s exit from the monetary bloc. On 20 August 2015, Greece signed its third bailout, allowing it to cover significant debt payments to its EU and IMF creditors and to ensure the banking sector retained access to emergency liquidity. The TSIPRAS government — which retook office on 20 September 2015 after calling new elections in late August — successfully secured disbursal of two delayed tranches of bailout funds. Despite the economic turmoil, Greek GDP did not contract as sharply as feared, boosted in part by a strong tourist season. In 2017, Greece saw improvements in GDP and unemployment. Unfinished economic reforms, a massive non-performing loan problem, and ongoing uncertainty regarding the political direction of the country hold the economy back. Some estimates put Greece’s black market at 20- to 25% of GDP, as more people have stopped reporting their income to avoid paying taxes that, in some cases, have risen to 70% of an individual’s gross income." + "text": "Greece has a capitalist economy with a public sector accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP about two-thirds that of the leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 18% of GDP. Immigrants make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in agricultural and unskilled jobs. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP. ++ The Greek economy averaged growth of about 4% per year between 2003 and 2007, but the economy went into recession in 2009 as a result of the world financial crisis, tightening credit conditions, and Athens' failure to address a growing budget deficit. By 2013, the economy had contracted 26%, compared with the pre-crisis level of 2007. Greece met the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criterion of no more than 3% of GDP in 2007-08, but violated it in 2009, when the deficit reached 15% of GDP. Deteriorating public finances, inaccurate and misreported statistics, and consistent underperformance on reforms prompted major credit rating agencies to downgrade Greece's international debt rating in late 2009 and led the country into a financial crisis. Under intense pressure from the EU and international market participants, the government accepted a bailout program that called on Athens to cut government spending, decrease tax evasion, overhaul the civil-service, health-care, and pension systems, and reform the labor and product markets. Austerity measures reduced the deficit to 1.3% in 2017. Successive Greek governments, however, failed to push through many of the most unpopular reforms in the face of widespread political opposition, including from the country's powerful labor unions and the general public. ++ In April 2010, a leading credit agency assigned Greek debt its lowest possible credit rating, and in May 2010, the IMF and euro-zone governments provided Greece emergency short- and medium-term loans worth $147 billion so that the country could make debt repayments to creditors. Greece, however, struggled to meet the targets set by the EU and the IMF, especially after Eurostat - the EU's statistical office - revised upward Greece's deficit and debt numbers for 2009 and 2010. European leaders and the IMF agreed in October 2011 to provide Athens a second bailout package of $169 billion. The second deal called for holders of Greek government bonds to write down a significant portion of their holdings to try to alleviate Greece's government debt burden. However, Greek banks, saddled with a significant portion of sovereign debt, were adversely affected by the write down and $60 billion of the second bailout package was set aside to ensure the banking system was adequately capitalized. ++ In 2014, the Greek economy began to turn the corner on the recession. Greece achieved three significant milestones: balancing the budget - not including debt repayments; issuing government debt in financial markets for the first time since 2010; and generating 0.7% GDP growth — the first economic expansion since 2007. ++ Despite the nascent recovery, widespread discontent with austerity measures helped propel the far-left Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) party into government in national legislative elections in January 2015. Between January and July 2015, frustrations grew between the SYRIZA-led government and Greece's EU and IMF creditors over the implementation of bailout measures and disbursement of funds. The Greek government began running up significant arrears to suppliers, while Greek banks relied on emergency lending, and Greece's future in the euro zone was called into question. To stave off a collapse of the banking system, Greece imposed capital controls in June 2015, then became the first developed nation to miss a loan payment to the IMF, rattling international financial markets. Unable to reach an agreement with creditors, Prime Minister Alexios TSIPRAS held a nationwide referendum on 5 July on whether to accept the terms of Greece's bailout, campaigning for the ultimately successful \"no\" vote. The TSIPRAS government subsequently agreed, however, to a new $96 billion bailout in order to avert Greece's exit from the monetary bloc. On 20 August 2015, Greece signed its third bailout, allowing it to cover significant debt payments to its EU and IMF creditors and to ensure the banking sector retained access to emergency liquidity. The TSIPRAS government — which retook office on 20 September 2015 after calling new elections in late August — successfully secured disbursal of two delayed tranches of bailout funds. Despite the economic turmoil, Greek GDP did not contract as sharply as feared, boosted in part by a strong tourist season. ++ In 2017, Greece saw improvements in GDP and unemployment. Unfinished economic reforms, a massive non-performing loan problem, and ongoing uncertainty regarding the political direction of the country hold the economy back. Some estimates put Greece's black market at 20- to 25% of GDP, as more people have stopped reporting their income to avoid paying taxes that, in some cases, have risen to 70% of an individual's gross income." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$299.3 billion (2017 est.) / $295.3 billion (2016 est.) / $296 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/hr.json b/europe/hr.json index 9a5237cd..883a5332 100644 --- a/europe/hr.json +++ b/europe/hr.json @@ -252,14 +252,11 @@ "text": "1.42 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "5.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.5% of population / rural: 98.4% of population / total: 99% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.5% of population / rural: 1.6% of population / total: 1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -466,7 +460,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Bloc for Croatia or BZH [Zlatko HASANBEGOVIC]Bridge of Independent Lists or Most [Bozo PETROV]Civic Liberal Alliance or GLAS [Ankar Mrak TARITAS]Croatian Christian Democratic Party or HDS [Goran DODIG]Croatian Conservative Party or HKS [Marijan PAVLICEK]Croatian Democratic Congress of Slavonia and Baranja or HDSSB [Branimir GLAVAS]Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Andrej PLENKOVIC]Croatian Democratic Union-led coalition (includes HSLS, HDS, HDSSB)Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Kreso BELJAK]Croatian Pensioner Party or HSU [Silvano HRELJA]Croatian People's Party - Liberal Democrats or HNS-LD [Ivan VRDOLJAK]Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Dario HREBAK]Croatian Sovereignists coalition (includes HK, HRAST)FOKUS [Davor NADI]Green-Left coalition (includes MOZEMO!, RF, NL)Homeland Movement or DPMS [Miloslav SKORO]Homeland Movement-led coalition (includes DPMS, Croatian Sovereignists coalition, BZH)Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Boris MILETIC]Movement for Successful Croatia or HRAST [Ladislav ILCIC]New Left or NL [Dragan MARKOVINA]Pametno [Marijana PULJAK]Pametno, FOKUS, SSIP coalitionParty with a First and Last Name or SSIP [Ivan KOVACIC]People's Party - Reformists [Radimir CACIC]Restart Coalition (includes HSLS, HDS, HDSSB)Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Zlatko KOMADINA, acting leader]We Can! or MOZEMO! [collective leadership]Workers' Front or RF [collective leadership]" + "text": "Bloc for Croatia or BZH [Zlatko HASANBEGOVIC] ++ Bridge of Independent Lists or Most [Bozo PETROV] ++ Civic Liberal Alliance or GLAS [Ankar Mrak TARITAS] ++ Croatian Christian Democratic Party or HDS [Goran DODIG] ++ Croatian Conservative Party or HKS [Marijan PAVLICEK] ++ Croatian Democratic Congress of Slavonia and Baranja or HDSSB [Branimir GLAVAS] ++ Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ [Andrej PLENKOVIC] ++ Croatian Democratic Union-led coalition (includes HSLS, HDS, HDSSB) ++ Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Kreso BELJAK] ++ Croatian Pensioner Party or HSU [Silvano HRELJA] ++ Croatian People's Party - Liberal Democrats or HNS-LD [Ivan VRDOLJAK] ++ Croatian Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Dario HREBAK] ++ Croatian Sovereignists coalition (includes HK, HRAST) ++ FOKUS [Davor NADI] ++ Green-Left coalition (includes MOZEMO!, RF, NL) ++ Homeland Movement or DPMS [Miloslav SKORO] ++ Homeland Movement-led coalition (includes DPMS, Croatian Sovereignists coalition, BZH) ++ Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Boris MILETIC] ++ Movement for Successful Croatia or HRAST [Ladislav ILCIC] ++ New Left or NL [Dragan MARKOVINA] ++ Pametno [Marijana PULJAK] ++ Pametno, FOKUS, SSIP coalition ++ Party with a First and Last Name or SSIP [Ivan KOVACIC] ++ People's Party - Reformists [Radimir CACIC] ++ Restart Coalition (includes HSLS, HDS, HDSSB) ++ Social Democratic Party of Croatia or SDP [Zlatko KOMADINA, acting leader] ++ We Can! or MOZEMO! [collective leadership] ++ Workers' Front or RF [collective leadership] ++" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EMU, EU, FAO, G-11, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (observer), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -528,7 +522,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Though still one of the wealthiest of the former Yugoslav republics, Croatia’s economy suffered badly during the 1991-95 war. The country's output during that time collapsed, and Croatia missed the early waves of investment in Central and Eastern Europe that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Between 2000 and 2007, however, Croatia's economic fortunes began to improve with moderate but steady GDP growth between 4% and 6%, led by a rebound in tourism and credit-driven consumer spending. Inflation over the same period remained tame and the currency, the kuna, stable. Croatia experienced an abrupt slowdown in the economy in 2008; economic growth was stagnant or negative in each year between 2009 and 2014, but has picked up since the third quarter of 2014, ending 2017 with an average of 2.8% growth. Challenges remain including uneven regional development, a difficult investment climate, an inefficient judiciary, and loss of educated young professionals seeking higher salaries elsewhere in the EU. In 2016, Croatia revised its tax code to stimulate growth from domestic consumption and foreign investment. Income tax reduction began in 2017, and in 2018 various business costs were removed from income tax calculations. At the start of 2018, the government announced its economic reform plan, slated for implementation in 2019. Tourism is one of the main pillars of the Croatian economy, comprising 19.6% of Croatia’s GDP. Croatia is working to become a regional energy hub, and is undertaking plans to open a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal by the end of 2019 or early in 2020 to import LNG for re-distribution in southeast Europe. Croatia joined the EU on July 1, 2013, following a decade-long accession process. Croatia has developed a plan for Eurozone accession, and the government projects Croatia will adopt the Euro by 2024. In 2017, the Croatian government decreased public debt to 78% of GDP, from an all-time high of 84% in 2014, and realized a 0.8% budget surplus - the first surplus since independence in 1991. The government has also sought to accelerate privatization of non-strategic assets with mixed success. Croatia’s economic recovery is still somewhat fragile; Croatia’s largest private company narrowly avoided collapse in 2017, thanks to a capital infusion from an American investor. Restructuring is ongoing, and projected to finish by mid-July 2018." + "text": "Though still one of the wealthiest of the former Yugoslav republics, Croatia's economy suffered badly during the 1991-95 war. The country's output during that time collapsed, and Croatia missed the early waves of investment in Central and Eastern Europe that followed the fall of the Berlin Wall. Between 2000 and 2007, however, Croatia's economic fortunes began to improve with moderate but steady GDP growth between 4% and 6%, led by a rebound in tourism and credit-driven consumer spending. Inflation over the same period remained tame and the currency, the kuna, stable. ++ Croatia experienced an abrupt slowdown in the economy in 2008; economic growth was stagnant or negative in each year between 2009 and 2014, but has picked up since the third quarter of 2014, ending 2017 with an average of 2.8% growth. Challenges remain including uneven regional development, a difficult investment climate, an inefficient judiciary, and loss of educated young professionals seeking higher salaries elsewhere in the EU. In 2016, Croatia revised its tax code to stimulate growth from domestic consumption and foreign investment. Income tax reduction began in 2017, and in 2018 various business costs were removed from income tax calculations. At the start of 2018, the government announced its economic reform plan, slated for implementation in 2019. ++ Tourism is one of the main pillars of the Croatian economy, comprising 19.6% of Croatia's GDP. Croatia is working to become a regional energy hub, and is undertaking plans to open a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal by the end of 2019 or early in 2020 to import LNG for re-distribution in southeast Europe. ++ Croatia joined the EU on July 1, 2013, following a decade-long accession process. Croatia has developed a plan for Eurozone accession, and the government projects Croatia will adopt the Euro by 2024. In 2017, the Croatian government decreased public debt to 78% of GDP, from an all-time high of 84% in 2014, and realized a 0.8% budget surplus - the first surplus since independence in 1991. The government has also sought to accelerate privatization of non-strategic assets with mixed success. Croatia's economic recovery is still somewhat fragile; Croatia's largest private company narrowly avoided collapse in 2017, thanks to a capital infusion from an American investor. Restructuring is ongoing, and projected to finish by mid-July 2018." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$102.1 billion (2017 est.) / $99.37 billion (2016 est.) / $95.97 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/hu.json b/europe/hu.json index 9a45c2d2..183a5a0f 100644 --- a/europe/hu.json +++ b/europe/hu.json @@ -249,14 +249,11 @@ "text": "1.47 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -269,14 +266,11 @@ "text": "7 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -381,7 +375,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 23 cities with county rights (megyei jogu varosok, singular - megyei jogu varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros) counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala cities with county rights: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Erd, Gyor, Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa, Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Salgotarjan, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szekszard, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg capital city: Budapest" + "text": "19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 23 cities with county rights (megyei jogu varosok, singular - megyei jogu varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros) ++ counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen, Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves, Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy, Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala ++ cities with county rights: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Erd, Gyor, Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa, Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Salgotarjan, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szekszard, Szolnok, Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg ++ capital city: Budapest" }, "Independence": { "text": "16 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 25 December 1000 (crowning of King STEPHEN I, traditional founding date); 30 March 1867 (Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy established)" @@ -460,7 +454,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Zsolt SEMJEN]Democratic Coalition or DK [Ferenc GYURCSANY]Dialogue for Hungary (Parbeszed) or PM [Gergely KARACSONY, Timea SZABO]Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN]Hungarian Socialist Party or MSZP [Bertalan TOTH]Momentum Movement (Momentum Mozgalom) [Andras FEKETE-GYOR]Movement for a Better Hungary or Jobbik [Tamas SNEIDER]National Self-Government of Germans in Hungary or LdU [Olivia SCHUBERT]Politics Can Be Different or LMP [Marta DEMETER, Laszlo LORANT-KERESZTES]Together (Egyutt)" + "text": "Christian Democratic People's Party or KDNP [Zsolt SEMJEN] ++ Democratic Coalition or DK [Ferenc GYURCSANY] ++ Dialogue for Hungary (Parbeszed) or PM [Gergely KARACSONY, Timea SZABO] ++ Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN] ++ Hungarian Socialist Party or MSZP [Bertalan TOTH] ++ Momentum Movement (Momentum Mozgalom) [Andras FEKETE-GYOR] ++ Movement for a Better Hungary or Jobbik [Tamas SNEIDER] ++ National Self-Government of Germans in Hungary or LdU [Olivia SCHUBERT] ++ Politics Can Be Different or LMP [Marta DEMETER, Laszlo LORANT-KERESZTES] ++ Together (Egyutt)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -519,7 +513,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Hungary has transitioned from a centrally planned to a market-driven economy with a per capita income approximately two thirds of the EU-28 average; however, in recent years the government has become more involved in managing the economy. Budapest has implemented unorthodox economic policies to boost household consumption and has relied on EU-funded development projects to generate growth.   Following the fall of communism in 1990, Hungary experienced a drop-off in exports and financial assistance from the former Soviet Union. Hungary embarked on a series of economic reforms, including privatization of state-owned enterprises and reduction of social spending programs, to shift from a centrally planned to a market-driven economy, and to reorient its economy towards trade with the West. These efforts helped to spur growth, attract investment, and reduce Hungary’s debt burden and fiscal deficits. Despite these reforms, living conditions for the average Hungarian initially deteriorated as inflation increased and unemployment reached double digits. Conditions slowly improved over the 1990s as the reforms came to fruition and export growth accelerated. Economic policies instituted during that decade helped position Hungary to join the European Union in 2004. Hungary has not yet joined the euro-zone. Hungary suffered a historic economic contraction as a result of the global economic slowdown in 2008-09 as export demand and domestic consumption dropped, prompting it to take an IMF-EU financial assistance package.   Since 2010, the government has backpedaled on many economic reforms and taken a more populist approach towards economic management. The government has favored national industries and government-linked businesses through legislation, regulation, and public procurements. In 2011 and 2014, Hungary nationalized private pension funds, which squeezed financial service providers out of the system, but also helped Hungary curb its public debt and lower its budget deficit to below 3% of GDP, as subsequent pension contributions have been channeled into the state-managed pension fund. Hungary’s public debt (at 74.5% of GDP) is still high compared to EU peers in Central Europe. Real GDP growth has been robust in the past few years due to increased EU funding, higher EU demand for Hungarian exports, and a rebound in domestic household consumption. To further boost household consumption ahead of the 2018 election, the government embarked on a six-year phased increase to minimum wages and public sector salaries, decreased taxes on foodstuffs and services, cut the personal income tax from 16% to 15%, and implemented a uniform 9% business tax for small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies. Real GDP growth slowed in 2016 due to a cyclical decrease in EU funding, but increased to 3.8% in 2017 as the government pre-financed EU funded projects ahead of the 2018 election.   Systemic economic challenges include pervasive corruption, labor shortages driven by demographic declines and migration, widespread poverty in rural areas, vulnerabilities to changes in demand for exports, and a heavy reliance on Russian energy imports." + "text": "Hungary has transitioned from a centrally planned to a market-driven economy with a per capita income approximately two thirds of the EU-28 average; however, in recent years the government has become more involved in managing the economy. Budapest has implemented unorthodox economic policies to boost household consumption and has relied on EU-funded development projects to generate growth. ++   ++ Following the fall of communism in 1990, Hungary experienced a drop-off in exports and financial assistance from the former Soviet Union. Hungary embarked on a series of economic reforms, including privatization of state-owned enterprises and reduction of social spending programs, to shift from a centrally planned to a market-driven economy, and to reorient its economy towards trade with the West. These efforts helped to spur growth, attract investment, and reduce Hungary's debt burden and fiscal deficits. Despite these reforms, living conditions for the average Hungarian initially deteriorated as inflation increased and unemployment reached double digits. Conditions slowly improved over the 1990s as the reforms came to fruition and export growth accelerated. Economic policies instituted during that decade helped position Hungary to join the European Union in 2004. Hungary has not yet joined the euro-zone. Hungary suffered a historic economic contraction as a result of the global economic slowdown in 2008-09 as export demand and domestic consumption dropped, prompting it to take an IMF-EU financial assistance package. ++   ++ Since 2010, the government has backpedaled on many economic reforms and taken a more populist approach towards economic management. The government has favored national industries and government-linked businesses through legislation, regulation, and public procurements. In 2011 and 2014, Hungary nationalized private pension funds, which squeezed financial service providers out of the system, but also helped Hungary curb its public debt and lower its budget deficit to below 3% of GDP, as subsequent pension contributions have been channeled into the state-managed pension fund. Hungary's public debt (at 74.5% of GDP) is still high compared to EU peers in Central Europe. Real GDP growth has been robust in the past few years due to increased EU funding, higher EU demand for Hungarian exports, and a rebound in domestic household consumption. To further boost household consumption ahead of the 2018 election, the government embarked on a six-year phased increase to minimum wages and public sector salaries, decreased taxes on foodstuffs and services, cut the personal income tax from 16% to 15%, and implemented a uniform 9% business tax for small and medium-sized enterprises and large companies. Real GDP growth slowed in 2016 due to a cyclical decrease in EU funding, but increased to 3.8% in 2017 as the government pre-financed EU funded projects ahead of the 2018 election. ++   ++ Systemic economic challenges include pervasive corruption, labor shortages driven by demographic declines and migration, widespread poverty in rural areas, vulnerabilities to changes in demand for exports, and a heavy reliance on Russian energy imports." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$289.6 billion (2017 est.) / $278.5 billion (2016 est.) / $272.5 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/ic.json b/europe/ic.json index ad865511..1430b195 100644 --- a/europe/ic.json +++ b/europe/ic.json @@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ "text": "Iceland is almost entirely urban with half of the population located in and around the capital of Reykjavik; smaller clusters are primarily found along the coast in the north and west" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "earthquakes and volcanic activity\nvolcanism: Iceland, situated on top of a hotspot, experiences severe volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (1,512 m), which has a high probability of eruption in the very near future, potentially disrupting air traffic; Grimsvoetn and Hekla are Iceland's most active volcanoes; other historically active volcanoes include Askja, Bardarbunga, Brennisteinsfjoll, Esjufjoll, Hengill, Krafla, Krisuvik, Kverkfjoll, Oraefajokull, Reykjanes, Torfajokull, and Vestmannaeyjar" + "text": "earthquakes and volcanic activity ++ volcanism: Iceland, situated on top of a hotspot, experiences severe volcanic activity; Eyjafjallajokull (1,666 m) erupted in 2010, sending ash high into the atmosphere and seriously disrupting European air traffic; scientists continue to monitor nearby Katla (1,512 m), which has a high probability of eruption in the very near future, potentially disrupting air traffic; Grimsvoetn and Hekla are Iceland's most active volcanoes; other historically active volcanoes include Askja, Bardarbunga, Brennisteinsfjoll, Esjufjoll, Hengill, Krafla, Krisuvik, Kverkfjoll, Oraefajokull, Reykjanes, Torfajokull, and Vestmannaeyjar" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "water pollution from fertilizer runoff" @@ -250,14 +250,11 @@ "text": "1.97 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -270,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "3.1 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -433,7 +427,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Centrist Party (Midflokkurinn) or CP [Sigmundur David GUNNLAUGSSON]Independence Party (Sjalfstaedisflokkurinn) or IP [Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON]Left-Green Movement (Vinstrihreyfingin-graent frambod) or LGM [Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR]People's Party (Flokkur Folksins) [Inga SAELAND]Pirate Party (Piratar) [rotating leadership]Progressive Party (Framsoknarflokkurinn) or PP [Sigurdur Ingi JOHANNSSON]Reform Party (Vidreisn) [Thorgerdur Katrin GUNNARSDOTTIR]Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin) or SDA [Logi Mar EINARSSON]" + "text": "Centrist Party (Midflokkurinn) or CP [Sigmundur David GUNNLAUGSSON] ++ Independence Party (Sjalfstaedisflokkurinn) or IP [Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON] ++ Left-Green Movement (Vinstrihreyfingin-graent frambod) or LGM [Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR] ++ People's Party (Flokkur Folksins) [Inga SAELAND] ++ Pirate Party (Piratar) [rotating leadership] ++ Progressive Party (Framsoknarflokkurinn) or PP [Sigurdur Ingi JOHANNSSON] ++ Reform Party (Vidreisn) [Thorgerdur Katrin GUNNARSDOTTIR] ++ Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin) or SDA [Logi Mar EINARSSON]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -492,7 +486,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Iceland's economy combines a capitalist structure and free-market principles with an extensive welfare system. Except for a brief period during the 2008 crisis, Iceland has in recent years achieved high growth, low unemployment, and a remarkably even distribution of income. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, particularly within the fields of tourism, software production, and biotechnology. Abundant geothermal and hydropower sources have attracted substantial foreign investment in the aluminum sector, boosted economic growth, and sparked some interest from high-tech firms looking to establish data centers using cheap green energy. Tourism, aluminum smelting, and fishing are the pillars of the economy. For decades the Icelandic economy depended heavily on fisheries, but tourism has now surpassed fishing and aluminum as Iceland’s main export industry. Tourism accounted for 8.6% of Iceland’s GDP in 2016, and 39% of total exports of merchandise and services. From 2010 to 2017, the number of tourists visiting Iceland increased by nearly 400%. Since 2010, tourism has become a main driver of Icelandic economic growth, with the number of tourists reaching 4.5 times the Icelandic population in 2016. Iceland remains sensitive to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports, and to fluctuations in the exchange rate of the Icelandic Krona. Following the privatization of the banking sector in the early 2000s, domestic banks expanded aggressively in foreign markets, and consumers and businesses borrowed heavily in foreign currencies. Worsening global financial conditions throughout 2008 resulted in a sharp depreciation of the krona vis-a-vis other major currencies. The foreign exposure of Icelandic banks, whose loans and other assets totaled nearly nine times the country's GDP, became unsustainable. Iceland's three largest banks collapsed in late 2008. GDP fell 6.8% in 2009, and unemployment peaked at 9.4% in February 2009. Three new banks were established to take over the domestic assets of the collapsed banks. Two of them have majority ownership by the state, which intends to re-privatize them. Since the collapse of Iceland's financial sector, government economic priorities have included stabilizing the krona, implementing capital controls, reducing Iceland's high budget deficit, containing inflation, addressing high household debt, restructuring the financial sector, and diversifying the economy. Capital controls were lifted in March 2017, but some financial protections, such as reserve requirements for specified investments connected to new inflows of foreign currency, remain in place." + "text": "Iceland's economy combines a capitalist structure and free-market principles with an extensive welfare system. Except for a brief period during the 2008 crisis, Iceland has in recent years achieved high growth, low unemployment, and a remarkably even distribution of income. Iceland's economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, particularly within the fields of tourism, software production, and biotechnology. Abundant geothermal and hydropower sources have attracted substantial foreign investment in the aluminum sector, boosted economic growth, and sparked some interest from high-tech firms looking to establish data centers using cheap green energy. ++ Tourism, aluminum smelting, and fishing are the pillars of the economy. For decades the Icelandic economy depended heavily on fisheries, but tourism has now surpassed fishing and aluminum as Iceland's main export industry. Tourism accounted for 8.6% of Iceland's GDP in 2016, and 39% of total exports of merchandise and services. From 2010 to 2017, the number of tourists visiting Iceland increased by nearly 400%. Since 2010, tourism has become a main driver of Icelandic economic growth, with the number of tourists reaching 4.5 times the Icelandic population in 2016. Iceland remains sensitive to fluctuations in world prices for its main exports, and to fluctuations in the exchange rate of the Icelandic Krona. ++ Following the privatization of the banking sector in the early 2000s, domestic banks expanded aggressively in foreign markets, and consumers and businesses borrowed heavily in foreign currencies. Worsening global financial conditions throughout 2008 resulted in a sharp depreciation of the krona vis-a-vis other major currencies. The foreign exposure of Icelandic banks, whose loans and other assets totaled nearly nine times the country's GDP, became unsustainable. Iceland's three largest banks collapsed in late 2008. GDP fell 6.8% in 2009, and unemployment peaked at 9.4% in February 2009. Three new banks were established to take over the domestic assets of the collapsed banks. Two of them have majority ownership by the state, which intends to re-privatize them. ++ Since the collapse of Iceland's financial sector, government economic priorities have included stabilizing the krona, implementing capital controls, reducing Iceland's high budget deficit, containing inflation, addressing high household debt, restructuring the financial sector, and diversifying the economy. Capital controls were lifted in March 2017, but some financial protections, such as reserve requirements for specified investments connected to new inflows of foreign currency, remain in place." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$18.18 billion (2017 est.) / $17.48 billion (2016 est.) / $16.29 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -748,7 +742,7 @@ } }, "Broadcast media": { - "text": "state-owned public TV broadcaster (RUV) operates 21 TV channels nationally (RUV and RUV 2, though RUV 2 is used less frequently);  RUV broadcasts nationally, every household in Iceland is required to have RUV as it doubles as the emergency broadcast network; RUV also operates stringer offices in the north (Akureyri) and the east (Egilsstadir) but operations are all run out of RUV headquarters in Reykjavik;  there are 3 privately owned TV stations;  Stod 2 (Channel 2) is owned by Syn, following 365 Media and Vodafone merger, and is headquartered in Reykjavik;  Syn also operates 4 sports channels under Stod 2;  N4 is the only television station headquartered outside of Reykjavik, in Akureyri, with local programming for the north, south, and east of Iceland;  Hringbraut is the newest station and is headquartered in Reykjavik;  all of these television stations have nationwide penetration as 100% of households have multi-channel services though digital and/or fiber-optic connections RUV operates 3 radio stations (RAS 1, RAS2, and Rondo) as well as 4 regional stations (but they mostly act as range extenders for RUV radio broadcasts nationwide);  there is 1 privately owned radio conglomerate, Syn (4 stations), that broadcasts nationwide, and 3 other radio stations that broadcast to the most densely populated regions of the country.  In addition there are upwards of 20 radio stations that operate regionally (2019)" + "text": "state-owned public TV broadcaster (RUV) operates 21 TV channels nationally (RUV and RUV 2, though RUV 2 is used less frequently);  RUV broadcasts nationally, every household in Iceland is required to have RUV as it doubles as the emergency broadcast network; RUV also operates stringer offices in the north (Akureyri) and the east (Egilsstadir) but operations are all run out of RUV headquarters in Reykjavik;  there are 3 privately owned TV stations;  Stod 2 (Channel 2) is owned by Syn, following 365 Media and Vodafone merger, and is headquartered in Reykjavik;  Syn also operates 4 sports channels under Stod 2;  N4 is the only television station headquartered outside of Reykjavik, in Akureyri, with local programming for the north, south, and east of Iceland;  Hringbraut is the newest station and is headquartered in Reykjavik;  all of these television stations have nationwide penetration as 100% of households have multi-channel services though digital and/or fiber-optic connections ++ RUV operates 3 radio stations (RAS 1, RAS2, and Rondo) as well as 4 regional stations (but they mostly act as range extenders for RUV radio broadcasts nationwide);  there is 1 privately owned radio conglomerate, Syn (4 stations), that broadcasts nationwide, and 3 other radio stations that broadcast to the most densely populated regions of the country.  In addition there are upwards of 20 radio stations that operate regionally (2019)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".is" diff --git a/europe/im.json b/europe/im.json index e55a74ec..1c299b40 100644 --- a/europe/im.json +++ b/europe/im.json @@ -213,8 +213,11 @@ "text": "1.9 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -326,13 +329,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Tynwald or the High Court of Tynwald consists of:Legislative Council (11 seats; includes the President of Tynwald, 2 ex-officio members - the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man and the attorney general (non-voting) - and 8 members indirectly elected by the House of Keys with renewal of 4 members every 2 years; elected members serve 4-year terms) House of Keys (24 seats; 2 members directly elected by simple majority vote from 12 constituencies to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Tynwald or the High Court of Tynwald consists of: Legislative Council (11 seats; includes the President of Tynwald, 2 ex-officio members - the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man and the attorney general (non-voting) - and 8 members indirectly elected by the House of Keys with renewal of 4 members every 2 years; elected members serve 4-year terms) ++ House of Keys (24 seats; 2 members directly elected by simple majority vote from 12 constituencies to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Legislative Council - last held 28 February 2018 (next to be held 12 March 2020) House of Keys - last held on 22 September 2016 (next to be held on 23 September 2021)" + "text": "Legislative Council - last held 28 February 2018 (next to be held 12 March 2020) ++ House of Keys - last held on 22 September 2016 (next to be held on 23 September 2021)" }, "election results": { - "text": "  Legislative Council - composition - men 6, women 5, percent of women 45.5%House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Liberal Vannin 6.4%, independent 92.3%, other 1.3%; seats by party - Liberal Vannin 3, independent 21; composition - men 19, women 5, percent of women 20.8%; note - total Tynwald percent of women 28.6%" + "text": "  ++ Legislative Council - composition - men 6, women 5, percent of women 45.5% ++ House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Liberal Vannin 6.4%, independent 92.3%, other 1.3%; seats by party - Liberal Vannin 3, independent 21; composition - men 19, women 5, percent of women 20.8%; note - total Tynwald percent of women 28.6%" }, "note": { "text": "note: as of January 2019, seats by party - Liberal Vannin 2, independent 22" @@ -350,7 +353,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Liberal Vannin Party [Kate BEECROFT]Manx Labor PartyMec Vannin [Mark KERMODE] (sometimes referred to as the Manx Nationalist Party)", + "text": "Liberal Vannin Party [Kate BEECROFT] ++ Manx Labor Party ++ Mec Vannin [Mark KERMODE] (sometimes referred to as the Manx Nationalist Party)", "note": { "text": "note: most members sit as independents" } @@ -386,7 +389,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Financial services, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government offers low taxes and other incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island; this has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their contributions to GDP. The Isle of Man also attracts online gambling sites and the film industry. Online gambling sites provided about 10% of the islands income in 2014. The Isle of Man currently enjoys free access to EU markets and trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man’s trade relationship with the EU derives from the United Kingdom’s EU membership and will need to be renegotiated in light of the United Kingdom’s decision to withdraw from the bloc. A transition period is expected to allow the free movement of goods and agricultural products to the EU until the end of 2020 or until a new settlement is negotiated." + "text": "Financial services, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government offers low taxes and other incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island; this has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their contributions to GDP. The Isle of Man also attracts online gambling sites and the film industry. Online gambling sites provided about 10% of the islands income in 2014. The Isle of Man currently enjoys free access to EU markets and trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man's trade relationship with the EU derives from the United Kingdom's EU membership and will need to be renegotiated in light of the United Kingdom's decision to withdraw from the bloc. A transition period is expected to allow the free movement of goods and agricultural products to the EU until the end of 2020 or until a new settlement is negotiated." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$6.792 billion (2015 est.) / $7.428 billion (2014 est.) / $6.298 billion (2013 est.)", diff --git a/europe/it.json b/europe/it.json index 548306c5..74d2caf0 100644 --- a/europe/it.json +++ b/europe/it.json @@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ "text": "despite a distinctive pattern with an industrial north and an agrarian south, a fairly even population distribution exists throughout most of the country, with coastal areas, the Po River Valley, and urban centers (particularly Milan, Rome, and Naples), attracting larger and denser populations" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice\nvolcanism: significant volcanic activity; Etna (3,330 m), which is in eruption as of 2010, is Europe's most active volcano; flank eruptions pose a threat to nearby Sicilian villages; Etna, along with the famous Vesuvius, which remains a threat to the millions of nearby residents in the Bay of Naples area, have both been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Stromboli, on its namesake island, has also been continuously active with moderate volcanic activity; other historically active volcanoes include Campi Flegrei, Ischia, Larderello, Pantelleria, Vulcano, and Vulsini" + "text": "regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice ++ volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Etna (3,330 m), which is in eruption as of 2010, is Europe's most active volcano; flank eruptions pose a threat to nearby Sicilian villages; Etna, along with the famous Vesuvius, which remains a threat to the millions of nearby residents in the Bay of Naples area, have both been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Stromboli, on its namesake island, has also been continuously active with moderate volcanic activity; other historically active volcanoes include Campi Flegrei, Ischia, Larderello, Pantelleria, Vulcano, and Vulsini" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities" @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "3.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.8% of population / rural: 98.6% of population / total: 98.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.2% of population / rural: 1.4% of population / total: 1.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -300,7 +294,7 @@ "Major infectious diseases": { "text": "Covid-19 (see note) (2020)", "note": { - "text": "note: a new coronavirus is causing sustained community spread of respiratory illness (COVID-19) in Italy; sustained community spread means that people have been infected with the virus, but how or where they became infected is not known, and the spread is ongoing; illness with this virus has ranged from mild to severe with fatalities reported; as of 10 November 2020, Italy has reported a total of 902,490 cases of COVID-19 or 14,927 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 1 million population with 679 cumulative deaths per 1 million population; the US Department of State has issued a Travel Advisory to reconsider travel to Italy due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also recommended postponing nonessential travel to Italy at this time and published additional guidance at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/alert/coronavirus-italy; the US Department of Homeland Security has issued instructions requiring US passengers who have been in Italy to travel through select airports where the US Government has implemented enhanced screening procedures" + "text": "note: a new coronavirus is causing sustained community spread of respiratory illness (COVID-19) in Italy; sustained community spread means that people have been infected with the virus, but how or where they became infected is not known, and the spread is ongoing; illness with this virus has ranged from mild to severe with fatalities reported; as of 10 November 2020, Italy has reported a total of 902,490 cases of COVID-19 or 14,927 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 1 million population with 679 cumulative deaths per 1 million population; the US Department of State has issued a Travel Advisory to reconsider travel to Italy due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also recommended postponing nonessential travel to Italy at this time and published additional guidance at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/alert/coronavirus-italy ; the US Department of Homeland Security has issued instructions requiring US passengers who have been in Italy to travel through select airports where the US Government has implemented enhanced screening procedures" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -388,7 +382,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "15 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 5 autonomous regions (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma) regions: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte (Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Toscana (Tuscany), Umbria, Veneto; autonomous regions: Friuli Venezia Giulia, Sardegna (Sardinia), Sicilia (Sicily), Trentino-Alto Adige (Trentino-South Tyrol) or Trentino-Suedtirol (German), Valle d'Aosta (Aosta Valley) or Vallee d'Aoste (French)" + "text": "15 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 5 autonomous regions (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma) ++ regions: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte (Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Toscana (Tuscany), Umbria, Veneto; ++ autonomous regions: Friuli Venezia Giulia, Sardegna (Sardinia), Sicilia (Sicily), Trentino-Alto Adige (Trentino-South Tyrol) or Trentino-Suedtirol (German), Valle d'Aosta (Aosta Valley) or Vallee d'Aoste (French)" }, "Independence": { "text": "17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1871)" @@ -446,13 +440,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of:Senate or Senato della Repubblica (321 seats; 116 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 193 members in multi-seat constituencies and 6 members in multi-seat constituencies abroad directly elected by party-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 6 ex-officio members appointed by the president of the Republic to serve for life) Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 629 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 1 member from Valle d'Aosta elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - a 29 March 2020 referendum on the proposed reduction of Parliament membership has been postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of: Senate or Senato della Repubblica (321 seats; 116 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 193 members in multi-seat constituencies and 6 members in multi-seat constituencies abroad directly elected by party-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 6 ex-officio members appointed by the president of the Republic to serve for life) ++ Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 629 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 1 member from Valle d'Aosta elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - a 29 March 2020 referendum on the proposed reduction of Parliament membership has been postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 4 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 4 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 4 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023) ++ Chamber of Deputies - last held on 4 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - center-right coalition 37.5% (L 17.6%, FI 14.4%, FdI 4.3%, UdC 1.2%), M5S 32.2%, center-left coalition (PD 19.1%, +E 2.3%, I 0.5%, CP 0.5%, SVP-PATT 0.4%), LeU 3.3%; seats by party - center-right coalition 77(L 37, FI 33, FdI 7), M5S 68, center-left coalition 44(PD 43, SVP-PATT 1), LeU 4; composition - men 208, women 113, percent of women 35.2% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - center-right coalition 37% (L 17.4%, FI 14%, FdI 4.4%, UdC 1.3%), M5S 33%, center-left coalition 22.9% (PD 18.8%, E+ 2.6%, I 0.6%, CP 0.5%, SVP-PATT 0.4%); seats by party - center-right coalition 151 (L73, FI 59, FdI 19), M5S 133, center-left coalition 88 (PD 86, SVP 2), LeU 14; composition - men 405, women 225, percent of women 35.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 35.5%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - center-right coalition 37.5% (L 17.6%, FI 14.4%, FdI 4.3%, UdC 1.2%), M5S 32.2%, center-left coalition (PD 19.1%, +E 2.3%, I 0.5%, CP 0.5%, SVP-PATT 0.4%), LeU 3.3%; seats by party - center-right coalition 77(L 37, FI 33, FdI 7), M5S 68, center-left coalition 44(PD 43, SVP-PATT 1), LeU 4; composition - men 208, women 113, percent of women 35.2% ++ Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - center-right coalition 37% (L 17.4%, FI 14%, FdI 4.4%, UdC 1.3%), M5S 33%, center-left coalition 22.9% (PD 18.8%, E+ 2.6%, I 0.6%, CP 0.5%, SVP-PATT 0.4%); seats by party - center-right coalition 151 (L73, FI 59, FdI 19), M5S 133, center-left coalition 88 (PD 86, SVP 2), LeU 14; composition - men 405, women 225, percent of women 35.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 35.5%" }, "note": { "text": "Note: in October 2019, Italy's Parliament voted to reduce the number of Senate seats from 315 to 200 and the number of Chamber of Deputies seats from 630 to 400; the law is subject to a referendum to be held between 15 April and 15 June 2020; changes will be effective for the 2023 election if the law is adopted" @@ -470,7 +464,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Governing Coalition: Northern League (Lega Nord) or Lega [Matteo SALVINI]Five Star Movement or M5S [Vito CRIMI, acting leader] Left-center-right opposition: Democratic Party or PD [Nicola ZINGARETTI]Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]Brothers of Italy [Giorgia MELONI] Free and Equal (Liberi e Uguali) or LeU [Pietro GRASSO]More Europe or +EU [Emma BONINO]Popular Civic List or CP [Beatrice LORENZIN] Other parties and parliamentary groups:Possible [Beatrice BRIGNONE]Us with Italy [Raffaele FITTO]South Tyrolean People's Party or SVP [Philipp ACHAMMER] Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party (Partito Autonomista Trentino Tirolese) or PATT [Franco PANIZZA, secretary] Article One or Art.1-MDP [Roberto SPERANZA]" + "text": "Governing Coalition: ++ Northern League (Lega Nord) or Lega [Matteo SALVINI] ++ Five Star Movement or M5S [Vito CRIMI, acting leader] ++ Left-center-right opposition: ++ Democratic Party or PD [Nicola ZINGARETTI] ++ Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI] ++ Brothers of Italy [Giorgia MELONI] ++ Free and Equal (Liberi e Uguali) or LeU [Pietro GRASSO] ++ More Europe or +EU [Emma BONINO] ++ Popular Civic List or CP [Beatrice LORENZIN] ++ Other parties and parliamentary groups: Possible [Beatrice BRIGNONE] ++ Us with Italy [Raffaele FITTO] ++ South Tyrolean People's Party or SVP [Philipp ACHAMMER] ++ Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party (Partito Autonomista Trentino Tirolese) or PATT [Franco PANIZZA, secretary] ++ Article One or Art.1-MDP [Roberto SPERANZA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -538,7 +532,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Italy’s economy comprises a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, highly subsidized, agricultural south, with a legacy of unemployment and underdevelopment. The Italian economy is driven in large part by the manufacture of high-quality consumer goods produced by small and medium-sized enterprises, many of them family-owned. Italy also has a sizable underground economy, which by some estimates accounts for as much as 17% of GDP. These activities are most common within the agriculture, construction, and service sectors. Italy is the third-largest economy in the euro zone, but its exceptionally high public debt and structural impediments to growth have rendered it vulnerable to scrutiny by financial markets. Public debt has increased steadily since 2007, reaching 131% of GDP in 2017. Investor concerns about Italy and the broader euro-zone crisis eased in 2013, bringing down Italy's borrowing costs on sovereign government debt from euro-era records. The government still faces pressure from investors and European partners to sustain its efforts to address Italy's longstanding structural economic problems, including labor market inefficiencies, a sluggish judicial system, and a weak banking sector. Italy’s economy returned to modest growth in late 2014 for the first time since 2011. In 2015-16, Italy’s economy grew at about 1% each year, and in 2017 growth accelerated to 1.5% of GDP. In 2017, overall unemployment was 11.4%, but youth unemployment remained high at 37.1%. GDP growth is projected to slow slightly in 2018." + "text": "Italy's economy comprises a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less-developed, highly subsidized, agricultural south, with a legacy of unemployment and underdevelopment. The Italian economy is driven in large part by the manufacture of high-quality consumer goods produced by small and medium-sized enterprises, many of them family-owned. Italy also has a sizable underground economy, which by some estimates accounts for as much as 17% of GDP. These activities are most common within the agriculture, construction, and service sectors. ++ Italy is the third-largest economy in the euro zone, but its exceptionally high public debt and structural impediments to growth have rendered it vulnerable to scrutiny by financial markets. Public debt has increased steadily since 2007, reaching 131% of GDP in 2017. Investor concerns about Italy and the broader euro-zone crisis eased in 2013, bringing down Italy's borrowing costs on sovereign government debt from euro-era records. The government still faces pressure from investors and European partners to sustain its efforts to address Italy's longstanding structural economic problems, including labor market inefficiencies, a sluggish judicial system, and a weak banking sector. Italy's economy returned to modest growth in late 2014 for the first time since 2011. In 2015-16, Italy's economy grew at about 1% each year, and in 2017 growth accelerated to 1.5% of GDP. In 2017, overall unemployment was 11.4%, but youth unemployment remained high at 37.1%. GDP growth is projected to slow slightly in 2018." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.317 trillion (2017 est.) / $2.282 trillion (2016 est.) / $2.263 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -929,7 +923,7 @@ "Military and security forces": { "text": "Italian Armed Forces: Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI; includes aviation, marines), Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri Corps (Arma dei Carabinieri, CC) (2019)", "note": { - "text": "note(s): the Financial Guard (Guardia di Finanza) under the Ministry of Economy and Finance is a force with military status and nationwide remit for financial crime investigations, including narcotics trafficking, smuggling, and illegal immigration" + "text": "note(s): the Financial Guard (Guardia di Finanza) under the Ministry of Economy and Finance is a force with military status and nationwide remit for financial crime investigations, including narcotics trafficking, smuggling, and illegal immigration ++" } }, "Military expenditures": { diff --git a/europe/je.json b/europe/je.json index 5b120831..6d3bba99 100644 --- a/europe/je.json +++ b/europe/je.json @@ -236,16 +236,22 @@ "text": "1.67 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 5.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 94.2% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 5.9% of population (2017 est.)" }, "note": { "text": "note: includes data for Guernsey" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.5% of population (2017)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 98.5% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 1.5% of population (2017)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -401,7 +407,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Jersey's economy is based on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. In 2016, the financial services sector accounted for about 41% of the island's output. Agriculture represented about 1% of Jersey’s economy in 2016. Potatoes are an important export crop, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle originated on the island and is known worldwide. The dairy industry remains important to the island with approximately $8.8 million gallons of milk produced in 2015. Tourism accounts for a significant portion of Jersey’s economy, with more than 700,000 total visitors in 2015. Living standards come close to those of the UK. All raw material and energy requirements are imported as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular offshore financial center. Jersey maintains its relationship with the EU through the UK. Therefore, in light of the UK’s decision to leave the EU, Jersey will also need to renegotiate its ties to the EU." + "text": "Jersey's economy is based on international financial services, agriculture, and tourism. In 2016, the financial services sector accounted for about 41% of the island's output. Agriculture represented about 1% of Jersey's economy in 2016. Potatoes are an important export crop, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle originated on the island and is known worldwide. The dairy industry remains important to the island with approximately $8.8 million gallons of milk produced in 2015. Tourism accounts for a significant portion of Jersey's economy, with more than 700,000 total visitors in 2015. Living standards come close to those of the UK. All raw material and energy requirements are imported as well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death duties make the island a popular offshore financial center. Jersey maintains its relationship with the EU through the UK. Therefore, in light of the UK's decision to leave the EU, Jersey will also need to renegotiate its ties to the EU." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$5.569 billion (2016 est.) / $5.514 billion (2015 est.) / $4.98 billion (2014)", diff --git a/europe/jn.json b/europe/jn.json index 8873fdd9..a3e4940d 100644 --- a/europe/jn.json +++ b/europe/jn.json @@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ "text": "0 sq km (2012)" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "dominated by the volcano Beerenberg\nvolcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) is Norway's only active volcano; volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985" + "text": "dominated by the volcano Beerenberg ++ volcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) is Norway's only active volcano; volcanic activity resumed in 1970; the most recent eruption occurred in 1985" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "pollutants transported from southerly latitudes by winds, ocean currents, and rivers accumulate in the food chains of native animals; climate change" diff --git a/europe/kv.json b/europe/kv.json index eb9119df..2768b800 100644 --- a/europe/kv.json +++ b/europe/kv.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The central Balkans were part of the Roman and Byzantine Empires before ethnic Serbs migrated to the territories of modern Kosovo in the 7th century. During the medieval period, Kosovo became the center of a Serbian Empire and saw the construction of many important Serb religious sites, including many architecturally significant Serbian Orthodox monasteries. The defeat of Serbian forces at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 led to five centuries of Ottoman rule during which large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to Kosovo. By the end of the 19th century, Albanians replaced Serbs as the dominant ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control over the region from the Ottoman Empire during the First Balkan War of 1912. After World War II, Kosovo's present-day boundaries were established when Kosovo became an autonomous province of Serbia in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (S.F.R.Y.). Despite legislative concessions, Albanian nationalism increased in the 1980s, which led to riots and calls for Kosovo's independence. The Serbs - many of whom viewed Kosovo as their cultural heartland - instituted a new constitution in 1989 revoking Kosovo's autonomous status. Kosovo's Albanian leaders responded in 1991 by organizing a referendum declaring Kosovo independent. Serbia undertook repressive measures against the Kosovar Albanians in the 1990s, provoking a Kosovar Albanian insurgency. Beginning in 1998, Serbia conducted a brutal counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians (some 800,000 ethnic Albanians were forced from their homes in Kosovo). After international attempts to mediate the conflict failed, a three-month NATO military operation against Serbia beginning in March 1999 forced the Serbs to agree to withdraw their military and police forces from Kosovo. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) placed Kosovo under a transitional administration, the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), pending a determination of Kosovo's future status. A UN-led process began in late 2005 to determine Kosovo's final status. The 2006-07 negotiations ended without agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, though the UN issued a comprehensive report on Kosovo's final status that endorsed independence. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared Kosovo independent. Since then, over 100 countries have recognized Kosovo, and it has joined numerous international organizations. In October 2008, Serbia sought an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality under international law of Kosovo's declaration of independence. The ICJ released the advisory opinion in July 2010 affirming that Kosovo's declaration of independence did not violate general principles of international law, UN Security Council Resolution 1244, or the Constitutive Framework. The opinion was closely tailored to Kosovo's unique history and circumstances. Demonstrating Kosovo’s development into a sovereign, multi-ethnic, democratic country the international community ended the period of Supervised Independence in 2012. Kosovo held its most recent national and municipal elections in 2017. Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence, but the two countries agreed in April 2013 to normalize their relations through EU-facilitated talks, which produced several subsequent agreements the parties are engaged in implementing, though they have not yet reached a comprehensive normalization of relations. Kosovo seeks full integration into the international community, and has pursued bilateral recognitions and memberships in international organizations. Kosovo signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU in 2015, and was named by a 2018 EU report as one of six Western Balkan countries that will be able to join the organization once it meets the criteria to accede. Kosovo also seeks memberships in the UN and in NATO." + "text": "The central Balkans were part of the Roman and Byzantine Empires before ethnic Serbs migrated to the territories of modern Kosovo in the 7th century. During the medieval period, Kosovo became the center of a Serbian Empire and saw the construction of many important Serb religious sites, including many architecturally significant Serbian Orthodox monasteries. The defeat of Serbian forces at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 led to five centuries of Ottoman rule during which large numbers of Turks and Albanians moved to Kosovo. By the end of the 19th century, Albanians replaced Serbs as the dominant ethnic group in Kosovo. Serbia reacquired control over the region from the Ottoman Empire during the First Balkan War of 1912. After World War II, Kosovo's present-day boundaries were established when Kosovo became an autonomous province of Serbia in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (S.F.R.Y.). Despite legislative concessions, Albanian nationalism increased in the 1980s, which led to riots and calls for Kosovo's independence. The Serbs - many of whom viewed Kosovo as their cultural heartland - instituted a new constitution in 1989 revoking Kosovo's autonomous status. Kosovo's Albanian leaders responded in 1991 by organizing a referendum declaring Kosovo independent. Serbia undertook repressive measures against the Kosovar Albanians in the 1990s, provoking a Kosovar Albanian insurgency. ++ Beginning in 1998, Serbia conducted a brutal counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians (some 800,000 ethnic Albanians were forced from their homes in Kosovo). After international attempts to mediate the conflict failed, a three-month NATO military operation against Serbia beginning in March 1999 forced the Serbs to agree to withdraw their military and police forces from Kosovo. UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) placed Kosovo under a transitional administration, the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), pending a determination of Kosovo's future status. A UN-led process began in late 2005 to determine Kosovo's final status. The 2006-07 negotiations ended without agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, though the UN issued a comprehensive report on Kosovo's final status that endorsed independence. On 17 February 2008, the Kosovo Assembly declared Kosovo independent. Since then, over 100 countries have recognized Kosovo, and it has joined numerous international organizations. In October 2008, Serbia sought an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality under international law of Kosovo's declaration of independence. The ICJ released the advisory opinion in July 2010 affirming that Kosovo's declaration of independence did not violate general principles of international law, UN Security Council Resolution 1244, or the Constitutive Framework. The opinion was closely tailored to Kosovo's unique history and circumstances. ++ Demonstrating Kosovo's development into a sovereign, multi-ethnic, democratic country the international community ended the period of Supervised Independence in 2012. Kosovo held its most recent national and municipal elections in 2017. Serbia continues to reject Kosovo's independence, but the two countries agreed in April 2013 to normalize their relations through EU-facilitated talks, which produced several subsequent agreements the parties are engaged in implementing, though they have not yet reached a comprehensive normalization of relations. Kosovo seeks full integration into the international community, and has pursued bilateral recognitions and memberships in international organizations. Kosovo signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU in 2015, and was named by a 2018 EU report as one of six Western Balkan countries that will be able to join the organization once it meets the criteria to accede. Kosovo also seeks memberships in the UN and in NATO." } }, "Geography": { @@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ]Alternativa [Mimoza KUSARI-LILA]Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Isa MUSTAFA]Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Kadri VESELI]Independent Liberal Party or SLS [Slobodan PETROVIC]Initiative for Kosovo or NISMA [Fatmir LIMAJ]Movement for Self-Determination (Vetevendosje) or VV [Albin KURTI]New Kosovo Alliance or AKR [Behgjet PACOLLI]Serb List [Goran RAKIC]Social Democratic Party of Kosovo or PSD [Shpend AHMETI]Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo or KDTP [Mahir YAGCILAR]Vakat Coalition or VAKAT [Rasim DEMIRI]" + "text": "Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ] ++ Alternativa [Mimoza KUSARI-LILA] ++ Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Isa MUSTAFA] ++ Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Kadri VESELI] ++ Independent Liberal Party or SLS [Slobodan PETROVIC] ++ Initiative for Kosovo or NISMA [Fatmir LIMAJ] ++ Movement for Self-Determination (Vetevendosje) or VV [Albin KURTI] ++ New Kosovo Alliance or AKR [Behgjet PACOLLI] ++ Serb List [Goran RAKIC] ++ Social Democratic Party of Kosovo or PSD [Shpend AHMETI] ++ Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo or KDTP [Mahir YAGCILAR] ++ Vakat Coalition or VAKAT [Rasim DEMIRI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "IBRD, IDA, IFC, IMF, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OIF (observer)" @@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Kosovo's economy has shown progress in transitioning to a market-based system and maintaining macroeconomic stability, but it is still highly dependent on the international community and the diaspora for financial and technical assistance. Remittances from the diaspora - located mainly in Germany, Switzerland, and the Nordic countries - are estimated to account for about 17% of GDP and international donor assistance accounts for approximately 10% of GDP. With international assistance, Kosovo has been able to privatize a majority of its state-owned enterprises. Kosovo's citizens are the second poorest in Europe, after Moldova, with a per capita GDP (PPP) of $10,400 in 2017. An unemployment rate of 33%, and a youth unemployment rate near 60%, in a country where the average age is 26, encourages emigration and fuels a significant informal, unreported economy. Most of Kosovo's population lives in rural towns outside of the capital, Pristina. Inefficient, near-subsistence farming is common - the result of small plots, limited mechanization, and a lack of technical expertise. Kosovo enjoys lower labor costs than the rest of the region. However, high levels of corruption, little contract enforcement, and unreliable electricity supply have discouraged potential investors. The official currency of Kosovo is the euro, but the Serbian dinar is also used illegally in Serb majority communities. Kosovo's tie to the euro has helped keep core inflation low. Minerals and metals production - including lignite, lead, zinc, nickel, chrome, aluminum, magnesium, and a wide variety of construction materials - once the backbone of industry, has declined because of aging equipment and insufficient investment, problems exacerbated by competing and unresolved ownership claims of Kosovo’s largest mines. A limited and unreliable electricity supply is a major impediment to economic development. The US Government is cooperating with the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) and the World Bank to conclude a commercial tender for the construction of Kosovo C, a new lignite-fired power plant that would leverage Kosovo’s large lignite reserves. MED also has plans for the rehabilitation of an older bituminous-fired power plant, Kosovo B, and the development of a coal mine that could supply both plants. In June 2009, Kosovo joined the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, the Central Europe Free Trade Area (CEFTA) in 2006, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 2012, and the Council of Europe Development Bank in 2013. In 2016, Kosovo implemented the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) negotiations with the EU, focused on trade liberalization. In 2014, nearly 60% of customs duty-eligible imports into Kosovo were EU goods. In August 2015, as part of its EU-facilitated normalization process with Serbia, Kosovo signed agreements on telecommunications and energy distribution, but disagreements over who owns economic assets, such as the Trepca mining conglomerate, within Kosovo continue. Kosovo experienced its first federal budget deficit in 2012, when government expenditures climbed sharply. In May 2014, the government introduced a 25% salary increase for public sector employees and an equal increase in certain social benefits. Central revenues could not sustain these increases, and the government was forced to reduce its planned capital investments. The government, led by Prime Minister MUSTAFA - a trained economist - recently made several changes to its fiscal policy, expanding the list of duty-free imports, decreasing the Value Added Tax (VAT) for basic food items and public utilities, and increasing the VAT for all other goods. While Kosovo’s economy continued to make progress, unemployment has not been reduced, nor living standards raised, due to lack of economic reforms and investment." + "text": "Kosovo's economy has shown progress in transitioning to a market-based system and maintaining macroeconomic stability, but it is still highly dependent on the international community and the diaspora for financial and technical assistance. Remittances from the diaspora - located mainly in Germany, Switzerland, and the Nordic countries - are estimated to account for about 17% of GDP and international donor assistance accounts for approximately 10% of GDP. With international assistance, Kosovo has been able to privatize a majority of its state-owned enterprises. ++ Kosovo's citizens are the second poorest in Europe, after Moldova, with a per capita GDP (PPP) of $10,400 in 2017. An unemployment rate of 33%, and a youth unemployment rate near 60%, in a country where the average age is 26, encourages emigration and fuels a significant informal, unreported economy. Most of Kosovo's population lives in rural towns outside of the capital, Pristina. Inefficient, near-subsistence farming is common - the result of small plots, limited mechanization, and a lack of technical expertise. Kosovo enjoys lower labor costs than the rest of the region. However, high levels of corruption, little contract enforcement, and unreliable electricity supply have discouraged potential investors. The official currency of Kosovo is the euro, but the Serbian dinar is also used illegally in Serb majority communities. Kosovo's tie to the euro has helped keep core inflation low. ++ Minerals and metals production - including lignite, lead, zinc, nickel, chrome, aluminum, magnesium, and a wide variety of construction materials - once the backbone of industry, has declined because of aging equipment and insufficient investment, problems exacerbated by competing and unresolved ownership claims of Kosovo's largest mines. A limited and unreliable electricity supply is a major impediment to economic development. The US Government is cooperating with the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) and the World Bank to conclude a commercial tender for the construction of Kosovo C, a new lignite-fired power plant that would leverage Kosovo's large lignite reserves. MED also has plans for the rehabilitation of an older bituminous-fired power plant, Kosovo B, and the development of a coal mine that could supply both plants. ++ In June 2009, Kosovo joined the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, the Central Europe Free Trade Area (CEFTA) in 2006, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 2012, and the Council of Europe Development Bank in 2013. In 2016, Kosovo implemented the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) negotiations with the EU, focused on trade liberalization. In 2014, nearly 60% of customs duty-eligible imports into Kosovo were EU goods. In August 2015, as part of its EU-facilitated normalization process with Serbia, Kosovo signed agreements on telecommunications and energy distribution, but disagreements over who owns economic assets, such as the Trepca mining conglomerate, within Kosovo continue. ++ Kosovo experienced its first federal budget deficit in 2012, when government expenditures climbed sharply. In May 2014, the government introduced a 25% salary increase for public sector employees and an equal increase in certain social benefits. Central revenues could not sustain these increases, and the government was forced to reduce its planned capital investments. The government, led by Prime Minister MUSTAFA - a trained economist - recently made several changes to its fiscal policy, expanding the list of duty-free imports, decreasing the Value Added Tax (VAT) for basic food items and public utilities, and increasing the VAT for all other goods. ++ While Kosovo's economy continued to make progress, unemployment has not been reduced, nor living standards raised, due to lack of economic reforms and investment." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$19.6 billion (2017 est.) / $18.89 billion (2016 est.) / $18.16 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/lg.json b/europe/lg.json index 21f18d57..9d38aa9a 100644 --- a/europe/lg.json +++ b/europe/lg.json @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "1.53 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.8% of population / rural: 98.2% of population / total: 98.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.2% of population / rural: 1.8% of population / total: 1.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "5.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.9% of population / rural: 84.6% of population / total: 94.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "15.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "5.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.1% of population / rural: 15.4% of population / total: 5.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -390,7 +384,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "110 municipalities (novadi, singular - novads) and 9 cities municipalities: Adazi, Aglona, Aizkraukle, Aizpute, Akniste, Aloja, Alsunga, Aluksne, Amata, Ape, Auce, Babite, Baldone, Baltinava, Balvi, Bauska, Beverina, Broceni, Burtnieki, Carnikava, Cesis, Cesvaine, Cibla, Dagda, Daugavpils, Dobele, Dundaga, Durbe, Engure, Ergli, Garkalne, Grobina, Gulbene, Iecava, Ikskile, Ilukste, Incukalns, Jaunjelgava, Jaunpiebalga, Jaunpils, Jekabpils, Jelgava, Kandava, Karsava, Kegums, Kekava, Koceni, Koknese, Kraslava, Krimulda, Krustpils, Kuldiga, Lielvarde, Ligatne, Limbazi, Livani, Lubanas, Ludza, Madona, Malpils, Marupe, Mazsalaca, Mersrags, Naukseni, Nereta, Nica, Ogre, Olaine, Ozolnieki, Pargauja, Pavilosta, Plavinas, Preili, Priekule, Priekuli, Rauna, Rezekne, Riebini, Roja, Ropazi, Rucava, Rugaji, Rujiena, Rundale, Salacgriva, Sala, Salaspils, Saldus, Saulkrasti, Seja, Sigulda, Skriveri, Skrunda, Smiltene, Stopini, Strenci, Talsi, Tervete, Tukums, Vainode, Valka, Varaklani, Varkava, Vecpiebalga, Vecumnieki, Ventspils, Viesites, Vilaka, Vilani, Zilupe cities: Daugavpils, Jekabpils, Jelgava, Jurmala, Liepaja, Rezekne, Riga, Valmiera, Ventspils" + "text": "110 municipalities (novadi, singular - novads) and 9 cities ++ municipalities: Adazi, Aglona, Aizkraukle, Aizpute, Akniste, Aloja, Alsunga, Aluksne, Amata, Ape, Auce, Babite, Baldone, Baltinava, Balvi, Bauska, Beverina, Broceni, Burtnieki, Carnikava, Cesis, Cesvaine, Cibla, Dagda, Daugavpils, Dobele, Dundaga, Durbe, Engure, Ergli, Garkalne, Grobina, Gulbene, Iecava, Ikskile, Ilukste, Incukalns, Jaunjelgava, Jaunpiebalga, Jaunpils, Jekabpils, Jelgava, Kandava, Karsava, Kegums, Kekava, Koceni, Koknese, Kraslava, Krimulda, Krustpils, Kuldiga, Lielvarde, Ligatne, Limbazi, Livani, Lubanas, Ludza, Madona, Malpils, Marupe, Mazsalaca, Mersrags, Naukseni, Nereta, Nica, Ogre, Olaine, Ozolnieki, Pargauja, Pavilosta, Plavinas, Preili, Priekule, Priekuli, Rauna, Rezekne, Riebini, Roja, Ropazi, Rucava, Rugaji, Rujiena, Rundale, Salacgriva, Sala, Salaspils, Saldus, Saulkrasti, Seja, Sigulda, Skriveri, Skrunda, Smiltene, Stopini, Strenci, Talsi, Tervete, Tukums, Vainode, Valka, Varaklani, Varkava, Vecpiebalga, Vecumnieki, Ventspils, Viesites, Vilaka, Vilani, Zilupe ++ cities: Daugavpils, Jekabpils, Jelgava, Jurmala, Liepaja, Rezekne, Riga, Valmiera, Ventspils" }, "Independence": { "text": "18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 4 May 1990 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)" @@ -469,7 +463,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Development/For! or AP! [Daniels PAVLUTS, Juris PUCE]National Alliance \"All For Latvia!\"-\"For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK\" or NA [Raivis DZINTARS] New Conservative Party or JKP [Janis BORDANS]Social Democratic Party \"Harmony\" or SDPS [Nils USAKOVS] Union of Greens and Farmers or ZZS [Armands KRAUZE] Unity or V [Arvils ASERADENS]Who Owns the State? or KPV LV [Artuss KAIMINS]" + "text": "Development/For! or AP! [Daniels PAVLUTS, Juris PUCE] ++ National Alliance \"All For Latvia!\"-\"For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK\" or NA [Raivis DZINTARS] New Conservative Party or JKP [Janis BORDANS] ++ Social Democratic Party \"Harmony\" or SDPS [Nils USAKOVS] Union of Greens and Farmers or ZZS [Armands KRAUZE] Unity or V [Arvils ASERADENS] ++ Who Owns the State? or KPV LV [Artuss KAIMINS]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -525,7 +519,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Latvia is a small, open economy with exports contributing more than half of GDP. Due to its geographical location, transit services are highly-developed, along with timber and wood-processing, agriculture and food products, and manufacturing of machinery and electronics industries. Corruption continues to be an impediment to attracting foreign direct investment and Latvia's low birth rate and decreasing population are major challenges to its long-term economic vitality. Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07, but entered a severe recession in 2008 as a result of an unsustainable current account deficit and large debt exposure amid the slowing world economy. Triggered by the collapse of the second largest bank, GDP plunged by more than 14% in 2009 and, despite strong growth since 2011, the economy took until 2017 return to pre-crisis levels in real terms. Strong investment and consumption, the latter stoked by rising wages, helped the economy grow by more than 4% in 2017, while inflation rose to 3%. Continued gains in competitiveness and investment will be key to maintaining economic growth, especially in light of unfavorable demographic trends, including the emigration of skilled workers, and one of the highest levels of income inequality in the EU. In the wake of the 2008-09 crisis, the IMF, EU, and other international donors provided substantial financial assistance to Latvia as part of an agreement to defend the currency's peg to the euro in exchange for the government's commitment to stringent austerity measures. The IMF/EU program successfully concluded in December 2011, although, the austerity measures imposed large social costs. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises, including 80% ownership of the Latvian national airline. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999 and the EU in May 2004. Latvia also joined the euro zone in 2014 and the OECD in 2016." + "text": "Latvia is a small, open economy with exports contributing more than half of GDP. Due to its geographical location, transit services are highly-developed, along with timber and wood-processing, agriculture and food products, and manufacturing of machinery and electronics industries. Corruption continues to be an impediment to attracting foreign direct investment and Latvia's low birth rate and decreasing population are major challenges to its long-term economic vitality. ++ Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07, but entered a severe recession in 2008 as a result of an unsustainable current account deficit and large debt exposure amid the slowing world economy. Triggered by the collapse of the second largest bank, GDP plunged by more than 14% in 2009 and, despite strong growth since 2011, the economy took until 2017 return to pre-crisis levels in real terms. Strong investment and consumption, the latter stoked by rising wages, helped the economy grow by more than 4% in 2017, while inflation rose to 3%. Continued gains in competitiveness and investment will be key to maintaining economic growth, especially in light of unfavorable demographic trends, including the emigration of skilled workers, and one of the highest levels of income inequality in the EU. ++ In the wake of the 2008-09 crisis, the IMF, EU, and other international donors provided substantial financial assistance to Latvia as part of an agreement to defend the currency's peg to the euro in exchange for the government's commitment to stringent austerity measures. The IMF/EU program successfully concluded in December 2011, although, the austerity measures imposed large social costs. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises, including 80% ownership of the Latvian national airline. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999 and the EU in May 2004. Latvia also joined the euro zone in 2014 and the OECD in 2016." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$54.02 billion (2017 est.) / $51.67 billion (2016 est.) / $50.55 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/lh.json b/europe/lh.json index e0d7773d..ee2d34cf 100644 --- a/europe/lh.json +++ b/europe/lh.json @@ -246,14 +246,11 @@ "text": "1.6 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 92.8% of population / total: 97.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "7.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 7.2% of population / total: 2.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -266,14 +263,11 @@ "text": "6.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.3% of population (2015 est.) / rural: 87.5% of population / total: 95.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "12.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "4.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.7% of population / rural: 12.5% of population / total: 4.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -457,7 +451,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles or LLRA [Valdemar TOMASEVSKI]Farmers and Greens Union or LVZS [Ramunas KARBAUSKIS]Freedom Party or LP [Ausrine ARMONAITE]Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats or TS-LKD [Gabrielius LANDSBERGIS]Labor Party or DP [Viktor USPASKICH]Lithuanian Center Party or LCP [Naglis PUTEIKIS]Lithuanian Green Party or LZP [Remigijus LAPINSKAS]]Lithuanian Liberal Movement or LS or LRLS [Viktorija CMILYTE]Lithuanian List or LL [Darius KUOLYS]Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSDP [Gintautas PALUCKAS]Lithuanian Social Democratic Labor Party or LSDDP [Gediminas KIRKILAS]Freedom and Justice Party or LT [Remigijus ZEMAITAITIS]" + "text": "Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles or LLRA [Valdemar TOMASEVSKI] ++ Farmers and Greens Union or LVZS [Ramunas KARBAUSKIS] ++ Freedom Party or LP [Ausrine ARMONAITE] ++ Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats or TS-LKD [Gabrielius LANDSBERGIS] ++ Labor Party or DP [Viktor USPASKICH] ++ Lithuanian Center Party or LCP [Naglis PUTEIKIS] ++ Lithuanian Green Party or LZP [Remigijus LAPINSKAS]] ++ Lithuanian Liberal Movement or LS or LRLS [Viktorija CMILYTE] ++ Lithuanian List or LL [Darius KUOLYS] ++ Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSDP [Gintautas PALUCKAS] ++ Lithuanian Social Democratic Labor Party or LSDDP [Gediminas KIRKILAS] ++ Freedom and Justice Party or LT [Remigijus ZEMAITAITIS]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -516,7 +510,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "After the country declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, Lithuania faced an initial dislocation that is typical during transitions from a planned economy to a free-market economy. Macroeconomic stabilization policies, including privatization of most state-owned enterprises, and a strong commitment to a currency board arrangement led to an open and rapidly growing economy and rising consumer demand. Foreign investment and EU funding aided in the transition. Lithuania joined the WTO in May 2001, the EU in May 2004, and the euro zone in January 2015, and is now working to complete the OECD accession roadmap it received in July 2015. In 2017, joined the OECD Working Group on Bribery, an important step in the OECD accession process. The Lithuanian economy was severely hit by the 2008-09 global financial crisis, but it has rebounded and become one of the fastest growing in the EU. Increases in exports, investment, and wage growth that supported consumption helped the economy grow by 3.6% in 2017. In 2015, Russia was Lithuania’s largest trading partner, followed by Poland, Germany, and Latvia; goods and services trade between the US and Lithuania totaled $2.2 billion. Lithuania opened a self-financed liquefied natural gas terminal in January 2015, providing the first non-Russian supply of natural gas to the Baltic States and reducing Lithuania’s dependence on Russian gas from 100% to approximately 30% in 2016. Lithuania’s ongoing recovery hinges on improving the business environment, especially by liberalizing labor laws, and improving competitiveness and export growth, the latter hampered by economic slowdowns in the EU and Russia. In addition, a steady outflow of young and highly educated people is causing a shortage of skilled labor, which, combined with a rapidly aging population, could stress public finances and constrain long-term growth." + "text": "After the country declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, Lithuania faced an initial dislocation that is typical during transitions from a planned economy to a free-market economy. Macroeconomic stabilization policies, including privatization of most state-owned enterprises, and a strong commitment to a currency board arrangement led to an open and rapidly growing economy and rising consumer demand. Foreign investment and EU funding aided in the transition. Lithuania joined the WTO in May 2001, the EU in May 2004, and the euro zone in January 2015, and is now working to complete the OECD accession roadmap it received in July 2015. In 2017, joined the OECD Working Group on Bribery, an important step in the OECD accession process. ++ The Lithuanian economy was severely hit by the 2008-09 global financial crisis, but it has rebounded and become one of the fastest growing in the EU. Increases in exports, investment, and wage growth that supported consumption helped the economy grow by 3.6% in 2017. In 2015, Russia was Lithuania's largest trading partner, followed by Poland, Germany, and Latvia; goods and services trade between the US and Lithuania totaled $2.2 billion. Lithuania opened a self-financed liquefied natural gas terminal in January 2015, providing the first non-Russian supply of natural gas to the Baltic States and reducing Lithuania's dependence on Russian gas from 100% to approximately 30% in 2016. ++ Lithuania's ongoing recovery hinges on improving the business environment, especially by liberalizing labor laws, and improving competitiveness and export growth, the latter hampered by economic slowdowns in the EU and Russia. In addition, a steady outflow of young and highly educated people is causing a shortage of skilled labor, which, combined with a rapidly aging population, could stress public finances and constrain long-term growth." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$91.47 billion (2017 est.) / $88.07 billion (2016 est.) / $86.05 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/lo.json b/europe/lo.json index 699bc5e5..006c1134 100644 --- a/europe/lo.json +++ b/europe/lo.json @@ -249,14 +249,11 @@ "text": "1.44 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -269,14 +266,11 @@ "text": "5.8 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.9% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.1% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -435,7 +429,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Alojz HLINA]Bridge or Most-Hid [Bela BUGAR]Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO]For the People or Za Ludi [Andrej KISKA]Freedom and Solidarity or SaS [Richard SULIK]Kotleba-People's Party Our Slovakia or LSNS [Marian KOTLEBA]Ordinary People and Independent Personalities - New Majority or OLaNO-NOVA [Igor MATOVIC]Party of the Hungarian Community or SMK [Jozsef MENYHART]Progressive Slovakia or PS [Michal TRUBAN]Slovak National Party or SNS [Andrej DANKO]Together or SPOLU [Miroslav BEBLAVY]We Are Family or Sme-Rodina [Boris KOLLAR]" + "text": "Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Alojz HLINA] ++ Bridge or Most-Hid [Bela BUGAR] ++ Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO] ++ For the People or Za Ludi [Andrej KISKA] ++ Freedom and Solidarity or SaS [Richard SULIK] ++ Kotleba-People's Party Our Slovakia or LSNS [Marian KOTLEBA] ++ Ordinary People and Independent Personalities - New Majority or OLaNO-NOVA [Igor MATOVIC] ++ Party of the Hungarian Community or SMK [Jozsef MENYHART] ++ Progressive Slovakia or PS [Michal TRUBAN] ++ Slovak National Party or SNS [Andrej DANKO] ++ Together or SPOLU [Miroslav BEBLAVY] ++ We Are Family or Sme-Rodina [Boris KOLLAR]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -497,7 +491,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Slovakia’s economy suffered from a slow start in the first years after its separation from the Czech Republic in 1993, due to the country’s authoritarian leadership and high levels of corruption, but economic reforms implemented after 1998 have placed Slovakia on a path of strong growth. With a population of 5.4 million, the Slovak Republic has a small, open economy driven mainly by automobile and electronics exports, which account for more than 80% of GDP. Slovakia joined the EU in 2004 and the euro zone in 2009. The country’s banking sector is sound and predominantly foreign owned. Slovakia has been a regional FDI champion for several years, attractive due to a relatively low-cost yet skilled labor force, and a favorable geographic location in the heart of Central Europe. Exports and investment have been key drivers of Slovakia’s robust growth in recent years. The unemployment rate fell to historical lows in 2017, and rising wages fueled increased consumption, which played a more prominent role in 2017 GDP growth. A favorable outlook for the Eurozone suggests continued strong growth prospects for Slovakia during the next few years, although inflation is also expected to pick up. Among the most pressing domestic issues potentially threatening the attractiveness of the Slovak market are shortages in the qualified labor force, persistent corruption issues, and an inadequate judiciary, as well as a slow transition to an innovation-based economy. The energy sector in particular is characterized by unpredictable regulatory oversight and high costs, in part driven by government interference in regulated tariffs. Moreover, the government’s attempts to maintain low household energy prices could harm the profitability of domestic energy firms while undercutting energy efficiency initiatives." + "text": "Slovakia's economy suffered from a slow start in the first years after its separation from the Czech Republic in 1993, due to the country's authoritarian leadership and high levels of corruption, but economic reforms implemented after 1998 have placed Slovakia on a path of strong growth. With a population of 5.4 million, the Slovak Republic has a small, open economy driven mainly by automobile and electronics exports, which account for more than 80% of GDP. Slovakia joined the EU in 2004 and the euro zone in 2009. The country's banking sector is sound and predominantly foreign owned. ++ Slovakia has been a regional FDI champion for several years, attractive due to a relatively low-cost yet skilled labor force, and a favorable geographic location in the heart of Central Europe. Exports and investment have been key drivers of Slovakia's robust growth in recent years. The unemployment rate fell to historical lows in 2017, and rising wages fueled increased consumption, which played a more prominent role in 2017 GDP growth. A favorable outlook for the Eurozone suggests continued strong growth prospects for Slovakia during the next few years, although inflation is also expected to pick up. ++ Among the most pressing domestic issues potentially threatening the attractiveness of the Slovak market are shortages in the qualified labor force, persistent corruption issues, and an inadequate judiciary, as well as a slow transition to an innovation-based economy. The energy sector in particular is characterized by unpredictable regulatory oversight and high costs, in part driven by government interference in regulated tariffs. Moreover, the government's attempts to maintain low household energy prices could harm the profitability of domestic energy firms while undercutting energy efficiency initiatives." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$179.7 billion (2017 est.) / $173.8 billion (2016 est.) / $168.2 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/ls.json b/europe/ls.json index 629e6d80..ef4cf557 100644 --- a/europe/ls.json +++ b/europe/ls.json @@ -232,13 +232,19 @@ "text": "1.69 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 98% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -380,7 +386,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Fatherland Union (Vaterlaendische Union) or VU [Guenther FRITZ]Progressive Citizens' Party (Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei) or FBP [Thomas BANZER]The Free List (Die Freie Liste) or FL [Pepo FRICK and Conny BUECHEL BRUEHWILER]The Independents (Die Unabhaengigen) or DU [Harry QUADERER]" + "text": "Fatherland Union (Vaterlaendische Union) or VU [Guenther FRITZ] ++ Progressive Citizens' Party (Fortschrittliche Buergerpartei) or FBP [Thomas BANZER] ++ The Free List (Die Freie Liste) or FL [Pepo FRICK and Conny BUECHEL BRUEHWILER] ++ The Independents (Die Unabhaengigen) or DU [Harry QUADERER]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "CD, CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTO" @@ -427,7 +433,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Despite its small size and lack of natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial services sector and one of the highest per capita income levels in the world. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small and medium-sized businesses, particularly in the services sector. Low business taxes - a flat tax of 12.5% on income is applied - and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the European Free Trade Association and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated EU. As of 2015, 54% of Liechtenstein’s workforce consisted of cross-border commuters, largely from Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Since 2008, Liechtenstein has faced renewed international pressure - particularly from Germany and the US - to improve transparency in its banking and tax systems. In December 2008, Liechtenstein signed a Tax Information Exchange Agreement with the US. Upon Liechtenstein's conclusion of 12 bilateral information-sharing agreements, the OECD in October 2009 removed the principality from its \"grey list\" of countries that had yet to implement the organization's Model Tax Convention. By the end of 2010, Liechtenstein had signed 25 Tax Information Exchange Agreements or Double Tax Agreements. In 2011, Liechtenstein joined the Schengen area, which allows passport-free travel across 26 European countries. In 2015, Liechtenstein and the EU agreed to clamp down on tax fraud and evasion and in 2018 will start automatically exchanging information on the bank accounts of each other’s residents." + "text": "Despite its small size and lack of natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial services sector and one of the highest per capita income levels in the world. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small and medium-sized businesses, particularly in the services sector. Low business taxes - a flat tax of 12.5% on income is applied - and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. ++ The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the European Free Trade Association and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated EU. As of 2015, 54% of Liechtenstein's workforce consisted of cross-border commuters, largely from Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. ++ Since 2008, Liechtenstein has faced renewed international pressure - particularly from Germany and the US - to improve transparency in its banking and tax systems. In December 2008, Liechtenstein signed a Tax Information Exchange Agreement with the US. Upon Liechtenstein's conclusion of 12 bilateral information-sharing agreements, the OECD in October 2009 removed the principality from its \"grey list\" of countries that had yet to implement the organization's Model Tax Convention. By the end of 2010, Liechtenstein had signed 25 Tax Information Exchange Agreements or Double Tax Agreements. In 2011, Liechtenstein joined the Schengen area, which allows passport-free travel across 26 European countries. In 2015, Liechtenstein and the EU agreed to clamp down on tax fraud and evasion and in 2018 will start automatically exchanging information on the bank accounts of each other's residents." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$4.978 billion (2014 est.) / $3.2 billion (2009 est.) / $3.216 billion (2008 est.)" diff --git a/europe/lu.json b/europe/lu.json index 2bebd9d3..62857328 100644 --- a/europe/lu.json +++ b/europe/lu.json @@ -249,14 +249,11 @@ "text": "1.62 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 98.8% of population / total: 99% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 1.2% of population / total: 1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -269,14 +266,11 @@ "text": "4.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population (2015 est.) / rural: 99.9% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0.1% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -432,7 +426,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Jean SCHOOS]Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Marc SPAUTZ]Democratic Party or DP [Corinne CAHEN]Green Party [Francoise FOLMER, Christian KMIOTEK]Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Claude HAAGEN]The Left (dei Lenk/la Gauche) [collective leadership, Central Committee]other minor parties" + "text": "Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Jean SCHOOS] ++ Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Marc SPAUTZ] ++ Democratic Party or DP [Corinne CAHEN] ++ Green Party [Francoise FOLMER, Christian KMIOTEK] ++ Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Claude HAAGEN] ++ The Left (dei Lenk/la Gauche) [collective leadership, Central Committee] ++ other minor parties" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -491,7 +485,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "This small, stable, high-income economy has historically featured solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. Luxembourg, the only Grand Duchy in the world, is a landlocked country in northwestern Europe surrounded by Belgium, France, and Germany. Despite its small landmass and small population, Luxembourg is the fifth-wealthiest country in the world when measured on a gross domestic product (PPP) per capita basis. Luxembourg has one of the highest current account surpluses as a share of GDP in the euro zone, and it maintains a healthy budgetary position, with a 2017 surplus of 0.5% of GDP, and the lowest public debt level in the region. Since 2002, Luxembourg’s government has proactively implemented policies and programs to support economic diversification and to attract foreign direct investment. The government focused on key innovative industries that showed promise for supporting economic growth: logistics, information and communications technology (ICT); health technologies, including biotechnology and biomedical research; clean energy technologies, and more recently, space technology and financial services technologies. The economy has evolved and flourished, posting strong GDP growth of 3.4% in 2017, far outpacing the European average of 1.8%. Luxembourg remains a financial powerhouse – the financial sector accounts for more than 35% of GDP - because of the exponential growth of the investment fund sector through the launch and development of cross-border funds (UCITS) in the 1990s. Luxembourg is the world’s second-largest investment fund asset domicile, after the US, with $4 trillion of assets in custody in financial institutions. Luxembourg has lost some of its advantage as a favorable tax location because of OECD and EU pressure, as well as the \"LuxLeaks\" scandal, which revealed advantageous tax treatments offered to foreign corporations. In 2015, the government’s compliance with EU requirements to implement automatic exchange of tax information on savings accounts - thus ending banking secrecy - has constricted banking activity. Likewise, changes to the way EU members collect taxes from e-commerce has cut Luxembourg’s sales tax revenues, requiring the government to raise additional levies and to reduce some direct social benefits as part of the tax reform package of 2017. The tax reform package also included reductions in the corporate tax rate and increases in deductions for families, both intended to increase purchasing power and increase competitiveness." + "text": "This small, stable, high-income economy has historically featured solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. Luxembourg, the only Grand Duchy in the world, is a landlocked country in northwestern Europe surrounded by Belgium, France, and Germany. Despite its small landmass and small population, Luxembourg is the fifth-wealthiest country in the world when measured on a gross domestic product (PPP) per capita basis. Luxembourg has one of the highest current account surpluses as a share of GDP in the euro zone, and it maintains a healthy budgetary position, with a 2017 surplus of 0.5% of GDP, and the lowest public debt level in the region. ++ Since 2002, Luxembourg's government has proactively implemented policies and programs to support economic diversification and to attract foreign direct investment. The government focused on key innovative industries that showed promise for supporting economic growth: logistics, information and communications technology (ICT); health technologies, including biotechnology and biomedical research; clean energy technologies, and more recently, space technology and financial services technologies. The economy has evolved and flourished, posting strong GDP growth of 3.4% in 2017, far outpacing the European average of 1.8%. ++ Luxembourg remains a financial powerhouse – the financial sector accounts for more than 35% of GDP - because of the exponential growth of the investment fund sector through the launch and development of cross-border funds (UCITS) in the 1990s. Luxembourg is the world's second-largest investment fund asset domicile, after the US, with $4 trillion of assets in custody in financial institutions. ++ Luxembourg has lost some of its advantage as a favorable tax location because of OECD and EU pressure, as well as the \"LuxLeaks\" scandal, which revealed advantageous tax treatments offered to foreign corporations. In 2015, the government's compliance with EU requirements to implement automatic exchange of tax information on savings accounts - thus ending banking secrecy - has constricted banking activity. Likewise, changes to the way EU members collect taxes from e-commerce has cut Luxembourg's sales tax revenues, requiring the government to raise additional levies and to reduce some direct social benefits as part of the tax reform package of 2017. The tax reform package also included reductions in the corporate tax rate and increases in deductions for families, both intended to increase purchasing power and increase competitiveness." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$62.11 billion (2017 est.) / $60.71 billion (2016 est.) / $58.9 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/md.json b/europe/md.json index b5dad29d..b9fd910c 100644 --- a/europe/md.json +++ b/europe/md.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "A large portion of present day Moldovan territory became a province of the Russian Empire in 1812 and then unified with Romania in 1918 in the aftermath of World War I. This territory was then incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although Moldova has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River in the breakaway region of Transnistria, whose population is roughly equally composed of ethnic Ukrainians, Russians, and Moldovans. Years of Communist Party rule in Moldova from 2001-2009 ultimately ended with election-related violent protests and a rerun of parliamentary elections in 2009. Since then, a series of pro-European ruling coalitions have governed Moldova. As a result of the country's most recent legislative election in February 2019, parliamentary seats are split among the left-leaning Socialist Party (35 seats), the former ruling Democratic Party (30 seats), and the center-right ACUM bloc (26 seats). Parliament voted in Prime Minister Ion CHICU and his cabinet on 14 November 2019, two days after voting to remove his predecessor, ACUM co-leader Maia SANDU, who had been in office since June 2019." + "text": "A large portion of present day Moldovan territory became a province of the Russian Empire in 1812 and then unified with Romania in 1918 in the aftermath of World War I. This territory was then incorporated into the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although Moldova has been independent from the Soviet Union since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Nistru River in the breakaway region of Transnistria, whose population is roughly equally composed of ethnic Ukrainians, Russians, and Moldovans. ++ Years of Communist Party rule in Moldova from 2001-2009 ultimately ended with election-related violent protests and a rerun of parliamentary elections in 2009. Since then, a series of pro-European ruling coalitions have governed Moldova. As a result of the country's most recent legislative election in February 2019, parliamentary seats are split among the left-leaning Socialist Party (35 seats), the former ruling Democratic Party (30 seats), and the center-right ACUM bloc (26 seats). Parliament voted in Prime Minister Ion CHICU and his cabinet on 14 November 2019, two days after voting to remove his predecessor, ACUM co-leader Maia SANDU, who had been in office since June 2019." } }, "Geography": { @@ -252,14 +252,11 @@ "text": "59.5% (2012)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.5% of population / rural: 84.6% of population / total: 90.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "15.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "9.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.5% of population / rural: 15.4% of population / total: 9.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "5.8 beds/1,000 population (2013)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.3% of population / rural: 78.9% of population / total: 87.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "21.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "12.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.7% of population / rural: 21.1% of population / total: 12.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -379,7 +373,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "32 raions (raioane, singular - raion), 3 municipalities (municipii, singular - municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala) raions: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului (Transnistria)" + "text": "32 raions (raioane, singular - raion), 3 municipalities (municipii, singular - municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala) ++ raions: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir, Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova, Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti, Soroca, Stefan Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni ++ municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau ++ autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia ++ territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului (Transnistria)" }, "Independence": { "text": "27 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)" @@ -458,7 +452,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "represented in Parliament: Action and Solidarity Party or PAS [Maia SANDU]Democratic Party of Moldova or PDM [Vladimir PLAHOTNIUC]Dignity and Truth Platform or PPDA [Andrei NASTASE]NOW Platform or ACUM (PPDA + PAS)Shor Party or PS [Ilan SHOR]Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PSRM [Zinaida GRECEANII]not represented in Parliament, participated in recent elections (2014-2019): Anti-Mafia Movement or MPA [Sergiu MOCANU]Centrist Union of Moldova or UCM [Mihai PETRACHE]Christian Democratic People's Party or PPCD [Victor CIOBANU]Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN]Conservative Party or PC [Natalia NIRCA]Democracy at Home Party or PDA [Vasile COSTIUC]Democratic Action Party or PAD [Mihai GODEA]Ecologist Green Party or PVE [Anatolie PROHNITCHI]European People’s Party of Moldova or EPPM [Iurie LEANCA]Law and Justice Party or PLD [Nicolae ALEXEI]Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova or PLDM [Tudor DELIU]Liberal Party or PL [Dorin CHIRTOACA]\"Motherland\" Party or PP [Sergiu BIRIUCOV]National Liberal Party or PNL [Vitalia PAVLICENKO]Our Home Moldova or PCNM [Grigore PETRENCO]Our Party or PN [Renato USATII]Party of National Unity [Anatol SALARU]People’s Party of Moldova or PPRM [Alexandru OLEINIC]Regions Party of Moldova or PRM [Alexandr KALININ]Socialist People’s Party of Moldova or PPSM [Victor STEPANIUC]" + "text": "represented in Parliament: ++ Action and Solidarity Party or PAS [Maia SANDU] ++ Democratic Party of Moldova or PDM [Vladimir PLAHOTNIUC] ++ Dignity and Truth Platform or PPDA [Andrei NASTASE] ++ NOW Platform or ACUM (PPDA + PAS) ++ Shor Party or PS [Ilan SHOR] ++ Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PSRM [Zinaida GRECEANII] ++ not represented in Parliament, participated in recent elections (2014-2019): ++ Anti-Mafia Movement or MPA [Sergiu MOCANU] ++ Centrist Union of Moldova or UCM [Mihai PETRACHE] ++ Christian Democratic People's Party or PPCD [Victor CIOBANU] ++ Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN] ++ Conservative Party or PC [Natalia NIRCA] ++ Democracy at Home Party or PDA [Vasile COSTIUC] ++ Democratic Action Party or PAD [Mihai GODEA] ++ Ecologist Green Party or PVE [Anatolie PROHNITCHI] ++ European People's Party of Moldova or EPPM [Iurie LEANCA] ++ Law and Justice Party or PLD [Nicolae ALEXEI] ++ Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova or PLDM [Tudor DELIU] ++ Liberal Party or PL [Dorin CHIRTOACA] ++ \"Motherland\" Party or PP [Sergiu BIRIUCOV] ++ National Liberal Party or PNL [Vitalia PAVLICENKO] ++ Our Home Moldova or PCNM [Grigore PETRENCO] ++ Our Party or PN [Renato USATII] ++ Party of National Unity [Anatol SALARU] ++ People's Party of Moldova or PPRM [Alexandru OLEINIC] ++ Regions Party of Moldova or PRM [Alexandr KALININ] ++ Socialist People's Party of Moldova or PPSM [Victor STEPANIUC]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, CIS, EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -517,7 +511,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Despite recent progress, Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe. With a moderate climate and productive farmland, Moldova's economy relies heavily on its agriculture sector, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, wheat, and tobacco. Moldova also depends on annual remittances of about $1.2 billion - almost 15% of GDP - from the roughly one million Moldovans working in Europe, Israel, Russia, and elsewhere. With few natural energy resources, Moldova imports almost all of its energy supplies from Russia and Ukraine. Moldova's dependence on Russian energy is underscored by a more than $6 billion debt to Russian natural gas supplier Gazprom, largely the result of unreimbursed natural gas consumption in the breakaway region of Transnistria. Moldova and Romania inaugurated the Ungheni-Iasi natural gas interconnector project in August 2014. The 43-kilometer pipeline between Moldova and Romania, allows for both the import and export of natural gas. Several technical and regulatory delays kept gas from flowing into Moldova until March 2015. Romanian gas exports to Moldova are largely symbolic. In 2018, Moldova awarded a tender to Romanian Transgaz to construct a pipeline connecting Ungheni to Chisinau, bringing the gas to Moldovan population centers. Moldova also seeks to connect with the European power grid by 2022. The government's stated goal of EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented progress. Moldova experienced better than expected economic growth in 2017, largely driven by increased consumption, increased revenue from agricultural exports, and improved tax collection. During fall 2014, Moldova signed an Association Agreement and a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the EU (AA/DCFTA), connecting Moldovan products to the world’s largest market. The EU AA/DCFTA has contributed to significant growth in Moldova’s exports to the EU. In 2017, the EU purchased over 65% of Moldova’s exports, a major change from 20 years previously when the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) received over 69% of Moldova’s exports. A $1 billion asset-stripping heist of Moldovan banks in late 2014 delivered a significant shock to the economy in 2015; the subsequent bank bailout increased inflationary pressures and contributed to the depreciation of the leu and a minor recession. Moldova’s growth has also been hampered by endemic corruption, which limits business growth and deters foreign investment, and Russian restrictions on imports of Moldova’s agricultural products. The government’s push to restore stability and implement meaningful reform led to the approval in 2016 of a $179 million three-year IMF program focused on improving the banking and fiscal environments, along with additional assistance programs from the EU, World Bank, and Romania. Moldova received two IMF tranches in 2017, totaling over $42.5 million. Over the longer term, Moldova's economy remains vulnerable to corruption, political uncertainty, weak administrative capacity, vested bureaucratic interests, energy import dependence, Russian political and economic pressure, heavy dependence on agricultural exports, and unresolved separatism in Moldova's Transnistria region." + "text": "Despite recent progress, Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe. With a moderate climate and productive farmland, Moldova's economy relies heavily on its agriculture sector, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, wheat, and tobacco. Moldova also depends on annual remittances of about $1.2 billion - almost 15% of GDP - from the roughly one million Moldovans working in Europe, Israel, Russia, and elsewhere. ++ With few natural energy resources, Moldova imports almost all of its energy supplies from Russia and Ukraine. Moldova's dependence on Russian energy is underscored by a more than $6 billion debt to Russian natural gas supplier Gazprom, largely the result of unreimbursed natural gas consumption in the breakaway region of Transnistria. Moldova and Romania inaugurated the Ungheni-Iasi natural gas interconnector project in August 2014. The 43-kilometer pipeline between Moldova and Romania, allows for both the import and export of natural gas. Several technical and regulatory delays kept gas from flowing into Moldova until March 2015. Romanian gas exports to Moldova are largely symbolic. In 2018, Moldova awarded a tender to Romanian Transgaz to construct a pipeline connecting Ungheni to Chisinau, bringing the gas to Moldovan population centers. Moldova also seeks to connect with the European power grid by 2022. ++ The government's stated goal of EU integration has resulted in some market-oriented progress. Moldova experienced better than expected economic growth in 2017, largely driven by increased consumption, increased revenue from agricultural exports, and improved tax collection. During fall 2014, Moldova signed an Association Agreement and a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the EU (AA/DCFTA), connecting Moldovan products to the world's largest market. The EU AA/DCFTA has contributed to significant growth in Moldova's exports to the EU. In 2017, the EU purchased over 65% of Moldova's exports, a major change from 20 years previously when the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) received over 69% of Moldova's exports. A $1 billion asset-stripping heist of Moldovan banks in late 2014 delivered a significant shock to the economy in 2015; the subsequent bank bailout increased inflationary pressures and contributed to the depreciation of the leu and a minor recession. Moldova's growth has also been hampered by endemic corruption, which limits business growth and deters foreign investment, and Russian restrictions on imports of Moldova's agricultural products. The government's push to restore stability and implement meaningful reform led to the approval in 2016 of a $179 million three-year IMF program focused on improving the banking and fiscal environments, along with additional assistance programs from the EU, World Bank, and Romania. Moldova received two IMF tranches in 2017, totaling over $42.5 million. ++ Over the longer term, Moldova's economy remains vulnerable to corruption, political uncertainty, weak administrative capacity, vested bureaucratic interests, energy import dependence, Russian political and economic pressure, heavy dependence on agricultural exports, and unresolved separatism in Moldova's Transnistria region." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$23.72 billion (2017 est.) / $22.69 billion (2016 est.) / $21.75 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/mj.json b/europe/mj.json index da79152d..60a115b0 100644 --- a/europe/mj.json +++ b/europe/mj.json @@ -252,14 +252,11 @@ "text": "20.7% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 99.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "3.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 93.9% of population / total: 97.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "6.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 6.1% of population / total: 2.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -469,7 +463,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Albanian Alternative or AA [Nik DJELOSAJ]Albanian Coalition (includes DP, DSCG, DUA)Albanian Coalition Perspective or AKPAlbanian List (coalition includes AA, Forca, AKP, DSA)Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC]Croatian Civic Initiative or HGI [Marija VUCINOVIC]Croatian Reform Party [Marija VUCINOVIC]Democratic Alliance or DEMOS [Miodrag LEKIC]Democratic Front or DF [collective leadership] (coalition includes NOVA, PZP, DNP, RP)Democratic League in Montenegro or DSCG [Mehmet BARDHI]Democratic League of Albanians or DSADemocratic Montenegro or DCG [Alexsa BECIC]Democratic Party or DP [Fatmir GJEKA]Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]Democratic Party of Unity or DSJ [Nebojsa JUSKOVIC]Democratic People's Party or DNP [Milan KNEZEVIC]Democratic Serb Party or DSS [Dragica PEROVIC]Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Mehmet ZENKA]For the Future of Montenegro or ZBCG [Zdravko KRIVOKAPIC] (electoral coalition includes SNP and 2 alliances - DF, NP)Liberal Party or LP [Andrija POPOVIC]Movement for Change or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]New Democratic Power or FORCA [Nazif CUNGU]New Serb Democracy or NOVA [Andrija MANDIC]Party of Pensioners, Disabled, and Restitution or PUPI [Momir JOKSIMOVIC]Peace is Our Nation or MNIM [Alexa BECIC] (coalition includes Democrats, DEMOS, New Left, PUPI)Popular Movement or NP [Miodrag DAVIDOVIC] (coalition includes DEMOS, RP, UCG, and several minor parties)Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]Social Democrats or SD [Ivan BRAJOVIC]Socialist People's Party or SNP [Vladimir JOKOVIC]True Montenegro or PRAVA [Marko MILACIC]United Montenegro or UCG [Goran DANILOVIC] (split from DEMOS)United Reform Action or URA [Dritan ABAZOVIC]Workers' Party or RP [Janko VUCINIC]" + "text": "Albanian Alternative or AA [Nik DJELOSAJ] ++ Albanian Coalition (includes DP, DSCG, DUA) ++ Albanian Coalition Perspective or AKP ++ Albanian List (coalition includes AA, Forca, AKP, DSA) ++ Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC] ++ Croatian Civic Initiative or HGI [Marija VUCINOVIC] ++ Croatian Reform Party [Marija VUCINOVIC] ++ Democratic Alliance or DEMOS [Miodrag LEKIC] ++ Democratic Front or DF [collective leadership] (coalition includes NOVA, PZP, DNP, RP) ++ Democratic League in Montenegro or DSCG [Mehmet BARDHI] ++ Democratic League of Albanians or DSA ++ Democratic Montenegro or DCG [Alexsa BECIC] ++ Democratic Party or DP [Fatmir GJEKA] ++ Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC] ++ Democratic Party of Unity or DSJ [Nebojsa JUSKOVIC] ++ Democratic People's Party or DNP [Milan KNEZEVIC] ++ Democratic Serb Party or DSS [Dragica PEROVIC] ++ Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Mehmet ZENKA] ++ For the Future of Montenegro or ZBCG [Zdravko KRIVOKAPIC] (electoral coalition includes SNP and 2 alliances - DF, NP) ++ Liberal Party or LP [Andrija POPOVIC] ++ Movement for Change or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC] ++ New Democratic Power or FORCA [Nazif CUNGU] ++ New Serb Democracy or NOVA [Andrija MANDIC] ++ Party of Pensioners, Disabled, and Restitution or PUPI [Momir JOKSIMOVIC] ++ Peace is Our Nation or MNIM [Alexa BECIC] (coalition includes Democrats, DEMOS, New Left, PUPI) ++ Popular Movement or NP [Miodrag DAVIDOVIC] (coalition includes DEMOS, RP, UCG, and several minor parties) ++ Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC] ++ Social Democrats or SD [Ivan BRAJOVIC] ++ Socialist People's Party or SNP [Vladimir JOKOVIC] ++ True Montenegro or PRAVA [Marko MILACIC] ++ United Montenegro or UCG [Goran DANILOVIC] (split from DEMOS) ++ United Reform Action or URA [Dritan ABAZOVIC] ++ Workers' Party or RP [Janko VUCINIC]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -528,7 +522,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Montenegro's economy is transitioning to a market system. Around 90% of Montenegrin state-owned companies have been privatized, including 100% of banking, telecommunications, and oil distribution. Tourism, which accounts for more than 20% of Montenegro’s GDP, brings in three times as many visitors as Montenegro’s total population every year. Several new luxury tourism complexes are in various stages of development along the coast, and a number are being offered in connection with nearby boating and yachting facilities. In addition to tourism, energy and agriculture are considered two distinct pillars of the economy. Only 20% of Montenegro’s hydropower potential is utilized. Montenegro plans to become a net energy exporter, and the construction of an underwater cable to Italy, which will be completed by the end of 2018, will help meet its goal. Montenegro uses the euro as its domestic currency, though it is not an official member of the euro zone. In January 2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF, and in December 2011, the WTO. Montenegro began negotiations to join the EU in 2012, having met the conditions set down by the European Council, which called on Montenegro to take steps to fight corruption and organized crime. The government recognizes the need to remove impediments in order to remain competitive and open the economy to foreign investors. Net foreign direct investment in 2017 reached $848 million and investment per capita is one of the highest in Europe, due to a low corporate tax rate. The biggest foreign investors in Montenegro in 2017 were Norway, Russia, Italy, Azerbaijan and Hungary. Montenegro is currently planning major overhauls of its road and rail networks, and possible expansions of its air transportation system. In 2014, the Government of Montenegro selected two Chinese companies to construct a 41 km-long section of the country’s highway system, which will become part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Cheaper borrowing costs have stimulated Montenegro’s growing debt, which currently sits at 65.9% of GDP, with a forecast, absent fiscal consolidation, to increase to 80% once the repayment to China’s Ex/Im Bank of a €800 million highway loan begins in 2019. Montenegro first instituted a value-added tax (VAT) in April 2003, and introduced differentiated VAT rates of 17% and 7% (for tourism) in January 2006. The Montenegrin Government increased the non-tourism Value Added Tax (VAT) rate to 21% as of January 2018, with the goal of reducing its public debt." + "text": "Montenegro's economy is transitioning to a market system. Around 90% of Montenegrin state-owned companies have been privatized, including 100% of banking, telecommunications, and oil distribution. Tourism, which accounts for more than 20% of Montenegro's GDP, brings in three times as many visitors as Montenegro's total population every year. Several new luxury tourism complexes are in various stages of development along the coast, and a number are being offered in connection with nearby boating and yachting facilities. In addition to tourism, energy and agriculture are considered two distinct pillars of the economy. Only 20% of Montenegro's hydropower potential is utilized. Montenegro plans to become a net energy exporter, and the construction of an underwater cable to Italy, which will be completed by the end of 2018, will help meet its goal. ++ Montenegro uses the euro as its domestic currency, though it is not an official member of the euro zone. In January 2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF, and in December 2011, the WTO. Montenegro began negotiations to join the EU in 2012, having met the conditions set down by the European Council, which called on Montenegro to take steps to fight corruption and organized crime. ++ The government recognizes the need to remove impediments in order to remain competitive and open the economy to foreign investors. Net foreign direct investment in 2017 reached $848 million and investment per capita is one of the highest in Europe, due to a low corporate tax rate. The biggest foreign investors in Montenegro in 2017 were Norway, Russia, Italy, Azerbaijan and Hungary. ++ Montenegro is currently planning major overhauls of its road and rail networks, and possible expansions of its air transportation system. In 2014, the Government of Montenegro selected two Chinese companies to construct a 41 km-long section of the country's highway system, which will become part of China's Belt and Road Initiative. Cheaper borrowing costs have stimulated Montenegro's growing debt, which currently sits at 65.9% of GDP, with a forecast, absent fiscal consolidation, to increase to 80% once the repayment to China's Ex/Im Bank of a €800 million highway loan begins in 2019. Montenegro first instituted a value-added tax (VAT) in April 2003, and introduced differentiated VAT rates of 17% and 7% (for tourism) in January 2006. The Montenegrin Government increased the non-tourism Value Added Tax (VAT) rate to 21% as of January 2018, with the goal of reducing its public debt." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$11.08 billion (2017 est.) / $10.63 billion (2016 est.) / $10.32 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/mk.json b/europe/mk.json index c5cbe4a9..ebf6ba8b 100644 --- a/europe/mk.json +++ b/europe/mk.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "North Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991 under the name of \"Macedonia.\" Greek objection to the new country’s name, insisting it implied territorial pretensions to the northern Greek province of Macedonia, and democratic backsliding for several years stalled the country’s movement toward Euro-Atlantic integration. Immediately after Macedonia declared independence, Greece sought to block Macedonian efforts to gain UN membership if the name \"Macedonia\" was used. The country was eventually admitted to the UN in 1993 as \"The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,\" and at the same time it agreed to UN-sponsored negotiations on the name dispute. In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, but the issue of the name remained unresolved and negotiations for a solution continued. Over time, the US and over 130 other nations recognized Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia. Ethnic Albanian grievances over perceived political and economic inequities escalated into a conflict in 2001 that eventually led to the internationally brokered Ohrid Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting and established guidelines for constitutional amendments and the creation of new laws that enhanced the rights of minorities. In January 2018, the government adopted a new law on languages, which elevated the Albanian language to an official language at the national level, with the Macedonian language remaining the sole official language in international relations. Relations between ethnic Macedonians and ethnic Albanians remain complicated, however. North Macedonia's pro-Western government has used its time in office since 2017 to sign a historic deal with Greece in June 2018 to end the name dispute and revive Skopje's NATO and EU membership prospects. This followed a nearly three-year political crisis that engulfed the country but ended in June 2017 following a six-month-long government formation period after a closely contested election in December 2016. The crisis began after the 2014 legislative and presidential election, and escalated in 2015 when the opposition party began releasing wiretapped material that revealed alleged widespread government corruption and abuse. Although an EU candidate since 2005, North Macedonia has yet to open EU accession negotiations. The country still faces challenges, including fully implementing reforms to overcome years of democratic backsliding and stimulating economic growth and development. In June 2018, Macedonia and Greece signed the Prespa Accord whereby the Republic of Macedonia agreed to change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia. Following ratification by both countries, the agreement went in to force on 12 February 2019. North Macedonia signed an accession protocol to become a NATO member state in February 2019." + "text": "North Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991 under the name of \"Macedonia.\" Greek objection to the new country's name, insisting it implied territorial pretensions to the northern Greek province of Macedonia, and democratic backsliding for several years stalled the country's movement toward Euro-Atlantic integration. Immediately after Macedonia declared independence, Greece sought to block Macedonian efforts to gain UN membership if the name \"Macedonia\" was used. The country was eventually admitted to the UN in 1993 as \"The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,\" and at the same time it agreed to UN-sponsored negotiations on the name dispute. In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, but the issue of the name remained unresolved and negotiations for a solution continued. Over time, the US and over 130 other nations recognized Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia. Ethnic Albanian grievances over perceived political and economic inequities escalated into a conflict in 2001 that eventually led to the internationally brokered Ohrid Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting and established guidelines for constitutional amendments and the creation of new laws that enhanced the rights of minorities. In January 2018, the government adopted a new law on languages, which elevated the Albanian language to an official language at the national level, with the Macedonian language remaining the sole official language in international relations. Relations between ethnic Macedonians and ethnic Albanians remain complicated, however. ++ North Macedonia's pro-Western government has used its time in office since 2017 to sign a historic deal with Greece in June 2018 to end the name dispute and revive Skopje's NATO and EU membership prospects. This followed a nearly three-year political crisis that engulfed the country but ended in June 2017 following a six-month-long government formation period after a closely contested election in December 2016. The crisis began after the 2014 legislative and presidential election, and escalated in 2015 when the opposition party began releasing wiretapped material that revealed alleged widespread government corruption and abuse. Although an EU candidate since 2005, North Macedonia has yet to open EU accession negotiations. The country still faces challenges, including fully implementing reforms to overcome years of democratic backsliding and stimulating economic growth and development. In June 2018, Macedonia and Greece signed the Prespa Accord whereby the Republic of Macedonia agreed to change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia. Following ratification by both countries, the agreement went in to force on 12 February 2019. North Macedonia signed an accession protocol to become a NATO member state in February 2019." } }, "Geography": { @@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Romani 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 est.)", "note": { - "text": "note: North Macedonia has not conducted a census since 2002; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 6.5–13% of North Macedonia’s population" + "text": "note: North Macedonia has not conducted a census since 2002; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 6.5–13% of North Macedonia's population" } }, "Languages": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "40.2% (2011)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.8% of population / rural: 98.9% of population / total: 99.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.2% of population / rural: 1.1% of population / total: 0.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "4.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 97.9% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "17.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "9.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.8% of population / rural: 17.4% of population / total: 9.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -461,7 +455,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for Albanians or AfA [Ziadin SELA]Alternative (Alternativa) [Afrim GASHI]Besa Movement [Bilal KASAMI]Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh [Menduh THACI]Democratic Union for Integration or BDI [Ali AHMETI]Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Hristijan MICKOSKI]Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - People's Party or VMRO-NP [Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI]Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Goran MILEVSKI]Renewal (VMRO-DPMNE coalition)Social Democratic Union of Macedonia or SDSM [Zoran ZAEV]The Left (Levica) [Dimitar APASIEV]Turkish Democratic Party of DPT [Beycan ILYAS]We Can (coalition includes SDSM/Besa/VMRO-NP, DPT, LDP)" + "text": "Alliance for Albanians or AfA [Ziadin SELA] ++ Alternative (Alternativa) [Afrim GASHI] ++ Besa Movement [Bilal KASAMI] ++ Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh [Menduh THACI] ++ Democratic Union for Integration or BDI [Ali AHMETI] ++ Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Hristijan MICKOSKI] ++ Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - People's Party or VMRO-NP [Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI] ++ Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Goran MILEVSKI] ++ Renewal (VMRO-DPMNE coalition) ++ Social Democratic Union of Macedonia or SDSM [Zoran ZAEV] ++ The Left (Levica) [Dimitar APASIEV] ++ Turkish Democratic Party of DPT [Beycan ILYAS] ++ We Can (coalition includes SDSM/Besa/VMRO-NP, DPT, LDP)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (candidate country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -520,7 +514,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Since its independence in 1991, Macedonia has made progress in liberalizing its economy and improving its business environment. Its low tax rates and free economic zones have helped to attract foreign investment, which is still low relative to the rest of Europe. Corruption and weak rule of law remain significant problems. Some businesses complain of opaque regulations and unequal enforcement of the law.   Macedonia’s economy is closely linked to Europe as a customer for exports and source of investment, and has suffered as a result of prolonged weakness in the euro zone. Unemployment has remained consistently high at about 23% but may be overstated based on the existence of an extensive gray market, estimated to be between 20% and 45% of GDP, which is not captured by official statistics.   Macedonia is working to build a country-wide natural gas pipeline and distribution network. Currently, Macedonia receives its small natural gas supplies from Russia via Bulgaria. In 2016, Macedonia signed a memorandum of understanding with Greece to build an interconnector that could connect to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline that will traverse the region once complete, or to an LNG import terminal in Greece.   Macedonia maintained macroeconomic stability through the global financial crisis by conducting prudent monetary policy, which keeps the domestic currency pegged to the euro, and inflation at a low level. However, in the last two years, the internal political crisis has hampered economic performance, with GDP growth slowing in 2016 and 2017, and both domestic private and public investments declining. Fiscal policies were lax, with unproductive public expenditures, including subsidies and pension increases, and rising guarantees for the debt of state owned enterprises, and fiscal targets were consistently missed. In 2017, public debt stabilized at about 47% of GDP, still relatively low compared to its Western Balkan neighbors and the rest of Europe." + "text": "Since its independence in 1991, Macedonia has made progress in liberalizing its economy and improving its business environment. Its low tax rates and free economic zones have helped to attract foreign investment, which is still low relative to the rest of Europe. Corruption and weak rule of law remain significant problems. Some businesses complain of opaque regulations and unequal enforcement of the law. ++   ++ Macedonia's economy is closely linked to Europe as a customer for exports and source of investment, and has suffered as a result of prolonged weakness in the euro zone. Unemployment has remained consistently high at about 23% but may be overstated based on the existence of an extensive gray market, estimated to be between 20% and 45% of GDP, which is not captured by official statistics. ++   ++ Macedonia is working to build a country-wide natural gas pipeline and distribution network. Currently, Macedonia receives its small natural gas supplies from Russia via Bulgaria. In 2016, Macedonia signed a memorandum of understanding with Greece to build an interconnector that could connect to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline that will traverse the region once complete, or to an LNG import terminal in Greece. ++   ++ Macedonia maintained macroeconomic stability through the global financial crisis by conducting prudent monetary policy, which keeps the domestic currency pegged to the euro, and inflation at a low level. However, in the last two years, the internal political crisis has hampered economic performance, with GDP growth slowing in 2016 and 2017, and both domestic private and public investments declining. Fiscal policies were lax, with unproductive public expenditures, including subsidies and pension increases, and rising guarantees for the debt of state owned enterprises, and fiscal targets were consistently missed. In 2017, public debt stabilized at about 47% of GDP, still relatively low compared to its Western Balkan neighbors and the rest of Europe." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$31.03 billion (2017 est.) / $31.02 billion (2016 est.) / $30.15 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/mn.json b/europe/mn.json index bd5c37ce..59972106 100644 --- a/europe/mn.json +++ b/europe/mn.json @@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ } }, "Ethnic groups": { - "text": "Monegasque 32.1%, French 19.9%, Italian 15.3%, British 5%, Belgian 2.3%, Swiss 2%, German 1.9%, Russian 1.8%, American 1.1%, Dutch 1.1%, Moroccan 1%, other 16.6%note: data represent population by country of birthFrench 24.9%, Monegasque 22.5%, Italian 21.9%, British 7.5%, Swiss 3.2%, Belgian 2.9%, German 2.4%, Russian 2%, Dutch 1.5%, Portuguese 1.4%, Greek 1.1%, American 1%, other 7.7%note: data represent population by nationality (2016 est.)" + "text": "Monegasque 32.1%, French 19.9%, Italian 15.3%, British 5%, Belgian 2.3%, Swiss 2%, German 1.9%, Russian 1.8%, American 1.1%, Dutch 1.1%, Moroccan 1%, other 16.6% ++ note: data represent population by country of birth ++ French 24.9%, Monegasque 22.5%, Italian 21.9%, British 7.5%, Swiss 3.2%, Belgian 2.9%, German 2.4%, Russian 2%, Dutch 1.5%, Portuguese 1.4%, Greek 1.1%, American 1%, other 7.7% ++ note: data represent population by nationality (2016 est.)" }, "Languages": { "text": "French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque" @@ -229,11 +229,11 @@ "text": "1.55 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -246,11 +246,11 @@ "text": "13.8 beds/1,000 population (2012)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Horizon Monaco [Laurent NOUVION]Priorite Monaco [Stephane VALERI]Renaissance [SBM (public corporation)]Union Monegasque [Jean-Francois ROBILLON]" + "text": "Horizon Monaco [Laurent NOUVION] ++ Priorite Monaco [Stephane VALERI] ++ Renaissance [SBM (public corporation)] ++ Union Monegasque [Jean-Francois ROBILLON]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "CD, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Schengen Convention (de facto member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO" @@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. The principality also is a banking center and has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and offices. Monaco, however, is not a tax-free shelter; it charges nearly 20% value-added tax, collects stamp duties, and companies face a 33% tax on profits unless they can show that three-quarters of profits are generated within the principality. Monaco was formally removed from the OECD's \"grey list\" of uncooperative tax jurisdictions in late 2009, but continues to face international pressure to abandon its banking secrecy laws and help combat tax evasion. In October 2014, Monaco officially became the 84th jurisdiction participating in the OECD’s Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, an effort to combat offshore tax avoidance and evasion. Monaco's reliance on tourism and banking for its economic growth has left it vulnerable to downturns in France and other European economies which are the principality's main trade partners. In 2009, Monaco's GDP fell by 11.5% as the euro-zone crisis precipitated a sharp drop in tourism and retail activity and home sales. A modest recovery ensued in 2010 and intensified in 2013, with GDP growth of more than 9%, but Monaco's economic prospects remain uncertain." + "text": "Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. The principality also is a banking center and has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas. ++ The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and offices. Monaco, however, is not a tax-free shelter; it charges nearly 20% value-added tax, collects stamp duties, and companies face a 33% tax on profits unless they can show that three-quarters of profits are generated within the principality. Monaco was formally removed from the OECD's \"grey list\" of uncooperative tax jurisdictions in late 2009, but continues to face international pressure to abandon its banking secrecy laws and help combat tax evasion. In October 2014, Monaco officially became the 84th jurisdiction participating in the OECD's Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, an effort to combat offshore tax avoidance and evasion. ++ Monaco's reliance on tourism and banking for its economic growth has left it vulnerable to downturns in France and other European economies which are the principality's main trade partners. In 2009, Monaco's GDP fell by 11.5% as the euro-zone crisis precipitated a sharp drop in tourism and retail activity and home sales. A modest recovery ensued in 2010 and intensified in 2013, with GDP growth of more than 9%, but Monaco's economic prospects remain uncertain." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$7.672 billion (2015 est.) / $7.279 billion (2014 est.) / $6.79 billion (2013 est.)", @@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "no regular military forces; Ministry of Interior: Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Prince’s Company of Carabiniers (Palace Guard)), Corps des Sapeurs-pompiers de Monaco (Fire and Emergency), Police Department (2019)" + "text": "no regular military forces; Ministry of Interior: Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Prince's Company of Carabiniers (Palace Guard)), Corps des Sapeurs-pompiers de Monaco (Fire and Emergency), Police Department (2019)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "defense is the responsibility of France" diff --git a/europe/mt.json b/europe/mt.json index d0b26d45..743be150 100644 --- a/europe/mt.json +++ b/europe/mt.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "With a civilization that dates back thousands of years, Malta boasts some of the oldest megalithic sites in the world. Situated in the center of the Mediterranean, Malta’s islands have long served as a strategic military asset, with the islands at various times having come under control of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans,\nByzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, and the French. Most recently a British colony (since 1814), Malta gained its independence in 1964 and declared itself a republic ten years later. While under British rule, the island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination while its key industries moved toward more service-oriented activities. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008." + "text": "With a civilization that dates back thousands of years, Malta boasts some of the oldest megalithic sites in the world. Situated in the center of the Mediterranean, Malta's islands have long served as a strategic military asset, with the islands at various times having come under control of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans,\nByzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, and the French. Most recently a British colony (since 1814), Malta gained its independence in 1964 and declared itself a republic ten years later. While under British rule, the island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination while its key industries moved toward more service-oriented activities. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008." } }, "Geography": { @@ -250,14 +250,11 @@ "text": "1.49 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -270,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "4.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -450,7 +444,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Party (Partit Demokratiku) or PD [Godfrey FARRUGIA]Labor Party (Partit Laburista) or PL [Joseph MUSCAT]Nationalist Party (Partit Nazzjonalista) or PN [Adrian DELIA]" + "text": "Democratic Party (Partit Demokratiku) or PD [Godfrey FARRUGIA] ++ Labor Party (Partit Laburista) or PL [Joseph MUSCAT] ++ Nationalist Party (Partit Nazzjonalista) or PN [Adrian DELIA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, C, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -506,7 +500,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Malta’s free market economy – the smallest economy in the euro-zone – relies heavily on trade in both goods and services, principally with Europe. Malta produces less than a quarter of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. Malta's economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing, and tourism. Malta joined the EU in 2004 and adopted the euro on 1 January 2008. Malta has weathered the euro-zone crisis better than most EU member states due to a low debt-to-GDP ratio and financially sound banking sector. It maintains one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, and growth has fully recovered since the 2009 recession. In 2014 through 2016, Malta led the euro zone in growth, expanding more than 4.5% per year. Malta’s services sector continues to grow, with sustained growth in the financial services and online gaming sectors. Advantageous tax schemes remained attractive to foreign investors, though EU discussions of anti-tax avoidance measures have raised concerns among Malta’s financial services and insurance providers, as the measures could have a significant impact on those sectors. The tourism sector also continued to grow, with 2016 showing record-breaking numbers of both air and cruise passenger arrivals. Malta’s GDP growth remains strong and is supported by a strong labor market. The government has implemented new programs, including free childcare, to encourage increased labor participation. The high cost of borrowing and small labor market remain potential constraints to future economic growth. Increasingly, other EU and European migrants are relocating to Malta for employment, though wages have remained low compared to other European countries. Inflation remains low." + "text": "Malta's free market economy – the smallest economy in the euro-zone – relies heavily on trade in both goods and services, principally with Europe. Malta produces less than a quarter of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. Malta's economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing, and tourism. Malta joined the EU in 2004 and adopted the euro on 1 January 2008. ++ Malta has weathered the euro-zone crisis better than most EU member states due to a low debt-to-GDP ratio and financially sound banking sector. It maintains one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, and growth has fully recovered since the 2009 recession. In 2014 through 2016, Malta led the euro zone in growth, expanding more than 4.5% per year. ++ Malta's services sector continues to grow, with sustained growth in the financial services and online gaming sectors. Advantageous tax schemes remained attractive to foreign investors, though EU discussions of anti-tax avoidance measures have raised concerns among Malta's financial services and insurance providers, as the measures could have a significant impact on those sectors. The tourism sector also continued to grow, with 2016 showing record-breaking numbers of both air and cruise passenger arrivals. ++ Malta's GDP growth remains strong and is supported by a strong labor market. The government has implemented new programs, including free childcare, to encourage increased labor participation. The high cost of borrowing and small labor market remain potential constraints to future economic growth. Increasingly, other EU and European migrants are relocating to Malta for employment, though wages have remained low compared to other European countries. Inflation remains low." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$19.26 billion (2017 est.) / $18.05 billion (2016 est.) / $17.16 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/nl.json b/europe/nl.json index 3e770ec6..92ec8a24 100644 --- a/europe/nl.json +++ b/europe/nl.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830, Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered German invasion and occupation in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU) and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999. In October 2010, the former Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and the three smallest islands - Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba - became special municipalities in the Netherlands administrative structure. The larger islands of Sint Maarten and Curacao joined the Netherlands and Aruba as constituent countries forming the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In February 2018, the Sint Eustatius island council (governing body) was dissolved and replaced by a government commissioner to restore the integrity of public administration. According to the Dutch Government, the intervention will be as \"short as possible and as long as needed.\"" + "text": "The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830, Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered German invasion and occupation in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU) and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999. In October 2010, the former Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and the three smallest islands - Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba - became special municipalities in the Netherlands administrative structure. The larger islands of Sint Maarten and Curacao joined the Netherlands and Aruba as constituent countries forming the Kingdom of the Netherlands. ++ In February 2018, the Sint Eustatius island council (governing body) was dissolved and replaced by a government commissioner to restore the integrity of public administration. According to the Dutch Government, the intervention will be as \"short as possible and as long as needed.\"" } }, "Geography": { @@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ "text": "an area known as the Randstad, anchored by the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague, and Utrecht, is the most densely populated region; the north tends to be less dense, though sizeable communities can be found throughout the entire country" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "flooding\nvolcanism: Mount Scenery (887 m), located on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, last erupted in 1640;; Round Hill (601 m), a dormant volcano also known as The Quill, is located on the island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean;; these islands are at the northern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends south to Grenada" + "text": "flooding ++ volcanism: Mount Scenery (887 m), located on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, last erupted in 1640;; Round Hill (601 m), a dormant volcano also known as The Quill, is located on the island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean;; these islands are at the northern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends south to Grenada" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "water and air pollution are significant environmental problems; pollution of the country's rivers from industrial and agricultural chemicals, including heavy metals, organic compounds, nitrates, and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities" @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "3.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -370,13 +364,13 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October" }, "note": { - "text": "note: time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, for the constituent countries in the Caribbean, the time difference is UTC-4etymology: the original Dutch name, Amstellerdam, meaning \"a dam on the Amstel River,\" dates to the 13th century; over time the name simplified to Amsterdam" + "text": "note: time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, for the constituent countries in the Caribbean, the time difference is UTC-4 ++ etymology: the original Dutch name, Amstellerdam, meaning \"a dam on the Amstel River,\" dates to the 13th century; over time the name simplified to Amsterdam" } }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie), 3 public entities* (openbare lichamen, singular - openbaar lichaam (Dutch); entidatnan publiko, singular - entidat publiko (Papiamento)); Bonaire*, Drenthe, Flevoland, Fryslan (Friesland), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Saba*, Sint Eustatius*, Utrecht, Zeeland (Zealand), Zuid-Holland (South Holland)", "note": { - "text": "note 1: the Netherlands is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three, Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten, are all islands in the Caribbean; while all four parts are considered equal partners, in practice, most of the Kingdom's affairs are administered by the Netherlands, which makes up about 98% of the Kingdom's total land area and population note 2: although Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are officially incorporated into the country of the Netherlands under the broad designation of \"public entities,\" Dutch Government sources regularly apply to them the more descriptive term of \"special municipalities\"; Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are collectively referred to as the Caribbean Netherlands" + "text": "note 1: the Netherlands is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three, Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten, are all islands in the Caribbean; while all four parts are considered equal partners, in practice, most of the Kingdom's affairs are administered by the Netherlands, which makes up about 98% of the Kingdom's total land area and population ++ note 2: although Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are officially incorporated into the country of the Netherlands under the broad designation of \"public entities,\" Dutch Government sources regularly apply to them the more descriptive term of \"special municipalities\"; Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are collectively referred to as the Caribbean Netherlands" } }, "Dependent areas": { @@ -435,13 +429,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of:First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial council members by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve up to 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of: First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial council members by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) ++ Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve up to 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "First Chamber - last held on 27 May 2019 (next to be held on NA May 2023) Second Chamber - last held on 15 March 2017 (next to be held 15 March 2021)" + "text": "First Chamber - last held on 27 May 2019 (next to be held on NA May 2023) ++ Second Chamber - last held on 15 March 2017 (next to be held 15 March 2021)" }, "election results": { - "text": "First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FvD 12, VVD 12, CDA 9, GL 8, D66 7, MvdA 6, PVV 5, SP 4, CU 4, other 8; composition - men 49, women 26, percent of women 34.7% Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - VVD 21.3%, PVV 13.1%, CDA 12.4%, D66 12.2%, GL 9.1%, SP 9.1%, PvdA 5.7%, CU 3.4%, PvdD 3.2%, 50 Plus 3.1%, other 7.4%; seats by party - VVD 33, PVV 20, CDA 19, D66 19, GL 14, SP 14, PvdA 9, CU 5, PvdD 5, 50 Plus 4, other 8; composition - men 96, women 54, percent of women 36%; note - total States General percent of women 35.6%" + "text": "First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FvD 12, VVD 12, CDA 9, GL 8, D66 7, MvdA 6, PVV 5, SP 4, CU 4, other 8; composition - men 49, women 26, percent of women 34.7% ++ Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - VVD 21.3%, PVV 13.1%, CDA 12.4%, D66 12.2%, GL 9.1%, SP 9.1%, PvdA 5.7%, CU 3.4%, PvdD 3.2%, 50 Plus 3.1%, other 7.4%; seats by party - VVD 33, PVV 20, CDA 19, D66 19, GL 14, SP 14, PvdA 9, CU 5, PvdD 5, 50 Plus 4, other 8; composition - men 96, women 54, percent of women 36%; note - total States General percent of women 35.6%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -456,7 +450,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Sybrand VAN HAERSMA BUMA]Christian Union or CU [Gert-Jan SEGERS]Democrats 66 or D66 [Rob JETTEN]Denk [Tunahan KUZU]50 Plus [Henk KROL]Forum for Democracy or FvD [Thierry BAUDET]Green Left or GL [Jesse KLAVER]Labor Party or PvdA [Lodewijk ASSCHER]Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]Party for the Animals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME]People's Party for Freedom and Democracy or VVD [Mark RUTTE]Reformed Political Party or SGP [Kees VAN DER STAAIJ]Socialist Party or SP [Emile ROEMER]plus a few minor parties" + "text": "Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Sybrand VAN HAERSMA BUMA] ++ Christian Union or CU [Gert-Jan SEGERS] ++ Democrats 66 or D66 [Rob JETTEN] ++ Denk [Tunahan KUZU] ++ 50 Plus [Henk KROL] ++ Forum for Democracy or FvD [Thierry BAUDET] ++ Green Left or GL [Jesse KLAVER] ++ Labor Party or PvdA [Lodewijk ASSCHER] ++ Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS] ++ Party for the Animals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME] ++ People's Party for Freedom and Democracy or VVD [Mark RUTTE] ++ Reformed Political Party or SGP [Kees VAN DER STAAIJ] ++ Socialist Party or SP [Emile ROEMER] ++ plus a few minor parties" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -518,7 +512,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The Netherlands, the sixth-largest economy in the European Union, plays an important role as a European transportation hub, with a consistently high trade surplus, stable industrial relations, and low unemployment. Industry focuses on food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs only 2% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for food-processing and underpins the country’s status as the world’s second largest agricultural exporter. The Netherlands is part of the euro zone, and as such, its monetary policy is controlled by the European Central Bank. The Dutch financial sector is highly concentrated, with four commercial banks possessing over 80% of banking assets, and is four times the size of Dutch GDP. In 2008, during the financial crisis, the government budget deficit hit 5.3% of GDP. Following a protracted recession from 2009 to 2013, during which unemployment doubled to 7.4% and household consumption contracted for four consecutive years, economic growth began inching forward in 2014. Since 2010, Prime Minister Mark RUTTE’s government has implemented significant austerity measures to improve public finances and has instituted broad structural reforms in key policy areas, including the labor market, the housing sector, the energy market, and the pension system. In 2017, the government budget returned to a surplus of 0.7% of GDP, with economic growth of 3.2%, and GDP per capita finally surpassed pre-crisis levels. The fiscal policy announced by the new government in the 2018-2021 coalition plans for increases in government consumption and public investment, fueling domestic demand and household consumption and investment. The new government’s policy also plans to increase demand for workers in the public and private sector, forecasting a further decline in the unemployment rate, which hit 4.8% in 2017." + "text": "The Netherlands, the sixth-largest economy in the European Union, plays an important role as a European transportation hub, with a consistently high trade surplus, stable industrial relations, and low unemployment. Industry focuses on food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs only 2% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for food-processing and underpins the country's status as the world's second largest agricultural exporter. ++ The Netherlands is part of the euro zone, and as such, its monetary policy is controlled by the European Central Bank. The Dutch financial sector is highly concentrated, with four commercial banks possessing over 80% of banking assets, and is four times the size of Dutch GDP. ++ In 2008, during the financial crisis, the government budget deficit hit 5.3% of GDP. Following a protracted recession from 2009 to 2013, during which unemployment doubled to 7.4% and household consumption contracted for four consecutive years, economic growth began inching forward in 2014. Since 2010, Prime Minister Mark RUTTE's government has implemented significant austerity measures to improve public finances and has instituted broad structural reforms in key policy areas, including the labor market, the housing sector, the energy market, and the pension system. In 2017, the government budget returned to a surplus of 0.7% of GDP, with economic growth of 3.2%, and GDP per capita finally surpassed pre-crisis levels. The fiscal policy announced by the new government in the 2018-2021 coalition plans for increases in government consumption and public investment, fueling domestic demand and household consumption and investment. The new government's policy also plans to increase demand for workers in the public and private sector, forecasting a further decline in the unemployment rate, which hit 4.8% in 2017." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$924.4 billion (2017 est.) / $898.6 billion (2016 est.) / $879.4 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/no.json b/europe/no.json index d5ca663b..aa9c146c 100644 --- a/europe/no.json +++ b/europe/no.json @@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ "text": "most Norweigans live in the south where the climate is milder and there is better connectivity to mainland Europe; population clusters are found all along the North Sea coast in the southwest, and Skaggerak in the southeast; the interior areas of the north remain sparsely populated" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "rockslides, avalanches\nvolcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano" + "text": "rockslides, avalanches ++ volcanism: Beerenberg (2,227 m) on Jan Mayen Island in the Norwegian Sea is the country's only active volcano" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions" @@ -267,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "1.84 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -287,14 +284,11 @@ "text": "3.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -453,7 +447,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Center Party or Sp [Trygve Slagsvold VEDUM]Christian Democratic Party or KrF [Kjell Ingolf ROPSTADT]Conservative Party or H [Erna SOLBERG]Green Party or MDG [Rasmus HANSSON and Une Aina BASTHOLM]Labor Party or Ap [Jonas Gahr STORE]Liberal Party or V [Trine SKEI GRANDE]Progress Party or FrP [Siv JENSEN]Red Party or R [Bionar MOXNES]Socialist Left Party or SV [Audun LYSBAKKEN]" + "text": "Center Party or Sp [Trygve Slagsvold VEDUM] ++ Christian Democratic Party or KrF [Kjell Ingolf ROPSTADT] ++ Conservative Party or H [Erna SOLBERG] ++ Green Party or MDG [Rasmus HANSSON and Une Aina BASTHOLM] ++ Labor Party or Ap [Jonas Gahr STORE] ++ Liberal Party or V [Trine SKEI GRANDE] ++ Progress Party or FrP [Siv JENSEN] ++ Red Party or R [Bionar MOXNES] ++ Socialist Left Party or SV [Audun LYSBAKKEN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -512,7 +506,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Norway has a stable economy with a vibrant private sector, a large state sector, and an extensive social safety net. Norway opted out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994. However, as a member of the European Economic Area, Norway partially participates in the EU’s single market and contributes sizably to the EU budget. The country is richly endowed with natural resources such as oil and gas, fish, forests, and minerals. Norway is a leading producer and the world’s second largest exporter of seafood, after China. The government manages the country’s petroleum resources through extensive regulation. The petroleum sector provides about 9% of jobs, 12% of GDP, 13% of the state’s revenue, and 37% of exports, according to official national estimates. Norway is one of the world's leading petroleum exporters, although oil production is close to 50% below its peak in 2000. Gas production, conversely, has more than doubled since 2000. Although oil production is historically low, it rose in 2016 for the third consecutive year due to the higher production of existing oil fields and to new fields coming on stream. Norway’s domestic electricity production relies almost entirely on hydropower. In anticipation of eventual declines in oil and gas production, Norway saves state revenue from petroleum sector activities in the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, valued at over $1 trillion at the end of 2017. To help balance the federal budget each year, the government follows a \"fiscal rule,\" which states that spending of revenues from petroleum and fund investments shall correspond to the expected real rate of return on the fund, an amount it estimates is sustainable over time. In February 2017, the government revised the expected rate of return for the fund downward from 4% to 3%. After solid GDP growth in the 2004-07 period, the economy slowed in 2008, and contracted in 2009, before returning to modest, positive growth from 2010 to 2017. The Norwegian economy has been adjusting to lower energy prices, as demonstrated by growth in labor force participation and employment in 2017. GDP growth was about 1.5% in 2017, driven largely by domestic demand, which has been boosted by the rebound in the labor market and supportive fiscal policies. Economic growth is expected to remain constant or improve slightly in the next few years." + "text": "Norway has a stable economy with a vibrant private sector, a large state sector, and an extensive social safety net. Norway opted out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994. However, as a member of the European Economic Area, Norway partially participates in the EU's single market and contributes sizably to the EU budget. ++ The country is richly endowed with natural resources such as oil and gas, fish, forests, and minerals. Norway is a leading producer and the world's second largest exporter of seafood, after China. The government manages the country's petroleum resources through extensive regulation. The petroleum sector provides about 9% of jobs, 12% of GDP, 13% of the state's revenue, and 37% of exports, according to official national estimates. Norway is one of the world's leading petroleum exporters, although oil production is close to 50% below its peak in 2000. Gas production, conversely, has more than doubled since 2000. Although oil production is historically low, it rose in 2016 for the third consecutive year due to the higher production of existing oil fields and to new fields coming on stream. Norway's domestic electricity production relies almost entirely on hydropower. ++ In anticipation of eventual declines in oil and gas production, Norway saves state revenue from petroleum sector activities in the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, valued at over $1 trillion at the end of 2017. To help balance the federal budget each year, the government follows a \"fiscal rule,\" which states that spending of revenues from petroleum and fund investments shall correspond to the expected real rate of return on the fund, an amount it estimates is sustainable over time. In February 2017, the government revised the expected rate of return for the fund downward from 4% to 3%. ++ After solid GDP growth in the 2004-07 period, the economy slowed in 2008, and contracted in 2009, before returning to modest, positive growth from 2010 to 2017. The Norwegian economy has been adjusting to lower energy prices, as demonstrated by growth in labor force participation and employment in 2017. GDP growth was about 1.5% in 2017, driven largely by domestic demand, which has been boosted by the rebound in the labor market and supportive fiscal policies. Economic growth is expected to remain constant or improve slightly in the next few years." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$381.2 billion (2017 est.) / $374 billion (2016 est.) / $370 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/pl.json b/europe/pl.json index 66251b5e..24e7cb30 100644 --- a/europe/pl.json +++ b/europe/pl.json @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "62.3% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "6.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.7% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 99.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.3% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -448,13 +442,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral legislature consists of:Senate or Senat (100 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) Sejm (460 seats; members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote with 5% threshold of total votes needed for parties and 8% for coalitions to gain seats; minorities exempt from threshold; members serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral legislature consists of: Senate or Senat (100 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms) ++ Sejm (460 seats; members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote with 5% threshold of total votes needed for parties and 8% for coalitions to gain seats; minorities exempt from threshold; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 13 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023) Sejm - last held on 13 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 13 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023) ++ Sejm - last held on 13 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PiS 48, KO 43, PSL 3, SLD 2, independent 4; composition - men 87, women 13, percent of women 13% Sejm - percent of vote by party - PiS 43.6%, KO 27.4%, SLD 12.6%, PSL 8.5% Confederation 6.8%, other 1.1%; seats by party - PiS 235, KO 134, SLD 49, PSL 30, KWiN 11, MN 1; men 334, women 126, percent of women 27.4%; note - total legislature percent of women 24.8%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PiS 48, KO 43, PSL 3, SLD 2, independent 4; composition - men 87, women 13, percent of women 13% ++ Sejm - percent of vote by party - PiS 43.6%, KO 27.4%, SLD 12.6%, PSL 8.5% Confederation 6.8%, other 1.1%; seats by party - PiS 235, KO 134, SLD 49, PSL 30, KWiN 11, MN 1; men 334, women 126, percent of women 27.4%; note - total legislature percent of women 24.8%" }, "note": { "text": "note: the designation National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the 2 houses meet jointly" @@ -472,7 +466,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Civic Coalition or KO [Grzegorz SCHETYNA]Confederation Liberty and Independence or KWiN [Janusz KORWIN-MIKKE, Robert WINNICKI, Grzegorz BRAUN]Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Wlodzimierz CZARZASTY]German Minority or MN [Ryszard GALLA]Kukiz 15 or K15 [Pawel KUKIZ]Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]TERAZ! (NOW!) [Ryszard PETRU]Nowoczesna (Modern) or N [Katarzyna LUBNAUER]Polish People's Party or PSL [Wladyslaw KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ]Razem (Together) [collective leadership]Wiosna (Spring) [Robert BIEDRON]" + "text": "Civic Coalition or KO [Grzegorz SCHETYNA] ++ Confederation Liberty and Independence or KWiN [Janusz KORWIN-MIKKE, Robert WINNICKI, Grzegorz BRAUN] ++ Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Wlodzimierz CZARZASTY] ++ German Minority or MN [Ryszard GALLA] ++ Kukiz 15 or K15 [Pawel KUKIZ] ++ Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI] ++ TERAZ! (NOW!) [Ryszard PETRU] ++ Nowoczesna (Modern) or N [Katarzyna LUBNAUER] ++ Polish People's Party or PSL [Wladyslaw KOSINIAK-KAMYSZ] ++ Razem (Together) [collective leadership] ++ Wiosna (Spring) [Robert BIEDRON]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -537,7 +531,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Poland has the sixth-largest economy in the EU and has long had a reputation as a business-friendly country with largely sound macroeconomic policies. Since 1990, Poland has pursued a policy of economic liberalization. During the 2008-09 economic slowdown Poland was the only EU country to avoid a recession, in part because of the government’s loose fiscal policy combined with a commitment to rein in spending in the medium-term Poland is the largest recipient of EU development funds and their cyclical allocation can significantly impact the rate of economic growth. The Polish economy performed well during the 2014-17 period, with the real GDP growth rate generally exceeding 3%, in part because of increases in government social spending that have helped to accelerate consumer-driven growth. However, since 2015, Poland has implemented new business restrictions and taxes on foreign-dominated economic sectors, including banking and insurance, energy, and healthcare, that have dampened investor sentiment and has increased the government’s ownership of some firms. The government reduced the retirement age in 2016 and has had mixed success in introducing new taxes and boosting tax compliance to offset the increased costs of social spending programs and relieve upward pressure on the budget deficit. Some credit ratings agencies estimate that Poland during the next few years is at risk of exceeding the EU’s 3%-of-GDP limit on budget deficits, possibly impacting its access to future EU funds. Poland’s economy is projected to perform well in the next few years in part because of an anticipated cyclical increase in the use of its EU development funds and continued, robust household spending. Poland faces several systemic challenges, which include addressing some of the remaining deficiencies in its road and rail infrastructure, business environment, rigid labor code, commercial court system, government red tape, and burdensome tax system, especially for entrepreneurs. Additional long-term challenges include diversifying Poland’s energy mix, strengthening investments in innovation, research, and development, as well as stemming the outflow of educated young Poles to other EU member states, especially in light of a coming demographic contraction due to emigration, persistently low fertility rates, and the aging of the Solidarity-era baby boom generation." + "text": "Poland has the sixth-largest economy in the EU and has long had a reputation as a business-friendly country with largely sound macroeconomic policies. Since 1990, Poland has pursued a policy of economic liberalization. During the 2008-09 economic slowdown Poland was the only EU country to avoid a recession, in part because of the government's loose fiscal policy combined with a commitment to rein in spending in the medium-term Poland is the largest recipient of EU development funds and their cyclical allocation can significantly impact the rate of economic growth. ++ The Polish economy performed well during the 2014-17 period, with the real GDP growth rate generally exceeding 3%, in part because of increases in government social spending that have helped to accelerate consumer-driven growth. However, since 2015, Poland has implemented new business restrictions and taxes on foreign-dominated economic sectors, including banking and insurance, energy, and healthcare, that have dampened investor sentiment and has increased the government's ownership of some firms. The government reduced the retirement age in 2016 and has had mixed success in introducing new taxes and boosting tax compliance to offset the increased costs of social spending programs and relieve upward pressure on the budget deficit. Some credit ratings agencies estimate that Poland during the next few years is at risk of exceeding the EU's 3%-of-GDP limit on budget deficits, possibly impacting its access to future EU funds. Poland's economy is projected to perform well in the next few years in part because of an anticipated cyclical increase in the use of its EU development funds and continued, robust household spending. ++ Poland faces several systemic challenges, which include addressing some of the remaining deficiencies in its road and rail infrastructure, business environment, rigid labor code, commercial court system, government red tape, and burdensome tax system, especially for entrepreneurs. Additional long-term challenges include diversifying Poland's energy mix, strengthening investments in innovation, research, and development, as well as stemming the outflow of educated young Poles to other EU member states, especially in light of a coming demographic contraction due to emigration, persistently low fertility rates, and the aging of the Solidarity-era baby boom generation." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.126 trillion (2017 est.) / $1.076 trillion (2016 est.) / $1.045 trillion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/po.json b/europe/po.json index ddbf0b63..4c3042dd 100644 --- a/europe/po.json +++ b/europe/po.json @@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ "text": "concentrations are primarily along or near the Atlantic coast; both Lisbon and the second largest city, Porto, are coastal cities" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "Azores subject to severe earthquakes\nvolcanism: limited volcanic activity in the Azores Islands; Fayal or Faial (1,043 m) last erupted in 1958; most volcanoes have not erupted in centuries; historically active volcanoes include Agua de Pau, Furnas, Pico, Picos Volcanic System, San Jorge, Sete Cidades, and Terceira" + "text": "Azores subject to severe earthquakes ++ volcanism: limited volcanic activity in the Azores Islands; Fayal or Faial (1,043 m) last erupted in 1958; most volcanoes have not erupted in centuries; historically active volcanoes include Agua de Pau, Furnas, Pico, Picos Volcanic System, San Jorge, Sete Cidades, and Terceira" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in urban centers and coastal areas" @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "73.9% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "3.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -381,7 +375,7 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Portugal has two time zones, including the Azores (UTC-1)etymology: Lisbon is one of Europe's oldest cities (the second oldest capital city after Athens) and the origin of the name is lost in time; it may have been founded as an ancient Celtic settlement that subsequently maintained close commercial relations with the Phoenicians (beginning about 1200 B.C.); the name of the settlement may have been derived from the pre-Roman appellation for the Tagus River that runs through the city, Lisso or Lucio; the Romans named the city \"Olisippo\" when they took it from the Carthaginians in 205 B.C.; under the Visigoths the city name became \"Ulixbona,\" under the Arabs it was \"al-Ushbuna\"; the medieval version of \"Lissabona\" became today's Lisboa" + "text": "note: Portugal has two time zones, including the Azores (UTC-1) ++ etymology: Lisbon is one of Europe's oldest cities (the second oldest capital city after Athens) and the origin of the name is lost in time; it may have been founded as an ancient Celtic settlement that subsequently maintained close commercial relations with the Phoenicians (beginning about 1200 B.C.); the name of the settlement may have been derived from the pre-Roman appellation for the Tagus River that runs through the city, Lisso or Lucio; the Romans named the city \"Olisippo\" when they took it from the Carthaginians in 205 B.C.; under the Visigoths the city name became \"Ulixbona,\" under the Arabs it was \"al-Ushbuna\"; the medieval version of \"Lissabona\" became today's Lisboa" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -467,7 +461,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic and Social Center/Popular Party (Partido do Centro Democratico Social-Partido Popular) or CDS-PP [Assuncao CRISTAS]Ecologist Party \"The Greens\" or \"Os Verdes\" (Partido Ecologista-Os Verdes) or PEV [Heloisa APOLONIA]People-Animals-Nature Party (Pessoas-Animais-Natureza) or PAN [Andre SILVA]Portuguese Communist Party (Partido Comunista Portugues) or PCP [Jeronimo DE SOUSA]Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata) or PSD (original name Partido Popular Democratico) or PPD [Rui RIO]Socialist Party (Partido Socialista) or PS [Antonio COSTA]The Left Bloc (Bloco de Esquerda) or BE or O Bloco [Catarina MARTINS]Unitary Democratic Coalition (Coligacao Democratica Unitaria) or CDU [Jeronimo DE SOUSA] (includes PCP and PEV)" + "text": "Democratic and Social Center/Popular Party (Partido do Centro Democratico Social-Partido Popular) or CDS-PP [Assuncao CRISTAS] ++ Ecologist Party \"The Greens\" or \"Os Verdes\" (Partido Ecologista-Os Verdes) or PEV [Heloisa APOLONIA] ++ People-Animals-Nature Party (Pessoas-Animais-Natureza) or PAN [Andre SILVA] ++ Portuguese Communist Party (Partido Comunista Portugues) or PCP [Jeronimo DE SOUSA] ++ Social Democratic Party (Partido Social Democrata) or PSD (original name Partido Popular Democratico) or PPD [Rui RIO] ++ Socialist Party (Partido Socialista) or PS [Antonio COSTA] ++ The Left Bloc (Bloco de Esquerda) or BE or O Bloco [Catarina MARTINS] ++ Unitary Democratic Coalition (Coligacao Democratica Unitaria) or CDU [Jeronimo DE SOUSA] (includes PCP and PEV)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, CPLP, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSMA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -532,7 +526,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community - the EU's predecessor - in 1986. Over the following two decades, successive governments privatized many state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country joined the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999 and began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU members. The economy grew by more than the EU average for much of the 1990s, but the rate of growth slowed in 2001-08. After the global financial crisis in 2008, Portugal’s economy contracted in 2009 and fell into recession from 2011 to 2013, as the government implemented spending cuts and tax increases to comply with conditions of an EU-IMF financial rescue package, signed in May 2011. Portugal successfully exited its EU-IMF program in May 2014, and its economic recovery gained traction in 2015 because of strong exports and a rebound in private consumption. GDP growth accelerated in 2016, and probably reached 2.5 % in 2017. Unemployment remained high, at 9.7% in 2017, but has improved steadily since peaking at 18% in 2013. The center-left minority Socialist government has unwound some unpopular austerity measures while managing to remain within most EU fiscal targets. The budget deficit fell from 11.2% of GDP in 2010 to 1.8% in 2017, the country’s lowest since democracy was restored in 1974, and surpassing the EU and IMF projections of 3%. Portugal exited the EU’s excessive deficit procedure in mid-2017." + "text": "Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based economy since joining the European Community - the EU's predecessor - in 1986. Over the following two decades, successive governments privatized many state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country joined the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999 and began circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU members. ++ The economy grew by more than the EU average for much of the 1990s, but the rate of growth slowed in 2001-08. After the global financial crisis in 2008, Portugal's economy contracted in 2009 and fell into recession from 2011 to 2013, as the government implemented spending cuts and tax increases to comply with conditions of an EU-IMF financial rescue package, signed in May 2011. Portugal successfully exited its EU-IMF program in May 2014, and its economic recovery gained traction in 2015 because of strong exports and a rebound in private consumption. GDP growth accelerated in 2016, and probably reached 2.5 % in 2017. Unemployment remained high, at 9.7% in 2017, but has improved steadily since peaking at 18% in 2013. ++ The center-left minority Socialist government has unwound some unpopular austerity measures while managing to remain within most EU fiscal targets. The budget deficit fell from 11.2% of GDP in 2010 to 1.8% in 2017, the country's lowest since democracy was restored in 1974, and surpassing the EU and IMF projections of 3%. Portugal exited the EU's excessive deficit procedure in mid-2017." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$314.1 billion (2017 est.) / $305.9 billion (2016 est.) / $301 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/ri.json b/europe/ri.json index 32adadce..0b26c5ad 100644 --- a/europe/ri.json +++ b/europe/ri.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Communist Partisans resisted the Axis occupation and division of Yugoslavia from 1941 to 1945 and fought nationalist opponents and collaborators as well. The military and political movement headed by Josip Broz \"TITO\" (Partisans) took full control of Yugoslavia when their domestic rivals and the occupiers were defeated in 1945. Although communists, TITO and his successors (Tito died in 1980) managed to steer their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In 1989, Slobodan MILOSEVIC became president of the Republic of Serbia and his ultranationalist calls for Serbian domination led to the violent breakup of Yugoslavia along ethnic lines. In 1991, Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia declared independence, followed by Bosnia in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in April 1992 and under MILOSEVIC's leadership, Serbia led various military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a \"Greater Serbia.\" These actions ultimately failed and, after international intervention, led to the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. MILOSEVIC retained control over Serbia and eventually became president of the FRY in 1997. In 1998, an ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo provoked a Serbian counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo. The MILOSEVIC government's rejection of a proposed international settlement led to NATO's bombing of Serbia in the spring of 1999. Serbian military and police forces withdrew from Kosovo in June 1999, and the UN Security Council authorized an interim UN administration and a NATO-led security force in Kosovo. FRY elections in late 2000 led to the ouster of MILOSEVIC and the installation of democratic government. In 2003, the FRY became the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics. Widespread violence predominantly targeting ethnic Serbs in Kosovo in March 2004 led to more intense calls to address Kosovo's status, and the UN began facilitating status talks in 2006. In June 2006, Montenegro seceded from the federation and declared itself an independent nation. Serbia subsequently gave notice that it was the successor state to the union of Serbia and Montenegro. In February 2008, after nearly two years of inconclusive negotiations, Kosovo declared itself independent of Serbia - an action Serbia refuses to recognize. At Serbia's request, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in October 2008 sought an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on whether Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence was in accordance with international law. In a ruling considered unfavorable to Serbia, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion in July 2010 stating that international law did not prohibit declarations of independence. In late 2010, Serbia agreed to an EU-drafted UNGA Resolution acknowledging the ICJ's decision and calling for a new round of talks between Serbia and Kosovo, this time on practical issues rather than Kosovo's status. Serbia and Kosovo signed the first agreement of principles governing the normalization of relations between the two countries in April 2013 and are in the process of implementing its provisions. In 2015, Serbia and Kosovo reached four additional agreements within the EU-led Brussels Dialogue framework. These included agreements on the Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities; telecommunications; energy production and distribution; and freedom of movement. President Aleksandar VUCIC has promoted an ambitious goal of Serbia joining the EU by 2025. Under his leadership as prime minister, in 2014 Serbia opened formal negotiations for accession." + "text": "The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Communist Partisans resisted the Axis occupation and division of Yugoslavia from 1941 to 1945 and fought nationalist opponents and collaborators as well. The military and political movement headed by Josip Broz \"TITO\" (Partisans) took full control of Yugoslavia when their domestic rivals and the occupiers were defeated in 1945. Although communists, TITO and his successors (Tito died in 1980) managed to steer their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half decades. In 1989, Slobodan MILOSEVIC became president of the Republic of Serbia and his ultranationalist calls for Serbian domination led to the violent breakup of Yugoslavia along ethnic lines. In 1991, Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia declared independence, followed by Bosnia in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) in April 1992 and under MILOSEVIC's leadership, Serbia led various military campaigns to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a \"Greater Serbia.\" These actions ultimately failed and, after international intervention, led to the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords in 1995. ++ MILOSEVIC retained control over Serbia and eventually became president of the FRY in 1997. In 1998, an ethnic Albanian insurgency in the formerly autonomous Serbian province of Kosovo provoked a Serbian counterinsurgency campaign that resulted in massacres and massive expulsions of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo. The MILOSEVIC government's rejection of a proposed international settlement led to NATO's bombing of Serbia in the spring of 1999. Serbian military and police forces withdrew from Kosovo in June 1999, and the UN Security Council authorized an interim UN administration and a NATO-led security force in Kosovo. FRY elections in late 2000 led to the ouster of MILOSEVIC and the installation of democratic government. In 2003, the FRY became the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, a loose federation of the two republics. Widespread violence predominantly targeting ethnic Serbs in Kosovo in March 2004 led to more intense calls to address Kosovo's status, and the UN began facilitating status talks in 2006. In June 2006, Montenegro seceded from the federation and declared itself an independent nation. Serbia subsequently gave notice that it was the successor state to the union of Serbia and Montenegro. ++ In February 2008, after nearly two years of inconclusive negotiations, Kosovo declared itself independent of Serbia - an action Serbia refuses to recognize. At Serbia's request, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in October 2008 sought an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on whether Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence was in accordance with international law. In a ruling considered unfavorable to Serbia, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion in July 2010 stating that international law did not prohibit declarations of independence. In late 2010, Serbia agreed to an EU-drafted UNGA Resolution acknowledging the ICJ's decision and calling for a new round of talks between Serbia and Kosovo, this time on practical issues rather than Kosovo's status. Serbia and Kosovo signed the first agreement of principles governing the normalization of relations between the two countries in April 2013 and are in the process of implementing its provisions. In 2015, Serbia and Kosovo reached four additional agreements within the EU-led Brussels Dialogue framework. These included agreements on the Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities; telecommunications; energy production and distribution; and freedom of movement. President Aleksandar VUCIC has promoted an ambitious goal of Serbia joining the EU by 2025. Under his leadership as prime minister, in 2014 Serbia opened formal negotiations for accession." } }, "Geography": { @@ -270,14 +270,11 @@ "text": "58.4% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.4% of population / rural: 99% of population / total: 99.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.6% of population / rural: 1% of population / total: 0.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -290,14 +287,11 @@ "text": "5.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 95.1% of population / total: 97.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "4.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 4.9% of population / total: 2.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -405,7 +399,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "119 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina) and 26 cities (gradovi, singular - grad)\nmunicipalities: Ada*, Aleksandrovac, Aleksinac, Alibunar*, Apatin*, Arandelovac, Arilje, Babusnica, Bac*, Backa Palanka*, Backa Topola*, Backi Petrovac*, Bajina Basta, Batocina, Becej*, Bela Crkva*, Bela Palanka, Beocin*, Blace, Bogatic, Bojnik, Boljevac, Bor, Bosilegrad, Brus, Bujanovac, Cajetina, Cicevac, Coka*, Crna Trava, Cuprija, Despotovac, Dimitrov, Doljevac, Gadzin Han, Golubac, Gornji Milanovac, Indija*, Irig*, Ivanjica, Kanjiza*, Kladovo, Knic, Knjazevac, Koceljeva, Kosjeric, Kovacica*, Kovin*, Krupanj, Kucevo, Kula*, Kursumlija, Lajkovac, Lapovo, Lebane, Ljig, Ljubovija, Lucani, Majdanpek, Mali Idos*, Mali Zvornik, Malo Crnice, Medveda, Merosina, Mionica, Negotin, Nova Crnja*, Nova Varos, Novi Becej*, Novi Knezevac*, Odzaci*, Opovo*, Osecina, Paracin, Pecinci*, Petrovac na Mlavi, Plandiste*, Pozega, Presevo, Priboj, Prijepolje, Prokuplje, Raca, Raska, Razanj, Rekovac, Ruma*, Secanj*, Senta*, Sid*, Sjenica, Smederevska Palanka, Sokobanja, Srbobran*, Sremski Karlovci*, Stara Pazova*, Surdulica, Svilajnac, Svrljig, Temerin*, Titel*, Topola, Trgoviste, Trstenik, Tutin, Ub, Varvarin, Velika Plana, Veliko Gradiste, Vladicin Han, Vladimirci, Vlasotince, Vrbas*, Vrnjacka Banja, Zabalj*, Zabari, Zagubica, Zitiste*, Zitorada; cities: Beograd, Cacak, Jagodina, Kikinda*, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Krusevac, Leskovac, Loznica, Nis, Novi Pazar, Novi Sad*, Pancevo*, Pirot, Pozarevac, Sabac, Smederevo, Sombor*, Sremska Mitrovica*, Subotica*, Uzice, Valjevo, Vranje, Vrsac*, Zajecar, Zrenjanin*", + "text": "119 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina) and 26 cities (gradovi, singular - grad) ++ municipalities: Ada*, Aleksandrovac, Aleksinac, Alibunar*, Apatin*, Arandelovac, Arilje, Babusnica, Bac*, Backa Palanka*, Backa Topola*, Backi Petrovac*, Bajina Basta, Batocina, Becej*, Bela Crkva*, Bela Palanka, Beocin*, Blace, Bogatic, Bojnik, Boljevac, Bor, Bosilegrad, Brus, Bujanovac, Cajetina, Cicevac, Coka*, Crna Trava, Cuprija, Despotovac, Dimitrov, Doljevac, Gadzin Han, Golubac, Gornji Milanovac, Indija*, Irig*, Ivanjica, Kanjiza*, Kladovo, Knic, Knjazevac, Koceljeva, Kosjeric, Kovacica*, Kovin*, Krupanj, Kucevo, Kula*, Kursumlija, Lajkovac, Lapovo, Lebane, Ljig, Ljubovija, Lucani, Majdanpek, Mali Idos*, Mali Zvornik, Malo Crnice, Medveda, Merosina, Mionica, Negotin, Nova Crnja*, Nova Varos, Novi Becej*, Novi Knezevac*, Odzaci*, Opovo*, Osecina, Paracin, Pecinci*, Petrovac na Mlavi, Plandiste*, Pozega, Presevo, Priboj, Prijepolje, Prokuplje, Raca, Raska, Razanj, Rekovac, Ruma*, Secanj*, Senta*, Sid*, Sjenica, Smederevska Palanka, Sokobanja, Srbobran*, Sremski Karlovci*, Stara Pazova*, Surdulica, Svilajnac, Svrljig, Temerin*, Titel*, Topola, Trgoviste, Trstenik, Tutin, Ub, Varvarin, Velika Plana, Veliko Gradiste, Vladicin Han, Vladimirci, Vlasotince, Vrbas*, Vrnjacka Banja, Zabalj*, Zabari, Zagubica, Zitiste*, Zitorada; ++ cities: Beograd, Cacak, Jagodina, Kikinda*, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Krusevac, Leskovac, Loznica, Nis, Novi Pazar, Novi Sad*, Pancevo*, Pirot, Pozarevac, Sabac, Smederevo, Sombor*, Sremska Mitrovica*, Subotica*, Uzice, Valjevo, Vranje, Vrsac*, Zajecar, Zrenjanin*", "note": { "text": "note: the northern 37 municipalities and 8 cities - about 28% of Serbia's area - compose the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and are indicated with *" } @@ -490,7 +484,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Albanian Democratic Alternative (coalition of ethnic Albanian parties) Shaip KAMBERIAlliance of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM [Istvan PASZTOR]Democratic Party or DS [Zoran LUTOVAC]Democratic Party of Macedonians or DPM [Nenad KRSTESKI]Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Milos JOVANOVIC]Dveri [Bosko OBRADOVIC]For Our Children (electoral alliance includes SNS, SDP, PS, PUPS, PSS, SNP, SPO, NSS) [Aleksandar VUCIC]Justice and Reconciliation Party or SPP [Muamer ZUKORLIC] (formerly Bosniak Democratic Union of Sandzak or BDZS)Movement of Socialists or PS [Aleksandar VULIN]Party of Democratic Action of the Sandzak or SDA [Sulejman UGLJANIN]Party of United Pensioners of Serbia or PUPS [Milan KRKOBABIC]People's Party or NARODNA [Vuk JEREMIC]People's Peasant Party or NSS [Marijan RISTICEVIC]Serbian Patriotic Alliance or SPAS [Aleksandar SAPIC]Serbian People's Party or SNP [Nenad POPOVIC]Serbian Progressive Party or SNS [Aleksandar VUCIC]Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav SESELJ]Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO [Vuk DRASKOVIC]Social Democratic Party or SDS [Boris TADIC]Social Democratic Party of Serbia or SDPS [Rasim LJAJIC]Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [Ivica DACIC]Straight Ahead (electoral coalition includes SPP, DPM)Strength of Serbia or PSS [Bogoljub KARIC]Together for Serbia or ZZS [Nebojsa ZELENOVIC]United Serbia or JS [Dragan MARKOVIC]", + "text": "Albanian Democratic Alternative (coalition of ethnic Albanian parties) Shaip KAMBERI ++ Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM [Istvan PASZTOR] ++ Democratic Party or DS [Zoran LUTOVAC] ++ Democratic Party of Macedonians or DPM [Nenad KRSTESKI] ++ Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Milos JOVANOVIC] ++ Dveri [Bosko OBRADOVIC] ++ For Our Children (electoral alliance includes SNS, SDP, PS, PUPS, PSS, SNP, SPO, NSS) [Aleksandar VUCIC] ++ Justice and Reconciliation Party or SPP [Muamer ZUKORLIC] (formerly Bosniak Democratic Union of Sandzak or BDZS) ++ Movement of Socialists or PS [Aleksandar VULIN] ++ Party of Democratic Action of the Sandzak or SDA [Sulejman UGLJANIN] ++ Party of United Pensioners of Serbia or PUPS [Milan KRKOBABIC] ++ People's Party or NARODNA [Vuk JEREMIC] ++ People's Peasant Party or NSS [Marijan RISTICEVIC] ++ Serbian Patriotic Alliance or SPAS [Aleksandar SAPIC] ++ Serbian People's Party or SNP [Nenad POPOVIC] ++ Serbian Progressive Party or SNS [Aleksandar VUCIC] ++ Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Vojislav SESELJ] ++ Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO [Vuk DRASKOVIC] ++ Social Democratic Party or SDS [Boris TADIC] ++ Social Democratic Party of Serbia or SDPS [Rasim LJAJIC] ++ Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [Ivica DACIC] ++ Straight Ahead (electoral coalition includes SPP, DPM) ++ Strength of Serbia or PSS [Bogoljub KARIC] ++ Together for Serbia or ZZS [Nebojsa ZELENOVIC] ++ United Serbia or JS [Dragan MARKOVIC]", "note": { "text": "note: Serbia has more than 110 registered political parties and citizens' associations" } @@ -555,7 +549,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Serbia has a transitional economy largely dominated by market forces, but the state sector remains significant in certain areas. The economy relies on manufacturing and exports, driven largely by foreign investment. MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of international economic sanctions, civil war, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 left the economy worse off than it was in 1990. In 2015, Serbia’s GDP was 27.5% below where it was in 1989. After former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC was ousted in September 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government implemented stabilization measures and embarked on a market reform program. Serbia renewed its membership in the IMF in December 2000 and rejoined the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Serbia has made progress in trade liberalization and enterprise restructuring and privatization, but many large enterprises - including the power utilities, telecommunications company, natural gas company, and others - remain state-owned. Serbia has made some progress towards EU membership, gaining candidate status in March 2012. In January 2014, Serbia's EU accession talks officially opened and, as of December 2017, Serbia had opened 12 negotiating chapters including one on foreign trade. Serbia's negotiations with the WTO are advanced, with the country's complete ban on the trade and cultivation of agricultural biotechnology products representing the primary remaining obstacle to accession. Serbia maintains a three-year Stand-by Arrangement with the IMF worth approximately $1.3 billion that is scheduled to end in February 2018. The government has shown progress implementing economic reforms, such as fiscal consolidation, privatization, and reducing public spending. Unemployment in Serbia, while relatively low (16% in 2017) compared with its Balkan neighbors, remains significantly above the European average. Serbia is slowly implementing structural economic reforms needed to ensure the country's long-term prosperity. Serbia reduced its budget deficit to 1.7% of GDP and its public debt to 71% of GDP in 2017. Public debt had more than doubled between 2008 and 2015. Serbia's concerns about inflation and exchange-rate stability preclude the use of expansionary monetary policy. Major economic challenges ahead include: stagnant household incomes; the need for private sector job creation; structural reforms of state-owned companies; strategic public sector reforms; and the need for new foreign direct investment. Other serious longer-term challenges include an inefficient judicial system, high levels of corruption, and an aging population. Factors favorable to Serbia's economic growth include the economic reforms it is undergoing as part of its EU accession process and IMF agreement, its strategic location, a relatively inexpensive and skilled labor force, and free trade agreements with the EU, Russia, Turkey, and countries that are members of the Central European Free Trade Agreement." + "text": "Serbia has a transitional economy largely dominated by market forces, but the state sector remains significant in certain areas. The economy relies on manufacturing and exports, driven largely by foreign investment. MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of international economic sanctions, civil war, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 left the economy worse off than it was in 1990. In 2015, Serbia's GDP was 27.5% below where it was in 1989. ++ After former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC was ousted in September 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government implemented stabilization measures and embarked on a market reform program. Serbia renewed its membership in the IMF in December 2000 and rejoined the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Serbia has made progress in trade liberalization and enterprise restructuring and privatization, but many large enterprises - including the power utilities, telecommunications company, natural gas company, and others - remain state-owned. Serbia has made some progress towards EU membership, gaining candidate status in March 2012. In January 2014, Serbia's EU accession talks officially opened and, as of December 2017, Serbia had opened 12 negotiating chapters including one on foreign trade. Serbia's negotiations with the WTO are advanced, with the country's complete ban on the trade and cultivation of agricultural biotechnology products representing the primary remaining obstacle to accession. Serbia maintains a three-year Stand-by Arrangement with the IMF worth approximately $1.3 billion that is scheduled to end in February 2018. The government has shown progress implementing economic reforms, such as fiscal consolidation, privatization, and reducing public spending. ++ Unemployment in Serbia, while relatively low (16% in 2017) compared with its Balkan neighbors, remains significantly above the European average. Serbia is slowly implementing structural economic reforms needed to ensure the country's long-term prosperity. Serbia reduced its budget deficit to 1.7% of GDP and its public debt to 71% of GDP in 2017. Public debt had more than doubled between 2008 and 2015. Serbia's concerns about inflation and exchange-rate stability preclude the use of expansionary monetary policy. ++ Major economic challenges ahead include: stagnant household incomes; the need for private sector job creation; structural reforms of state-owned companies; strategic public sector reforms; and the need for new foreign direct investment. Other serious longer-term challenges include an inefficient judicial system, high levels of corruption, and an aging population. Factors favorable to Serbia's economic growth include the economic reforms it is undergoing as part of its EU accession process and IMF agreement, its strategic location, a relatively inexpensive and skilled labor force, and free trade agreements with the EU, Russia, Turkey, and countries that are members of the Central European Free Trade Agreement." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$105.7 billion (2017 est.) / $103.8 billion (2016 est.) / $101 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/ro.json b/europe/ro.json index 64bd6eb4..4a7a23a3 100644 --- a/europe/ro.json +++ b/europe/ro.json @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "1.38 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "6.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95.3% of population / rural: 71.5% of population / total: 84.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "28.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "15.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 4.7% of population / rural: 28.5% of population / total: 15.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -395,7 +389,7 @@ "text": "several previous; latest adopted 21 November 1991, approved by referendum and effective 8 December 1991" }, "amendments": { - "text": "initiated by the president of Romania through a proposal by the government, by at least one fourth of deputies or senators in Parliament, or by petition of eligible voters representing at least half of Romania’s counties; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by both chambers or – if mediation is required - by three-fourths majority vote in a joint session, followed by approval in a referendum; articles, including those on national sovereignty, form of government, political pluralism, and fundamental rights and freedoms, cannot be amended; amended 2003" + "text": "initiated by the president of Romania through a proposal by the government, by at least one fourth of deputies or senators in Parliament, or by petition of eligible voters representing at least half of Romania's counties; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by both chambers or – if mediation is required - by three-fourths majority vote in a joint session, followed by approval in a referendum; articles, including those on national sovereignty, form of government, political pluralism, and fundamental rights and freedoms, cannot be amended; amended 2003" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -440,13 +434,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of:Senate or Senat (136 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies - including 2 seats for diaspora - by party-list, proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (329 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies - including 4 seats for diaspora - by party-list, proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of: Senate or Senat (136 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies - including 2 seats for diaspora - by party-list, proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) ++ Chamber of Deputies or Camera Deputatilor (329 seats; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies - including 4 seats for diaspora - by party-list, proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 11 December 2016 (next to be held on 6 December 2020)Chamber of Deputies - last held on 11 December 2016 (next to be held on 6 December 2020)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 11 December 2016 (next to be held on 6 December 2020) ++ Chamber of Deputies - last held on 11 December 2016 (next to be held on 6 December 2020)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - PSD 45.7%, PNL 20.4%, USR 8.9%, UDMR 6.2%, ALDE 6%, PMP 5.7%, other 7.1%; seats by party - PSD 67, PNL 30, USR 13, UDMR 9, ALDE 9, PMP 8; composition - men 116, women 20, percent of women 14.7%Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSD 45.5%, PNL 20%, USR 8.9%, UDMR 6.2%, ALDE 5.6%, PMP 5.4%, other 8.4%; seats by party - PSD 154, PNL 69, USR 30, UDMR 21, ALDE 20, PMP 18, minorities 17; composition men 261, women 68, percent of women 20.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20.7%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - PSD 45.7%, PNL 20.4%, USR 8.9%, UDMR 6.2%, ALDE 6%, PMP 5.7%, other 7.1%; seats by party - PSD 67, PNL 30, USR 13, UDMR 9, ALDE 9, PMP 8; composition - men 116, women 20, percent of women 14.7% ++ Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSD 45.5%, PNL 20%, USR 8.9%, UDMR 6.2%, ALDE 5.6%, PMP 5.4%, other 8.4%; seats by party - PSD 154, PNL 69, USR 30, UDMR 21, ALDE 20, PMP 18, minorities 17; composition men 261, women 68, percent of women 20.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20.7%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -461,7 +455,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party or PNT-CD [Aurelian PAVELESCU]Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Hunor KELEMEN]Civic Hungarian Party [Zsolt BIRO]Ecologist Party of Romania or PER [Danut POP]Greater Romania Party or PRM [Adrian POPESCU]M10 Party [Ioana CONSTANTIN]National Liberal Party or PNL [Ludovic ORBAN]New Romania Party or PNR [Sebastian POPESCU]Our Romania Alliance [Marian MUNTEANU]Party of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats or ALDE [Calin POPESCU TARICEANU]Popular Movement Party or PMP [Traian BASESCU]Romanian Social Party or PSRo [Mircea GEOANA]Save Romania Union Party or Partidul USR [Dan BARNA]Social Democratic Party or PSD [Marcel CIOLACU, interim leader]United Romania Party or PRU [Robert BUGA]" + "text": "Christian-Democratic National Peasants' Party or PNT-CD [Aurelian PAVELESCU] ++ Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Hunor KELEMEN] ++ Civic Hungarian Party [Zsolt BIRO] ++ Ecologist Party of Romania or PER [Danut POP] ++ Greater Romania Party or PRM [Adrian POPESCU] ++ M10 Party [Ioana CONSTANTIN] ++ National Liberal Party or PNL [Ludovic ORBAN] ++ New Romania Party or PNR [Sebastian POPESCU] ++ Our Romania Alliance [Marian MUNTEANU] ++ Party of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats or ALDE [Calin POPESCU TARICEANU] ++ Popular Movement Party or PMP [Traian BASESCU] ++ Romanian Social Party or PSRo [Mircea GEOANA] ++ Save Romania Union Party or Partidul USR [Dan BARNA] ++ Social Democratic Party or PSD [Marcel CIOLACU, interim leader] ++ United Romania Party or PRU [Robert BUGA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -523,7 +517,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Romania, which joined the EU on 1 January 2007, began the transition from communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. Romania's macroeconomic gains have only recently started to spur creation of a middle class and to address Romania's widespread poverty. Corruption and red tape continue to permeate the business environment. In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, Romania signed a $26 billion emergency assistance package from the IMF, the EU, and other international lenders, but GDP contracted until 2011. In March 2011, Romania and the IMF/EU/World Bank signed a 24-month precautionary standby agreement, worth $6.6 billion, to promote fiscal discipline, encourage progress on structural reforms, and strengthen financial sector stability; no funds were drawn. In September 2013, Romanian authorities and the IMF/EU agreed to a follow-on standby agreement, worth $5.4 billion, to continue with reforms. This agreement expired in September 2015, and no funds were drawn. Progress on structural reforms has been uneven, and the economy still is vulnerable to external shocks. Economic growth rebounded in the 2013-17 period, driven by strong industrial exports, excellent agricultural harvests, and, more recently, expansionary fiscal policies in 2016-2017 that nearly quadrupled Bucharest’s annual fiscal deficit, from +0.8% of GDP in 2015 to -3% of GDP in 2016 and an estimated -3.4% in 2017. Industry outperformed other sectors of the economy in 2017. Exports remained an engine of economic growth, led by trade with the EU, which accounts for roughly 70% of Romania trade. Domestic demand was the major driver, due to tax cuts and large wage increases that began last year and are set to continue in 2018. An aging population, emigration of skilled labor, significant tax evasion, insufficient health care, and an aggressive loosening of the fiscal package compromise Romania’s long-term growth and economic stability and are the economy's top vulnerabilities." + "text": "Romania, which joined the EU on 1 January 2007, began the transition from communism in 1989 with a largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the country's needs. Romania's macroeconomic gains have only recently started to spur creation of a middle class and to address Romania's widespread poverty. Corruption and red tape continue to permeate the business environment. ++ In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, Romania signed a $26 billion emergency assistance package from the IMF, the EU, and other international lenders, but GDP contracted until 2011. In March 2011, Romania and the IMF/EU/World Bank signed a 24-month precautionary standby agreement, worth $6.6 billion, to promote fiscal discipline, encourage progress on structural reforms, and strengthen financial sector stability; no funds were drawn. In September 2013, Romanian authorities and the IMF/EU agreed to a follow-on standby agreement, worth $5.4 billion, to continue with reforms. This agreement expired in September 2015, and no funds were drawn. Progress on structural reforms has been uneven, and the economy still is vulnerable to external shocks. ++ Economic growth rebounded in the 2013-17 period, driven by strong industrial exports, excellent agricultural harvests, and, more recently, expansionary fiscal policies in 2016-2017 that nearly quadrupled Bucharest's annual fiscal deficit, from +0.8% of GDP in 2015 to -3% of GDP in 2016 and an estimated -3.4% in 2017. Industry outperformed other sectors of the economy in 2017. Exports remained an engine of economic growth, led by trade with the EU, which accounts for roughly 70% of Romania trade. Domestic demand was the major driver, due to tax cuts and large wage increases that began last year and are set to continue in 2018. ++ An aging population, emigration of skilled labor, significant tax evasion, insufficient health care, and an aggressive loosening of the fiscal package compromise Romania's long-term growth and economic stability and are the economy's top vulnerabilities." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$483.4 billion (2017 est.) / $452 billion (2016 est.) / $431.2 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/si.json b/europe/si.json index ba6769d2..4863557d 100644 --- a/europe/si.json +++ b/europe/si.json @@ -246,14 +246,11 @@ "text": "1.59 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -266,14 +263,11 @@ "text": "4.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -370,7 +364,7 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "201 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban municipalities (mestne obcine, singular - mestna obcina) municipalities: Ajdovscina, Ankaran, Apace, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Cerkvenjak, Cirkulane, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca, Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Polhov Gradec, Dobrovnik/Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gorje, Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina, Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola/Isola, Jesenice, Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Kosanjevica na Krki, Kostel, Kozje, Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava/Lendva, Litija, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Log-Dragomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk, Makole, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Mokronog-Trebelno, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran/Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka, Poljcane, Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na Koroskem, Razkrizje, Recica ob Savinji, Rence-Vogrsko, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogaska Slatina, Rogasovci, Rogatec, Ruse, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic, Sevnica, Sezana, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sredisce ob Dravi, Starse, Straza, Sveta Ana, Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij ob Scavnici, Sveti Jurij v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Tomaz, Salovci, Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur, Sentrupert, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smarjeske Toplice, Smartno ob Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sostanj, Store, Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic, Trzin, Turnisce, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica, Zrece, Zuzemberk urban municipalities: Celje, Koper-Capodistria, Kranj, Ljubljana, Maribor, Murska Sobota, Nova Gorica, Novo Mesto, Ptuj, Slovenj Gradec, Velenje" + "text": "201 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban municipalities (mestne obcine, singular - mestna obcina) ++ municipalities: Ajdovscina, Ankaran, Apace, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke, Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica, Cankova, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno, Cerkvenjak, Cirkulane, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca, Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Polhov Gradec, Dobrovnik/Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale, Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gorje, Gornja Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina, Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina, Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola/Isola, Jesenice, Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje, Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Kosanjevica na Krki, Kostel, Kozje, Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart, Lendava/Lendva, Litija, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Log-Dragomer, Logatec, Loska Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, ++ Majsperk, Makole, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Mokronog-Trebelno, Moravce, Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica, Pesnica, Piran/Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka, Poljcane, Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Puconci, Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na Koroskem, Razkrizje, Recica ob Savinji, Rence-Vogrsko, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogaska Slatina, Rogasovci, Rogatec, Ruse, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic, Sevnica, Sezana, Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sredisce ob Dravi, Starse, Straza, Sveta Ana, Sveta Trojica v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij ob Scavnici, Sveti Jurij v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Tomaz, Salovci, Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur, Sentrupert, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smarjeske Toplice, Smartno ob Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sostanj, Store, Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic, Trzin, Turnisce, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej, Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica, Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica, Zrece, Zuzemberk ++ urban municipalities: Celje, Koper-Capodistria, Kranj, Ljubljana, Maribor, Murska Sobota, Nova Gorica, Novo Mesto, Ptuj, Slovenj Gradec, Velenje" }, "Independence": { "text": "25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)" @@ -428,13 +422,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:National Council or Drzavni Svet (40 seats; members indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve 5-year terms); note - the Council is primarily an advisory body with limited legislative powers National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 88 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 2 directly elected in special constituencies for Italian and Hungarian minorities by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: National Council or Drzavni Svet (40 seats; members indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve 5-year terms); note - the Council is primarily an advisory body with limited legislative powers ++ National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 88 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 2 directly elected in special constituencies for Italian and Hungarian minorities by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "National Council - last held on 22 November 2017 (next to be held in 2022)National Assembly - last held on 3 June 2018 (next to be held no later than 2022)" + "text": "National Council - last held on 22 November 2017 (next to be held in 2022) ++ National Assembly - last held on 3 June 2018 (next to be held no later than 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 36, women 4, percent of women 10%National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SDS 24.9%, LMS 12.7%, SD 9.9%, SMC 9.8%, Levica 9.3%, NSi 7.1%, Stranka AB 5.1%, DeSUS 4.9%, SNS 4.2%, other 12.1%; seats by party - SDS 25, LMS 13, SD 10, SMC 10, Levica 9, NSi 7, Stranka AB 5, DeSUS 5, SNS 4, Italian and Hungarian minorities 2; composition - men 68, women 22, percent of women 24.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20%" + "text": "National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 36, women 4, percent of women 10% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SDS 24.9%, LMS 12.7%, SD 9.9%, SMC 9.8%, Levica 9.3%, NSi 7.1%, Stranka AB 5.1%, DeSUS 4.9%, SNS 4.2%, other 12.1%; seats by party - SDS 25, LMS 13, SD 10, SMC 10, Levica 9, NSi 7, Stranka AB 5, DeSUS 5, SNS 4, Italian and Hungarian minorities 2; composition - men 68, women 22, percent of women 24.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -449,7 +443,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia or DeSUS [Aleksandra PIVEC]List of Marjan Sarec or LMS [Marjan SAREC]Modern Center Party or SMC [Miro CERAR]New Slovenia or NSi [Matej TONIN]Party of Alenka Bratusek or Stranka AB [Alenka BRATUSEK] (formerly Alliance of Social Liberal Democrats or ZSD and before that Alliance of Alenka Bratusek or ZaAB)Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS [Janez JANSA]Slovenian National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC Plemeniti]Social Democrats or SD [Dejan ZIDAN]The Left or Levica [Luka MESEC] (successor to United Left or ZL)" + "text": "Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia or DeSUS [Aleksandra PIVEC] ++ List of Marjan Sarec or LMS [Marjan SAREC] ++ Modern Center Party or SMC [Miro CERAR] ++ New Slovenia or NSi [Matej TONIN] ++ Party of Alenka Bratusek or Stranka AB [Alenka BRATUSEK] (formerly Alliance of Social Liberal Democrats or ZSD and before that Alliance of Alenka Bratusek or ZaAB) ++ Slovenian Democratic Party or SDS [Janez JANSA] ++ Slovenian National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC Plemeniti] ++ Social Democrats or SD [Dejan ZIDAN] ++ The Left or Levica [Luka MESEC] (successor to United Left or ZL)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -508,7 +502,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "With excellent infrastructure, a well-educated work force, and a strategic location between the Balkans and Western Europe, Slovenia has one of the highest per capita GDPs in Central Europe, despite having suffered a protracted recession in the 2008-09 period in the wake of the global financial crisis. Slovenia became the first 2004 EU entrant to adopt the euro (on 1 January 2007) and has experienced a stable political and economic transition.   In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. In 2007, Slovenia was invited to begin the process for joining the OECD; it became a member in 2012. From 2014 to 2016, export-led growth, fueled by demand in larger European markets, pushed annual GDP growth above 2.3%. Growth reached 5.0% in 2017 and is projected to near or reach 5% in 2018. What used to be stubbornly high unemployment fell below 5.5% in early 2018, driven by strong exports and increasing consumption that boosted labor demand. Continued fiscal consolidation through increased tax collection and social security contributions will likely result in a balanced government budget in 2019.   Prime Minister CERAR’s government took office in September 2014, pledging to press ahead with commitments to privatize a select group of state-run companies, rationalize public spending, and further stabilize the banking sector. Efforts to privatize Slovenia’s largely state-owned banking sector have largely stalled, however, amid concerns about an ongoing dispute over Yugoslav-era foreign currency deposits." + "text": "With excellent infrastructure, a well-educated work force, and a strategic location between the Balkans and Western Europe, Slovenia has one of the highest per capita GDPs in Central Europe, despite having suffered a protracted recession in the 2008-09 period in the wake of the global financial crisis. Slovenia became the first 2004 EU entrant to adopt the euro (on 1 January 2007) and has experienced a stable political and economic transition. ++   ++ In March 2004, Slovenia became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor partner at the World Bank. In 2007, Slovenia was invited to begin the process for joining the OECD; it became a member in 2012. From 2014 to 2016, export-led growth, fueled by demand in larger European markets, pushed annual GDP growth above 2.3%. Growth reached 5.0% in 2017 and is projected to near or reach 5% in 2018. What used to be stubbornly high unemployment fell below 5.5% in early 2018, driven by strong exports and increasing consumption that boosted labor demand. Continued fiscal consolidation through increased tax collection and social security contributions will likely result in a balanced government budget in 2019. ++   ++ Prime Minister CERAR's government took office in September 2014, pledging to press ahead with commitments to privatize a select group of state-run companies, rationalize public spending, and further stabilize the banking sector. Efforts to privatize Slovenia's largely state-owned banking sector have largely stalled, however, amid concerns about an ongoing dispute over Yugoslav-era foreign currency deposits." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$71.23 billion (2017 est.) / $67.84 billion (2016 est.) / $65.77 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/sm.json b/europe/sm.json index 6c98240c..66f7291d 100644 --- a/europe/sm.json +++ b/europe/sm.json @@ -220,8 +220,11 @@ "text": "1.52 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -234,8 +237,11 @@ "text": "3.8 beds/1,000 population (2012)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -330,7 +336,7 @@ }, "Constitution": { "history": { - "text": "San Marino’s principal legislative instruments consist of old customs (antiche consuetudini), the Statutory Laws of San Marino (Leges Statutae Sancti Marini), old statutes (antichi statute) from the1600s, Brief Notes on the Constitutional Order and Institutional Organs of the Republic of San Marino (Brevi Cenni sull’Ordinamento Costituzionale e gli Organi Istituzionali della Repubblica di San Marino) and successive legislation, chief among them is the Declaration of the Rights of Citizens and Fundamental Principles of the San Marino Legal Order (Dichiarazione dei Diritti dei Cittadini e dei Principi Fondamentali dell’Ordinamento Sammarinese), approved 8 July 1974; Declaration last amended 2019" + "text": "San Marino's principal legislative instruments consist of old customs (antiche consuetudini), the Statutory Laws of San Marino (Leges Statutae Sancti Marini), old statutes (antichi statute) from the1600s, Brief Notes on the Constitutional Order and Institutional Organs of the Republic of San Marino (Brevi Cenni sull'Ordinamento Costituzionale e gli Organi Istituzionali della Repubblica di San Marino) and successive legislation, chief among them is the Declaration of the Rights of Citizens and Fundamental Principles of the San Marino Legal Order (Dichiarazione dei Diritti dei Cittadini e dei Principi Fondamentali dell'Ordinamento Sammarinese), approved 8 July 1974; Declaration last amended 2019" }, "amendments": { "text": "proposed by the Great and General Council; passage requires two-thirds majority Council vote; Council passage by absolute majority vote also requires passage in a referendum; Declaration of Civil Rights amended several times, last in 2019" @@ -402,7 +408,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "DOMANI - Modus Liberi or DMLFree San Marino (Libera)Future Republic or RF [Mario VENTURINI]I Elect for a New RepublicParty of Socialists and Democrats or PSD [Paride ANDREOLI]RETE MovementSammarinese Christian Democratic Party (PDCS) [Marco GATTI]Socialist Party or PS [Alessandro BEVITORI]Tomorrow in Movement coalition (includes RETE Movement, DML)We for the Republic" + "text": "DOMANI - Modus Liberi or DML ++ Free San Marino (Libera) ++ Future Republic or RF [Mario VENTURINI] ++ I Elect for a New Republic ++ Party of Socialists and Democrats or PSD [Paride ANDREOLI] ++ RETE Movement ++ Sammarinese Christian Democratic Party (PDCS) [Marco GATTI] ++ Socialist Party or PS [Alessandro BEVITORI] ++ Tomorrow in Movement coalition (includes RETE Movement, DML) ++ We for the Republic" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "CE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Schengen Convention (de facto member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO" @@ -412,10 +418,10 @@ "text": "Ambassador Damiano BELEFFI (since 21 July 2017)" }, "chancery": { - "text": "327 E 50th Street, New York, NY 10022Embassy address:     1711 North Street, NW (2nd Floor)      Washington, DC 22036" + "text": "327 E 50th Street, New York, NY 10022 ++ Embassy address:      1711 North Street, NW (2nd Floor) ++       Washington, DC 22036 ++ ++ ++" }, "telephone": { - "text": "[1] (212) 751-1234[1] (202) 223-24l8[1] (202) 751-1436" + "text": "[1] (212) 751-1234 ++ ++ [1] (202) 223-24l8 ++ [1] (202) 751-1436" }, "FAX": { "text": "[1] (212) 751-1436" @@ -444,7 +450,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "San Marino's economy relies heavily on tourism, banking, and the manufacture and export of ceramics, clothing, fabrics, furniture, paints, spirits, tiles, and wine. The manufacturing and financial sectors account for more than half of San Marino's GDP. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous regions of Italy. San Marino's economy contracted considerably in the years since 2008, largely due to weakened demand from Italy - which accounts for nearly 90% of its export market - and financial sector consolidation. Difficulties in the banking sector, the global economic downturn, and the sizable decline in tax revenues all contributed to negative real GDP growth. The government adopted measures to counter the downturn, including subsidized credit to businesses and is seeking to shift its growth model away from a reliance on bank and tax secrecy. San Marino does not issue public debt securities; when necessary, it finances deficits by drawing down central bank deposits. The economy benefits from foreign investment due to its relatively low corporate taxes and low taxes on interest earnings. The income tax rate is also very low, about one-third the average EU level. San Marino continues to work towards harmonizing its fiscal laws with EU and international standards. In September 2009, the OECD removed San Marino from its list of tax havens that have yet to fully adopt global tax standards, and in 2010 San Marino signed Tax Information Exchange Agreements with most major countries. In 2013, the San Marino Government signed a Double Taxation Agreement with Italy, but a referendum on EU membership failed to reach the quorum needed to bring it to a vote." + "text": "San Marino's economy relies heavily on tourism, banking, and the manufacture and export of ceramics, clothing, fabrics, furniture, paints, spirits, tiles, and wine. The manufacturing and financial sectors account for more than half of San Marino's GDP. The per capita level of output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous regions of Italy. ++ San Marino's economy contracted considerably in the years since 2008, largely due to weakened demand from Italy - which accounts for nearly 90% of its export market - and financial sector consolidation. Difficulties in the banking sector, the global economic downturn, and the sizable decline in tax revenues all contributed to negative real GDP growth. The government adopted measures to counter the downturn, including subsidized credit to businesses and is seeking to shift its growth model away from a reliance on bank and tax secrecy. San Marino does not issue public debt securities; when necessary, it finances deficits by drawing down central bank deposits. ++ The economy benefits from foreign investment due to its relatively low corporate taxes and low taxes on interest earnings. The income tax rate is also very low, about one-third the average EU level. San Marino continues to work towards harmonizing its fiscal laws with EU and international standards. In September 2009, the OECD removed San Marino from its list of tax havens that have yet to fully adopt global tax standards, and in 2010 San Marino signed Tax Information Exchange Agreements with most major countries. In 2013, the San Marino Government signed a Double Taxation Agreement with Italy, but a referendum on EU membership failed to reach the quorum needed to bring it to a vote." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.064 billion (2017 est.) / $2.026 billion (2016 est.) / $1.983 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/sp.json b/europe/sp.json index c82e0ce5..d62de376 100644 --- a/europe/sp.json +++ b/europe/sp.json @@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ "text": "with the notable exception of Madrid, Sevilla, and Zaragoza, the largest urban agglomerations are found along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts; numerous smaller cities are spread throughout the interior reflecting Spain's agrarian heritage; very dense settlement around the capital of Madrid, as well as the port city of Barcelona" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "periodic droughts, occasional flooding\nvolcanism: volcanic activity in the Canary Islands, located off Africa's northwest coast; Teide (3,715 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; La Palma (2,426 m), which last erupted in 1971, is the most active of the Canary Islands volcanoes; Lanzarote is the only other historically active volcano" + "text": "periodic droughts, occasional flooding ++ volcanism: volcanic activity in the Canary Islands, located off Africa's northwest coast; Teide (3,715 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; La Palma (2,426 m), which last erupted in 1971, is the most active of the Canary Islands volcanoes; Lanzarote is the only other historically active volcano" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification" @@ -273,14 +273,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -293,14 +290,11 @@ "text": "3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population (5 est.) / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -396,7 +390,7 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Spain has two time zones, including the Canary Islands (UTC 0)etymology: the Romans named the original settlement \"Matrice\" after the river that ran through it; under Arab rule it became \"Majerit,\" meaning \"source of water\"; in medieval Romance dialects (Mozarabic) it became \"Matrit,\" which over time changed to \"Madrid\"" + "text": "note: Spain has two time zones, including the Canary Islands (UTC 0) ++ etymology: the Romans named the original settlement \"Matrice\" after the river that ran through it; under Arab rule it became \"Majerit,\" meaning \"source of water\"; in medieval Romance dialects (Mozarabic) it became \"Matrit,\" which over time changed to \"Madrid\"" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -464,13 +458,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral General Courts or Las Cortes Generales consists of:Senate or Senado (266 seats; 208 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 58 members indirectly elected by the legislatures of the autonomous communities; members serve 4-year terms) Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; 348 members directly elected in 50 multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote, with a 3% threshold needed to gain a seat, and 2 directly elected from the North African Ceuta and Melilla enclaves by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms or until the government is dissolved)" + "text": "bicameral General Courts or Las Cortes Generales consists of: Senate or Senado (266 seats; 208 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 58 members indirectly elected by the legislatures of the autonomous communities; members serve 4-year terms) ++ Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; 348 members directly elected in 50 multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote, with a 3% threshold needed to gain a seat, and 2 directly elected from the North African Ceuta and Melilla enclaves by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms or until the government is dissolved)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 10 November 2019 (next to be held no later than November 2023) Congress of Deputies - last held on 10 November 2019 (next to be held no later than November 2023)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 10 November 2019 (next to be held no later than November 2023) ++ Congress of Deputies - last held on 10 November 2019 (next to be held no later than November 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSOE 113, PP 97, ERC 15, EAJ/PNV 10, C's 9, other 22; composition - men 163, women 103; percent of women 39% Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSOE 28.7%, PP 20.8%,Vox 15.1%, Unidos Podemos 12.8%, C's 6.8%, ERC 3.6%, other 12.8%; seats by party - PSOE 120, PP 88, Vox 52,  Unidos Podemos 35, C's 10, ERC 13, other 23; composition - men 184, women 166; percent of women 47.4%; note - total  General Courts percent of women 43.7%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSOE 113, PP 97, ERC 15, EAJ/PNV 10, C's 9, other 22; composition - men 163, women 103; percent of women 39% ++ Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSOE 28.7%, PP 20.8%,Vox 15.1%, Unidos Podemos 12.8%, C's 6.8%, ERC 3.6%, other 12.8%; seats by party - PSOE 120, PP 88, Vox 52,  Unidos Podemos 35, C's 10, ERC 13, other 23; composition - men 184, women 166; percent of women 47.4%; note - total  General Courts percent of women 43.7%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -485,7 +479,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Asturias Forum or FAC [Carmen MORIYON]Basque Country Unite (Euskal Herria Bildu) or EH Bildu (coalition of 4 Basque pro-independence parties)Basque Nationalist Party or PNV or EAJ [Andoni ORTUZAR]Canarian Coalition or CC [Ana ORAMAS] (coalition of 5 parties)Junts per Catalunia or JxCat  [Carles PUIDGEMONT]Ciudadanos Party or C's [Albert RIVERA]Compromis - Communist Coalition [Joan BALDOVI]New Canary or NCa [Pedro QUEVEDOS]Unidas Podemos [Pablo IGLESIAS Turrion] (formerly Podemos IU; electoral coalition formed for May 2016 election)People's Party or PP [Pablo CASADO]Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Oriol JUNQUERAS i Vies]Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Pedro SANCHEZ]JxCat-Junts Together for Catalonia [Jordi SANCHEZ]Union of People of Navarra or UPN [Javier ESPARZA]Navarra Suma (electoral Coaltion formed by Navarrese People's Union (UPN), Ciudadanos (C's), and the Popular Partty (PP) ahead of the 2019 election)Vox or Vox [Santiago ABASCAL]" + "text": "Asturias Forum or FAC [Carmen MORIYON] ++ Basque Country Unite (Euskal Herria Bildu) or EH Bildu (coalition of 4 Basque pro-independence parties) ++ Basque Nationalist Party or PNV or EAJ [Andoni ORTUZAR] ++ Canarian Coalition or CC [Ana ORAMAS] (coalition of 5 parties) ++ Junts per Catalunia or JxCat  [Carles PUIDGEMONT] ++ Ciudadanos Party or C's [Albert RIVERA] ++ Compromis - Communist Coalition [Joan BALDOVI] ++ New Canary or NCa [Pedro QUEVEDOS] ++ Unidas Podemos [Pablo IGLESIAS Turrion] (formerly Podemos IU; electoral coalition formed for May 2016 election) ++ People's Party or PP [Pablo CASADO] ++ Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC [Oriol JUNQUERAS i Vies] ++ Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE [Pedro SANCHEZ] ++ JxCat-Junts Together for Catalonia [Jordi SANCHEZ] ++ Union of People of Navarra or UPN [Javier ESPARZA] ++ Navarra Suma (electoral Coaltion formed by Navarrese People's Union (UPN), Ciudadanos (C's), and the Popular Partty (PP) ahead of the 2019 election) ++ Vox or Vox [Santiago ABASCAL]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -553,7 +547,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "After a prolonged recession that began in 2008 in the wake of the global financial crisis, Spain marked the fourth full year of positive economic growth in 2017, with economic activity surpassing its pre-crisis peak, largely because of increased private consumption. The financial crisis of 2008 broke 16 consecutive years of economic growth for Spain, leading to an economic contraction that lasted until late 2013. In that year, the government successfully shored up its struggling banking sector - heavily exposed to the collapse of Spain’s real estate boom - with the help of an EU-funded restructuring and recapitalization program. Until 2014, contraction in bank lending, fiscal austerity, and high unemployment constrained domestic consumption and investment. The unemployment rate rose from a low of about 8% in 2007 to more than 26% in 2013, but labor reforms prompted a modest reduction to 16.4% in 2017. High unemployment strained Spain's public finances, as spending on social benefits increased while tax revenues fell. Spain’s budget deficit peaked at 11.4% of GDP in 2010, but Spain gradually reduced the deficit to about 3.3% of GDP in 2017. Public debt has increased substantially – from 60.1% of GDP in 2010 to nearly 96.7% in 2017. Strong export growth helped bring Spain's current account into surplus in 2013 for the first time since 1986 and sustain Spain’s economic growth. Increasing labor productivity and an internal devaluation resulting from moderating labor costs and lower inflation have improved Spain’s export competitiveness and generated foreign investor interest in the economy, restoring FDI flows. In 2017, the Spanish Government’s minority status constrained its ability to implement controversial labor, pension, health care, tax, and education reforms. The European Commission expects the government to meet its 2017 budget deficit target and anticipates that expected economic growth in 2018 will help the government meet its deficit target. Spain’s borrowing costs are dramatically lower since their peak in mid-2012, and increased economic activity has generated a modest level of inflation, at 2% in 2017." + "text": "After a prolonged recession that began in 2008 in the wake of the global financial crisis, Spain marked the fourth full year of positive economic growth in 2017, with economic activity surpassing its pre-crisis peak, largely because of increased private consumption. The financial crisis of 2008 broke 16 consecutive years of economic growth for Spain, leading to an economic contraction that lasted until late 2013. In that year, the government successfully shored up its struggling banking sector - heavily exposed to the collapse of Spain's real estate boom - with the help of an EU-funded restructuring and recapitalization program. ++ Until 2014, contraction in bank lending, fiscal austerity, and high unemployment constrained domestic consumption and investment. The unemployment rate rose from a low of about 8% in 2007 to more than 26% in 2013, but labor reforms prompted a modest reduction to 16.4% in 2017. High unemployment strained Spain's public finances, as spending on social benefits increased while tax revenues fell. Spain's budget deficit peaked at 11.4% of GDP in 2010, but Spain gradually reduced the deficit to about 3.3% of GDP in 2017. Public debt has increased substantially – from 60.1% of GDP in 2010 to nearly 96.7% in 2017. ++ Strong export growth helped bring Spain's current account into surplus in 2013 for the first time since 1986 and sustain Spain's economic growth. Increasing labor productivity and an internal devaluation resulting from moderating labor costs and lower inflation have improved Spain's export competitiveness and generated foreign investor interest in the economy, restoring FDI flows. ++ In 2017, the Spanish Government's minority status constrained its ability to implement controversial labor, pension, health care, tax, and education reforms. The European Commission expects the government to meet its 2017 budget deficit target and anticipates that expected economic growth in 2018 will help the government meet its deficit target. Spain's borrowing costs are dramatically lower since their peak in mid-2012, and increased economic activity has generated a modest level of inflation, at 2% in 2017." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.778 trillion (2017 est.) / $1.727 trillion (2016 est.) / $1.674 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -959,7 +953,7 @@ }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { - "text": "Basque Fatherland and Liberty (disbanded); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham; al-Qa’ida (2019)", + "text": "Basque Fatherland and Liberty (disbanded); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham; al-Qa'ida (2019)", "note": { "text": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T" } @@ -967,7 +961,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any \"shared sovereignty\" arrangement; the Government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; after voters in the UK chose to leave the EU in a June 2016 referendum, Spain again proposed shared sovereignty of Gibraltar; UK officials rejected Spain’s joint sovereignty proposal; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; both countries claim Isla Perejil (Leila Island); Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz" + "text": "in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any \"shared sovereignty\" arrangement; the Government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; after voters in the UK chose to leave the EU in a June 2016 referendum, Spain again proposed shared sovereignty of Gibraltar; UK officials rejected Spain's joint sovereignty proposal; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas, and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; both countries claim Isla Perejil (Leila Island); Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa; Portugal does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over the territory of Olivenza based on a difference of interpretation of the 1815 Congress of Vienna and the 1801 Treaty of Badajoz" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { diff --git a/europe/sv.json b/europe/sv.json index 9e04afdd..c9cb2b09 100644 --- a/europe/sv.json +++ b/europe/sv.json @@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ "text": "none; note - Svalbard is subordinate to Norway's Nord-Troms District Court and Halogaland Court of Appeal, both located in Tromso" }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Svalbard Conservative Party [Kjetil FIGENSCHOU]Svalbard Green Party [Helga Bardsdatter KRISTIANSEN, Espen Klungseth ROTEVATN]Svalbard Labor Party [Elise STROMSENG]Svalbard Liberal Party [Erik BERGER]" + "text": "Svalbard Conservative Party [Kjetil FIGENSCHOU] ++ Svalbard Green Party [Helga Bardsdatter KRISTIANSEN, Espen Klungseth ROTEVATN] ++ Svalbard Labor Party [Elise STROMSENG] ++ Svalbard Liberal Party [Erik BERGER]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "none" @@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Coal mining, tourism, and international research are Svalbard's major industries. Coal mining has historically been the dominant economic activity, and the Spitzbergen Treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 45 countries that so far have ratified the treaty equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still engaging in this are Norwegian and Russian. Low coal prices have forced the Norwegian coal company, Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani, to close one of its two mines and to considerably reduce the activity of the other. Since the 1990s, the tourism and hospitality industry has grown rapidly, and Svalbard now receives 60,000 visitors annually. The settlements on Svalbard were established as company towns, and at their height in the 1950s, the Norwegian state-owned coal company supported nearly 1,000 jobs. Today, only about 300 people work in the mining industry. Goods such as alcohol, tobacco, and vehicles, normally highly taxed on mainland Norway, are considerably cheaper in Svalbard in an effort by the Norwegian Government to entice more people to live on the Arctic archipelago. By law, Norway collects only enough taxes to pay for the needs of the local government; none of tax proceeds go to the central government." + "text": "Coal mining, tourism, and international research are Svalbard's major industries. Coal mining has historically been the dominant economic activity, and the Spitzbergen Treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 45 countries that so far have ratified the treaty equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still engaging in this are Norwegian and Russian. Low coal prices have forced the Norwegian coal company, Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani, to close one of its two mines and to considerably reduce the activity of the other. Since the 1990s, the tourism and hospitality industry has grown rapidly, and Svalbard now receives 60,000 visitors annually. ++ The settlements on Svalbard were established as company towns, and at their height in the 1950s, the Norwegian state-owned coal company supported nearly 1,000 jobs. Today, only about 300 people work in the mining industry. ++ Goods such as alcohol, tobacco, and vehicles, normally highly taxed on mainland Norway, are considerably cheaper in Svalbard in an effort by the Norwegian Government to entice more people to live on the Arctic archipelago. By law, Norway collects only enough taxes to pay for the needs of the local government; none of tax proceeds go to the central government." }, "GDP - real growth rate": { "note": { diff --git a/europe/sw.json b/europe/sw.json index b4d826c9..39d4d625 100644 --- a/europe/sw.json +++ b/europe/sw.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Since then, Sweden has pursued a successful economic formula consisting of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum. The share of Sweden’s population born abroad increased from 11.3% in 2000 to 19.1% in 2018.  " + "text": "A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war for two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Since then, Sweden has pursued a successful economic formula consisting of a capitalist system intermixed with substantial welfare elements. Sweden joined the EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in a 2003 referendum. The share of Sweden's population born abroad increased from 11.3% in 2000 to 19.1% in 2018. ++  " } }, "Geography": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "1.87 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "2.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -444,7 +438,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Center Party (Centerpartiet) or C [Annie LOOF]Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD [Ebba Busch THOR]Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona) or MP [Isabella LOVIN and Per BOLUND]Left Party (Vansterpartiet) or V [Jonas SJOSTEDT]Liberal Party (Liberalerna) or L [Jan BJORKLUND]Moderate Party (Moderaterna) or M [Ulf KRISTERSSON]Swedish Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or SAP [Stefan LOFVEN]Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD [Jimmie AKESSON]" + "text": "Center Party (Centerpartiet) or C [Annie LOOF] ++ Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD [Ebba Busch THOR] ++ Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona) or MP [Isabella LOVIN and Per BOLUND] ++ Left Party (Vansterpartiet) or V [Jonas SJOSTEDT] ++ Liberal Party (Liberalerna) or L [Jan BJORKLUND] ++ Moderate Party (Moderaterna) or M [Ulf KRISTERSSON] ++ Swedish Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or SAP [Stefan LOFVEN] ++ Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD [Jimmie AKESSON]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -503,7 +497,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Sweden’s small, open, and competitive economy has been thriving and Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living with its combination of free-market capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. Sweden remains outside the euro zone largely out of concern that joining the European Economic and Monetary Union would diminish the country’s sovereignty over its welfare system.   Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of a manufacturing economy that relies heavily on foreign trade. Exports, including engines and other machines, motor vehicles, and telecommunications equipment, account for more than 44% of GDP. Sweden enjoys a current account surplus of about 5% of GDP, which is one of the highest margins in Europe.   GDP grew an estimated 3.3% in 2016 and 2017 driven largely by investment in the construction sector. Swedish economists expect economic growth to ease slightly in the coming years as this investment subsides. Global economic growth boosted exports of Swedish manufactures further, helping drive domestic economic growth in 2017. The Central Bank is keeping an eye on deflationary pressures and bank observers expect it to maintain an expansionary monetary policy in 2018. Swedish prices and wages have grown only slightly over the past few years, helping to support the country’s competitiveness.   In the short and medium term, Sweden’s economic challenges include providing affordable housing and successfully integrating migrants into the labor market." + "text": "Sweden's small, open, and competitive economy has been thriving and Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living with its combination of free-market capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. Sweden remains outside the euro zone largely out of concern that joining the European Economic and Monetary Union would diminish the country's sovereignty over its welfare system. ++   ++ Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of a manufacturing economy that relies heavily on foreign trade. Exports, including engines and other machines, motor vehicles, and telecommunications equipment, account for more than 44% of GDP. Sweden enjoys a current account surplus of about 5% of GDP, which is one of the highest margins in Europe. ++   ++ GDP grew an estimated 3.3% in 2016 and 2017 driven largely by investment in the construction sector. Swedish economists expect economic growth to ease slightly in the coming years as this investment subsides. Global economic growth boosted exports of Swedish manufactures further, helping drive domestic economic growth in 2017. The Central Bank is keeping an eye on deflationary pressures and bank observers expect it to maintain an expansionary monetary policy in 2018. Swedish prices and wages have grown only slightly over the past few years, helping to support the country's competitiveness. ++   ++ In the short and medium term, Sweden's economic challenges include providing affordable housing and successfully integrating migrants into the labor market." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$518 billion (2017 est.) / $507.3 billion (2016 est.) / $494 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/europe/sz.json b/europe/sz.json index 250aa32b..6f5975f0 100644 --- a/europe/sz.json +++ b/europe/sz.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874 to allow voters to introduce referenda on proposed laws, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two world wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.  " + "text": "The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874 to allow voters to introduce referenda on proposed laws, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two world wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality. ++  " } }, "Geography": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "71.6% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "4.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -426,13 +420,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblée Fédérale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of:Council of States or Ständerat (in German), Conseil des États (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; members in multi-seat constituencies representing cantons and single-seat constituencies representing half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote except Jura and Neuchatel cantons which use proportional representation vote; member term governed by cantonal law)National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; 195 members in cantons directly elected by proportional representation vote and 6 in half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms) (e.g. 2019)" + "text": "description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblée Fédérale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of: Council of States or Ständerat (in German), Conseil des États (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; members in multi-seat constituencies representing cantons and single-seat constituencies representing half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote except Jura and Neuchatel cantons which use proportional representation vote; member term governed by cantonal law) ++ National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; 195 members in cantons directly elected by proportional representation vote and 6 in half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms) (e.g. 2019)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Council of States - last held in most cantons on 20 October 2019 (each canton determines when the next election will be held) National Council - last held on 20 October 2019 (next to be held in 2023) (e.g. 2019)" + "text": "Council of States - last held in most cantons on 20 October 2019 (each canton determines when the next election will be held) ++ National Council - last held on 20 October 2019 (next to be held in 2023) (e.g. 2019)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CVP 13, FDP 12, SDP 9, Green Party 5, other 1; composition - NA National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 25.6%, SP 16.8%, FDP 15.1%, Green Party 13.2%, CVP 11.4%, GLP 7.8%, other 10.1%; seats by party - SVP 53, SP 39, FDP 29, Green Party 28, CVP 25, GLP 16, other 10; composition - men 116, women 84, percent of women 42% (e.g. 2019)" + "text": "Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CVP 13, FDP 12, SDP 9, Green Party 5, other 1; composition - NA ++ National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 25.6%, SP 16.8%, FDP 15.1%, Green Party 13.2%, CVP 11.4%, GLP 7.8%, other 10.1%; seats by party - SVP 53, SP 39, FDP 29, Green Party 28, CVP 25, GLP 16, other 10; composition - men 116, women 84, percent of women 42% (e.g. 2019)" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -447,7 +441,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Christian Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Popolare Democratico Svizzero or PPD, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Gerhard PFISTER]Conservative Democratic Party (Buergerlich-Demokratische Partei Schweiz or BDP, Parti Bourgeois Democratique Suisse or PBD, Partito Borghese Democratico Svizzero or PBD, Partido burgais democratica Svizera or PBD) [Martin LANDOLT]Free Democratic Party or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen, PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux, PLR.I Liberali, Ils Liberals) [Petra GOESSI]Green Liberal Party (Gruenliberale Partei or GLP, Parti vert liberale or PVL, Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL, Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) [Juerg GROSSEN]Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Regula RYTZ]Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SP, Parti Socialiste Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christian LEVRAT]Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica di Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Albert ROESTI]other minor parties" + "text": "Christian Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Popolare Democratico Svizzero or PPD, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Gerhard PFISTER] ++ Conservative Democratic Party (Buergerlich-Demokratische Partei Schweiz or BDP, Parti Bourgeois Democratique Suisse or PBD, Partito Borghese Democratico Svizzero or PBD, Partido burgais democratica Svizera or PBD) [Martin LANDOLT] ++ Free Democratic Party or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen, PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux, PLR.I Liberali, Ils Liberals) [Petra GOESSI] ++ Green Liberal Party (Gruenliberale Partei or GLP, Parti vert liberale or PVL, Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL, Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) [Juerg GROSSEN] ++ Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Regula RYTZ] ++ Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SP, Parti Socialiste Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christian LEVRAT] ++ Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica di Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Albert ROESTI] ++ other minor parties" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -501,7 +495,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Switzerland, a country that espouses neutrality, is a prosperous and modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP among the highest in the world. Switzerland's economy benefits from a highly developed service sector, led by financial services, and a manufacturing industry that specializes in high-technology, knowledge-based production. Its economic and political stability, transparent legal system, exceptional infrastructure, efficient capital markets, and low corporate tax rates also make Switzerland one of the world's most competitive economies. The Swiss have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to gain access to the Union’s Single Market and enhance the country’s international competitiveness. Some trade protectionism remains, however, particularly for its small agricultural sector. The fate of the Swiss economy is tightly linked to that of its neighbors in the euro zone, which purchases half of Swiss exports. The global financial crisis of 2008 and resulting economic downturn in 2009 stalled demand for Swiss exports and put Switzerland into a recession. During this period, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) implemented a zero-interest rate policy to boost the economy, as well as to prevent appreciation of the franc, and Switzerland's economy began to recover in 2010. The sovereign debt crises unfolding in neighboring euro-zone countries, however, coupled with economic instability in Russia and other Eastern European economies drove up demand for the Swiss franc by investors seeking a safehaven currency. In January 2015, the SNB abandoned the Swiss franc’s peg to the euro, roiling global currency markets and making active SNB intervention a necessary hallmark of present-day Swiss monetary policy. The independent SNB has upheld its zero interest rate policy and conducted major market interventions to prevent further appreciation of the Swiss franc, but parliamentarians have urged it to do more to weaken the currency. The franc's strength has made Swiss exports less competitive and weakened the country's growth outlook; GDP growth fell below 2% per year from 2011 through 2017. In recent years, Switzerland has responded to increasing pressure from neighboring countries and trading partners to reform its banking secrecy laws, by agreeing to conform to OECD regulations on administrative assistance in tax matters, including tax evasion. The Swiss Government has also renegotiated its double taxation agreements with numerous countries, including the US, to incorporate OECD standards." + "text": "Switzerland, a country that espouses neutrality, is a prosperous and modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP among the highest in the world. Switzerland's economy benefits from a highly developed service sector, led by financial services, and a manufacturing industry that specializes in high-technology, knowledge-based production. Its economic and political stability, transparent legal system, exceptional infrastructure, efficient capital markets, and low corporate tax rates also make Switzerland one of the world's most competitive economies. ++ The Swiss have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to gain access to the Union's Single Market and enhance the country's international competitiveness. Some trade protectionism remains, however, particularly for its small agricultural sector. The fate of the Swiss economy is tightly linked to that of its neighbors in the euro zone, which purchases half of Swiss exports. The global financial crisis of 2008 and resulting economic downturn in 2009 stalled demand for Swiss exports and put Switzerland into a recession. During this period, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) implemented a zero-interest rate policy to boost the economy, as well as to prevent appreciation of the franc, and Switzerland's economy began to recover in 2010. ++ The sovereign debt crises unfolding in neighboring euro-zone countries, however, coupled with economic instability in Russia and other Eastern European economies drove up demand for the Swiss franc by investors seeking a safehaven currency. In January 2015, the SNB abandoned the Swiss franc's peg to the euro, roiling global currency markets and making active SNB intervention a necessary hallmark of present-day Swiss monetary policy. The independent SNB has upheld its zero interest rate policy and conducted major market interventions to prevent further appreciation of the Swiss franc, but parliamentarians have urged it to do more to weaken the currency. The franc's strength has made Swiss exports less competitive and weakened the country's growth outlook; GDP growth fell below 2% per year from 2011 through 2017. ++ In recent years, Switzerland has responded to increasing pressure from neighboring countries and trading partners to reform its banking secrecy laws, by agreeing to conform to OECD regulations on administrative assistance in tax matters, including tax evasion. The Swiss Government has also renegotiated its double taxation agreements with numerous countries, including the US, to incorporate OECD standards." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$523.1 billion (2017 est.) / $514.5 billion (2016 est.) / $506.5 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -851,7 +845,7 @@ "text": "1,630 km 1.200-m gauge (2 km electrified) (includes 19 km in neighboring countries) (2015)" }, "note": { - "text": "1188 km 1.000-m gauge (1,167.3 km electrified)36 km 0.800-m gauge (36.4 km electrified)" + "text": "1188 km 1.000-m gauge (1,167.3 km electrified) ++ 36 km 0.800-m gauge (36.4 km electrified)" } }, "Roadways": { diff --git a/europe/uk.json b/europe/uk.json index 88c9d1b8..a3c65af8 100644 --- a/europe/uk.json +++ b/europe/uk.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two world wars and the Irish Republic's withdrawal from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO and the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1998. The UK has been an active member of the EU since its accession in 1973, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union. However, motivated in part by frustration at a remote bureaucracy in Brussels and massive migration into the country, UK citizens on 23 June 2016 narrowly voted to leave the EU. The UK is scheduled to depart the EU on 31 January 2020, but negotiations on the future EU-UK economic and security relationship will continue throughout 2020 and potentially beyond." + "text": "The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two world wars and the Irish Republic's withdrawal from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council and a founding member of NATO and the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1998. ++ The UK has been an active member of the EU since its accession in 1973, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union. However, motivated in part by frustration at a remote bureaucracy in Brussels and massive migration into the country, UK citizens on 23 June 2016 narrowly voted to leave the EU. The UK is scheduled to depart the EU on 31 January 2020, but negotiations on the future EU-UK economic and security relationship will continue throughout 2020 and potentially beyond." } }, "Geography": { @@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ "text": "1,680 sq km" }, "note": { - "text": "note 1: the percentage area breakdown of the four UK countries is: England 53%, Scotland 32%, Wales 9%, and Northern Ireland 6%note 2: includes Rockall and the Shetland Islands, which are part of Scotland" + "text": "note 1: the percentage area breakdown of the four UK countries is: England 53%, Scotland 32%, Wales 9%, and Northern Ireland 6% ++ note 2: includes Rockall and the Shetland Islands, which are part of Scotland" } }, "Area - comparative": { @@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ "Population": { "text": "65,761,117 United Kingdom (July 2020 est.)", "note": { - "text": "constituent countries by percentage of total population: England 84% Scotland 8% Wales 5% Northern Ireland 3%" + "text": "constituent countries by percentage of total population: ++ England 84% ++ Scotland 8% ++ Wales 5% ++ Northern Ireland 3%" } }, "Nationality": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "1.86 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "2.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -370,11 +364,11 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October" }, "note": { - "text": "note: the time statements apply to the United Kingdom proper, not to its crown dependencies or overseas territoriesetymology: the name derives from the Roman settlement of Londinium, established on the current site of London around A.D. 43; the original meaning of the name is uncertain" + "text": "note: the time statements apply to the United Kingdom proper, not to its crown dependencies or overseas territories ++ etymology: the name derives from the Roman settlement of Londinium, established on the current site of London around A.D. 43; the original meaning of the name is uncertain" } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "England: 26 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and 1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan districts, 56 unitary authorities (including 4 single-tier counties*); two-tier counties: Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Worcestershire London boroughs and City of London or Greater London: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, City of London, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster metropolitan districts: Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton, Bradford, Bury, Calderdale, Coventry, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Kirklees, Knowlsey, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Oldham, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sefton, Sheffield, Solihull, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport, Sunderland, Tameside, Trafford, Wakefield, Walsall, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton unitary authorities: Bath and North East Somerset; Bedford; Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; Bracknell Forest; Brighton and Hove; City of Bristol; Central Bedfordshire; Cheshire East; Cheshire West and Chester; Cornwall; Darlington; Derby; Dorset; Durham County*; East Riding of Yorkshire; Halton; Hartlepool; Herefordshire*; Isle of Wight*; Isles of Scilly; City of Kingston upon Hull; Leicester; Luton; Medway; Middlesbrough; Milton Keynes; North East Lincolnshire; North Lincolnshire; North Somerset; Northumberland*; Nottingham; Peterborough; Plymouth; Portsmouth; Reading; Redcar and Cleveland; Rutland; Shropshire; Slough; South Gloucestershire; Southampton; Southend-on-Sea; Stockton-on-Tees; Stoke-on-Trent; Swindon; Telford and Wrekin; Thurrock; Torbay; Warrington; West Berkshire; Wiltshire; Windsor and Maidenhead; Wokingham; York Northern Ireland: 5 borough councils, 4 district councils, 2 city councils; borough councils: Antrim and Newtownabbey; Ards and North Down; Armagh City, Banbridge, and Craigavon; Causeway Coast and Glens; Mid and East Antrim district councils: Derry City and Strabane; Fermanagh and Omagh; Mid Ulster; Newry, Murne, and Down city councils: Belfast; Lisburn and Castlereagh Scotland: 32 council areas; council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, The Scottish Borders, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian Wales: 22 unitary authorities; unitary authorities: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea, The Vale of Glamorgan, Torfaen, Wrexham" + "text": "England: 26 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and 1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan districts, 56 unitary authorities (including 4 single-tier counties*); ++ two-tier counties: Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Worcestershire ++ London boroughs and City of London or Greater London: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, City of London, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster ++ metropolitan districts: Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton, Bradford, Bury, Calderdale, Coventry, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Kirklees, Knowlsey, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Oldham, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sefton, Sheffield, Solihull, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport, Sunderland, Tameside, Trafford, Wakefield, Walsall, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton ++ unitary authorities: Bath and North East Somerset; Bedford; Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; Bracknell Forest; Brighton and Hove; City of Bristol; Central Bedfordshire; Cheshire East; Cheshire West and Chester; Cornwall; Darlington; Derby; Dorset; Durham County*; East Riding of Yorkshire; Halton; Hartlepool; Herefordshire*; Isle of Wight*; Isles of Scilly; City of Kingston upon Hull; Leicester; Luton; Medway; Middlesbrough; Milton Keynes; North East Lincolnshire; North Lincolnshire; North Somerset; Northumberland*; Nottingham; Peterborough; Plymouth; Portsmouth; Reading; Redcar and Cleveland; Rutland; Shropshire; Slough; South Gloucestershire; Southampton; Southend-on-Sea; Stockton-on-Tees; Stoke-on-Trent; Swindon; Telford and Wrekin; Thurrock; Torbay; Warrington; West Berkshire; Wiltshire; Windsor and Maidenhead; Wokingham; York ++ Northern Ireland: 5 borough councils, 4 district councils, 2 city councils; ++ borough councils: Antrim and Newtownabbey; Ards and North Down; Armagh City, Banbridge, and Craigavon; Causeway Coast and Glens; Mid and East Antrim ++ district councils: Derry City and Strabane; Fermanagh and Omagh; Mid Ulster; Newry, Murne, and Down ++ city councils: Belfast; Lisburn and Castlereagh ++ Scotland: 32 council areas; ++ council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, The Scottish Borders, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian ++ Wales: 22 unitary authorities; ++ unitary authorities: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Swansea, The Vale of Glamorgan, Torfaen, Wrexham" }, "Dependent areas": { "text": "Anguilla; Bermuda; British Indian Ocean Territory; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Pitcairn Islands; Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Turks and Caicos Islands" @@ -435,13 +429,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:House of Lords (membership not fixed; as of December 2019, 796 lords were eligible to participate in the work of the House of Lords - 679 life peers, 91 hereditary peers, and 26 clergy; members are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister and non-party political members recommended by the House of Lords Appointments Commission); note - House of Lords total does not include ineligible members or members on leave of absence House of Commons (650 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve 5-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: House of Lords (membership not fixed; as of December 2019, 796 lords were eligible to participate in the work of the House of Lords - 679 life peers, 91 hereditary peers, and 26 clergy; members are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister and non-party political members recommended by the House of Lords Appointments Commission); note - House of Lords total does not include ineligible members or members on leave of absence ++ House of Commons (650 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve 5-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier)" }, "elections": { - "text": "House of Lords - no elections; note - in 1999, as provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain; elections held only as vacancies in the hereditary peerage arise) House of Commons - last held on 12 December 2019 (next to be held by 2 May 2024)" + "text": "House of Lords - no elections; note - in 1999, as provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain; elections held only as vacancies in the hereditary peerage arise) ++ House of Commons - last held on 12 December 2019 (next to be held by 2 May 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "House of Lords - composition - men 579, women 217, percent of women 27.3%House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative 43.6%, Labor 32.1%, Lib Dems 11.6%, SNP 3.9%, Greens 2.7%, Brexit Party 2.0%, other 4.1%; seats by party - Conservative 365, Labor 202, SNP 48, Lib Dems 11, DUP 8, Sinn Fein 7, Plaid Cymru 4, other 9; composition - men 430, women 220, percent of women 34%; total Parliament percent of women 30.2%" + "text": "House of Lords - composition - men 579, women 217, percent of women 27.3% ++ House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative 43.6%, Labor 32.1%, Lib Dems 11.6%, SNP 3.9%, Greens 2.7%, Brexit Party 2.0%, other 4.1%; seats by party - Conservative 365, Labor 202, SNP 48, Lib Dems 11, DUP 8, Sinn Fein 7, Plaid Cymru 4, other 9; composition - men 430, women 220, percent of women 34%; total Parliament percent of women 30.2%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -456,7 +450,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance Party (Northern Ireland) [Naomi LONG] Brexit Party [Nigel FARAGE]Conservative and Unionist Party [Boris JOHNSON]Democratic Unionist Party or DUP (Northern Ireland) [Arlene FOSTER]Green Party of England and Wales or Greens [Sian BERRY and Jonathan BARTLEY]Labor (Labour) Party [Sir Keir STARMER]Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems) [Ed Davey]Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Adam PRICE]Scottish National Party or SNP [Nicola STURGEON]Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Mary Lou MCDONALD]Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [Colum EASTWOOD]Ulster Unionist Party or UUP (Northern Ireland) [Robin SWANN]UK Independence Party or UKIP [Pat MOUNTAIN, interim leader]" + "text": "Alliance Party (Northern Ireland) [Naomi LONG]  ++ Brexit Party [Nigel FARAGE] ++ Conservative and Unionist Party [Boris JOHNSON] ++ Democratic Unionist Party or DUP (Northern Ireland) [Arlene FOSTER] ++ Green Party of England and Wales or Greens [Sian BERRY and Jonathan BARTLEY] ++ Labor (Labour) Party [Sir Keir STARMER] ++ Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems) [Ed Davey] ++ Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Adam PRICE] ++ Scottish National Party or SNP [Nicola STURGEON] ++ Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Mary Lou MCDONALD] ++ Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [Colum EASTWOOD] ++ Ulster Unionist Party or UUP (Northern Ireland) [Robin SWANN] ++ UK Independence Party or UKIP [Pat MOUNTAIN, interim leader]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, C, CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UN Security Council (permanent), UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -521,7 +515,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is the third largest economy in Europe after Germany and France. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil resources, but its oil and natural gas reserves are declining; the UK has been a net importer of energy since 2005. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, are key drivers of British GDP growth. Manufacturing, meanwhile, has declined in importance but still accounts for about 10% of economic output.   In 2008, the global financial crisis hit the economy particularly hard, due to the importance of its financial sector. Falling home prices, high consumer debt, and the global economic slowdown compounded the UK’s economic problems, pushing the economy into recession in the latter half of 2008 and prompting the then BROWN (Labour) government to implement a number of measures to stimulate the economy and stabilize the financial markets. Facing burgeoning public deficits and debt levels, in 2010 the then CAMERON-led coalition government (between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats) initiated an austerity program, which has continued under the Conservative government. However, the deficit still remains one of the highest in the G7, standing at 3.6% of GDP as of 2017, and the UK has pledged to lower its corporation tax from 20% to 17% by 2020. The UK had a debt burden of 90.4% GDP at the end of 2017.   The UK economy has begun to slow since the referendum vote to leave the EU in June 2016. A sustained depreciation of the British pound has increased consumer and producer prices, weighing on consumer spending without spurring a meaningful increase in exports. The UK has an extensive trade relationship with other EU members through its single market membership, and economic observers have warned the exit will jeopardize its position as the central location for European financial services. The UK is slated to leave the EU at the end of January 2020." + "text": "The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is the third largest economy in Europe after Germany and France. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil resources, but its oil and natural gas reserves are declining; the UK has been a net importer of energy since 2005. Services, particularly banking, insurance, and business services, are key drivers of British GDP growth. Manufacturing, meanwhile, has declined in importance but still accounts for about 10% of economic output. ++   ++ In 2008, the global financial crisis hit the economy particularly hard, due to the importance of its financial sector. Falling home prices, high consumer debt, and the global economic slowdown compounded the UK's economic problems, pushing the economy into recession in the latter half of 2008 and prompting the then BROWN (Labour) government to implement a number of measures to stimulate the economy and stabilize the financial markets. Facing burgeoning public deficits and debt levels, in 2010 the then CAMERON-led coalition government (between Conservatives and Liberal Democrats) initiated an austerity program, which has continued under the Conservative government. However, the deficit still remains one of the highest in the G7, standing at 3.6% of GDP as of 2017, and the UK has pledged to lower its corporation tax from 20% to 17% by 2020. The UK had a debt burden of 90.4% GDP at the end of 2017. ++   ++ The UK economy has begun to slow since the referendum vote to leave the EU in June 2016. A sustained depreciation of the British pound has increased consumer and producer prices, weighing on consumer spending without spurring a meaningful increase in exports. The UK has an extensive trade relationship with other EU members through its single market membership, and economic observers have warned the exit will jeopardize its position as the central location for European financial services. The UK is slated to leave the EU at the end of January 2020." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.925 trillion (2017 est.) / $2.877 trillion (2016 est.) / $2.827 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -800,7 +794,7 @@ }, "Communications - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: the British Library claims to be the largest library in the world with well over 150 million items and in most known languages; it receives copies of all books produced in the UK or Ireland, as well as a significant proportion of overseas titles distributed in the UK; in addition to books (print and digital), holdings include: journals, manuscripts, newspapers, magazines, sound and music recordings, videos, maps, prints, patents, and drawingsnote 2: on 1 May 1840, the United Kingdom led the world with the introduction of postage stamps; the Austrian Empire had examined the idea of an \"adhesive tax postmark\" for the prepayment of postage in 1835; while the suggestion was reviewed in detail, it was rejected for the time being; other countries (including Austria) soon followed the UK's example with their own postage stamps; by the 1860s, most countries were issuing stamps; originally, stamps had to be cut from sheets; the UK issued the first postage stamps with perforations in 1854" + "text": "note 1: the British Library claims to be the largest library in the world with well over 150 million items and in most known languages; it receives copies of all books produced in the UK or Ireland, as well as a significant proportion of overseas titles distributed in the UK; in addition to books (print and digital), holdings include: journals, manuscripts, newspapers, magazines, sound and music recordings, videos, maps, prints, patents, and drawings ++ note 2: on 1 May 1840, the United Kingdom led the world with the introduction of postage stamps; the Austrian Empire had examined the idea of an \"adhesive tax postmark\" for the prepayment of postage in 1835; while the suggestion was reviewed in detail, it was rejected for the time being; other countries (including Austria) soon followed the UK's example with their own postage stamps; by the 1860s, most countries were issuing stamps; originally, stamps had to be cut from sheets; the UK issued the first postage stamps with perforations in 1854" } } }, diff --git a/europe/up.json b/europe/up.json index 62489d36..c01da2ab 100644 --- a/europe/up.json +++ b/europe/up.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine achieved a short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but was reconquered and endured a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two forced famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although Ukraine achieved independence in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy and prosperity remained elusive as the legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass protest referred to as the \"Orange Revolution\" in the closing months of 2004 forced the authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH to stage a comeback in parliamentary (Rada) elections, become prime minister in August 2006, and be elected president in February 2010. In October 2012, Ukraine held Rada elections, widely criticized by Western observers as flawed due to use of government resources to favor ruling party candidates, interference with media access, and harassment of opposition candidates. President YANUKOVYCH's backtracking on a trade and cooperation agreement with the EU in November 2013 - in favor of closer economic ties with Russia - and subsequent use of force against students, civil society activists, and other civilians in favor of the agreement led to a three-month protest occupation of Kyiv's central square. The government's use of violence to break up the protest camp in February 2014 led to all out pitched battles, scores of deaths, international condemnation, a failed political deal, and the president's abrupt departure for Russia. New elections in the spring allowed pro-West president Petro POROSHENKO to assume office in June 2014; he was succeeded by Volodymyr ZELENSKY in May 2019. Shortly after YANUKOVYCH's departure in late February 2014, Russian President PUTIN ordered the invasion of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula falsely claiming the action was to protect ethnic Russians living there. Two weeks later, a \"referendum\" was held regarding the integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation. The \"referendum\" was condemned as illegitimate by the Ukrainian Government, the EU, the US, and the UN General Assembly (UNGA). In response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea, 100 members of the UN passed UNGA resolution 68/262, rejecting the \"referendum\" as baseless and invalid and confirming the sovereignty, political independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. In mid-2014, Russia began supplying proxies in two of Ukraine's eastern provinces with manpower, funding, and materiel driving an armed conflict with the Ukrainian Government that continues to this day. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the unrecognized Russian proxy republics signed the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum in September 2014 to end the conflict. However, this agreement failed to stop the fighting or find a political solution. In a renewed attempt to alleviate ongoing clashes, leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany negotiated a follow-on Package of Measures in February 2015 to implement the Minsk agreements. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, the unrecognized Russian proxy republics, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also meet regularly to facilitate implementation of the peace deal. More than 13,000 civilians have been killed or wounded as a result of the Russian intervention in eastern Ukraine.    " + "text": "Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine achieved a short-lived period of independence (1917-20), but was reconquered and endured a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two forced famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although Ukraine achieved independence in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy and prosperity remained elusive as the legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. ++ A peaceful mass protest referred to as the \"Orange Revolution\" in the closing months of 2004 forced the authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH to stage a comeback in parliamentary (Rada) elections, become prime minister in August 2006, and be elected president in February 2010. In October 2012, Ukraine held Rada elections, widely criticized by Western observers as flawed due to use of government resources to favor ruling party candidates, interference with media access, and harassment of opposition candidates. President YANUKOVYCH's backtracking on a trade and cooperation agreement with the EU in November 2013 - in favor of closer economic ties with Russia - and subsequent use of force against students, civil society activists, and other civilians in favor of the agreement led to a three-month protest occupation of Kyiv's central square. The government's use of violence to break up the protest camp in February 2014 led to all out pitched battles, scores of deaths, international condemnation, a failed political deal, and the president's abrupt departure for Russia. New elections in the spring allowed pro-West president Petro POROSHENKO to assume office in June 2014; he was succeeded by Volodymyr ZELENSKY in May 2019. ++ Shortly after YANUKOVYCH's departure in late February 2014, Russian President PUTIN ordered the invasion of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula falsely claiming the action was to protect ethnic Russians living there. Two weeks later, a \"referendum\" was held regarding the integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation. The \"referendum\" was condemned as illegitimate by the Ukrainian Government, the EU, the US, and the UN General Assembly (UNGA). In response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea, 100 members of the UN passed UNGA resolution 68/262, rejecting the \"referendum\" as baseless and invalid and confirming the sovereignty, political independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. In mid-2014, Russia began supplying proxies in two of Ukraine's eastern provinces with manpower, funding, and materiel driving an armed conflict with the Ukrainian Government that continues to this day. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the unrecognized Russian proxy republics signed the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum in September 2014 to end the conflict. However, this agreement failed to stop the fighting or find a political solution. In a renewed attempt to alleviate ongoing clashes, leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany negotiated a follow-on Package of Measures in February 2015 to implement the Minsk agreements. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, the unrecognized Russian proxy republics, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also meet regularly to facilitate implementation of the peace deal. More than 13,000 civilians have been killed or wounded as a result of the Russian intervention in eastern Ukraine. ++   ++  " } }, "Geography": { @@ -267,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "65.4% (2012)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.5% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 99.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.5% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -287,14 +284,11 @@ "text": "7.5 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.4% of population / rural: 96.3% of population / total: 98.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "3.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.6% of population / rural: 3.7% of population / total: 1.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -387,13 +381,13 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October" }, "note": { - "text": "note: pronounced KAY-yivetymology: the name is associated with that of Kyi, who along with his brothers Shchek and Khoryv, and their sister Lybid, are the legendary founders of the medieval city of Kyiv; Kyi being the eldest brother, the city was named after him" + "text": "note: pronounced KAY-yiv ++ etymology: the name is associated with that of Kyi, who along with his brothers Shchek and Khoryv, and their sister Lybid, are the legendary founders of the medieval city of Kyiv; Kyi being the eldest brother, the city was named after him" } }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "24 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic* (avtonomna respublika), and 2 municipalities** (mista, singular - misto) with oblast status; Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Crimea or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol), Dnipropetrovsk (Dnipro), Donetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, Kirovohrad (Kropyvnytskyi), Kyiv**, Kyiv, Luhansk, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol**, Sumy, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Volyn (Lutsk), Zakarpattia (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhia, Zhytomyr", "note": { - "text": "note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses); plans include the eventual renaming of Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovohrad oblasts, but because these names are mentioned in the Constitution of Ukraine, the change will require a constitutional amendment note: the US Government does not recognize Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the municipality of Sevastopol, nor their redesignation as the \"Republic of Crimea\" and the \"Federal City of Sevastopol\"" + "text": "note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses); plans include the eventual renaming of Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovohrad oblasts, but because these names are mentioned in the Constitution of Ukraine, the change will require a constitutional amendment ++ note: the US Government does not recognize Russia's illegal annexation of Ukraine's Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the municipality of Sevastopol, nor their redesignation as the \"Republic of Crimea\" and the \"Federal City of Sevastopol\"" } }, "Independence": { @@ -479,7 +473,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) [Yuliya TYMOSHENKO]European Solidarity (BPP-Solidarity) [Petro POROSHENKO] Holos (Voice) [Sviatoslav VAKARCHUK]Opposition Bloc or OB [Evgeny MURAYEV]Opposition Platform-For Life [Yuriy BOYKO, Vadim RABINOVICH]Radical Party [Oleh LYASHKO]Samopomich (Self Reliance) [Andriy SADOVYY]Servant of the People [Oleksandr KORNIENKO]Svoboda (Freedom) [Oleh TYAHNYBOK]" + "text": "Batkivshchyna (Fatherland) [Yuliya TYMOSHENKO] ++ European Solidarity (BPP-Solidarity) [Petro POROSHENKO] ++ Holos (Voice) [Sviatoslav VAKARCHUK] ++ Opposition Bloc or OB [Evgeny MURAYEV] ++ Opposition Platform-For Life [Yuriy BOYKO, Vadim RABINOVICH] ++ Radical Party [Oleh LYASHKO] ++ Samopomich (Self Reliance) [Andriy SADOVYY] ++ Servant of the People [Oleksandr KORNIENKO] ++ Svoboda (Freedom) [Oleh TYAHNYBOK]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Australia Group, BSEC, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CICA (observer), CIS (participating member, has not signed the 1993 CIS charter), EAEC (observer), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -538,7 +532,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "After Russia, the Ukrainian Republic was the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil accounted for more than one fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied unique equipment such as large diameter pipes and vertical drilling apparatus, and raw materials to industrial and mining sites in other regions of the former USSR.   Shortly after independence in August 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of the 1991 level. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms to foster economic growth. Ukrainian Government officials eliminated most tax and customs privileges in a March 2005 budget law, bringing more economic activity out of Ukraine's large shadow economy. From 2000 until mid-2008, Ukraine's economy was buoyant despite political turmoil between the prime minister and president. The economy contracted nearly 15% in 2009, among the worst economic performances in the world. In April 2010, Ukraine negotiated a price discount on Russian gas imports in exchange for extending Russia's lease on its naval base in Crimea.   Ukraine’s oligarch-dominated economy grew slowly from 2010 to 2013 but remained behind peers in the region and among Europe’s poorest. After former President YANUKOVYCH fled the country during the Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine’s economy fell into crisis because of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, military conflict in the eastern part of the country, and a trade war with Russia, resulting in a 17% decline in GDP, inflation at nearly 60%, and dwindling foreign currency reserves. The international community began efforts to stabilize the Ukrainian economy, including a March 2014 IMF assistance package of $17.5 billion, of which Ukraine has received four disbursements, most recently in April 2017, bringing the total disbursed as of that date to approximately $8.4 billion. Ukraine has made progress on reforms designed to make the country prosperous, democratic, and transparent, including creation of a national anti-corruption agency, overhaul of the banking sector, establishment of a transparent VAT refund system, and increased transparency in government procurement. But more improvements are needed, including fighting corruption, developing capital markets, improving the business environment to attract foreign investment, privatizing state-owned enterprises, and land reform. The fifth tranche of the IMF program, valued at $1.9 billion, was delayed in mid-2017 due to lack of progress on outstanding reforms, including adjustment of gas tariffs to import parity levels and adoption of legislation establishing an independent anti-corruption court.   Russia’s occupation of Crimea in March 2014 and ongoing Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine have hurt economic growth. With the loss of a major portion of Ukraine’s heavy industry in Donbas and ongoing violence, the economy contracted by 6.6% in 2014 and by 9.8% in 2015, but it returned to low growth in in 2016 and 2017, reaching 2.3% and 2.0%, respectively, as key reforms took hold. Ukraine also redirected trade activity towards the EU following the implementation of a bilateral Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, displacing Russia as its largest trading partner. A prohibition on commercial trade with separatist-controlled territories in early 2017 has not impacted Ukraine’s key industrial sectors as much as expected, largely because of favorable external conditions. Ukraine returned to international debt markets in September 2017, issuing a $3 billion sovereign bond." + "text": "After Russia, the Ukrainian Republic was the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil accounted for more than one fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied unique equipment such as large diameter pipes and vertical drilling apparatus, and raw materials to industrial and mining sites in other regions of the former USSR. ++   ++ Shortly after independence in August 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of the 1991 level. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms to foster economic growth. Ukrainian Government officials eliminated most tax and customs privileges in a March 2005 budget law, bringing more economic activity out of Ukraine's large shadow economy. From 2000 until mid-2008, Ukraine's economy was buoyant despite political turmoil between the prime minister and president. The economy contracted nearly 15% in 2009, among the worst economic performances in the world. In April 2010, Ukraine negotiated a price discount on Russian gas imports in exchange for extending Russia's lease on its naval base in Crimea. ++   ++ Ukraine's oligarch-dominated economy grew slowly from 2010 to 2013 but remained behind peers in the region and among Europe's poorest. After former President YANUKOVYCH fled the country during the Revolution of Dignity, Ukraine's economy fell into crisis because of Russia's annexation of Crimea, military conflict in the eastern part of the country, and a trade war with Russia, resulting in a 17% decline in GDP, inflation at nearly 60%, and dwindling foreign currency reserves. The international community began efforts to stabilize the Ukrainian economy, including a March 2014 IMF assistance package of $17.5 billion, of which Ukraine has received four disbursements, most recently in April 2017, bringing the total disbursed as of that date to approximately $8.4 billion. Ukraine has made progress on reforms designed to make the country prosperous, democratic, and transparent, including creation of a national anti-corruption agency, overhaul of the banking sector, establishment of a transparent VAT refund system, and increased transparency in government procurement. But more improvements are needed, including fighting corruption, developing capital markets, improving the business environment to attract foreign investment, privatizing state-owned enterprises, and land reform. The fifth tranche of the IMF program, valued at $1.9 billion, was delayed in mid-2017 due to lack of progress on outstanding reforms, including adjustment of gas tariffs to import parity levels and adoption of legislation establishing an independent anti-corruption court. ++   ++ Russia's occupation of Crimea in March 2014 and ongoing Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine have hurt economic growth. With the loss of a major portion of Ukraine's heavy industry in Donbas and ongoing violence, the economy contracted by 6.6% in 2014 and by 9.8% in 2015, but it returned to low growth in in 2016 and 2017, reaching 2.3% and 2.0%, respectively, as key reforms took hold. Ukraine also redirected trade activity towards the EU following the implementation of a bilateral Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, displacing Russia as its largest trading partner. A prohibition on commercial trade with separatist-controlled territories in early 2017 has not impacted Ukraine's key industrial sectors as much as expected, largely because of favorable external conditions. Ukraine returned to international debt markets in September 2017, issuing a $3 billion sovereign bond." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$369.6 billion (2017 est.) / $360.5 billion (2016 est.) / $351.9 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -803,7 +797,7 @@ } }, "Broadcast media": { - "text": "Ukraine’s media landscape is dominated by oligarch-owned news outlets, which are often politically motivated and at odds with one another and/or the government; while polls suggest most Ukrainians still receive news from traditional media sources, social media is a crucial component of information dissemination in Ukraine; almost all Ukrainian politicians and opinion leaders communicate with the public via social media and maintain at least one social media page, if not more; this allows them direct communication with audiences, and news often breaks on Facebook or Twitter before being picked up by traditional news outlets Ukraine television serves as the principal source of news; the largest national networks are controlled by oligarchs: TRK Ukraina is owned by Rinat Akhmetov; Studio 1+1 is owned by Ihor Kolomoyskyy; Inter is owned by Dmytro Firtash and Serhiy Lyovochkin; and StarlightMedia channels (ICTV, STB, and Novyi Kanal) are owned by Victor Pinchuk;  a set of 24-hour news channels also have clear political affiliations: 112-Ukraine and NewsOne tacitly support pro-Russian opposition and are believed to be controlled by political and business tycoon Viktor Medvedchuk; pro-Ukrainian government Channel 5 and Pryamyi are linked to President Petro Poroshenko; 24 and ZIK are owned by opposition, but not pro-Russian, politicians; UA: Suspilne is a public television station under the umbrella of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine; while it is often praised by media experts for balanced coverage, it lags in popularity; Ukrainian Radio, institutionally linked to UA: Suspilne, is one of only two national talk radio networks, with the other being the privately owned Radio NV (2019)" + "text": "Ukraine's media landscape is dominated by oligarch-owned news outlets, which are often politically motivated and at odds with one another and/or the government; while polls suggest most Ukrainians still receive news from traditional media sources, social media is a crucial component of information dissemination in Ukraine; almost all Ukrainian politicians and opinion leaders communicate with the public via social media and maintain at least one social media page, if not more; this allows them direct communication with audiences, and news often breaks on Facebook or Twitter before being picked up by traditional news outlets ++ Ukraine television serves as the principal source of news; the largest national networks are controlled by oligarchs: TRK Ukraina is owned by Rinat Akhmetov; Studio 1+1 is owned by Ihor Kolomoyskyy; Inter is owned by Dmytro Firtash and Serhiy Lyovochkin; and StarlightMedia channels (ICTV, STB, and Novyi Kanal) are owned by Victor Pinchuk;  a set of 24-hour news channels also have clear political affiliations: 112-Ukraine and NewsOne tacitly support pro-Russian opposition and are believed to be controlled by political and business tycoon Viktor Medvedchuk; pro-Ukrainian government Channel 5 and Pryamyi are linked to President Petro Poroshenko; 24 and ZIK are owned by opposition, but not pro-Russian, politicians; UA: Suspilne is a public television station under the umbrella of the National Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine; while it is often praised by media experts for balanced coverage, it lags in popularity; Ukrainian Radio, institutionally linked to UA: Suspilne, is one of only two national talk radio networks, with the other being the privately owned Radio NV (2019)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".ua" @@ -930,7 +924,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Armed Forces of Ukraine (Zbroyni Syly Ukrayiny, ZSU): Ground Forces (Sukhoputni Viys’ka), Naval Forces (Viys’kovo-Mors’ki Syly, VMS), Air Forces (Povitryani Syly, PS), Air Assault Forces (Desantno-shturmovi Viyska, DShV);  Ministry of Internal Affairs: National Guard of Ukraine, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (includes Maritime Border Guard) (2020)" + "text": "Armed Forces of Ukraine (Zbroyni Syly Ukrayiny, ZSU): Ground Forces (Sukhoputni Viys'ka), Naval Forces (Viys'kovo-Mors'ki Syly, VMS), Air Forces (Povitryani Syly, PS), Air Assault Forces (Desantno-shturmovi Viyska, DShV);  Ministry of Internal Affairs: National Guard of Ukraine, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (includes Maritime Border Guard) (2020)" }, "Military expenditures": { "text": "3.9% of GDP (2019) / 3.7% of GDP (2018) / 2.9% of GDP (2017) / 3.2% of GDP (2016) / 3.3% of GDP (2015)" @@ -965,7 +959,7 @@ "text": "Ukraine is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Ukrainian victims are sex trafficked within Ukraine as well as in Russia, Poland, Iraq, Spain, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Seychelles, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Israel, Italy, South Korea, Moldova, China, the United Arab Emirates, Montenegro, UK, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, and other countries; small numbers of foreigners from Moldova, Russia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Cameroon, and Azerbaijan were victims of labor trafficking in Ukraine; Ukrainian recruiters most often target Ukrainians from rural areas with limited job prospects using fraud, coercion, and debt bondage" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Ukraine does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government’s focus on its security situation constrained its anti-trafficking capabilities; law enforcement efforts to pursue trafficking cases weakened in 2014, continuing a multi-year decline, and no investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government officials were made, despite reports of official complicity in the sex and labor trafficking of children living in state-run institutions; fewer victims were identified and referred to NGOs, which continued to provide and to fund the majority of victims’ services (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Ukraine does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government's focus on its security situation constrained its anti-trafficking capabilities; law enforcement efforts to pursue trafficking cases weakened in 2014, continuing a multi-year decline, and no investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government officials were made, despite reports of official complicity in the sex and labor trafficking of children living in state-run institutions; fewer victims were identified and referred to NGOs, which continued to provide and to fund the majority of victims' services (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/europe/vt.json b/europe/vt.json index 55995f15..8fed208c 100644 --- a/europe/vt.json +++ b/europe/vt.json @@ -129,8 +129,11 @@ "text": "1,000 VATICAN CITY (capital) (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -320,7 +323,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The Holy See is supported financially by a variety of sources, including investments, real estate income, and donations from Catholic individuals, dioceses, and institutions; these help fund the Roman Curia (Vatican bureaucracy), diplomatic missions, and media outlets. Moreover, an annual collection taken up in dioceses and from direct donations go to a non-budgetary fund, known as Peter's Pence, which is used directly by the pope for charity, disaster relief, and aid to churches in developing nations. The separate Vatican City State budget includes the Vatican museums and post office and is supported financially by the sale of stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos as well as fees for admission to museums and publication sales. Revenues increased between 2010 and 2011 because of expanded operating hours and a growing number of visitors. However, the Holy See did not escape the financial difficulties experienced by other European countries; in 2012, it started a spending review to determine where to cut costs to reverse its 2011 budget deficit of $20 million. The Holy See generated a modest surplus in 2012 before recording a $32 million deficit in 2013, driven primarily by the decreasing value of gold. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome so most public expenditures go to wages and other personnel costs;. In February 2014, Pope FRANCIS created the Secretariat of the Economy to oversee financial and administrative operations of the Holy See, part of a broader campaign to reform the Holy See’s finances." + "text": "The Holy See is supported financially by a variety of sources, including investments, real estate income, and donations from Catholic individuals, dioceses, and institutions; these help fund the Roman Curia (Vatican bureaucracy), diplomatic missions, and media outlets. Moreover, an annual collection taken up in dioceses and from direct donations go to a non-budgetary fund, known as Peter's Pence, which is used directly by the pope for charity, disaster relief, and aid to churches in developing nations. ++ The separate Vatican City State budget includes the Vatican museums and post office and is supported financially by the sale of stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos as well as fees for admission to museums and publication sales. Revenues increased between 2010 and 2011 because of expanded operating hours and a growing number of visitors. However, the Holy See did not escape the financial difficulties experienced by other European countries; in 2012, it started a spending review to determine where to cut costs to reverse its 2011 budget deficit of $20 million. The Holy See generated a modest surplus in 2012 before recording a $32 million deficit in 2013, driven primarily by the decreasing value of gold. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome so most public expenditures go to wages and other personnel costs;. In February 2014, Pope FRANCIS created the Secretariat of the Economy to oversee financial and administrative operations of the Holy See, part of a broader campaign to reform the Holy See's finances." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "note": { @@ -391,7 +394,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia); the Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City is a police force that helps augment the Pontifical Swiss Guard during the Pope’s appearances, as well as providing general security, traffic direction, and investigative duties for the Vatican City State (2019)" + "text": "Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia); the Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City is a police force that helps augment the Pontifical Swiss Guard during the Pope's appearances, as well as providing general security, traffic direction, and investigative duties for the Vatican City State (2019)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia): 19-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; must be Roman Catholic, a single male, and a Swiss citizen, with a secondary education (2019)" diff --git a/middle-east/ae.json b/middle-east/ae.json index 2e78968f..8036e645 100644 --- a/middle-east/ae.json +++ b/middle-east/ae.json @@ -258,8 +258,11 @@ "text": "1.73 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,8 +275,11 @@ "text": "1.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 98.6% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 1.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -448,7 +454,7 @@ "text": "judges appointed by the federal president following approval by the Federal Supreme Council, the highest executive and legislative authority consisting of the 7 emirate rulers; judges serve until retirement age or the expiry of their appointment terms" }, "subordinate courts": { - "text": "Federal Court of Cassation (determines the constitutionality of laws promulgated at the federal and emirate level; federal level courts of first instance and appeals courts); the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ra's al Khaymah have parallel court systems; the other 4 emirates have incorporated their courts into the federal system; note - the Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts and the Dubai International Financial Center Courts, the country’s two largest financial free zones, both adjudicate civil and commercial disputes." + "text": "Federal Court of Cassation (determines the constitutionality of laws promulgated at the federal and emirate level; federal level courts of first instance and appeals courts); the emirates of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ra's al Khaymah have parallel court systems; the other 4 emirates have incorporated their courts into the federal system; note - the Abu Dhabi Global Market Courts and the Dubai International Financial Center Courts, the country's two largest financial free zones, both adjudicate civil and commercial disputes." } }, "Political parties and leaders": { @@ -514,7 +520,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Successful efforts at economic diversification have reduced the portion of GDP from the oil and gas sector to 30%. Since the discovery of oil in the UAE nearly 60 years ago, the country has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up utilities to greater private sector involvement. The country's free trade zones - offering 100% foreign ownership and zero taxes - are helping to attract foreign investors. The global financial crisis of 2008-09, tight international credit, and deflated asset prices constricted the economy in 2009. UAE authorities tried to blunt the crisis by increasing spending and boosting liquidity in the banking sector. The crisis hit Dubai hardest, as it was heavily exposed to depressed real estate prices. Dubai lacked sufficient cash to meet its debt obligations, prompting global concern about its solvency and ultimately a $20 billion bailout from the UAE Central Bank and Abu Dhabi Government that was refinanced in March 2014. The UAE’s dependence on oil is a significant long-term challenge, although the UAE is one of the most diversified countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Low oil prices have prompted the UAE to cut expenditures, including on some social programs, but the UAE has sufficient assets in its sovereign investment funds to cover its deficits. The government reduced fuel subsidies in August 2015, and introduced excise taxes (50% on sweetened carbonated beverages and 100% on energy drinks and tobacco) in October 2017. A five-percent value-added tax was introduced in January 2018. The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on economic diversification, promoting the UAE as a global trade and tourism hub, developing industry, and creating more job opportunities for nationals through improved education and increased private sector employment." + "text": "The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Successful efforts at economic diversification have reduced the portion of GDP from the oil and gas sector to 30%. ++ Since the discovery of oil in the UAE nearly 60 years ago, the country has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up utilities to greater private sector involvement. The country's free trade zones - offering 100% foreign ownership and zero taxes - are helping to attract foreign investors. ++ The global financial crisis of 2008-09, tight international credit, and deflated asset prices constricted the economy in 2009. UAE authorities tried to blunt the crisis by increasing spending and boosting liquidity in the banking sector. The crisis hit Dubai hardest, as it was heavily exposed to depressed real estate prices. Dubai lacked sufficient cash to meet its debt obligations, prompting global concern about its solvency and ultimately a $20 billion bailout from the UAE Central Bank and Abu Dhabi Government that was refinanced in March 2014. ++ The UAE's dependence on oil is a significant long-term challenge, although the UAE is one of the most diversified countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Low oil prices have prompted the UAE to cut expenditures, including on some social programs, but the UAE has sufficient assets in its sovereign investment funds to cover its deficits. The government reduced fuel subsidies in August 2015, and introduced excise taxes (50% on sweetened carbonated beverages and 100% on energy drinks and tobacco) in October 2017. A five-percent value-added tax was introduced in January 2018. The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on economic diversification, promoting the UAE as a global trade and tourism hub, developing industry, and creating more job opportunities for nationals through improved education and increased private sector employment." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$696 billion (2017 est.) / $690.5 billion (2016 est.) / $670.5 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/middle-east/aj.json b/middle-east/aj.json index 90e537b8..d4e14a4d 100644 --- a/middle-east/aj.json +++ b/middle-east/aj.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Azerbaijan - a secular nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Shia Muslim population - was briefly independent (from 1918 to 1920) following the collapse of the Russian Empire; it was subsequently incorporated into the Soviet Union for seven decades. Azerbaijan remains involved in the protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia. Nagorno-Karabakh was a primarily ethnic Armenian region that Moscow recognized in 1923 as an autonomous oblast within Soviet Azerbaijan. In the late Soviet period, a separatist movement developed which sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 and escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By the time a ceasefire took effect in May 1994, separatists, with Armenian support, controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. The 1994 ceasefire continues to hold, although violence continues along the line of contact separating the opposing forces, as well as the Azerbaijan-Armenia international border. The final status of Nagorno-Karabakh remains the subject of international mediation by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, which works to help the sides settle the conflict peacefully. The OSCE Minsk Group is co‑chaired by the United States, France, and Russia. In the 25 years following its independence, Azerbaijan succeeded in significantly reducing the poverty rate and has directed revenues from its oil and gas production to develop the country’s infrastructure. However, corruption remains a problem, and the government has been accused of authoritarianism. The country’s leadership has remained in the Aliyev family since Heydar ALIYEV became president in 1993 and was succeeded by his son, President Ilham ALIYEV in 2003. Following two national referendums in the past several years that eliminated presidential term limits and extended presidential terms from 5 to 7 years, President ALIYEV secured a fourth term as president in April 2018 in an election that international observers noted had serious shortcomings. Reforms are underway to diversify the country’s non-oil economy and additional reforms are needed to address weaknesses in government institutions, particularly in the education and health sectors, and the court system." + "text": "Azerbaijan - a secular nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Shia Muslim population - was briefly independent (from 1918 to 1920) following the collapse of the Russian Empire; it was subsequently incorporated into the Soviet Union for seven decades. Azerbaijan remains involved in the protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia. Nagorno-Karabakh was a primarily ethnic Armenian region that Moscow recognized in 1923 as an autonomous oblast within Soviet Azerbaijan. In the late Soviet period, a separatist movement developed which sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 and escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By the time a ceasefire took effect in May 1994, separatists, with Armenian support, controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. The 1994 ceasefire continues to hold, although violence continues along the line of contact separating the opposing forces, as well as the Azerbaijan-Armenia international border. The final status of Nagorno-Karabakh remains the subject of international mediation by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, which works to help the sides settle the conflict peacefully. The OSCE Minsk Group is co‑chaired by the United States, France, and Russia. ++ In the 25 years following its independence, Azerbaijan succeeded in significantly reducing the poverty rate and has directed revenues from its oil and gas production to develop the country's infrastructure. However, corruption remains a problem, and the government has been accused of authoritarianism. The country's leadership has remained in the Aliyev family since Heydar ALIYEV became president in 1993 and was succeeded by his son, President Ilham ALIYEV in 2003. Following two national referendums in the past several years that eliminated presidential term limits and extended presidential terms from 5 to 7 years, President ALIYEV secured a fourth term as president in April 2018 in an election that international observers noted had serious shortcomings. Reforms are underway to diversify the country's non-oil economy and additional reforms are needed to address weaknesses in government institutions, particularly in the education and health sectors, and the court system." } }, "Geography": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "54.9% (2011)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 87.4% of population / total: 94.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "12.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "4.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 12.6% of population / total: 4.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "4.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 89.1% of population / total: 95.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "10.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "4.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 10.9% of population / total: 4.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -387,11 +381,11 @@ "text": "does not observe daylight savings time" }, "note": { - "text": "etymology: the name derives from the Persian designation of the city \"bad-kube\" meaning \"wind-pounded city\" and refers to the harsh winds and severe snow storms that can hit the city note: at approximately 28 m below sea level, Baku's elevation makes it the lowest capital city in the world" + "text": "etymology: the name derives from the Persian designation of the city \"bad-kube\" meaning \"wind-pounded city\" and refers to the harsh winds and severe snow storms that can hit the city ++ note: at approximately 28 m below sea level, Baku's elevation makes it the lowest capital city in the world" } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "66 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular); rayons: Abseron, Agcabadi, Agdam, Agdas, Agstafa, Agsu, Astara, Babak, Balakan, Barda, Beylaqan, Bilasuvar, Cabrayil, Calilabad, Culfa, Daskasan, Fuzuli, Gadabay, Goranboy, Goycay, Goygol, Haciqabul, Imisli, Ismayilli, Kalbacar, Kangarli, Kurdamir, Lacin, Lankaran, Lerik, Masalli, Neftcala, Oguz, Ordubad, Qabala, Qax, Qazax, Qobustan, Quba, Qubadli, Qusar, Saatli, Sabirabad, Sabran, Sadarak, Sahbuz, Saki, Salyan, Samaxi, Samkir, Samux, Sarur, Siyazan, Susa, Tartar, Tovuz, Ucar, Xacmaz, Xizi, Xocali, Xocavand, Yardimli, Yevlax, Zangilan, Zaqatala, Zardab cities: Baku, Ganca, Lankaran, Mingacevir, Naftalan, Naxcivan (Nakhichevan), Saki, Sirvan, Sumqayit, Xankandi, Yevlax" + "text": "66 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular); ++ rayons: Abseron, Agcabadi, Agdam, Agdas, Agstafa, Agsu, Astara, Babak, Balakan, Barda, Beylaqan, Bilasuvar, Cabrayil, Calilabad, Culfa, Daskasan, Fuzuli, Gadabay, Goranboy, Goycay, Goygol, Haciqabul, Imisli, Ismayilli, Kalbacar, Kangarli, Kurdamir, Lacin, Lankaran, Lerik, Masalli, Neftcala, Oguz, Ordubad, Qabala, Qax, Qazax, Qobustan, Quba, Qubadli, Qusar, Saatli, Sabirabad, Sabran, Sadarak, Sahbuz, Saki, Salyan, Samaxi, Samkir, Samux, Sarur, Siyazan, Susa, Tartar, Tovuz, Ucar, Xacmaz, Xizi, Xocali, Xocavand, Yardimli, Yevlax, Zangilan, Zaqatala, Zardab ++ cities: Baku, Ganca, Lankaran, Mingacevir, Naftalan, Naxcivan (Nakhichevan), Saki, Sirvan, Sumqayit, Xankandi, Yevlax" }, "Independence": { "text": "30 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 18 October 1991 (adopted by the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan)" @@ -473,7 +467,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Azerbaijan Democratic Enlightenment Party Civil Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLI]Civil Unity Party or CUP [Sabir HAJIYEV]Great Order PartyIslamic Party of Azerbaijan [Mavsum SAMADOV]Musavat [Arif HAJILI]Popular Front Party [Ali KARIMLI]Motherland Party or AVP [Fazail AGAMALI]National Renaissance PartyParty for Democratic Reforms (PDR)Social Democratic Party [Ayaz MUTALIBOV]Social Prosperity Party [Khanhusein KAZIMLI]Unity Party (VP) [Tahir KARIMLI]Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front Party [Gudrat HASANGULIYEV]Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party or YAP [President Ilham ALIYEV]" + "text": "Azerbaijan Democratic Enlightenment Party ++ Civil Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLI] ++ Civil Unity Party or CUP [Sabir HAJIYEV] ++ Great Order Party ++ Islamic Party of Azerbaijan [Mavsum SAMADOV] ++ Musavat [Arif HAJILI] ++ Popular Front Party [Ali KARIMLI] ++ Motherland Party or AVP [Fazail AGAMALI] ++ National Renaissance Party ++ Party for Democratic Reforms (PDR) ++ Social Democratic Party [Ayaz MUTALIBOV] ++ Social Prosperity Party [Khanhusein KAZIMLI] ++ Unity Party (VP) [Tahir KARIMLI] ++ Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front Party [Gudrat HASANGULIYEV] ++ Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party or YAP [President Ilham ALIYEV]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CICA, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -532,7 +526,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Prior to the decline in global oil prices since 2014, Azerbaijan's high economic growth was attributable to rising energy exports and to some non-export sectors. Oil exports through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline, the Baku-Novorossiysk, and the Baku-Supsa Pipelines remain the main economic driver, but efforts to boost Azerbaijan's gas production are underway. The expected completion of the geopolitically important Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) between Azerbaijan and Europe will open up another source of revenue from gas exports. First gas to Turkey through the SGC is expected in 2018 with project completion expected by 2020-21. Declining oil prices caused a 3.1% contraction in GDP in 2016, and a 0.8% decline in 2017, highlighted by a sharp reduction in the construction sector. The economic decline was accompanied by higher inflation, a weakened banking sector, and two sharp currency devaluations in 2015. Azerbaijan’s financial sector continued to struggle. In May 2017, Baku allowed the majority state-owed International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA), the nation’s largest bank, to default on some of its outstanding debt and file for restructuring in Azerbaijani courts; IBA also filed in US and UK bankruptcy courts to have its restructuring recognized in their respective jurisdictions. Azerbaijan has made limited progress with market-based economic reforms. Pervasive public and private sector corruption and structural economic inefficiencies remain a drag on long-term growth, particularly in non-energy sectors. The government has, however, made efforts to combat corruption, particularly in customs and government services. Several other obstacles impede Azerbaijan's economic progress, including the need for more foreign investment in the non-energy sector and the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. While trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics remains important, Azerbaijan has expanded trade with Turkey and Europe and is seeking new markets for non-oil/gas exports - mainly in the agricultural sector - with Gulf Cooperation Council member countries, the US, and others. It is also improving Baku airport and the Caspian Sea port of Alat for use as a regional transportation and logistics hub. Long-term prospects depend on world oil prices, Azerbaijan's ability to develop export routes for its growing gas production, and its ability to improve the business environment and diversify the economy. In late 2016, the president approved a strategic roadmap for economic reforms that identified key non-energy segments of the economy for development, such as agriculture, logistics, information technology, and tourism. In October 2017, the long-awaited Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, stretching from the Azerbaijani capital to Kars in north-eastern Turkey, began limited service." + "text": "Prior to the decline in global oil prices since 2014, Azerbaijan's high economic growth was attributable to rising energy exports and to some non-export sectors. Oil exports through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline, the Baku-Novorossiysk, and the Baku-Supsa Pipelines remain the main economic driver, but efforts to boost Azerbaijan's gas production are underway. The expected completion of the geopolitically important Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) between Azerbaijan and Europe will open up another source of revenue from gas exports. First gas to Turkey through the SGC is expected in 2018 with project completion expected by 2020-21. ++ Declining oil prices caused a 3.1% contraction in GDP in 2016, and a 0.8% decline in 2017, highlighted by a sharp reduction in the construction sector. The economic decline was accompanied by higher inflation, a weakened banking sector, and two sharp currency devaluations in 2015. Azerbaijan's financial sector continued to struggle. In May 2017, Baku allowed the majority state-owed International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA), the nation's largest bank, to default on some of its outstanding debt and file for restructuring in Azerbaijani courts; IBA also filed in US and UK bankruptcy courts to have its restructuring recognized in their respective jurisdictions. ++ Azerbaijan has made limited progress with market-based economic reforms. Pervasive public and private sector corruption and structural economic inefficiencies remain a drag on long-term growth, particularly in non-energy sectors. The government has, however, made efforts to combat corruption, particularly in customs and government services. Several other obstacles impede Azerbaijan's economic progress, including the need for more foreign investment in the non-energy sector and the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. While trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics remains important, Azerbaijan has expanded trade with Turkey and Europe and is seeking new markets for non-oil/gas exports - mainly in the agricultural sector - with Gulf Cooperation Council member countries, the US, and others. It is also improving Baku airport and the Caspian Sea port of Alat for use as a regional transportation and logistics hub. ++ Long-term prospects depend on world oil prices, Azerbaijan's ability to develop export routes for its growing gas production, and its ability to improve the business environment and diversify the economy. In late 2016, the president approved a strategic roadmap for economic reforms that identified key non-energy segments of the economy for development, such as agriculture, logistics, information technology, and tourism. In October 2017, the long-awaited Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, stretching from the Azerbaijani capital to Kars in north-eastern Turkey, began limited service." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$172.2 billion (2017 est.) / $172.1 billion (2016 est.) / $177.6 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/middle-east/am.json b/middle-east/am.json index f8ae1101..8bef8ee6 100644 --- a/middle-east/am.json +++ b/middle-east/am.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. During World War I in the western portion of Armenia, the Ottoman Empire instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh practices that resulted in at least 1 million Armenian deaths. The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in 1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but was conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. Armenia remains involved in the protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh was a primarily ethnic Armenian region that Moscow recognized in 1923 as an autonomous oblast within Soviet Azerbaijan. In the late Soviet period, a separatist movement developed which sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 and escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By the time a ceasefire took effect in May 1994, separatists, with Armenian support, controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. The 1994 ceasefire continues to hold, although violence continues along the line of contact separating the opposing forces, as well as the Armenia-Azerbaijan international border. The final status of Nagorno-Karabakh remains the subject of international mediation by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, which works to help the sides settle the conflict peacefully. The OSCE Minsk Group is co‑chaired by the US, France, and Russia. Turkey closed the common border with Armenia in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia over control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas, further hampering Armenian economic growth. In 2009, Armenia and Turkey signed Protocols normalizing relations between the two countries, but neither country ratified the Protocols, and Armenia officially withdrew from the Protocols in March 2018. In 2015, Armenia joined the Eurasian Economic Union alongside Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. In November 2017, Armenia signed a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the EU. In spring 2018, Serzh SARGSIAN of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) stepped down and Civil Contract party leader Nikol PASHINYAN became prime minister." + "text": "Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. During World War I in the western portion of Armenia, the Ottoman Empire instituted a policy of forced resettlement coupled with other harsh practices that resulted in at least 1 million Armenian deaths. The eastern area of Armenia was ceded by the Ottomans to Russia in 1828; this portion declared its independence in 1918, but was conquered by the Soviet Red Army in 1920. ++ Armenia remains involved in the protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh was a primarily ethnic Armenian region that Moscow recognized in 1923 as an autonomous oblast within Soviet Azerbaijan. In the late Soviet period, a separatist movement developed which sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 and escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By the time a ceasefire took effect in May 1994, separatists, with Armenian support, controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. The 1994 ceasefire continues to hold, although violence continues along the line of contact separating the opposing forces, as well as the Armenia-Azerbaijan international border. The final status of Nagorno-Karabakh remains the subject of international mediation by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, which works to help the sides settle the conflict peacefully. The OSCE Minsk Group is co‑chaired by the US, France, and Russia. ++ Turkey closed the common border with Armenia in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia over control of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas, further hampering Armenian economic growth. In 2009, Armenia and Turkey signed Protocols normalizing relations between the two countries, but neither country ratified the Protocols, and Armenia officially withdrew from the Protocols in March 2018. In 2015, Armenia joined the Eurasian Economic Union alongside Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. In November 2017, Armenia signed a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the EU. In spring 2018, Serzh SARGSIAN of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) stepped down and Civil Contract party leader Nikol PASHINYAN became prime minister." } }, "Geography": { @@ -252,14 +252,11 @@ "text": "57.1% (2015/16)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "4.2 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 84.5% of population / total: 93.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "15.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "6.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 15.5% of population / total: 6.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -458,7 +452,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Armenian National Congress or ANC (bloc of independent and opposition parties) [Levon TER-PETROSSIAN]Armenian Revolutionary Federation or ARF (\"Dashnak\" Party) [Hakob TER-KHACHATURYAN]Bright Armenia [Edmon MARUKYAN]Citizen's Decision [Suren SAHAKYAN] Civil Contract [Nikol PASHINYAN]Free Democrats [Khachatur KOKOBELYAN]Heritage Party [Raffi HOVANNISIAN]Prosperous Armenia or BHK [Gagik TSARUKYAN]Republic [Aram SARGSYAN]Republican Party of Armenia or RPA [Serzh SARGSIAN]Rule of Law Party (Orinats Yerkir) or OEK [Artur BAGHDASARIAN]Sasna Tser [Varuzhan AVETISYAN]" + "text": "Armenian National Congress or ANC (bloc of independent and opposition parties) [Levon TER-PETROSSIAN] ++ Armenian Revolutionary Federation or ARF (\"Dashnak\" Party) [Hakob TER-KHACHATURYAN] ++ Bright Armenia [Edmon MARUKYAN] ++ Citizen's Decision [Suren SAHAKYAN] ++ Civil Contract [Nikol PASHINYAN] ++ Free Democrats [Khachatur KOKOBELYAN] ++ Heritage Party [Raffi HOVANNISIAN] ++ Prosperous Armenia or BHK [Gagik TSARUKYAN] ++ Republic [Aram SARGSYAN] ++ Republican Party of Armenia or RPA [Serzh SARGSIAN] ++ Rule of Law Party (Orinats Yerkir) or OEK [Artur BAGHDASARIAN] ++ Sasna Tser [Varuzhan AVETISYAN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CIS, CSTO, EAEC (observer), EAEU, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -517,7 +511,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics, in exchange for raw materials and energy. Armenia has since switched to small-scale agriculture and away from the large agro industrial complexes of the Soviet era. Armenia has only two open trade borders - Iran and Georgia - because its borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey have been closed since 1991 and 1993, respectively, as a result of Armenia's ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region. Armenia joined the World Trade Organization in January 2003. The government has made some improvements in tax and customs administration in recent years, but anti-corruption measures have been largely ineffective. Armenia will need to pursue additional economic reforms and strengthen the rule of law in order to raise its economic growth and improve economic competitiveness and employment opportunities, especially given its economic isolation from Turkey and Azerbaijan. Armenia's geographic isolation, a narrow export base, and pervasive monopolies in important business sectors have made it particularly vulnerable to volatility in the global commodity markets and the economic challenges in Russia. Armenia is particularly dependent on Russian commercial and governmental support, as most key Armenian infrastructure is Russian-owned and/or managed, especially in the energy sector. Remittances from expatriates working in Russia are equivalent to about 12-14% of GDP. Armenia joined the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union in January 2015, but has remained interested in pursuing closer ties with the EU as well, signing a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the EU in November 2017. Armenia’s rising government debt is leading Yerevan to tighten its fiscal policies – the amount is approaching the debt to GDP ratio threshold set by national legislation." + "text": "Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics, in exchange for raw materials and energy. Armenia has since switched to small-scale agriculture and away from the large agro industrial complexes of the Soviet era. Armenia has only two open trade borders - Iran and Georgia - because its borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey have been closed since 1991 and 1993, respectively, as a result of Armenia's ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region. ++ Armenia joined the World Trade Organization in January 2003. The government has made some improvements in tax and customs administration in recent years, but anti-corruption measures have been largely ineffective. Armenia will need to pursue additional economic reforms and strengthen the rule of law in order to raise its economic growth and improve economic competitiveness and employment opportunities, especially given its economic isolation from Turkey and Azerbaijan. ++ Armenia's geographic isolation, a narrow export base, and pervasive monopolies in important business sectors have made it particularly vulnerable to volatility in the global commodity markets and the economic challenges in Russia. Armenia is particularly dependent on Russian commercial and governmental support, as most key Armenian infrastructure is Russian-owned and/or managed, especially in the energy sector. Remittances from expatriates working in Russia are equivalent to about 12-14% of GDP. Armenia joined the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union in January 2015, but has remained interested in pursuing closer ties with the EU as well, signing a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement with the EU in November 2017. Armenia's rising government debt is leading Yerevan to tighten its fiscal policies – the amount is approaching the debt to GDP ratio threshold set by national legislation." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$28.34 billion (2017 est.) / $26.37 billion (2016 est.) / $26.3 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -770,7 +764,7 @@ } }, "Broadcast media": { - "text": "Armenia’s government-run Public Television network operates alongside 100 privately owned TV stations that provide local to near nationwide coverage; three Russian TV companies are broadcast in Armenia under interstate agreements; subscription cable TV services are available in most regions; several major international broadcasters are available, including CNN; Armenian TV completed conversion from analog to digital broadcasting in late 2016; Public Radio of Armenia is a national, state-run broadcast network that operates alongside 18 privately owned radio stations (2019)" + "text": "Armenia's government-run Public Television network operates alongside 100 privately owned TV stations that provide local to near nationwide coverage; three Russian TV companies are broadcast in Armenia under interstate agreements; subscription cable TV services are available in most regions; several major international broadcasters are available, including CNN; Armenian TV completed conversion from analog to digital broadcasting in late 2016; Public Radio of Armenia is a national, state-run broadcast network that operates alongside 18 privately owned radio stations (2019)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".am" diff --git a/middle-east/ba.json b/middle-east/ba.json index fad1f102..359a63dd 100644 --- a/middle-east/ba.json +++ b/middle-east/ba.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "In 1783, the Sunni Al-Khalifa family took power in Bahrain. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors. It has also endeavored to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size, central location among Gulf countries, economic dependence on Saudi Arabia, and proximity to Iran require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Its foreign policy activities usually fall in line with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The Sunni royal family has long struggled to manage relations with its large Shia-majority population. In early 2011, amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region, the Bahraini Government confronted similar pro-democracy and reform protests at home with police and military action, including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces to Bahrain. Failed political talks prompted opposition political societies to boycott 2014 legislative and municipal council elections. In 2018, a law preventing members of political societies dissolved by the courts from participating in elections effectively sidelined the majority of opposition figures from taking part in national elections. As a result, most members of parliament are independents. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo continues to factor into sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces. On 15 September 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed a peace accord with Israel – brokered by the US – in Washington DC. Referred to as the Abraham Accords, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates are the two latest Middle Eastern countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, to recognize Israel." + "text": "In 1783, the Sunni Al-Khalifa family took power in Bahrain. In order to secure these holdings, it entered into a series of treaties with the UK during the 19th century that made Bahrain a British protectorate. The archipelago attained its independence in 1971. A steady decline in oil production and reserves since 1970 prompted Bahrain to take steps to diversify its economy, in the process developing petroleum processing and refining, aluminum production, and hospitality and retail sectors. It has also endeavored to become a leading regional banking center, especially with respect to Islamic finance. Bahrain's small size, central location among Gulf countries, economic dependence on Saudi Arabia, and proximity to Iran require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign affairs among its larger neighbors. Its foreign policy activities usually fall in line with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. ++ The Sunni royal family has long struggled to manage relations with its large Shia-majority population. In early 2011, amid Arab uprisings elsewhere in the region, the Bahraini Government confronted similar pro-democracy and reform protests at home with police and military action, including deploying Gulf Cooperation Council security forces to Bahrain. Failed political talks prompted opposition political societies to boycott 2014 legislative and municipal council elections. In 2018, a law preventing members of political societies dissolved by the courts from participating in elections effectively sidelined the majority of opposition figures from taking part in national elections. As a result, most members of parliament are independents. Ongoing dissatisfaction with the political status quo continues to factor into sporadic clashes between demonstrators and security forces. On 15 September 2020, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates signed a peace accord with Israel – brokered by the US – in Washington DC. Referred to as the Abraham Accords, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates are the two latest Middle Eastern countries, along with Egypt and Jordan, to recognize Israel." } }, "Geography": { @@ -244,8 +244,11 @@ "text": "1.69 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -258,8 +261,11 @@ "text": "1.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -411,13 +417,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Assembly consists of:Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (40 seats; members appointed by the king)Council of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwab (40 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year renewable terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Assembly consists of: Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (40 seats; members appointed by the king) ++ Council of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwab (40 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 4-year renewable terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Consultative Council - last appointments on 12 December 2018 (next NA)Council of Representatives - first round for 9 members held on 24 November 2018; second round for remaining 31 members held on 1 December 2018 (next to be held in 2022)" + "text": "Consultative Council - last appointments on 12 December 2018 (next NA) ++ Council of Representatives - first round for 9 members held on 24 November 2018; second round for remaining 31 members held on 1 December 2018 (next to be held in 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Consultative Council - composition - men 31, women 9, percent of women 22.5%Council of Representatives (for 2018 election)  - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - Islamic Al-Asalah (Sunni Salafi) 3, Minbar al-Taqadumi (Communist) 2, National Unity Gathering (Sunni progovernment) 1, National Islamic Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 1, independent 33; composition - men 34, women 6, percent of women 15%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 19%" + "text": "Consultative Council - composition - men 31, women 9, percent of women 22.5% ++ Council of Representatives (for 2018 election)  - percent of vote by society - NA; seats by society - Islamic Al-Asalah (Sunni Salafi) 3, Minbar al-Taqadumi (Communist) 2, National Unity Gathering (Sunni progovernment) 1, National Islamic Minbar (Sunni Muslim Brotherhood) 1, independent 33; composition - men 34, women 6, percent of women 15%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 19%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -470,7 +476,7 @@ "text": "Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama" }, "mailing address": { - "text": "PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100 international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama" + "text": "PSC 451, Box 660, FPO AE 09834-5100 ++ international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama" }, "FAX": { "text": "[973] 1727-2594" @@ -499,7 +505,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Oil and natural gas play a dominant role in Bahrain’s economy. Despite the Government’s past efforts to diversify the economy, oil still comprises 85% of Bahraini budget revenues. In the last few years lower world energy prices have generated sizable budget deficits - about 10% of GDP in 2017 alone. Bahrain has few options for covering these deficits, with low foreign assets and fewer oil resources compared to its GCC neighbors. The three major US credit agencies downgraded Bahrain’s sovereign debt rating to \"junk\" status in 2016, citing persistently low oil prices and the government’s high debt levels. Nevertheless, Bahrain was able to raise about $4 billion by issuing foreign currency denominated debt in 2017. Other major economic activities are production of aluminum - Bahrain's second biggest export after oil and gas –finance, and construction. Bahrain continues to seek new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. In April 2018 Bahrain announced it had found a significant oil field off the country’s west coast, but is still assessing how much of the oil can be extracted profitably. In addition to addressing its current fiscal woes, Bahraini authorities face the long-term challenge of boosting Bahrain’s regional competitiveness — especially regarding industry, finance, and tourism — and reconciling revenue constraints with popular pressure to maintain generous state subsidies and a large public sector. Since 2015, the government lifted subsidies on meat, diesel, kerosene, and gasoline and has begun to phase in higher prices for electricity and water. As part of its diversification plans, Bahrain implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US in August 2006, the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. It plans to introduce a Value Added Tax (VAT) by the end of 2018." + "text": "Oil and natural gas play a dominant role in Bahrain's economy. Despite the Government's past efforts to diversify the economy, oil still comprises 85% of Bahraini budget revenues. In the last few years lower world energy prices have generated sizable budget deficits - about 10% of GDP in 2017 alone. Bahrain has few options for covering these deficits, with low foreign assets and fewer oil resources compared to its GCC neighbors. The three major US credit agencies downgraded Bahrain's sovereign debt rating to \"junk\" status in 2016, citing persistently low oil prices and the government's high debt levels. Nevertheless, Bahrain was able to raise about $4 billion by issuing foreign currency denominated debt in 2017. ++ Other major economic activities are production of aluminum - Bahrain's second biggest export after oil and gas –finance, and construction. Bahrain continues to seek new natural gas supplies as feedstock to support its expanding petrochemical and aluminum industries. In April 2018 Bahrain announced it had found a significant oil field off the country's west coast, but is still assessing how much of the oil can be extracted profitably. ++ In addition to addressing its current fiscal woes, Bahraini authorities face the long-term challenge of boosting Bahrain's regional competitiveness — especially regarding industry, finance, and tourism — and reconciling revenue constraints with popular pressure to maintain generous state subsidies and a large public sector. Since 2015, the government lifted subsidies on meat, diesel, kerosene, and gasoline and has begun to phase in higher prices for electricity and water. As part of its diversification plans, Bahrain implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US in August 2006, the first FTA between the US and a Gulf state. It plans to introduce a Value Added Tax (VAT) by the end of 2018." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$71.17 billion (2017 est.) / $68.59 billion (2016 est.) / $66.3 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -845,7 +851,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Bahrain Defense Force (BDF): Royal Bahraini Army (includes the Royal Guard), Royal Bahraini Navy, Royal Bahraini Air Force, Royal Bahraini Air Defense Force; Ministry of Interior security forces: National Guard, Special Security Forces Command (SSFC), Coast Guard (2019)", + "text": "Bahrain Defense Force (BDF): Royal Bahraini Army (includes the Royal Guard), Royal Bahraini Navy, Royal Bahraini Air Force, Royal Bahraini Air Defense Force; Ministry of Interior security forces: National Guard, Special Security Forces Command (SSFC), Coast Guard ++ (2019)", "note": { "text": "note: the Royal Guard is officially under the command of the Army, but exercises considerable autonomy" } diff --git a/middle-east/gg.json b/middle-east/gg.json index 6a1ddde9..9156d893 100644 --- a/middle-east/gg.json +++ b/middle-east/gg.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The region of present day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in the first centuries A.D., and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th-13th centuries) that was cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1921 and regained its independence when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Mounting public discontent over rampant corruption and ineffective government services, followed by an attempt by the incumbent Georgian Government to manipulate parliamentary elections in November 2003, touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. In the aftermath of that popular movement, which became known as the \"Rose Revolution,\" new elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his United National Movement (UNM) party. Progress on market reforms and democratization has been made in the years since independence, but this progress has been complicated by Russian assistance and support to the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Periodic flare-ups in tension and violence culminated in a five-day conflict in August 2008 between Russia and Georgia, including the invasion of large portions of undisputed Georgian territory. Russian troops pledged to pull back from most occupied Georgian territory, but in late August 2008 Russia unilaterally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Russian military forces remain in those regions. Billionaire Bidzina IVANISHVILI's unexpected entry into politics in October 2011 brought the divided opposition together under his Georgian Dream coalition, which won a majority of seats in the October 2012 parliamentary elections and removed UNM from power. Conceding defeat, SAAKASHVILI named IVANISHVILI as prime minister and allowed Georgian Dream to create a new government. Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI was inaugurated as president on 17 November 2013, ending a tense year of power-sharing between SAAKASHVILI and IVANISHVILI. At the time, these changes in leadership represented unique examples of a former Soviet state that emerged to conduct democratic and peaceful government transitions of power. IVANISHVILI voluntarily resigned from office after the presidential succession, and Georgia's legislature on 20 November 2013 confirmed Irakli GARIBASHVILI as his replacement. GARIBASHVILI was replaced by Giorgi KVIRIKASHVILI in December 2015. KVIRIKASHVILI remained prime minister following Georgian Dream’s success in the October 2016 parliamentary elections, where the party won a constitutional majority. IVANISHVILI reemerged as Georgian Dream party chairman in April 2018. KVIRIKASHVILI resigned in June 2018 and was replaced by Mamuka BAKHTADZE. In September 2019, BAKHTADZE resigned and Giorgi GAKHARIA was named the country's new head of government, Georgia's fifth prime minister in seven years. Popular and government support for integration with the West is high in Georgia. Joining the EU and NATO are among the country's top foreign policy goals." + "text": "The region of present day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in the first centuries A.D., and Christianity became the state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th-13th centuries) that was cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1921 and regained its independence when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. ++ Mounting public discontent over rampant corruption and ineffective government services, followed by an attempt by the incumbent Georgian Government to manipulate parliamentary elections in November 2003, touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. In the aftermath of that popular movement, which became known as the \"Rose Revolution,\" new elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his United National Movement (UNM) party. Progress on market reforms and democratization has been made in the years since independence, but this progress has been complicated by Russian assistance and support to the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Periodic flare-ups in tension and violence culminated in a five-day conflict in August 2008 between Russia and Georgia, including the invasion of large portions of undisputed Georgian territory. Russian troops pledged to pull back from most occupied Georgian territory, but in late August 2008 Russia unilaterally recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Russian military forces remain in those regions. ++ Billionaire Bidzina IVANISHVILI's unexpected entry into politics in October 2011 brought the divided opposition together under his Georgian Dream coalition, which won a majority of seats in the October 2012 parliamentary elections and removed UNM from power. Conceding defeat, SAAKASHVILI named IVANISHVILI as prime minister and allowed Georgian Dream to create a new government. Giorgi MARGVELASHVILI was inaugurated as president on 17 November 2013, ending a tense year of power-sharing between SAAKASHVILI and IVANISHVILI. At the time, these changes in leadership represented unique examples of a former Soviet state that emerged to conduct democratic and peaceful government transitions of power. IVANISHVILI voluntarily resigned from office after the presidential succession, and Georgia's legislature on 20 November 2013 confirmed Irakli GARIBASHVILI as his replacement. GARIBASHVILI was replaced by Giorgi KVIRIKASHVILI in December 2015. KVIRIKASHVILI remained prime minister following Georgian Dream's success in the October 2016 parliamentary elections, where the party won a constitutional majority. IVANISHVILI reemerged as Georgian Dream party chairman in April 2018. KVIRIKASHVILI resigned in June 2018 and was replaced by Mamuka BAKHTADZE. In September 2019, BAKHTADZE resigned and Giorgi GAKHARIA was named the country's new head of government, Georgia's fifth prime minister in seven years. Popular and government support for integration with the West is high in Georgia. Joining the EU and NATO are among the country's top foreign policy goals." } }, "Geography": { @@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them note 2: the world's four deepest caves are all in Georgia, including two that are the only known caves on earth deeper than 2,000 m: Krubera Cave at -2,197 m (-7,208 ft; reached in 2012) and Veryovkina Cave at -2,212 (-7,257 ft; reached in 2018)" + "text": "note 1: strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them ++ note 2: the world's four deepest caves are all in Georgia, including two that are the only known caves on earth deeper than 2,000 m: Krubera Cave at -2,197 m (-7,208 ft; reached in 2012) and Veryovkina Cave at -2,212 (-7,257 ft; reached in 2018)" } } }, @@ -266,14 +266,11 @@ "text": "40.6% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 96.2% of population / total: 98.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "3.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 3.8% of population / total: 1.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -286,14 +283,11 @@ "text": "2.9 beds/1,000 population (2014)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97% of population / rural: 82.7% of population / total: 91.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "17.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "8.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3% of population / rural: 17.3% of population / total: 8.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -390,9 +384,9 @@ } }, "Administrative divisions": { - "text": "9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 1 city (kalaki), and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika) regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli; note - the breakaway region of South Ossetia consists of the northern part of Shida Kartli, eastern slivers of the Imereti region and Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, and part of western Mtskheta-Mtianeti city: Tbilisi autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi)", + "text": "9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 1 city (kalaki), and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika) ++ regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta Mtianeti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli; note - the breakaway region of South Ossetia consists of the northern part of Shida Kartli, eastern slivers of the Imereti region and Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, and part of western Mtskheta-Mtianeti ++ city: Tbilisi ++ autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika (Bat'umi)", "note": { - "text": "note 1: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are shown in parentheses note 2: the United States recognizes the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to be part of Georgia" + "text": "note 1: the administrative centers of the two autonomous republics are shown in parentheses ++ note 2: the United States recognizes the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to be part of Georgia" } }, "Independence": { @@ -443,7 +437,7 @@ "text": "Cabinet of Ministers" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 November 2018 (next to be held in 2024); prime minister nominated by Parliament, appointed by the president note - 2017 constitutional amendments made the 2018 election the last where the president was directly elected; future presidents will be elected by a 300-member College of Electors; in light of these changes, ZOURABICHVILI was allowed a six-year term" + "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 November 2018 (next to be held in 2024); prime minister nominated by Parliament, appointed by the president ++ note - 2017 constitutional amendments made the 2018 election the last where the president was directly elected; future presidents will be elected by a 300-member College of Electors; in light of these changes, ZOURABICHVILI was allowed a six-year term" }, "election results": { "text": "Salome ZOURABICHVILI elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Salome ZOURABICHVILI (independent, backed by Georgian Dream) 59.5%, Grigol VASHADZE (UNM) 40.5%; Giorgi GAKHARIA approved as prime minister by Parliamentary vote 98-0" @@ -472,7 +466,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance of Patriots [Irma INASHVILI]Democratic Movement-United Georgia [Nino BURJANADZE]Development Movement [Davit USPASHVILI]European Georgia [Davit BAKRADZE] (split from UNM)For Justice Party [Eka BESELIA]Free Democrats or FD [Shalva SHAVGULIDZE]Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia [Bidzina IVANISHVILI]Girchi (Pinecone) [Zurab JAPARIDZE]Industry Will Save Georgia (Industrialists) or IWSG [Giorgi TOPADZE]Labor Party [Shalva NATELASHVILI]New Georgia [Giorgi VASHADZE]Republican Party [Khatuna SAMNIDZE]United National Movement or UNM [Grigol VASHADZE]" + "text": "Alliance of Patriots [Irma INASHVILI] ++ Democratic Movement-United Georgia [Nino BURJANADZE] ++ Development Movement [Davit USPASHVILI] ++ European Georgia [Davit BAKRADZE] (split from UNM) ++ For Justice Party [Eka BESELIA] ++ Free Democrats or FD [Shalva SHAVGULIDZE] ++ Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia [Bidzina IVANISHVILI] ++ Girchi (Pinecone) [Zurab JAPARIDZE] ++ Industry Will Save Georgia (Industrialists) or IWSG [Giorgi TOPADZE] ++ Labor Party [Shalva NATELASHVILI] ++ New Georgia [Giorgi VASHADZE] ++ Republican Party [Khatuna SAMNIDZE] ++ United National Movement or UNM [Grigol VASHADZE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CPLP (associate), EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-11, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -531,7 +525,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Georgia's main economic activities include cultivation of agricultural products such as grapes, citrus fruits, and hazelnuts; mining of manganese, copper, and gold; and producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals, machinery, and chemicals in small-scale industries. The country imports nearly all of its needed supplies of natural gas and oil products. It has sizeable hydropower capacity that now provides most of its electricity needs. Georgia has overcome the chronic energy shortages and gas supply interruptions of the past by renovating hydropower plants and by increasingly relying on natural gas imports from Azerbaijan instead of from Russia. Construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the South Caucasus gas pipeline, and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad are part of a strategy to capitalize on Georgia's strategic location between Europe and Asia and develop its role as a transit hub for gas, oil, and other goods. Georgia's economy sustained GDP growth of more than 10% in 2006-07, based on strong inflows of foreign investment, remittances, and robust government spending. However, GDP growth slowed following the August 2008 conflict with Russia, and sank to negative 4% in 2009 as foreign direct investment and workers' remittances declined in the wake of the global financial crisis. The economy rebounded in the period 2010-17, but FDI inflows, the engine of Georgian economic growth prior to the 2008 conflict, have not recovered fully. Unemployment remains persistently high. The country is pinning its hopes for faster growth on a continued effort to build up infrastructure, enhance support for entrepreneurship, simplify regulations, and improve professional education, in order to attract foreign investment and boost employment, with a focus on transportation projects, tourism, hydropower, and agriculture. Georgia had historically suffered from a chronic failure to collect tax revenues; however, since 2004 the government has simplified the tax code, increased tax enforcement, and cracked down on petty corruption, leading to higher revenues. The government has received high marks from the World Bank for improvements in business transparency. Since 2012, the Georgian Dream-led government has continued the previous administration's low-regulation, low-tax, free market policies, while modestly increasing social spending and amending the labor code to comply with International Labor Standards. In mid-2014, Georgia concluded an association agreement with the EU, paving the way to free trade and visa-free travel. In 2017, Georgia signed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China as part of Tbilisi’s efforts to diversify its economic ties. Georgia is seeking to develop its Black Sea ports to further facilitate East-West trade." + "text": "Georgia's main economic activities include cultivation of agricultural products such as grapes, citrus fruits, and hazelnuts; mining of manganese, copper, and gold; and producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, metals, machinery, and chemicals in small-scale industries. The country imports nearly all of its needed supplies of natural gas and oil products. It has sizeable hydropower capacity that now provides most of its electricity needs. ++ Georgia has overcome the chronic energy shortages and gas supply interruptions of the past by renovating hydropower plants and by increasingly relying on natural gas imports from Azerbaijan instead of from Russia. Construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the South Caucasus gas pipeline, and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad are part of a strategy to capitalize on Georgia's strategic location between Europe and Asia and develop its role as a transit hub for gas, oil, and other goods. ++ Georgia's economy sustained GDP growth of more than 10% in 2006-07, based on strong inflows of foreign investment, remittances, and robust government spending. However, GDP growth slowed following the August 2008 conflict with Russia, and sank to negative 4% in 2009 as foreign direct investment and workers' remittances declined in the wake of the global financial crisis. The economy rebounded in the period 2010-17, but FDI inflows, the engine of Georgian economic growth prior to the 2008 conflict, have not recovered fully. Unemployment remains persistently high. ++ The country is pinning its hopes for faster growth on a continued effort to build up infrastructure, enhance support for entrepreneurship, simplify regulations, and improve professional education, in order to attract foreign investment and boost employment, with a focus on transportation projects, tourism, hydropower, and agriculture. Georgia had historically suffered from a chronic failure to collect tax revenues; however, since 2004 the government has simplified the tax code, increased tax enforcement, and cracked down on petty corruption, leading to higher revenues. The government has received high marks from the World Bank for improvements in business transparency. Since 2012, the Georgian Dream-led government has continued the previous administration's low-regulation, low-tax, free market policies, while modestly increasing social spending and amending the labor code to comply with International Labor Standards. In mid-2014, Georgia concluded an association agreement with the EU, paving the way to free trade and visa-free travel. In 2017, Georgia signed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China as part of Tbilisi's efforts to diversify its economic ties. Georgia is seeking to develop its Black Sea ports to further facilitate East-West trade." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$39.85 billion (2017 est.) / $37.96 billion (2016 est.) / $36.91 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/middle-east/gz.json b/middle-east/gz.json index 5ff6a821..d1f3b9d8 100644 --- a/middle-east/gz.json +++ b/middle-east/gz.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the Gaza Strip has been dominated by many different peoples and empires throughout its history; it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. The Gaza Strip fell to British forces during World War I, becoming a part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Egypt administered the newly formed Gaza Strip; Israel captured it in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under a series of agreements known as the Oslo accords signed between 1993 and 1999, Israel transferred to the newly-created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for many Palestinian-populated areas of the Gaza Strip as well as the West Bank. In 2000, a violent intifada or uprising began, and in 2001 negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West bank and Gaza Strip stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel by late 2005 unilaterally withdrew all of its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip, but it continues to control the Gaza Strip’s land and maritime borders and airspace. In early 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council election. Attempts to form a unity government between Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed, leading to violent clashes between their respective supporters and HAMAS's violent seizure of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in June 2007. Since HAMAS’s takeover, Israel and Egypt have enforced tight restrictions on movement and access of goods and individuals into and out of the territory. Fatah and HAMAS have since reached a series of agreements aimed at restoring political unity between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank but have struggled to enact them; a reconciliation agreement signed in October 2017 remains unimplemented. In July 2014, HAMAS and other Gaza-based militant groups engaged in a 51-day conflict with Israel culminating in late August with an open-ended truce. Since 2014, Palestinian militants and the Israel Defense Forces have exchanged projectiles and air strikes respectively, sometimes lasting multiple days and resulting in multiple deaths on both sides. Egypt, Qatar, and the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process have negotiated multiple ceasefires to avert a broader conflict. Since March 2018, HAMAS has coordinated weekly demonstrations along the Gaza security fence, many of which have turned violent, resulting in one Israeli soldier death and several Israeli soldier injuries as well as more than 200 Palestinian deaths and thousands of injuries." + "text": "Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the Gaza Strip has been dominated by many different peoples and empires throughout its history; it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. The Gaza Strip fell to British forces during World War I, becoming a part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Egypt administered the newly formed Gaza Strip; Israel captured it in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under a series of agreements known as the Oslo accords signed between 1993 and 1999, Israel transferred to the newly-created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for many Palestinian-populated areas of the Gaza Strip as well as the West Bank. In 2000, a violent intifada or uprising began, and in 2001 negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West bank and Gaza Strip stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. ++ Israel by late 2005 unilaterally withdrew all of its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in the Gaza Strip, but it continues to control the Gaza Strip's land and maritime borders and airspace. In early 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council election. Attempts to form a unity government between Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed, leading to violent clashes between their respective supporters and HAMAS's violent seizure of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in June 2007. Since HAMAS's takeover, Israel and Egypt have enforced tight restrictions on movement and access of goods and individuals into and out of the territory. Fatah and HAMAS have since reached a series of agreements aimed at restoring political unity between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank but have struggled to enact them; a reconciliation agreement signed in October 2017 remains unimplemented. ++ In July 2014, HAMAS and other Gaza-based militant groups engaged in a 51-day conflict with Israel culminating in late August with an open-ended truce. Since 2014, Palestinian militants and the Israel Defense Forces have exchanged projectiles and air strikes respectively, sometimes lasting multiple days and resulting in multiple deaths on both sides. Egypt, Qatar, and the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process have negotiated multiple ceasefires to avert a broader conflict. Since March 2018, HAMAS has coordinated weekly demonstrations along the Gaza security fence, many of which have turned violent, resulting in one Israeli soldier death and several Israeli soldier injuries as well as more than 200 Palestinian deaths and thousands of injuries." } }, "Geography": { @@ -233,14 +233,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.1% of population / rural: 97.1% of population / total: 96.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "2.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "3.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.9% of population / rural: 2.9% of population / total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)" }, "note": { "text": "note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank" @@ -253,14 +250,11 @@ "text": "1.3 beds/1,000 population (2018)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 99.3% of population / total: 99.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0.7% of population / total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.)" }, "note": { "text": "note: note includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank" @@ -354,7 +348,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Movement and access restrictions, violent attacks, and the slow pace of post-conflict reconstruction continue to degrade economic conditions in the Gaza Strip, the smaller of the two areas comprising the Palestinian territories. Israeli controls became more restrictive after HAMAS seized control of the territory in June 2007. Under Hamas control, Gaza has suffered from rising unemployment, elevated poverty rates, and a sharp contraction of the private sector, which had relied primarily on export markets. Since April 2017, the Palestinian Authority has reduced payments for electricity supplied to Gaza and cut salaries for its employees there, exacerbating poor economic conditions. Since 2014, Egypt’s crackdown on the Gaza Strip’s extensive tunnel-based smuggling network has exacerbated fuel, construction material, and consumer goods shortages in the territory. Donor support for reconstruction following the 51-day conflict in 2014 between Israel and HAMAS and other Gaza-based militant groups has fallen short of post-conflict needs." + "text": "Movement and access restrictions, violent attacks, and the slow pace of post-conflict reconstruction continue to degrade economic conditions in the Gaza Strip, the smaller of the two areas comprising the Palestinian territories. Israeli controls became more restrictive after HAMAS seized control of the territory in June 2007. Under Hamas control, Gaza has suffered from rising unemployment, elevated poverty rates, and a sharp contraction of the private sector, which had relied primarily on export markets. ++ Since April 2017, the Palestinian Authority has reduced payments for electricity supplied to Gaza and cut salaries for its employees there, exacerbating poor economic conditions. Since 2014, Egypt's crackdown on the Gaza Strip's extensive tunnel-based smuggling network has exacerbated fuel, construction material, and consumer goods shortages in the territory. Donor support for reconstruction following the 51-day conflict in 2014 between Israel and HAMAS and other Gaza-based militant groups has fallen short of post-conflict needs." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "note": { diff --git a/middle-east/ir.json b/middle-east/ir.json index f2fd0009..fb40a817 100644 --- a/middle-east/ir.json +++ b/middle-east/ir.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces led by Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar referred to commonly as the Supreme Leader who, according to the constitution, is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts (AOE) - a popularly elected 88-member body of clerics. US-Iranian relations became strained when a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979 and held embassy personnel hostages until mid-January 1981. The US cut off diplomatic relations with Iran in April 1980. During the period 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism and was subject to US, UN, and EU economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement in terrorism and concerns over possible military dimensions of its nuclear program until Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Implementation Day in 2016. The US began gradually re-imposing sanctions on Iran after the US withdrawal from JCPOA in May 2018. Following the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and a reformist Majles (legislature) in 2000, a campaign to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated. The movement floundered as conservative politicians, supported by the Supreme Leader, unelected institutions of authority like the Council of Guardians, and the security services reversed and blocked reform measures while increasing security repression. Starting with nationwide municipal elections in 2003 and continuing through Majles elections in 2004, conservatives reestablished control over Iran's elected government institutions, which culminated with the August 2005 inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. His controversial reelection in June 2009 sparked nationwide protests over allegations of electoral fraud, but the protests were quickly suppressed. Deteriorating economic conditions due primarily to government mismanagement and international sanctions prompted at least two major economically based protests in July and October 2012, but Iran's internal security situation remained stable. President AHMADI-NEJAD's independent streak angered regime establishment figures, including the Supreme Leader, leading to conservative opposition to his agenda for the last year of his presidency, and an alienation of his political supporters. In June 2013 Iranians elected a centrist cleric Dr. Hasan Fereidun ROHANI to the presidency. He is a longtime senior member in the regime, but has made promises of reforming society and Iran's foreign policy. The UN Security Council has passed a number of resolutions calling for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and comply with its IAEA obligations and responsibilities, and in July 2015 Iran and the five permanent members, plus Germany (P5+1) signed the JCPOA under which Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran held elections in 2016 for the AOE and Majles, resulting in a conservative-controlled AOE and a Majles that many Iranians perceive as more supportive of the ROHANI administration than the previous, conservative-dominated body. ROHANI was reelected president in May 2017. Economic concerns once again led to nationwide protests in December 2017 and January 2018 but they were contained by Iran's security services. Additional widespread economic protests broke out in November 2019 in response to the raised price of subsidized gasoline." + "text": "Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and Shah Mohammad Reza PAHLAVI was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces led by Ayatollah Ruhollah KHOMEINI established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar referred to commonly as the Supreme Leader who, according to the constitution, is accountable only to the Assembly of Experts (AOE) - a popularly elected 88-member body of clerics. US-Iranian relations became strained when a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979 and held embassy personnel hostages until mid-January 1981. The US cut off diplomatic relations with Iran in April 1980. During the period 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism and was subject to US, UN, and EU economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement in terrorism and concerns over possible military dimensions of its nuclear program until Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) Implementation Day in 2016. The US began gradually re-imposing sanctions on Iran after the US withdrawal from JCPOA in May 2018. ++ Following the election of reformer Hojjat ol-Eslam Mohammad KHATAMI as president in 1997 and a reformist Majles (legislature) in 2000, a campaign to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction was initiated. The movement floundered as conservative politicians, supported by the Supreme Leader, unelected institutions of authority like the Council of Guardians, and the security services reversed and blocked reform measures while increasing security repression. Starting with nationwide municipal elections in 2003 and continuing through Majles elections in 2004, conservatives reestablished control over Iran's elected government institutions, which culminated with the August 2005 inauguration of hardliner Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD as president. His controversial reelection in June 2009 sparked nationwide protests over allegations of electoral fraud, but the protests were quickly suppressed. Deteriorating economic conditions due primarily to government mismanagement and international sanctions prompted at least two major economically based protests in July and October 2012, but Iran's internal security situation remained stable. President AHMADI-NEJAD's independent streak angered regime establishment figures, including the Supreme Leader, leading to conservative opposition to his agenda for the last year of his presidency, and an alienation of his political supporters. In June 2013 Iranians elected a centrist cleric Dr. Hasan Fereidun ROHANI to the presidency. He is a longtime senior member in the regime, but has made promises of reforming society and Iran's foreign policy. The UN Security Council has passed a number of resolutions calling for Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities and comply with its IAEA obligations and responsibilities, and in July 2015 Iran and the five permanent members, plus Germany (P5+1) signed the JCPOA under which Iran agreed to restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran held elections in 2016 for the AOE and Majles, resulting in a conservative-controlled AOE and a Majles that many Iranians perceive as more supportive of the ROHANI administration than the previous, conservative-dominated body. ROHANI was reelected president in May 2017. Economic concerns once again led to nationwide protests in December 2017 and January 2018 but they were contained by Iran's security services. Additional widespread economic protests broke out in November 2019 in response to the raised price of subsidized gasoline." } }, "Geography": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "77.4% (2010/11)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.6% of population / rural: 93.1% of population / total: 97.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "6.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.4% of population / rural: 6.9% of population / total: 2.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.1% of population (2015 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.9% of population / rural: 95.7% of population / total: 98.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "4.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.1% of population (2015 est.) / rural: 4.3% of population / total: 1.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -409,7 +403,7 @@ "text": "previous 1906; latest adopted 24 October 1979, effective 3 December 1979" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the supreme leader – after consultation with the Exigency Council – and submitted as an edict to the \"Council for Revision of the Constitution,\" a body consisting of various executive, legislative, judicial, and academic leaders and members; passage requires absolute majority vote in a referendum and approval of the supreme leader; articles including Iran’s political system, its religious basis, and its form of government cannot be amended; amended 1989" + "text": "proposed by the supreme leader – after consultation with the Exigency Council – and submitted as an edict to the \"Council for Revision of the Constitution,\" a body consisting of various executive, legislative, judicial, and academic leaders and members; passage requires absolute majority vote in a referendum and approval of the supreme leader; articles including Iran's political system, its religious basis, and its form of government cannot be amended; amended 1989" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -478,7 +472,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Combatant Clergy AssociationCouncil for Coordinating the Reforms FrontExecutives of Construction PartyFollowers of the Guardianship of the Jurisprudent [Ali LARIJANI]Front of Islamic Revolutionary Stability [Morteza AGHA-TEHRANI, general secretary]Islamic Coalition PartyIslamic Iran Participation Front [associated with former President Mohammed KHATAMI]Militant Clerics SocietyModeration and Development PartyNational Trust PartyNational Unity PartyPervasive Coalition of Reformists [Ali SUFI, chairman] (includes Council for Coordinating the Reforms Front, National Trust Party, Union of Islamic Iran People Party, Moderation and Development Party)Principlists Grand Coalition [Ali Reza ZAKANI] (includes Combatant Clergy Association and Islamic Coalition Party, Society of Devotees and Pathseekers of the Islamic Revolution, Front of Islamic Revolution Stability)Progress, Welfare, and Justice FrontProgress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran or PJP [Hosein GHORBANZADEH, general secretary]Resistance Front of Islamic Iran [Yadollah HABIBI, general secretary]Steadfastness FrontUnion of Islamic Iran People's PartyWayfarers of the Islamic Revolution" + "text": "Combatant Clergy Association ++ Council for Coordinating the Reforms Front ++ Executives of Construction Party ++ Followers of the Guardianship of the Jurisprudent [Ali LARIJANI] ++ Front of Islamic Revolutionary Stability [Morteza AGHA-TEHRANI, general secretary] ++ Islamic Coalition Party ++ Islamic Iran Participation Front [associated with former President Mohammed KHATAMI] ++ Militant Clerics Society ++ Moderation and Development Party ++ National Trust Party ++ National Unity Party ++ Pervasive Coalition of Reformists [Ali SUFI, chairman] (includes Council for Coordinating the Reforms Front, National Trust Party, Union of Islamic Iran People Party, Moderation and Development Party) ++ Principlists Grand Coalition [Ali Reza ZAKANI] (includes Combatant Clergy Association and Islamic Coalition Party, Society of Devotees and Pathseekers of the Islamic Revolution, Front of Islamic Revolution Stability) ++ Progress, Welfare, and Justice Front ++ Progress and Justice Population of Islamic Iran or PJP [Hosein GHORBANZADEH, general secretary] ++ Resistance Front of Islamic Iran [Yadollah HABIBI, general secretary] ++ Steadfastness Front ++ Union of Islamic Iran People's Party ++ Wayfarers of the Islamic Revolution" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "CICA, CP, D-8, ECO, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, SAARC (observer), SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -503,13 +497,13 @@ "text": "multiple authors/Hassan RIAHI" }, "note": { - "text": "note 1: adopted 1990; Iran has had six national anthems; the first, entitled Salam-e Shah (Royal Salute) was in use from 1873-1909; next came Salamati-ye Dowlat-e Elliye-ye Iran (Salute of the Sublime State of Persia, 1909-1933); it was followed by Sorud-e melli (The Imperial Anthem of Iran; 1933-1979), which chronicled the exploits of the Pahlavi Dynasty; Ey Iran (Oh Iran) functioned unofficially as the national anthem for a brief period between the ouster of the Shah in 1979 and the early days of the Islamic Republic in 1980; Payandeh Bada Iran (Long Live Iran) was used between 1980 and 1990 during the time of Ayatollah KHOMEINInote 2: a recording of the current Iranian national anthem is unavailable since the US Navy Band does not record anthems for countries from which the US does not anticipate official visits; the US does not have diplomatic relations with Iran" + "text": "note 1: adopted 1990; Iran has had six national anthems; the first, entitled Salam-e Shah (Royal Salute) was in use from 1873-1909; next came Salamati-ye Dowlat-e Elliye-ye Iran (Salute of the Sublime State of Persia, 1909-1933); it was followed by Sorud-e melli (The Imperial Anthem of Iran; 1933-1979), which chronicled the exploits of the Pahlavi Dynasty; Ey Iran (Oh Iran) functioned unofficially as the national anthem for a brief period between the ouster of the Shah in 1979 and the early days of the Islamic Republic in 1980; Payandeh Bada Iran (Long Live Iran) was used between 1980 and 1990 during the time of Ayatollah KHOMEINI ++ note 2: a recording of the current Iranian national anthem is unavailable since the US Navy Band does not record anthems for countries from which the US does not anticipate official visits; the US does not have diplomatic relations with Iran" } } }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Iran's economy is marked by statist policies, inefficiencies, and reliance on oil and gas exports, but Iran also possesses significant agricultural, industrial, and service sectors. The Iranian government directly owns and operates hundreds of state-owned enterprises and indirectly controls many companies affiliated with the country's security forces. Distortions - including corruption, price controls, subsidies, and a banking system holding billions of dollars of non-performing loans - weigh down the economy, undermining the potential for private-sector-led growth. Private sector activity includes small-scale workshops, farming, some manufacturing, and services, in addition to medium-scale construction, cement production, mining, and metalworking. Significant informal market activity flourishes and corruption is widespread. The lifting of most nuclear-related sanctions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in January 2016 sparked a restoration of Iran’s oil production and revenue that drove rapid GDP growth, but economic growth declined in 2017 as oil production plateaued. The economy continues to suffer from low levels of investment and declines in productivity since before the JCPOA, and from high levels of unemployment, especially among women and college-educated Iranian youth. In May 2017, the re-election of President Hasan RUHANI generated widespread public expectations that the economic benefits of the JCPOA would expand and reach all levels of society. RUHANI will need to implement structural reforms that strengthen the banking sector and improve Iran’s business climate to attract foreign investment and encourage the growth of the private sector. Sanctions that are not related to Iran’s nuclear program remain in effect, and these—plus fears over the possible re-imposition of nuclear-related sanctions—will continue to deter foreign investors from engaging with Iran." + "text": "Iran's economy is marked by statist policies, inefficiencies, and reliance on oil and gas exports, but Iran also possesses significant agricultural, industrial, and service sectors. The Iranian government directly owns and operates hundreds of state-owned enterprises and indirectly controls many companies affiliated with the country's security forces. Distortions - including corruption, price controls, subsidies, and a banking system holding billions of dollars of non-performing loans - weigh down the economy, undermining the potential for private-sector-led growth. ++ Private sector activity includes small-scale workshops, farming, some manufacturing, and services, in addition to medium-scale construction, cement production, mining, and metalworking. Significant informal market activity flourishes and corruption is widespread. ++ The lifting of most nuclear-related sanctions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in January 2016 sparked a restoration of Iran's oil production and revenue that drove rapid GDP growth, but economic growth declined in 2017 as oil production plateaued. The economy continues to suffer from low levels of investment and declines in productivity since before the JCPOA, and from high levels of unemployment, especially among women and college-educated Iranian youth. ++ In May 2017, the re-election of President Hasan RUHANI generated widespread public expectations that the economic benefits of the JCPOA would expand and reach all levels of society. RUHANI will need to implement structural reforms that strengthen the banking sector and improve Iran's business climate to attract foreign investment and encourage the growth of the private sector. Sanctions that are not related to Iran's nuclear program remain in effect, and these—plus fears over the possible re-imposition of nuclear-related sanctions—will continue to deter foreign investors from engaging with Iran." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.64 trillion (2017 est.) / $1.581 trillion (2016 est.) / $1.405 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -933,7 +927,7 @@ }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { - "text": "Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Kurdistan Workers' Party; al-Qa’ida (2019)", + "text": "Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Kurdistan Workers' Party; al-Qa'ida (2019)", "note": { "text": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T" } @@ -953,7 +947,7 @@ "text": "Iran is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; organized groups sex traffic Iranian women and children in Iran and to the UAE and Europe; the transport of girls from and through Iran en route to the Gulf for sexual exploitation or forced marriages is on the rise; Iranian children are also forced to work as beggars, street vendors, and in domestic workshops; Afghan boys forced to work in construction or agriculture are vulnerable to sexual abuse by their employers; Pakistani and Afghan migrants being smuggled to Europe often are subjected to forced labor, including debt bondage" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 3 – Iran does not comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government does not share information on its anti-trafficking efforts, but publically available information from NGOs, the media, and international organizations indicates that Iran is not taking adequate measures to address its trafficking problems, particularly protecting victims; Iranian law does not prohibit all forms of human trafficking; female victims find it extremely difficult to get justice because Iranian courts accord women’s testimony half the weight of men's, and female victims of sexual abuse, including trafficking, are likely to be prosecuted for adultery; the government did not identify or provide protection services to any victims and continued to punish victims for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked; the government made some effort to cooperate with neighboring governments and an international organization to combat human trafficking and other crimes (2015)" + "text": "Tier 3 – Iran does not comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government does not share information on its anti-trafficking efforts, but publically available information from NGOs, the media, and international organizations indicates that Iran is not taking adequate measures to address its trafficking problems, particularly protecting victims; Iranian law does not prohibit all forms of human trafficking; female victims find it extremely difficult to get justice because Iranian courts accord women's testimony half the weight of men's, and female victims of sexual abuse, including trafficking, are likely to be prosecuted for adultery; the government did not identify or provide protection services to any victims and continued to punish victims for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked; the government made some effort to cooperate with neighboring governments and an international organization to combat human trafficking and other crimes (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/middle-east/is.json b/middle-east/is.json index ca7e3ed8..f949beed 100644 --- a/middle-east/is.json +++ b/middle-east/is.json @@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source; the Dead Sea is the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lake Assal in Djibouti)note 2: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom is the world's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); its survey is not complete and its length will undoubtedly increase; Mount Sodom is actually a hill some 220 m (722 ft) high that is 80% salt (multiple salt layers covered by a veneer of rock) note 3: in March 2019, there were 380 Israeli settlements,to include 213 settlements and 132 outposts in the West Bank, and 35 settlements in East Jerusalem; there are no Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip, as all were evacuated in 2005 (2019)" + "text": "note 1: Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) is an important freshwater source; the Dead Sea is the second saltiest body of water in the world (after Lake Assal in Djibouti) ++ note 2: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom is the world's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); its survey is not complete and its length will undoubtedly increase; Mount Sodom is actually a hill some 220 m (722 ft) high that is 80% salt (multiple salt layers covered by a veneer of rock) ++ note 3: in March 2019, there were 380 Israeli settlements,to include 213 settlements and 132 outposts in the West Bank, and 35 settlements in East Jerusalem; there are no Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip, as all were evacuated in 2005 (2019)" } } }, @@ -254,14 +254,11 @@ "text": "2.59 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -274,14 +271,11 @@ "text": "3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -359,7 +353,7 @@ }, "Capital": { "name": { - "text": "Jerusalem; note - the US recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017 without taking a position on the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty" + "text": "Jerusalem; note - the US recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017 without taking a position on the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "31 46 N, 35 14 E" @@ -457,7 +451,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democratic Union [Nitzan HOROWITZ] (alliance includes Democratic Israel, Meretz, Green Movement) Joint List [Ayman ODEH] (alliance includes Hadash, Ta’al, United Arab List, Balad)Kahol Lavan [Benny GANTZ] (alliance includes Israeli Resilience, Yesh Atid, Telem)Labor-Gesher [Amir PERETZ] Likud [Binyamin NETANYAHU]Otzma Yehudit [Itamar BEN-GVIR] SHAS [Arye DERI] United Torah Judaism, or UTJ [Yaakov LITZMAN] (alliance includes Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah)Yamina [Ayelet SHAKED] Yisrael Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]Zehut [Moshe FEIGLIN]" + "text": "Democratic Union [Nitzan HOROWITZ] (alliance includes Democratic Israel, Meretz, Green Movement) ++ Joint List [Ayman ODEH] (alliance includes Hadash, Ta'al, United Arab List, Balad) ++ Kahol Lavan [Benny GANTZ] (alliance includes Israeli Resilience, Yesh Atid, Telem) ++ Labor-Gesher [Amir PERETZ] ++ Likud [Binyamin NETANYAHU] ++ Otzma Yehudit [Itamar BEN-GVIR] ++ SHAS [Arye DERI] ++ United Torah Judaism, or UTJ [Yaakov LITZMAN] (alliance includes Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah) ++ Yamina [Ayelet SHAKED] ++ Yisrael Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN] ++ Zehut [Moshe FEIGLIN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "BIS, BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN, CICA, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -519,7 +513,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Israel has a technologically advanced free market economy. Cut diamonds, high-technology equipment, and pharmaceuticals are among its leading exports. Its major imports include crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Israel usually posts sizable trade deficits, which are offset by tourism and other service exports, as well as significant foreign investment inflows. Between 2004 and 2013, growth averaged nearly 5% per year, led by exports. The global financial crisis of 2008-09 spurred a brief recession in Israel, but the country entered the crisis with solid fundamentals, following years of prudent fiscal policy and a resilient banking sector. Israel's economy also weathered the 2011 Arab Spring because strong trade ties outside the Middle East insulated the economy from spillover effects. Slowing domestic and international demand and decreased investment resulting from Israel’s uncertain security situation reduced GDP growth to an average of roughly 2.8% per year during the period 2014-17. Natural gas fields discovered off Israel's coast since 2009 have brightened Israel's energy security outlook. The Tamar and Leviathan fields were some of the world's largest offshore natural gas finds in the last decade. Political and regulatory issues have delayed the development of the massive Leviathan field, but production from Tamar provided a 0.8% boost to Israel's GDP in 2013 and a 0.3% boost in 2014. One of the most carbon intense OECD countries, Israel generates about 57% of its power from coal and only 2.6% from renewable sources. Income inequality and high housing and commodity prices continue to be a concern for many Israelis. Israel's income inequality and poverty rates are among the highest of OECD countries, and there is a broad perception among the public that a small number of \"tycoons\" have a cartel-like grip over the major parts of the economy. Government officials have called for reforms to boost the housing supply and to increase competition in the banking sector to address these public grievances. Despite calls for reforms, the restricted housing supply continues to impact younger Israelis seeking to purchase homes. Tariffs and non-tariff barriers, coupled with guaranteed prices and customs tariffs for farmers kept food prices high in 2016. Private consumption is expected to drive growth through 2018, with consumers benefitting from low inflation and a strong currency. In the long term, Israel faces structural issues including low labor participation rates for its fastest growing social segments - the ultraorthodox and Arab-Israeli communities. Also, Israel's progressive, globally competitive, knowledge-based technology sector employs only about 8% of the workforce, with the rest mostly employed in manufacturing and services - sectors which face downward wage pressures from global competition. Expenditures on educational institutions remain low compared to most other OECD countries with similar GDP per capita." + "text": "Israel has a technologically advanced free market economy. Cut diamonds, high-technology equipment, and pharmaceuticals are among its leading exports. Its major imports include crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Israel usually posts sizable trade deficits, which are offset by tourism and other service exports, as well as significant foreign investment inflows. ++ Between 2004 and 2013, growth averaged nearly 5% per year, led by exports. The global financial crisis of 2008-09 spurred a brief recession in Israel, but the country entered the crisis with solid fundamentals, following years of prudent fiscal policy and a resilient banking sector. Israel's economy also weathered the 2011 Arab Spring because strong trade ties outside the Middle East insulated the economy from spillover effects. ++ Slowing domestic and international demand and decreased investment resulting from Israel's uncertain security situation reduced GDP growth to an average of roughly 2.8% per year during the period 2014-17. Natural gas fields discovered off Israel's coast since 2009 have brightened Israel's energy security outlook. The Tamar and Leviathan fields were some of the world's largest offshore natural gas finds in the last decade. Political and regulatory issues have delayed the development of the massive Leviathan field, but production from Tamar provided a 0.8% boost to Israel's GDP in 2013 and a 0.3% boost in 2014. One of the most carbon intense OECD countries, Israel generates about 57% of its power from coal and only 2.6% from renewable sources. ++ Income inequality and high housing and commodity prices continue to be a concern for many Israelis. Israel's income inequality and poverty rates are among the highest of OECD countries, and there is a broad perception among the public that a small number of \"tycoons\" have a cartel-like grip over the major parts of the economy. Government officials have called for reforms to boost the housing supply and to increase competition in the banking sector to address these public grievances. Despite calls for reforms, the restricted housing supply continues to impact younger Israelis seeking to purchase homes. Tariffs and non-tariff barriers, coupled with guaranteed prices and customs tariffs for farmers kept food prices high in 2016. Private consumption is expected to drive growth through 2018, with consumers benefitting from low inflation and a strong currency. ++ In the long term, Israel faces structural issues including low labor participation rates for its fastest growing social segments - the ultraorthodox and Arab-Israeli communities. Also, Israel's progressive, globally competitive, knowledge-based technology sector employs only about 8% of the workforce, with the rest mostly employed in manufacturing and services - sectors which face downward wage pressures from global competition. Expenditures on educational institutions remain low compared to most other OECD countries with similar GDP per capita." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$317.1 billion (2017 est.) / $307 billion (2016 est.) / $295.3 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/middle-east/iz.json b/middle-east/iz.json index b50d5017..7eba4f61 100644 --- a/middle-east/iz.json +++ b/middle-east/iz.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by the United Kingdom during World War I and was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration in 1920. Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. It was proclaimed a \"republic\" in 1958 after a coup overthrew the monarchy, but in actuality, a series of strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was SADDAM Husayn from 1979 to 2003. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait but was expelled by US-led UN coalition forces during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. After Iraq's expulsion, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions led to the Second Gulf War in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led forces. In October 2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and, pursuant to this document, elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (COR) in December 2005. The COR approved most cabinet ministers in May 2006, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half century. Iraq held elections for provincial councils in all governorates in January 2009 and April 2013 and postponed the next provincial elections, originally planned for April 2017, until 2019. Iraq has held three national legislative elections since 2005, most recently in May 2018 when 329 legislators were elected to the COR. Adil ABD AL-MAHDI assumed the premiership in October 2018 as a consensus and independent candidate - the first prime minister who is not an active member of a major political bloc. However, widespread protests that began in October 2019 demanding more employment opportunities and an end to corruption prompted ABD AL-MAHDI to announce his resignation on 20 November 2019. Between 2014 and 2017, Iraq was engaged in a military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) to recapture territory lost in the western and northern portion of the country. Iraqi and allied forces recaptured Mosul, the country's second-largest city, in 2017 and drove ISIS out of its other urban strongholds. In December 2017, then-Prime Minister Haydar al-ABADI publicly declared victory against ISIS while continuing operations against the group's residual presence in rural areas. Also in late 2017, ABADI responded to an independence referendum held by the Kurdistan Regional Government by ordering Iraqi forces to take control of disputed territories across central and northern Iraq that were previously occupied and governed by Kurdish forces." + "text": "Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by the United Kingdom during World War I and was declared a League of Nations mandate under UK administration in 1920. Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. It was proclaimed a \"republic\" in 1958 after a coup overthrew the monarchy, but in actuality, a series of strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was SADDAM Husayn from 1979 to 2003. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait but was expelled by US-led UN coalition forces during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. After Iraq's expulsion, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions led to the Second Gulf War in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime by US-led forces. ++ In October 2005, Iraqis approved a constitution in a national referendum and, pursuant to this document, elected a 275-member Council of Representatives (COR) in December 2005. The COR approved most cabinet ministers in May 2006, marking the transition to Iraq's first constitutional government in nearly a half century. Iraq held elections for provincial councils in all governorates in January 2009 and April 2013 and postponed the next provincial elections, originally planned for April 2017, until 2019. Iraq has held three national legislative elections since 2005, most recently in May 2018 when 329 legislators were elected to the COR. Adil ABD AL-MAHDI assumed the premiership in October 2018 as a consensus and independent candidate - the first prime minister who is not an active member of a major political bloc. However, widespread protests that began in October 2019 demanding more employment opportunities and an end to corruption prompted ABD AL-MAHDI to announce his resignation on 20 November 2019. ++ Between 2014 and 2017, Iraq was engaged in a military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) to recapture territory lost in the western and northern portion of the country. Iraqi and allied forces recaptured Mosul, the country's second-largest city, in 2017 and drove ISIS out of its other urban strongholds. In December 2017, then-Prime Minister Haydar al-ABADI publicly declared victory against ISIS while continuing operations against the group's residual presence in rural areas. Also in late 2017, ABADI responded to an independence referendum held by the Kurdistan Regional Government by ordering Iraqi forces to take control of disputed territories across central and northern Iraq that were previously occupied and governed by Kurdish forces." } }, "Geography": { @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "52.8% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.8% of population / rural: 95% of population / total: 97.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.2% of population / rural: 5% of population / total: 2.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.7% of population / rural: 89.7% of population / total: 95.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "10.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "4.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.3% of population / rural: 10.3% of population / total: 4.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -458,7 +452,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Al Fatah Alliance [Hadi al-AMIRI]Al Nasr Alliance [Haydar al-ABADI]Al Sadiqun Bloc [Adnan al-DULAYMI]Al Sa'irun Alliance [Muqtda al-SADR]Badr Organization [Hadi al-AMIRI]Da`wa Party [Nuri al-MALIKI]Fadilah Party [Muhammad al-YAQUBI]Goran Movement [Omar SAYYID ALI]Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid Majid MUSA]Iraq Decision Alliance [Khamis al-KHANJAR, Usama al-NUJAYFI]Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or ISCI [Humam HAMMUDI]Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masoud BARZANI]National Wisdom Trend [Ammar al-HAKIM]New Generation Movement [SHASWAR Abd al-Wahid Qadir]Our Identity [Muhammad al-HALBUSI]Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [KOSRAT Rasul Ali, acting]State of Law Coalition [Nuri al MALIKIWataniyah coalition [Ayad ALLAWI]numerous smaller religious, local, tribal, and minority parties" + "text": "++ Al Fatah Alliance [Hadi al-AMIRI] ++ Al Nasr Alliance [Haydar al-ABADI] ++ Al Sadiqun Bloc [Adnan al-DULAYMI] ++ Al Sa'irun Alliance [Muqtda al-SADR] ++ Badr Organization [Hadi al-AMIRI] ++ Da`wa Party [Nuri al-MALIKI] ++ Fadilah Party [Muhammad al-YAQUBI] ++ Goran Movement [Omar SAYYID ALI] ++ Iraqi Communist Party [Hamid Majid MUSA] ++ Iraq Decision Alliance [Khamis al-KHANJAR, Usama al-NUJAYFI] ++ Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or ISCI [Humam HAMMUDI] ++ Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masoud BARZANI] ++ National Wisdom Trend [Ammar al-HAKIM] ++ New Generation Movement [SHASWAR Abd al-Wahid Qadir] ++ Our Identity [Muhammad al-HALBUSI] ++ Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [KOSRAT Rasul Ali, acting] ++ State of Law Coalition [Nuri al MALIKI ++ Wataniyah coalition [Ayad ALLAWI] ++ numerous smaller religious, local, tribal, and minority parties" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CICA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -520,7 +514,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Iraq's GDP growth slowed to 1.1% in 2017, a marked decline compared to the previous two years as domestic consumption and investment fell because of civil violence and a sluggish oil market. The Iraqi Government received its third tranche of funding from its 2016 Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with the IMF in August 2017, which is intended to stabilize its finances by encouraging improved fiscal management, needed economic reform, and expenditure reduction. Additionally, in late 2017 Iraq received more than $1.4 billion in financing from international lenders, part of which was generated by issuing a $1 billion bond for reconstruction and rehabilitation in areas liberated from ISIL. Investment and key sector diversification are crucial components to Iraq’s long-term economic development and require a strengthened business climate with enhanced legal and regulatory oversight to bolster private-sector engagement. The overall standard of living depends on global oil prices, the central government passage of major policy reforms, a stable security environment post-ISIS, and the resolution of civil discord with the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG). Iraq's largely state-run economy is dominated by the oil sector, which provides roughly 85% of government revenue and 80% of foreign exchange earnings, and is a major determinant of the economy's fortunes. Iraq's contracts with major oil companies have the potential to further expand oil exports and revenues, but Iraq will need to make significant upgrades to its oil processing, pipeline, and export infrastructure to enable these deals to reach their economic potential. In 2017, Iraqi oil exports from northern fields were disrupted following a KRG referendum that resulted in the Iraqi Government reasserting federal control over disputed oil fields and energy infrastructure in Kirkuk. The Iraqi government and the KRG dispute the role of federal and regional authorities in the development and export of natural resources. In 2007, the KRG passed an oil law to develop IKR oil and gas reserves independent of the federal government. The KRG has signed about 50 contracts with foreign energy companies to develop its reserves, some of which lie in territories taken by Baghdad in October 2017. The KRG is able to unilaterally export oil from the fields it retains control of through its own pipeline to Turkey, which Baghdad claims is illegal. In the absence of a national hydrocarbons law, the two sides have entered into five provisional oil- and revenue-sharing deals since 2009, all of which collapsed. Iraq is making slow progress enacting laws and developing the institutions needed to implement economic policy, and political reforms are still needed to assuage investors' concerns regarding the uncertain business climate. The Government of Iraq is eager to attract additional foreign direct investment, but it faces a number of obstacles, including a tenuous political system and concerns about security and societal stability. Rampant corruption, outdated infrastructure, insufficient essential services, skilled labor shortages, and antiquated commercial laws stifle investment and continue to constrain growth of private, nonoil sectors. Under the Iraqi constitution, some competencies relevant to the overall investment climate are either shared by the federal government and the regions or are devolved entirely to local governments. Investment in the IKR operates within the framework of the Kurdistan Region Investment Law (Law 4 of 2006) and the Kurdistan Board of Investment, which is designed to provide incentives to help economic development in areas under the authority of the KRG. Inflation has remained under control since 2006. However, Iraqi leaders remain hard-pressed to translate macroeconomic gains into an improved standard of living for the Iraqi populace. Unemployment remains a problem throughout the country despite a bloated public sector. Overregulation has made it difficult for Iraqi citizens and foreign investors to start new businesses. Corruption and lack of economic reforms - such as restructuring banks and developing the private sector – have inhibited the growth of the private sector." + "text": "Iraq's GDP growth slowed to 1.1% in 2017, a marked decline compared to the previous two years as domestic consumption and investment fell because of civil violence and a sluggish oil market. The Iraqi Government received its third tranche of funding from its 2016 Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) with the IMF in August 2017, which is intended to stabilize its finances by encouraging improved fiscal management, needed economic reform, and expenditure reduction. Additionally, in late 2017 Iraq received more than $1.4 billion in financing from international lenders, part of which was generated by issuing a $1 billion bond for reconstruction and rehabilitation in areas liberated from ISIL. Investment and key sector diversification are crucial components to Iraq's long-term economic development and require a strengthened business climate with enhanced legal and regulatory oversight to bolster private-sector engagement. The overall standard of living depends on global oil prices, the central government passage of major policy reforms, a stable security environment post-ISIS, and the resolution of civil discord with the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG). ++ Iraq's largely state-run economy is dominated by the oil sector, which provides roughly 85% of government revenue and 80% of foreign exchange earnings, and is a major determinant of the economy's fortunes. Iraq's contracts with major oil companies have the potential to further expand oil exports and revenues, but Iraq will need to make significant upgrades to its oil processing, pipeline, and export infrastructure to enable these deals to reach their economic potential. ++ In 2017, Iraqi oil exports from northern fields were disrupted following a KRG referendum that resulted in the Iraqi Government reasserting federal control over disputed oil fields and energy infrastructure in Kirkuk. The Iraqi government and the KRG dispute the role of federal and regional authorities in the development and export of natural resources. In 2007, the KRG passed an oil law to develop IKR oil and gas reserves independent of the federal government. The KRG has signed about 50 contracts with foreign energy companies to develop its reserves, some of which lie in territories taken by Baghdad in October 2017. The KRG is able to unilaterally export oil from the fields it retains control of through its own pipeline to Turkey, which Baghdad claims is illegal. In the absence of a national hydrocarbons law, the two sides have entered into five provisional oil- and revenue-sharing deals since 2009, all of which collapsed. ++ Iraq is making slow progress enacting laws and developing the institutions needed to implement economic policy, and political reforms are still needed to assuage investors' concerns regarding the uncertain business climate. The Government of Iraq is eager to attract additional foreign direct investment, but it faces a number of obstacles, including a tenuous political system and concerns about security and societal stability. Rampant corruption, outdated infrastructure, insufficient essential services, skilled labor shortages, and antiquated commercial laws stifle investment and continue to constrain growth of private, nonoil sectors. Under the Iraqi constitution, some competencies relevant to the overall investment climate are either shared by the federal government and the regions or are devolved entirely to local governments. Investment in the IKR operates within the framework of the Kurdistan Region Investment Law (Law 4 of 2006) and the Kurdistan Board of Investment, which is designed to provide incentives to help economic development in areas under the authority of the KRG. ++ Inflation has remained under control since 2006. However, Iraqi leaders remain hard-pressed to translate macroeconomic gains into an improved standard of living for the Iraqi populace. Unemployment remains a problem throughout the country despite a bloated public sector. Overregulation has made it difficult for Iraqi citizens and foreign investors to start new businesses. Corruption and lack of economic reforms - such as restructuring banks and developing the private sector – have inhibited the growth of the private sector." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$649.3 billion (2017 est.) / $662.9 billion (2016 est.) / $586.3 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -906,7 +900,7 @@ "text": "3.5% of GDP (2019) / 2.9% of GDP (2018) / 3.9% of GDP (2017) / 3.5% of GDP (2016) / 5.4% of GDP (2015)" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "assessments of the size of the Iraqi military, security services, and associated militia forces vary widely; the military and the security services are rebuilding after suffering considerable losses in personnel and equipment fighting the ISIS terrorist group (see note) and are also attempting to incorporate local militia groups; approximately 190,000 active personnel (180,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force); National-Level Security Forces: est. 10,000 Iraqi Counterterrorism Service; est. 10,000 Presidential Brigades; est. 6,000 Prime Minister’s Special Forces Division; other: est. 100-150,000 Popular Mobilization Forces; est. 150,000-200,000 Peshmerga Forces (2019 )", + "text": "assessments of the size of the Iraqi military, security services, and associated militia forces vary widely; the military and the security services are rebuilding after suffering considerable losses in personnel and equipment fighting the ISIS terrorist group (see note) and are also attempting to incorporate local militia groups; approximately 190,000 active personnel (180,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 5,000 Air Force); National-Level Security Forces: est. 10,000 Iraqi Counterterrorism Service; est. 10,000 Presidential Brigades; est. 6,000 Prime Minister's Special Forces Division; other: est. 100-150,000 Popular Mobilization Forces; est. 150,000-200,000 Peshmerga Forces (2019 )", "note": { "text": "note: Iraqi Army strength reportedly fell from about 200,000 personnel in 2009 to around 50,000 in 2016" } diff --git a/middle-east/jo.json b/middle-east/jo.json index 5a4920e9..0e716440 100644 --- a/middle-east/jo.json +++ b/middle-east/jo.json @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "51.8% (2017/18)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 97.7% of population / total: 98.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "2.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 2.2% of population / total: 1.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "1.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.6% of population / rural: 96.6% of population / total: 98.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "3.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.4% of population / rural: 3.7% of population / total: 1.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -440,7 +434,7 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of:Senate or the House of Notables or Majlis al-Ayan (65 seats; members appointed by the monarch to serve 4-year terms)Chamber of Deputies or House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwaab (130 seats; 115 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by open-list proportional representation vote and 15 seats for women; 12 of the 115 seats reserved for Christian, Chechen, and Circassian candidates; members serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of: Senate or the House of Notables or Majlis al-Ayan (65 seats; members appointed by the monarch to serve 4-year terms) ++ Chamber of Deputies or House of Representatives or Majlis al-Nuwaab (130 seats; 115 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by open-list proportional representation vote and 15 seats for women; 12 of the 115 seats reserved for Christian, Chechen, and Circassian candidates; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "Chamber of Deputies - last held on 20 September 2016 (next to be held on 10 November 2020)" @@ -461,7 +455,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Ahrar al-Urdun (Free People of Jordan) Party [Samir al-ZU'BI]Al-Awn al-Watani (National Aid) Party [Faysal al-AWAR]Al-Balad al-Amin Party [Khalil al-SAYED]Al-Itijah al-Watani (National Trend Party) [Ahmad al-KAYED]Al-Mustaqbal (Future) Party [Salah al-QUDAH]Al-Nida’ Party [Abd-al-Majid ABU-KHALID]Al-Rayah Party (Flag Party) [Bilal DHEISAT]Al-Shahama Party [Mashhour ZREIQAT]Al-Shura Party [Firas al-ABBADI]Arab Socialist Ba’th Party [Zyad AL-HOMSI]Conservatives Party [Hasan RASHID]Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa’eed DHIYAB]Democratic Sha’b Party (HASHD) [Abla ABU-OLBEH]Freedom and Equality Party [Hamad Abu ZEID]Islamic Action Front [Murad AL-ADAYLAH]Islamic Centrist Party [Madallah AL-TARAWNEH]Jordanian Al-Ansar Party [Awni al-RJOUB]Jordanian Al-Hayah Party [Abd-al-Fattah al-KILANI]Jordanian Communist Party [Faraj ITMIZYEH]Jordanian Democratic Socialist Party [Jamil al-NIMRI]Jordanian Democratic Tabiy’ah (Nature) Party [Ali ASFOUR]Jordanian Equality Party [Zuhair al-SHURAFA]Jordanian Fursan (Cavaliers Party) [Ali al-DHWEIB]Jordanian Justice and Development Party [Ali al-SHURAFA]Jordanian National Action Party [Abd-al-Hadi al-MAHARMAH]Jordanian National Constitutional Party [Ahmad al-SHUNNAQ]Jordanian National Democratic Grouping Party [Shakir al-ABBADI]Jordanian National Party [Muna ABU-BAKR]Jordanian National Union Party [Zeid ABU-ZEID]Jordanian Progressive Ba’th Party [Fu’ad DABBOUR]Jordanian Promise Party [Mahmoud al-KHALILI]Jordanian Reform Party [Eid DHAYYAT]Jordanian Social Justice Party [Abd-al-Fattah al-NSOUR]Jordanian Wafa’ (Loyalty) Party [Mazin al-QADI]Justice and Reform Party [Sa’eed Nathir ARABIYAT]Modernity and Change Party [Nayef al-HAMAYDEH]National Congress Party [Irhayil GHARAYBEH] (formerly the Zamzam party)National Renaissance Front Party [Isma’il KHATATBEH]National Unity Party [Muhammad al-ZBOUN]Pan Arab Movement Party [Dayfallah FARRAJ]Partnership and Salvation Party [Muhammad al-HAMMOURI]Reform and Renewal Party [Mazin RYAL]Risalah Party [Hazim QASHOU’]Stronger Jordan Party [Rula al-HROUB]Unified Jordanian Front Party [Farouq AL-ABBADI]" + "text": "Ahrar al-Urdun (Free People of Jordan) Party [Samir al-ZU'BI] ++ Al-Awn al-Watani (National Aid) Party [Faysal al-AWAR] ++ Al-Balad al-Amin Party [Khalil al-SAYED] ++ Al-Itijah al-Watani (National Trend Party) [Ahmad al-KAYED] ++ Al-Mustaqbal (Future) Party [Salah al-QUDAH] ++ Al-Nida' Party [Abd-al-Majid ABU-KHALID] ++ Al-Rayah Party (Flag Party) [Bilal DHEISAT] ++ Al-Shahama Party [Mashhour ZREIQAT] ++ Al-Shura Party [Firas al-ABBADI] ++ Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Zyad AL-HOMSI] ++ Conservatives Party [Hasan RASHID] ++ Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'eed DHIYAB] ++ Democratic Sha'b Party (HASHD) [Abla ABU-OLBEH] ++ Freedom and Equality Party [Hamad Abu ZEID] ++ Islamic Action Front [Murad AL-ADAYLAH] ++ Islamic Centrist Party [Madallah AL-TARAWNEH] ++ Jordanian Al-Ansar Party [Awni al-RJOUB] ++ Jordanian Al-Hayah Party [Abd-al-Fattah al-KILANI] ++ Jordanian Communist Party [Faraj ITMIZYEH] ++ Jordanian Democratic Socialist Party [Jamil al-NIMRI] ++ Jordanian Democratic Tabiy'ah (Nature) Party [Ali ASFOUR] ++ Jordanian Equality Party [Zuhair al-SHURAFA] ++ Jordanian Fursan (Cavaliers Party) [Ali al-DHWEIB] ++ Jordanian Justice and Development Party [Ali al-SHURAFA] ++ Jordanian National Action Party [Abd-al-Hadi al-MAHARMAH] ++ Jordanian National Constitutional Party [Ahmad al-SHUNNAQ] ++ Jordanian National Democratic Grouping Party [Shakir al-ABBADI] ++ Jordanian National Party [Muna ABU-BAKR] ++ Jordanian National Union Party [Zeid ABU-ZEID] ++ Jordanian Progressive Ba'th Party [Fu'ad DABBOUR] ++ Jordanian Promise Party [Mahmoud al-KHALILI] ++ Jordanian Reform Party [Eid DHAYYAT] ++ Jordanian Social Justice Party [Abd-al-Fattah al-NSOUR] ++ Jordanian Wafa' (Loyalty) Party [Mazin al-QADI] ++ Justice and Reform Party [Sa'eed Nathir ARABIYAT] ++ Modernity and Change Party [Nayef al-HAMAYDEH] ++ National Congress Party [Irhayil GHARAYBEH] (formerly the Zamzam party) ++ National Renaissance Front Party [Isma'il KHATATBEH] ++ National Unity Party [Muhammad al-ZBOUN] ++ Pan Arab Movement Party [Dayfallah FARRAJ] ++ Partnership and Salvation Party [Muhammad al-HAMMOURI] ++ Reform and Renewal Party [Mazin RYAL] ++ Risalah Party [Hazim QASHOU'] ++ Stronger Jordan Party [Rula al-HROUB] ++ Unified Jordanian Front Party [Farouq AL-ABBADI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CD, CICA, EBRD, FAO, G-11, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -517,7 +511,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Jordan's economy is among the smallest in the Middle East, with insufficient supplies of water, oil, and other natural resources, underlying the government's heavy reliance on foreign assistance. Other economic challenges for the government include chronic high rates of unemployment and underemployment, budget and current account deficits, and government debt. King ABDALLAH, during the first decade of the 2000s, implemented significant economic reforms, such as expanding foreign trade and privatizing state-owned companies that attracted foreign investment and contributed to average annual economic growth of 8% for 2004 through 2008. The global economic slowdown and regional turmoil contributed to slower growth from 2010 to 2017 - with growth averaging about 2.5% per year - and hurt export-oriented sectors, construction/real estate, and tourism. Since the onset of the civil war in Syria and resulting refugee crisis, one of Jordan’s most pressing socioeconomic challenges has been managing the influx of approximately 660,000 UN-registered refugees, more than 80% of whom live in Jordan’s urban areas. Jordan’s own official census estimated the refugee number at 1.3 million Syrians as of early 2016. Jordan is nearly completely dependent on imported energy—mostly natural gas—and energy consistently makes up 25-30% of Jordan’s imports. To diversify its energy mix, Jordan has secured several contracts for liquefied and pipeline natural gas, developed several major renewables projects, and is currently exploring nuclear power generation and exploitation of abundant oil shale reserves. In August 2016, Jordan and the IMF agreed to a $723 million Extended Fund Facility that aims to build on the three-year, $2.1 billion IMF program that ended in August 2015 with the goal of helping Jordan correct budgetary and balance of payments imbalances." + "text": "Jordan's economy is among the smallest in the Middle East, with insufficient supplies of water, oil, and other natural resources, underlying the government's heavy reliance on foreign assistance. Other economic challenges for the government include chronic high rates of unemployment and underemployment, budget and current account deficits, and government debt. ++ King ABDALLAH, during the first decade of the 2000s, implemented significant economic reforms, such as expanding foreign trade and privatizing state-owned companies that attracted foreign investment and contributed to average annual economic growth of 8% for 2004 through 2008. The global economic slowdown and regional turmoil contributed to slower growth from 2010 to 2017 - with growth averaging about 2.5% per year - and hurt export-oriented sectors, construction/real estate, and tourism. Since the onset of the civil war in Syria and resulting refugee crisis, one of Jordan's most pressing socioeconomic challenges has been managing the influx of approximately 660,000 UN-registered refugees, more than 80% of whom live in Jordan's urban areas. Jordan's own official census estimated the refugee number at 1.3 million Syrians as of early 2016. ++ Jordan is nearly completely dependent on imported energy—mostly natural gas—and energy consistently makes up 25-30% of Jordan's imports. To diversify its energy mix, Jordan has secured several contracts for liquefied and pipeline natural gas, developed several major renewables projects, and is currently exploring nuclear power generation and exploitation of abundant oil shale reserves. In August 2016, Jordan and the IMF agreed to a $723 million Extended Fund Facility that aims to build on the three-year, $2.1 billion IMF program that ended in August 2015 with the goal of helping Jordan correct budgetary and balance of payments imbalances." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$89 billion (2017 est.) / $87.28 billion (2016 est.) / $85.56 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/middle-east/ku.json b/middle-east/ku.json index 3061e18b..d81facfe 100644 --- a/middle-east/ku.json +++ b/middle-east/ku.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Kuwait has been ruled by the AL-SABAH dynasty since the 18th century. The threat of Ottoman invasion in 1899 prompted Amir Mubarak AL-SABAH to seek protection from Britain, ceding foreign and defense responsibility to Britain until 1961, when the country attained its independence. Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq in August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition began a ground assault in February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. In 1992, the Amir reconstituted the parliament that he had dissolved in 1986. Amid the 2010-11 uprisings and protests across the Arab world, stateless Arabs, known as Bidoon, staged small protests in early 2011 demanding citizenship, jobs, and other benefits available to Kuwaiti nationals. Other demographic groups, notably Islamists and Kuwaitis from tribal backgrounds, soon joined the growing protest movements, which culminated in late 2011 with the resignation of the prime minister amidst allegations of corruption. Demonstrations renewed in late 2012 in response to an amiri decree amending the electoral law that lessened the voting power of the tribal blocs. An opposition coalition of Sunni Islamists, tribal populists, and some liberals, largely boycotted legislative elections in 2012 and 2013, which ushered in a legislature more amenable to the government's agenda. Faced with the prospect of painful subsidy cuts, oppositionists and independents actively participated in the November 2016 election, winning nearly half of the seats but a cohesive opposition alliance largely ceased to exist with the 2016 election and the opposition became increasingly factionalized. Since coming to power in 2006, the Amir has dissolved the National Assembly on seven occasions (the Constitutional Court annulled the Assembly elections in June 2012 and again in June 2013) and shuffled the cabinet over a dozen times, usually citing political stagnation and gridlock between the legislature and the government." + "text": "Kuwait has been ruled by the AL-SABAH dynasty since the 18th century. The threat of Ottoman invasion in 1899 prompted Amir Mubarak AL-SABAH to seek protection from Britain, ceding foreign and defense responsibility to Britain until 1961, when the country attained its independence. Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq in August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led UN coalition began a ground assault in February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. In 1992, the Amir reconstituted the parliament that he had dissolved in 1986. Amid the 2010-11 uprisings and protests across the Arab world, stateless Arabs, known as Bidoon, staged small protests in early 2011 demanding citizenship, jobs, and other benefits available to Kuwaiti nationals. Other demographic groups, notably Islamists and Kuwaitis from tribal backgrounds, soon joined the growing protest movements, which culminated in late 2011 with the resignation of the prime minister amidst allegations of corruption. Demonstrations renewed in late 2012 in response to an amiri decree amending the electoral law that lessened the voting power of the tribal blocs. ++ An opposition coalition of Sunni Islamists, tribal populists, and some liberals, largely boycotted legislative elections in 2012 and 2013, which ushered in a legislature more amenable to the government's agenda. Faced with the prospect of painful subsidy cuts, oppositionists and independents actively participated in the November 2016 election, winning nearly half of the seats but a cohesive opposition alliance largely ceased to exist with the 2016 election and the opposition became increasingly factionalized. Since coming to power in 2006, the Amir has dissolved the National Assembly on seven occasions (the Constitutional Court annulled the Assembly elections in June 2012 and again in June 2013) and shuffled the cabinet over a dozen times, usually citing political stagnation and gridlock between the legislature and the government." } }, "Geography": { @@ -249,8 +249,11 @@ "text": "2.26 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -263,8 +266,11 @@ "text": "2 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -499,7 +505,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Kuwait has a geographically small, but wealthy, relatively open economy with crude oil reserves of about 102 billion barrels - more than 6% of world reserves. Kuwaiti officials plan to increase production to 4 million barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2020. Petroleum accounts for over half of GDP, 92% of export revenues, and 90% of government income. With world oil prices declining, Kuwait realized a budget deficit in 2015 for the first time more than a decade; in 2016, the deficit grew to 16.5% of GDP. Kuwaiti authorities announced cuts to fuel subsidies in August 2016, provoking outrage among the public and National Assembly, and the Amir dissolved the government for the seventh time in ten years. In 2017 the deficit was reduced to 7.2% of GDP, and the government raised $8 billion by issuing international bonds. Despite Kuwait’s dependence on oil, the government has cushioned itself against the impact of lower oil prices, by saving annually at least 10% of government revenue in the Fund for Future Generations. Kuwait has failed to diversify its economy or bolster the private sector, because of a poor business climate, a large public sector that employs about 74% of citizens, and an acrimonious relationship between the National Assembly and the executive branch that has stymied most economic reforms. The Kuwaiti Government has made little progress on its long-term economic development plan first passed in 2010. While the government planned to spend up to $104 billion over four years to diversify the economy, attract more investment, and boost private sector participation in the economy, many of the projects did not materialize because of an uncertain political situation or delays in awarding contracts. To increase non-oil revenues, the Kuwaiti Government in August 2017 approved draft bills supporting a Gulf Cooperation Council-wide value added tax scheduled to take effect in 2018." + "text": "Kuwait has a geographically small, but wealthy, relatively open economy with crude oil reserves of about 102 billion barrels - more than 6% of world reserves. Kuwaiti officials plan to increase production to 4 million barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2020. Petroleum accounts for over half of GDP, 92% of export revenues, and 90% of government income. ++ With world oil prices declining, Kuwait realized a budget deficit in 2015 for the first time more than a decade; in 2016, the deficit grew to 16.5% of GDP. Kuwaiti authorities announced cuts to fuel subsidies in August 2016, provoking outrage among the public and National Assembly, and the Amir dissolved the government for the seventh time in ten years. In 2017 the deficit was reduced to 7.2% of GDP, and the government raised $8 billion by issuing international bonds. Despite Kuwait's dependence on oil, the government has cushioned itself against the impact of lower oil prices, by saving annually at least 10% of government revenue in the Fund for Future Generations. ++ Kuwait has failed to diversify its economy or bolster the private sector, because of a poor business climate, a large public sector that employs about 74% of citizens, and an acrimonious relationship between the National Assembly and the executive branch that has stymied most economic reforms. The Kuwaiti Government has made little progress on its long-term economic development plan first passed in 2010. While the government planned to spend up to $104 billion over four years to diversify the economy, attract more investment, and boost private sector participation in the economy, many of the projects did not materialize because of an uncertain political situation or delays in awarding contracts. To increase non-oil revenues, the Kuwaiti Government in August 2017 approved draft bills supporting a Gulf Cooperation Council-wide value added tax scheduled to take effect in 2018." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$289.7 billion (2017 est.) / $299.7 billion (2016 est.) / $293.2 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -885,10 +891,10 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Kuwait is a destination country for men and women subjected to forced labor and, to a lesser degree, forced prostitution; men and women migrate from South and Southeast Asia, Egypt, the Middle East, and increasingly Africa to work in Kuwait, most of them in the domestic service, construction, and sanitation sectors; although most of these migrants enter Kuwait voluntarily, upon arrival some are subjected to conditions of forced labor by their sponsors and labor agents, including debt bondage; Kuwait’s sponsorship law restricts workers’ movements and penalizes them for running away from abusive workplaces, making domestic workers particularly vulnerable to forced labor in private homes" + "text": "Kuwait is a destination country for men and women subjected to forced labor and, to a lesser degree, forced prostitution; men and women migrate from South and Southeast Asia, Egypt, the Middle East, and increasingly Africa to work in Kuwait, most of them in the domestic service, construction, and sanitation sectors; although most of these migrants enter Kuwait voluntarily, upon arrival some are subjected to conditions of forced labor by their sponsors and labor agents, including debt bondage; Kuwait's sponsorship law restricts workers' movements and penalizes them for running away from abusive workplaces, making domestic workers particularly vulnerable to forced labor in private homes" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 3 - Kuwait does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making sufficient efforts to do so; although investigations into visa fraud rings lead to the referral of hundreds of people for prosecution, including complicit officials, the government has not prosecuted or convicted any suspected traffickers; authorities made no effort to enforce the prohibition against withholding workers’ passports, as mandated under Kuwaiti law; punishment of forced labor cases was limited to shutting down labor recruitment firms, assessing fines, and ordering the return of withheld passports and the paying of back-wages; the government made progress in victims’ protection by opening a high-capacity shelter for runaway domestic workers but still lacks formal procedures to identify and refer victims to care services (2015)" + "text": "Tier 3 - Kuwait does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making sufficient efforts to do so; although investigations into visa fraud rings lead to the referral of hundreds of people for prosecution, including complicit officials, the government has not prosecuted or convicted any suspected traffickers; authorities made no effort to enforce the prohibition against withholding workers' passports, as mandated under Kuwaiti law; punishment of forced labor cases was limited to shutting down labor recruitment firms, assessing fines, and ordering the return of withheld passports and the paying of back-wages; the government made progress in victims' protection by opening a high-capacity shelter for runaway domestic workers but still lacks formal procedures to identify and refer victims to care services (2015)" } } } diff --git a/middle-east/le.json b/middle-east/le.json index 5d476e8c..92906b96 100644 --- a/middle-east/le.json +++ b/middle-east/le.json @@ -249,8 +249,11 @@ "text": "1.71 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -263,8 +266,11 @@ "text": "2.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 1% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 99% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -414,10 +420,10 @@ "text": "last held on 6 May 2018 (next to be held in 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "percent of vote by coalition - NA; seats by coalition – Strong Lebanon Bloc (Free Patriotic Movement-led) 25; Future Bloc (Future Movement-led) 20; Development and Liberation Bloc (Amal Movement-led) 16; Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc (Hizballah-led) 15; Strong Republic Bloc (Lebanese Forces-led) 15; Democratic Gathering (Progressive Socialist Party-led) 9; Independent Centre Bloc 4; National Bloc (Marada Movement-led) 3; Syrian Social Nationalist Party 3; Tashnaq 3; Kata’ib 3; other 8; independent 4;  composition - men 122, women 6, percent of women 4.6%" + "text": "percent of vote by coalition - NA; seats by coalition – Strong Lebanon Bloc (Free Patriotic Movement-led) 25; Future Bloc (Future Movement-led) 20; Development and Liberation Bloc (Amal Movement-led) 16; Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc (Hizballah-led) 15; Strong Republic Bloc (Lebanese Forces-led) 15; Democratic Gathering (Progressive Socialist Party-led) 9; Independent Centre Bloc 4; National Bloc (Marada Movement-led) 3; Syrian Social Nationalist Party 3; Tashnaq 3; Kata'ib 3; other 8; independent 4;  composition - men 122, women 6, percent of women 4.6%" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Lebanon’s constitution states the National Assembly cannot conduct regular business until it elects a president when the position is vacant" + "text": "note: Lebanon's constitution states the National Assembly cannot conduct regular business until it elects a president when the position is vacant" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -432,7 +438,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Al-Ahbash or Association of Islamic Charitable Projects [Adnan TARABULSI]Amal Movement [Nabih BERRI]Azm Movement [Najib MIQATI]Ba’th Arab Socialist Party of Lebanon [Fayiz SHUKR]Free Patriotic Movement or FPM [Gibran BASSIL]Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad al-HARIRI]Hizballah [Hassan NASRALLAH]Islamic Actions Front [Sheikh Zuhayr al-JU’AYD]Kata'ib Party [Sami GEMAYEL]Lebanese Democratic Party [Talal ARSLAN]Lebanese Forces or LF [Samir JA'JA]Marada Movement [Sulayman FRANJIEH]Progressive Socialist Party or PSP [Walid JUNBLATT]Social Democrat Hunshaqian Party [Sabuh KALPAKIAN]Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Ali QANSO]Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Hanna al-NASHIF]Tashnaq or Armenian Revolutionary Federation [Hagop PAKRADOUNIAN]" + "text": "Al-Ahbash or Association of Islamic Charitable Projects [Adnan TARABULSI] ++ Amal Movement [Nabih BERRI] ++ Azm Movement [Najib MIQATI] ++ Ba'th Arab Socialist Party of Lebanon [Fayiz SHUKR] ++ Free Patriotic Movement or FPM [Gibran BASSIL] ++ Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad al-HARIRI] ++ Hizballah [Hassan NASRALLAH] ++ Islamic Actions Front [Sheikh Zuhayr al-JU'AYD] ++ Kata'ib Party [Sami GEMAYEL] ++ Lebanese Democratic Party [Talal ARSLAN] ++ Lebanese Forces or LF [Samir JA'JA] ++ Marada Movement [Sulayman FRANJIEH] ++ Progressive Socialist Party or PSP [Walid JUNBLATT] ++ Social Democrat Hunshaqian Party [Sabuh KALPAKIAN]Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Ali QANSO] ++ Syrian Social Nationalist Party [Hanna al-NASHIF] ++ Tashnaq or Armenian Revolutionary Federation [Hagop PAKRADOUNIAN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -491,7 +497,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Lebanon has a free-market economy and a strong laissez-faire commercial tradition. The government does not restrict foreign investment; however, the investment climate suffers from red tape, corruption, arbitrary licensing decisions, complex customs procedures, high taxes, tariffs, and fees, archaic legislation, and inadequate intellectual property rights protection. The Lebanese economy is service-oriented; main growth sectors include banking and tourism. The 1975-90 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and derailed Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern banking hub. Following the civil war, Lebanon rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily, mostly from domestic banks, which saddled the government with a huge debt burden. Pledges of economic and financial reforms made at separate international donor conferences during the 2000s have mostly gone unfulfilled, including those made during the Paris III Donor Conference in 2007, following the July 2006 war. The \"CEDRE\" investment event hosted by France in April 2018 again rallied the international community to assist Lebanon with concessional financing and some grants for capital infrastructure improvements, conditioned upon long-delayed structural economic reforms in fiscal management, electricity tariffs, and transparent public procurement, among many others. The Syria conflict cut off one of Lebanon's major markets and a transport corridor through the Levant. The influx of nearly one million registered and an estimated 300,000 unregistered Syrian refugees has increased social tensions and heightened competition for low-skill jobs and public services. Lebanon continues to face several long-term structural weaknesses that predate the Syria crisis, notably, weak infrastructure, poor service delivery, institutionalized corruption, and bureaucratic over-regulation. Chronic fiscal deficits have increased Lebanon’s debt-to-GDP ratio, the third highest in the world; most of the debt is held internally by Lebanese banks. These factors combined to slow economic growth to the 1-2% range in 2011-17, after four years of averaging 8% growth. Weak economic growth limits tax revenues, while the largest government expenditures remain debt servicing, salaries for government workers, and transfers to the electricity sector. These limitations constrain other government spending, limiting its ability to invest in necessary infrastructure improvements, such as water, electricity, and transportation. In early 2018, the Lebanese government signed long-awaited contract agreements with an international consortium for petroleum exploration and production as part of the country’s first offshore licensing round. Exploration is expected to begin in 2019." + "text": "Lebanon has a free-market economy and a strong laissez-faire commercial tradition. The government does not restrict foreign investment; however, the investment climate suffers from red tape, corruption, arbitrary licensing decisions, complex customs procedures, high taxes, tariffs, and fees, archaic legislation, and inadequate intellectual property rights protection. The Lebanese economy is service-oriented; main growth sectors include banking and tourism. ++ The 1975-90 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and derailed Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern banking hub. Following the civil war, Lebanon rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily, mostly from domestic banks, which saddled the government with a huge debt burden. Pledges of economic and financial reforms made at separate international donor conferences during the 2000s have mostly gone unfulfilled, including those made during the Paris III Donor Conference in 2007, following the July 2006 war. The \"CEDRE\" investment event hosted by France in April 2018 again rallied the international community to assist Lebanon with concessional financing and some grants for capital infrastructure improvements, conditioned upon long-delayed structural economic reforms in fiscal management, electricity tariffs, and transparent public procurement, among many others. ++ The Syria conflict cut off one of Lebanon's major markets and a transport corridor through the Levant. The influx of nearly one million registered and an estimated 300,000 unregistered Syrian refugees has increased social tensions and heightened competition for low-skill jobs and public services. Lebanon continues to face several long-term structural weaknesses that predate the Syria crisis, notably, weak infrastructure, poor service delivery, institutionalized corruption, and bureaucratic over-regulation. Chronic fiscal deficits have increased Lebanon's debt-to-GDP ratio, the third highest in the world; most of the debt is held internally by Lebanese banks. These factors combined to slow economic growth to the 1-2% range in 2011-17, after four years of averaging 8% growth. Weak economic growth limits tax revenues, while the largest government expenditures remain debt servicing, salaries for government workers, and transfers to the electricity sector. These limitations constrain other government spending, limiting its ability to invest in necessary infrastructure improvements, such as water, electricity, and transportation. In early 2018, the Lebanese government signed long-awaited contract agreements with an international consortium for petroleum exploration and production as part of the country's first offshore licensing round. Exploration is expected to begin in 2019." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$88.25 billion (2017 est.) / $86.94 billion (2016 est.) / $85.45 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -908,7 +914,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Lebanon is a source and destination country for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and a transit point for Eastern European women and children subjected to sex trafficking in other Middle Eastern countries; women and girls from South and Southeast Asia and an increasing number from East and West Africa are recruited by agencies to work in domestic service but are subject to conditions of forced labor; under Lebanon’s artiste visa program, women from Eastern Europe, North Africa, and the Dominican Republic enter Lebanon to work in the adult entertainment industry but are often forced into the sex trade; Lebanese children are reportedly forced into street begging and commercial sexual exploitation, with small numbers of Lebanese girls sex trafficked in other Arab countries; Syrian refugees are vulnerable to forced labor and prostitution" + "text": "Lebanon is a source and destination country for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and a transit point for Eastern European women and children subjected to sex trafficking in other Middle Eastern countries; women and girls from South and Southeast Asia and an increasing number from East and West Africa are recruited by agencies to work in domestic service but are subject to conditions of forced labor; under Lebanon's artiste visa program, women from Eastern Europe, North Africa, and the Dominican Republic enter Lebanon to work in the adult entertainment industry but are often forced into the sex trade; Lebanese children are reportedly forced into street begging and commercial sexual exploitation, with small numbers of Lebanese girls sex trafficked in other Arab countries; Syrian refugees are vulnerable to forced labor and prostitution" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Lebanon does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Lebanon was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; law enforcement efforts in 2014 were uneven; the number of convicted traffickers increased, but judges lack of familiarity with anti-trafficking law meant that many offenders were not brought to justice; the government relied heavily on an NGO to identify and provide service to trafficking victims; and its lack of thoroughly implemented victim identification procedures resulted in victims continuing to be arrested, detained, and deported for crimes committed as a direct result of being trafficked (2015)" diff --git a/middle-east/mu.json b/middle-east/mu.json index a3a982e9..d3456da8 100644 --- a/middle-east/mu.json +++ b/middle-east/mu.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered from Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, the nascent sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased, although the sultanate never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al-Said overthrew his father, and has since ruled as sultan. Sultan QABOOS has no children and has not designated a successor publicly; the Basic Law of 1996 outlines Oman’s succession procedure. Sultan QABOOS’ extensive modernization program opened the country to the outside world, and the sultan has prioritized strategic ties with the UK and US. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with its neighbors and to avoid external entanglements.Inspired by the popular uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa beginning in January 2011, some Omanis staged demonstrations, calling for more jobs and economic benefits and an end to corruption. In response to those protester demands, QABOOS in 2011 pledged to implement economic and political reforms, such as granting Oman’s bicameral legislative body more power and authorizing direct elections for its lower house, which took place in November 2011. Additionally, the Sultan increased unemployment benefits, and, in August 2012, issued a royal directive mandating the speedy implementation of a national job creation plan for thousands of public and private sector Omani jobs. As part of the government's efforts to decentralize authority and allow greater citizen participation in local governance, Oman successfully conducted its first municipal council elections in December 2012. Announced by the sultan in 2011, the municipal councils have the power to advise the Royal Court on the needs of local districts across Oman's 11 governorates. Sultan QABOOS, Oman's longest reigning monarch, died on 11 January 2020. His cousin, HAYTHAM bin Tariq bin Taimur Al-Said, former Minister of Heritage and Culture, was sworn in as Oman's new sultan the same day." + "text": "The inhabitants of the area of Oman have long prospered from Indian Ocean trade. In the late 18th century, the nascent sultanate in Muscat signed the first in a series of friendship treaties with Britain. Over time, Oman's dependence on British political and military advisors increased, although the sultanate never became a British colony. In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al-Said overthrew his father, and has since ruled as sultan. Sultan QABOOS has no children and has not designated a successor publicly; the Basic Law of 1996 outlines Oman's succession procedure. Sultan QABOOS' extensive modernization program opened the country to the outside world, and the sultan has prioritized strategic ties with the UK and US. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with its neighbors and to avoid external entanglements. ++ Inspired by the popular uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa beginning in January 2011, some Omanis staged demonstrations, calling for more jobs and economic benefits and an end to corruption. In response to those protester demands, QABOOS in 2011 pledged to implement economic and political reforms, such as granting Oman's bicameral legislative body more power and authorizing direct elections for its lower house, which took place in November 2011. Additionally, the Sultan increased unemployment benefits, and, in August 2012, issued a royal directive mandating the speedy implementation of a national job creation plan for thousands of public and private sector Omani jobs. As part of the government's efforts to decentralize authority and allow greater citizen participation in local governance, Oman successfully conducted its first municipal council elections in December 2012. Announced by the sultan in 2011, the municipal councils have the power to advise the Royal Court on the needs of local districts across Oman's 11 governorates. Sultan QABOOS, Oman's longest reigning monarch, died on 11 January 2020. His cousin, HAYTHAM bin Tariq bin Taimur Al-Said, former Minister of Heritage and Culture, was sworn in as Oman's new sultan the same day." } }, "Geography": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "29.7% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "1.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -437,13 +431,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Council of Oman or Majlis Oman consists of:Council of State or Majlis al-Dawla (85 seats including the chairman; members appointed by the sultan from among former government officials and prominent educators, businessmen, and citizens) Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (86 seats; members directly elected in single- and 2-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve renewable 4-year terms); note - since political reforms in 2011, legislation from the Consultative Council is submitted to the Council of State for review by the Royal Court" + "text": "bicameral Council of Oman or Majlis Oman consists of: Council of State or Majlis al-Dawla (85 seats including the chairman; members appointed by the sultan from among former government officials and prominent educators, businessmen, and citizens) ++ Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (86 seats; members directly elected in single- and 2-seat constituencies by simple majority popular vote to serve renewable 4-year terms); note - since political reforms in 2011, legislation from the Consultative Council is submitted to the Council of State for review by the Royal Court" }, "elections": { - "text": "Council of State - last appointments on 11 July 2019 (next - NA) Consultative Assembly - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023)" + "text": "Council of State - last appointments on 11 July 2019 (next - NA) ++ Consultative Assembly - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Council of State - composition - men 70, women 15, percent of women 17.6%Consultative Council percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA (organized political parties in Oman are legally banned); composition men 84, women 2, percent of women 2.3%; note - total Council of Oman percent of women 9.9%" + "text": "Council of State - composition - men 70, women 15, percent of women 17.6% ++ Consultative Council percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA (organized political parties in Oman are legally banned); composition men 84, women 2, percent of women 2.3%; note - total Council of Oman percent of women 9.9%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -514,7 +508,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Oman is heavily dependent on oil and gas resources, which can generate between and 68% and 85% of government revenue, depending on fluctuations in commodity prices. In 2016, low global oil prices drove Oman’s budget deficit to $13.8 billion, or approximately 20% of GDP, but the budget deficit is estimated to have reduced to 12% of GDP in 2017 as Oman reduced government subsidies. As of January 2018, Oman has sufficient foreign assets to support its currency’s fixed exchange rates. It is issuing debt to cover its deficit. Oman is using enhanced oil recovery techniques to boost production, but it has simultaneously pursued a development plan that focuses on diversification, industrialization, and privatization, with the objective of reducing the oil sector's contribution to GDP. The key components of the government's diversification strategy are tourism, shipping and logistics, mining, manufacturing, and aquaculture. Muscat also has notably focused on creating more Omani jobs to employ the rising number of nationals entering the workforce. However, high social welfare benefits - that had increased in the wake of the 2011 Arab Spring - have made it impossible for the government to balance its budget in light of current oil prices. In response, Omani officials imposed austerity measures on its gasoline and diesel subsidies in 2016. These spending cuts have had only a moderate effect on the government’s budget, which is projected to again face a deficit of $7.8 billion in 2018." + "text": "Oman is heavily dependent on oil and gas resources, which can generate between and 68% and 85% of government revenue, depending on fluctuations in commodity prices. In 2016, low global oil prices drove Oman's budget deficit to $13.8 billion, or approximately 20% of GDP, but the budget deficit is estimated to have reduced to 12% of GDP in 2017 as Oman reduced government subsidies. As of January 2018, Oman has sufficient foreign assets to support its currency's fixed exchange rates. It is issuing debt to cover its deficit. ++ Oman is using enhanced oil recovery techniques to boost production, but it has simultaneously pursued a development plan that focuses on diversification, industrialization, and privatization, with the objective of reducing the oil sector's contribution to GDP. The key components of the government's diversification strategy are tourism, shipping and logistics, mining, manufacturing, and aquaculture. ++ Muscat also has notably focused on creating more Omani jobs to employ the rising number of nationals entering the workforce. However, high social welfare benefits - that had increased in the wake of the 2011 Arab Spring - have made it impossible for the government to balance its budget in light of current oil prices. In response, Omani officials imposed austerity measures on its gasoline and diesel subsidies in 2016. These spending cuts have had only a moderate effect on the government's budget, which is projected to again face a deficit of $7.8 billion in 2018." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$190.1 billion (2017 est.) / $191.9 billion (2016 est.) / $182.8 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/middle-east/qa.json b/middle-east/qa.json index 046fc3ab..a81b383f 100644 --- a/middle-east/qa.json +++ b/middle-east/qa.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar within the last 60 years transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. Former Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, who overthrew his father in a bloodless coup in 1995, ushered in wide-sweeping political and media reforms, unprecedented economic investment, and a growing Qatari regional leadership role, in part through the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's mediation of some regional conflicts. In the 2000s, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and by 2007 had attained the highest per capita income in the world. Qatar did not experience domestic unrest or violence like that seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2011, due in part to its immense wealth and patronage network. In mid-2013, HAMAD peacefully abdicated, transferring power to his son, the current Amir TAMIM bin Hamad. TAMIM is popular with the Qatari public, for his role in shepherding the country through an economic embargo by some other regional countries, for his efforts to improve the country's healthcare and education systems, and for his expansion of the country's infrastructure in anticipation of Doha's hosting of the 2022 World Cup. Recently, Qatar’s relationships with its neighbors have been tense, although since the fall of 2019 there have been signs of improved prospects for a thaw. Following the outbreak of regional unrest in 2011, Doha prided itself on its support for many popular revolutions, particularly in Libya and Syria. This stance was to the detriment of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which temporarily recalled their respective ambassadors from Doha in March 2014. TAMIM later oversaw a warming of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in November 2014 following Kuwaiti mediation and signing of the Riyadh Agreement. This reconciliation, however, was short-lived. In June 2017, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE (the \"Quartet\") cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar in response to alleged violations of the agreement, among other complaints." + "text": "Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar within the last 60 years transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. Former Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, who overthrew his father in a bloodless coup in 1995, ushered in wide-sweeping political and media reforms, unprecedented economic investment, and a growing Qatari regional leadership role, in part through the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's mediation of some regional conflicts. In the 2000s, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and by 2007 had attained the highest per capita income in the world. Qatar did not experience domestic unrest or violence like that seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2011, due in part to its immense wealth and patronage network. In mid-2013, HAMAD peacefully abdicated, transferring power to his son, the current Amir TAMIM bin Hamad. TAMIM is popular with the Qatari public, for his role in shepherding the country through an economic embargo by some other regional countries, for his efforts to improve the country's healthcare and education systems, and for his expansion of the country's infrastructure in anticipation of Doha's hosting of the 2022 World Cup. Recently, Qatar's relationships with its neighbors have been tense, although since the fall of 2019 there have been signs of improved prospects for a thaw. Following the outbreak of regional unrest in 2011, Doha prided itself on its support for many popular revolutions, particularly in Libya and Syria. This stance was to the detriment of Qatar's relations with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which temporarily recalled their respective ambassadors from Doha in March 2014. TAMIM later oversaw a warming of Qatar's relations with Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in November 2014 following Kuwaiti mediation and signing of the Riyadh Agreement. This reconciliation, however, was short-lived. In June 2017, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE (the \"Quartet\") cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar in response to alleged violations of the agreement, among other complaints." } }, "Geography": { @@ -252,8 +252,11 @@ "text": "37.5% (2012)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -266,8 +269,11 @@ "text": "1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population (2015 est.)" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -499,7 +505,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Qatar’s oil and natural gas resources are the country’s main economic engine and government revenue source, driving Qatar’s high economic growth and per capita income levels, robust state spending on public entitlements, and booming construction spending, particularly as Qatar prepares to host the World Cup in 2022. Although the government has maintained high capital spending levels for ongoing infrastructure projects, low oil and natural gas prices in recent years have led the Qatari Government to tighten some spending to help stem its budget deficit. Qatar’s reliance on oil and natural gas is likely to persist for the foreseeable future. Proved natural gas reserves exceed 25 trillion cubic meters - 13% of the world total and, among countries, third largest in the world. Proved oil reserves exceed 25 billion barrels, allowing production to continue at current levels for about 56 years. Despite the dominance of oil and natural gas, Qatar has made significant gains in strengthening non-oil sectors, such as manufacturing, construction, and financial services, leading non-oil GDP to steadily rise in recent years to just over half the total. Following trade restriction imposed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt in 2017, Qatar established new trade routes with other countries to maintain access to imports." + "text": "Qatar's oil and natural gas resources are the country's main economic engine and government revenue source, driving Qatar's high economic growth and per capita income levels, robust state spending on public entitlements, and booming construction spending, particularly as Qatar prepares to host the World Cup in 2022. Although the government has maintained high capital spending levels for ongoing infrastructure projects, low oil and natural gas prices in recent years have led the Qatari Government to tighten some spending to help stem its budget deficit. ++ Qatar's reliance on oil and natural gas is likely to persist for the foreseeable future. Proved natural gas reserves exceed 25 trillion cubic meters - 13% of the world total and, among countries, third largest in the world. Proved oil reserves exceed 25 billion barrels, allowing production to continue at current levels for about 56 years. Despite the dominance of oil and natural gas, Qatar has made significant gains in strengthening non-oil sectors, such as manufacturing, construction, and financial services, leading non-oil GDP to steadily rise in recent years to just over half the total. ++ Following trade restriction imposed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt in 2017, Qatar established new trade routes with other countries to maintain access to imports." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$339.5 billion (2017 est.) / $334.2 billion (2016 est.) / $327.3 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -864,7 +870,7 @@ "text": "Qatar is a destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor, and, to a much lesser extent, forced prostitution; the predominantly foreign workforce migrates to Qatar legally for low- and semi-skilled work but often experiences situations of forced labor, including debt bondage, delayed or nonpayment of salaries, confiscation of passports, abuse, hazardous working conditions, and squalid living arrangements; foreign female domestic workers are particularly vulnerable to trafficking because of their isolation in private homes and lack of protection under Qatari labor laws; some women who migrate for work are also forced into prostitution" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Qatar does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government investigated 11 trafficking cases but did not prosecute or convict any offenders, including exploitative employers and recruitment agencies; the primary solution for resolving labor violations was to transfer a worker’s sponsorship to a new employer with minimal effort to investigate whether a forced labor violation had occurred; authorities increased their efforts to protect some trafficking victims, although many victims of forced labor, particularly domestic workers, remained unidentified and unprotected and were sometimes punished for immigration violations or running away from an employer or sponsor; authorities visited worksites throughout the country to meet and educate workers and employers on trafficking regulations, but the government failed to abolish or reform the sponsorship system, perpetuating Qatar’s forced labor problem (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Qatar does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government investigated 11 trafficking cases but did not prosecute or convict any offenders, including exploitative employers and recruitment agencies; the primary solution for resolving labor violations was to transfer a worker's sponsorship to a new employer with minimal effort to investigate whether a forced labor violation had occurred; authorities increased their efforts to protect some trafficking victims, although many victims of forced labor, particularly domestic workers, remained unidentified and unprotected and were sometimes punished for immigration violations or running away from an employer or sponsor; authorities visited worksites throughout the country to meet and educate workers and employers on trafficking regulations, but the government failed to abolish or reform the sponsorship system, perpetuating Qatar's forced labor problem (2015)" } } } diff --git a/middle-east/sa.json b/middle-east/sa.json index 883c66e1..7fbaf7c5 100644 --- a/middle-east/sa.json +++ b/middle-east/sa.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al SAUD (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. One of his male descendants rules the country today, as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the public until all operational US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong ongoing campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. US troops returned to the Kingdom in October 2019 after attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure. From 2005 to 2015, King ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud incrementally modernized the Kingdom. Driven by personal ideology and political pragmatism, he introduced a series of social and economic initiatives, including expanding employment and social opportunities for women, attracting foreign investment, increasing the role of the private sector in the economy, and discouraging businesses from hiring foreign workers. These reforms have accelerated under King SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz, who ascended to the throne in 2015, and has since lifted the Kingdom's ban on women driving and allowed cinemas to operate for the first time in decades. Saudi Arabia saw some protests during the 2011 Arab Spring but not the level of bloodshed seen in protests elsewhere in the region. Shia Muslims in the Eastern Province protested primarily against the detention of political prisoners, endemic discrimination, and Bahraini and Saudi Government actions in Bahrain. Riyadh took a cautious but firm approach by arresting some protesters but releasing most of them quickly and by using its state-sponsored clerics to counter political and Islamist activism. The government held its first-ever elections in 2005 and 2011, when Saudis went to the polls to elect municipal councilors. In December 2015, women were allowed to vote and stand as candidates for the first time in municipal council elections, with 19 women winning seats. After King SALMAN ascended to the throne in 2015, he placed the first next-generation prince, MUHAMMAD BIN NAYIF bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, in the line of succession as Crown Prince. He designated his son, MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, as the Deputy Crown Prince. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia led a coalition of 10 countries in a military campaign to restore the legitimate government of Yemen, which had been ousted by Huthi forces allied with former president ALI ABDULLAH al-Salih. The war in Yemen has drawn international criticism for civilian casualties and its effect on the country’s dire humanitarian situation. In December 2015, then Deputy Crown Prince MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN announced Saudi Arabia would lead a 34-nation Islamic Coalition to fight terrorism (it has since grown to 41 nations). In May 2017, Saudi Arabia inaugurated the Global Center for Combatting Extremist Ideology (also known as \"Etidal\") as part of its ongoing efforts to counter violent extremism. In June 2017, King SALMAN elevated MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN to Crown Prince. The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds about 16% of the world's proven oil reserves as of 2015. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification, particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in 2005, and promotes foreign investment in the Kingdom. In April 2016, the Saudi Government announced a broad set of socio-economic reforms, known as Vision 2030. Low global oil prices throughout 2015 and 2016 significantly lowered Saudi Arabia’s governmental revenue. In response, the government cut subsidies on water, electricity, and gasoline; reduced government employee compensation packages; and announced limited new land taxes. In coordination with OPEC and some key non-OPEC countries, Saudi Arabia agreed cut oil output in early 2017 to regulate supply and help elevate global prices." + "text": "Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al SAUD (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. One of his male descendants rules the country today, as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the public until all operational US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong ongoing campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. US troops returned to the Kingdom in October 2019 after attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure. ++ From 2005 to 2015, King ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud incrementally modernized the Kingdom. Driven by personal ideology and political pragmatism, he introduced a series of social and economic initiatives, including expanding employment and social opportunities for women, attracting foreign investment, increasing the role of the private sector in the economy, and discouraging businesses from hiring foreign workers. These reforms have accelerated under King SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz, who ascended to the throne in 2015, and has since lifted the Kingdom's ban on women driving and allowed cinemas to operate for the first time in decades. Saudi Arabia saw some protests during the 2011 Arab Spring but not the level of bloodshed seen in protests elsewhere in the region. Shia Muslims in the Eastern Province protested primarily against the detention of political prisoners, endemic discrimination, and Bahraini and Saudi Government actions in Bahrain. Riyadh took a cautious but firm approach by arresting some protesters but releasing most of them quickly and by using its state-sponsored clerics to counter political and Islamist activism. ++ The government held its first-ever elections in 2005 and 2011, when Saudis went to the polls to elect municipal councilors. In December 2015, women were allowed to vote and stand as candidates for the first time in municipal council elections, with 19 women winning seats. After King SALMAN ascended to the throne in 2015, he placed the first next-generation prince, MUHAMMAD BIN NAYIF bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, in the line of succession as Crown Prince. He designated his son, MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, as the Deputy Crown Prince. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia led a coalition of 10 countries in a military campaign to restore the legitimate government of Yemen, which had been ousted by Huthi forces allied with former president ALI ABDULLAH al-Salih. The war in Yemen has drawn international criticism for civilian casualties and its effect on the country's dire humanitarian situation. In December 2015, then Deputy Crown Prince MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN announced Saudi Arabia would lead a 34-nation Islamic Coalition to fight terrorism (it has since grown to 41 nations). In May 2017, Saudi Arabia inaugurated the Global Center for Combatting Extremist Ideology (also known as \"Etidal\") as part of its ongoing efforts to counter violent extremism. In June 2017, King SALMAN elevated MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN to Crown Prince. ++ The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds about 16% of the world's proven oil reserves as of 2015. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification, particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in 2005, and promotes foreign investment in the Kingdom. In April 2016, the Saudi Government announced a broad set of socio-economic reforms, known as Vision 2030. Low global oil prices throughout 2015 and 2016 significantly lowered Saudi Arabia's governmental revenue. In response, the government cut subsidies on water, electricity, and gasoline; reduced government employee compensation packages; and announced limited new land taxes. In coordination with OPEC and some key non-OPEC countries, Saudi Arabia agreed cut oil output in early 2017 to regulate supply and help elevate global prices." } }, "Geography": { @@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ "text": "historically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since petroleum was discovered in the 1930s; most of the economic activities - and with it the country's population - is concentrated in a wide area across the middle of the peninsula, from Ad Dammam in the east, through Riyadh in the interior, to Mecca-Medina in the west near the Red Sea" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "frequent sand and dust storms\nvolcanism: despite many volcanic formations, there has been little activity in the past few centuries; volcanoes include Harrat Rahat, Harrat Khaybar, Harrat Lunayyir, and Jabal Yar" + "text": "frequent sand and dust storms ++ volcanism: despite many volcanic formations, there has been little activity in the past few centuries; volcanoes include Harrat Rahat, Harrat Khaybar, Harrat Lunayyir, and Jabal Yar" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills; air pollution; waste management" @@ -258,8 +258,11 @@ "text": "24.6% (2016)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,8 +275,11 @@ "text": "2.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -507,7 +513,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses about 16% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 87% of budget revenues, 42% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. Saudi Arabia is encouraging the growth of the private sector in order to diversify its economy and to employ more Saudi nationals. Approximately 6 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors; at the same time, however, Riyadh is struggling to reduce unemployment among its own nationals. Saudi officials are particularly focused on employing its large youth population. In 2017, the Kingdom incurred a budget deficit estimated at 8.3% of GDP, which was financed by bond sales and drawing down reserves. Although the Kingdom can finance high deficits for several years by drawing down its considerable foreign assets or by borrowing, it has cut capital spending and reduced subsidies on electricity, water, and petroleum products and recently introduced a value-added tax of 5%. In January 2016, Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN announced that Saudi Arabia intends to list shares of its state-owned petroleum company, ARAMCO - another move to increase revenue and outside investment. The government has also looked at privatization and diversification of the economy more closely in the wake of a diminished oil market. Historically, Saudi Arabia has focused diversification efforts on power generation, telecommunications, natural gas exploration, and petrochemical sectors. More recently, the government has approached investors about expanding the role of the private sector in the health care, education and tourism industries. While Saudi Arabia has emphasized their goals of diversification for some time, current low oil prices may force the government to make more drastic changes ahead of their long-run timeline." + "text": "Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses about 16% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 87% of budget revenues, 42% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. ++ Saudi Arabia is encouraging the growth of the private sector in order to diversify its economy and to employ more Saudi nationals. Approximately 6 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors; at the same time, however, Riyadh is struggling to reduce unemployment among its own nationals. Saudi officials are particularly focused on employing its large youth population. ++ In 2017, the Kingdom incurred a budget deficit estimated at 8.3% of GDP, which was financed by bond sales and drawing down reserves. Although the Kingdom can finance high deficits for several years by drawing down its considerable foreign assets or by borrowing, it has cut capital spending and reduced subsidies on electricity, water, and petroleum products and recently introduced a value-added tax of 5%. In January 2016, Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN announced that Saudi Arabia intends to list shares of its state-owned petroleum company, ARAMCO - another move to increase revenue and outside investment. The government has also looked at privatization and diversification of the economy more closely in the wake of a diminished oil market. Historically, Saudi Arabia has focused diversification efforts on power generation, telecommunications, natural gas exploration, and petrochemical sectors. More recently, the government has approached investors about expanding the role of the private sector in the health care, education and tourism industries. While Saudi Arabia has emphasized their goals of diversification for some time, current low oil prices may force the government to make more drastic changes ahead of their long-run timeline." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.775 trillion (2017 est.) / $1.79 trillion (2016 est.) / $1.761 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -925,7 +931,7 @@ }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { - "text": "Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham; al-Qa’ida; al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (2019)", + "text": "Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham; al-Qa'ida; al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (2019)", "note": { "text": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T" } @@ -948,7 +954,7 @@ "text": "Saudi Arabia is a destination country for men and women subjected to forced labor and, to a lesser extent, forced prostitution; men and women from South and East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa who voluntarily travel to Saudi Arabia as domestic servants or low-skilled laborers subsequently face conditions of involuntary servitude, including nonpayment and withholding of passports; some migrant workers are forced to work indefinitely beyond the term of their contract because their employers will not grant them a required exit visa; female domestic workers are particularly vulnerable because of their isolation in private homes; women, primarily from Asian and African countries, are believed to be forced into prostitution in Saudi Arabia, while other foreign women were reportedly kidnapped and forced into prostitution after running away from abusive employers; children from South Asia, East Africa, and Yemen are subjected to forced labor as beggars and street vendors in Saudi Arabia, facilitated by criminal gangs" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List - Saudi Arabia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; government officials and high-level religious leaders demonstrated greater political will to combat trafficking and publically acknowledged the problem – specifically forced labor; the government reported increased numbers of prosecutions and convictions of trafficking offenders; however, it did not proactively investigate and prosecute employers for potential labor trafficking crimes following their withholding of workers’ wages and passports, which are illegal; authorities did not systematically use formal criteria to proactively identify victims, resulting in some unidentified victims being arrested, detained, deported, and sometimes prosecuted; more victims were identified and referred to protective services in 2014 than the previous year, but victims of sex trafficking and male trafficking victims were not provided with shelter and remained vulnerable to punishment (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List - Saudi Arabia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; government officials and high-level religious leaders demonstrated greater political will to combat trafficking and publically acknowledged the problem – specifically forced labor; the government reported increased numbers of prosecutions and convictions of trafficking offenders; however, it did not proactively investigate and prosecute employers for potential labor trafficking crimes following their withholding of workers' wages and passports, which are illegal; authorities did not systematically use formal criteria to proactively identify victims, resulting in some unidentified victims being arrested, detained, deported, and sometimes prosecuted; more victims were identified and referred to protective services in 2014 than the previous year, but victims of sex trafficking and male trafficking victims were not provided with shelter and remained vulnerable to punishment (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/middle-east/sy.json b/middle-east/sy.json index ce35f624..972debd9 100644 --- a/middle-east/sy.json +++ b/middle-east/sy.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French administered the area as Syria until granting it independence in 1946. The new country lacked political stability and experienced a series of military coups. Syria united with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic. In September 1961, the two entities separated, and the Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights region to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held occasional, albeit unsuccessful, peace talks over its return. In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the socialist Ba'ath Party and the minority Alawi sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country. Following the death of President Hafiz al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum in July 2000. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April 2005. During the July-August 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah. In May 2007, Bashar al-ASAD's second term as president was approved by popular referendum. Influenced by major uprisings that began elsewhere in the region, and compounded by additional social and economic factors, antigovernment protests broke out first in the southern province of Dar'a in March 2011 with protesters calling for the repeal of the restrictive Emergency Law allowing arrests without charge, the legalization of political parties, and the removal of corrupt local officials. Demonstrations and violent unrest spread across Syria with the size and intensity of protests fluctuating. The government responded to unrest with a mix of concessions - including the repeal of the Emergency Law, new laws permitting new political parties, and liberalizing local and national elections - and with military force and detentions. The government's efforts to quell unrest and armed opposition activity led to extended clashes and eventually civil war between government forces, their allies, and oppositionists. International pressure on the ASAD regime intensified after late 2011, as the Arab League, the EU, Turkey, and the US expanded economic sanctions against the regime and those entities that support it. In December 2012, the Syrian National Coalition, was recognized by more than 130 countries as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people. In September 2015, Russia launched a military intervention on behalf of the ASAD regime, and domestic and foreign government-aligned forces recaptured swaths of territory from opposition forces, and eventually the country’s second largest city, Aleppo, in December 2016, shifting the conflict in the regime’s favor. The regime, with this foreign support, also recaptured opposition strongholds in the Damascus suburbs and the southern province of Dar’a in 2018. The government lacks territorial control over much of the northeastern part of the country, which is dominated by the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF has expanded its territorial hold over much of the northeast since 2014 as it has captured territory from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Since 2016, Turkey has also conducted three large-scale military operations into Syria, capturing territory along Syria's northern border in the provinces of Aleppo, Ar Raqqah, and Al Hasakah. Political negotiations between the government and opposition delegations at UN-sponsored Geneva conferences since 2014 have failed to produce a resolution of the conflict. Since early 2017, Iran, Russia, and Turkey have held separate political negotiations outside of UN auspices to attempt to reduce violence in Syria. According to an April 2016 UN estimate, the death toll among Syrian Government forces, opposition forces, and civilians was over 400,000, though other estimates placed the number well over 500,000. As of December 2019, approximately 6 million Syrians were internally displaced. Approximately 11.1 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance across the country, and an additional 5.7 million Syrians were registered refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and North Africa. The conflict in Syria remains one of the largest humanitarian crises worldwide." + "text": "Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French administered the area as Syria until granting it independence in 1946. The new country lacked political stability and experienced a series of military coups. Syria united with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic. In September 1961, the two entities separated, and the Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights region to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held occasional, albeit unsuccessful, peace talks over its return. In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the socialist Ba'ath Party and the minority Alawi sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country. Following the death of President Hafiz al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum in July 2000. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April 2005. During the July-August 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally Hizballah. In May 2007, Bashar al-ASAD's second term as president was approved by popular referendum. ++ Influenced by major uprisings that began elsewhere in the region, and compounded by additional social and economic factors, antigovernment protests broke out first in the southern province of Dar'a in March 2011 with protesters calling for the repeal of the restrictive Emergency Law allowing arrests without charge, the legalization of political parties, and the removal of corrupt local officials. Demonstrations and violent unrest spread across Syria with the size and intensity of protests fluctuating. The government responded to unrest with a mix of concessions - including the repeal of the Emergency Law, new laws permitting new political parties, and liberalizing local and national elections - and with military force and detentions. The government's efforts to quell unrest and armed opposition activity led to extended clashes and eventually civil war between government forces, their allies, and oppositionists. ++ International pressure on the ASAD regime intensified after late 2011, as the Arab League, the EU, Turkey, and the US expanded economic sanctions against the regime and those entities that support it. In December 2012, the Syrian National Coalition, was recognized by more than 130 countries as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people. In September 2015, Russia launched a military intervention on behalf of the ASAD regime, and domestic and foreign government-aligned forces recaptured swaths of territory from opposition forces, and eventually the country's second largest city, Aleppo, in December 2016, shifting the conflict in the regime's favor. The regime, with this foreign support, also recaptured opposition strongholds in the Damascus suburbs and the southern province of Dar'a in 2018. The government lacks territorial control over much of the northeastern part of the country, which is dominated by the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF has expanded its territorial hold over much of the northeast since 2014 as it has captured territory from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Since 2016, Turkey has also conducted three large-scale military operations into Syria, capturing territory along Syria's northern border in the provinces of Aleppo, Ar Raqqah, and Al Hasakah. Political negotiations between the government and opposition delegations at UN-sponsored Geneva conferences since 2014 have failed to produce a resolution of the conflict. Since early 2017, Iran, Russia, and Turkey have held separate political negotiations outside of UN auspices to attempt to reduce violence in Syria. According to an April 2016 UN estimate, the death toll among Syrian Government forces, opposition forces, and civilians was over 400,000, though other estimates placed the number well over 500,000. As of December 2019, approximately 6 million Syrians were internally displaced. Approximately 11.1 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance across the country, and an additional 5.7 million Syrians were registered refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and North Africa. The conflict in Syria remains one of the largest humanitarian crises worldwide." } }, "Geography": { @@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ } }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "dust storms, sandstorms\nvolcanism: Syria's two historically active volcanoes, Es Safa and an unnamed volcano near the Turkish border have not erupted in centuries" + "text": "dust storms, sandstorms ++ volcanism: Syria's two historically active volcanoes, Es Safa and an unnamed volcano near the Turkish border have not erupted in centuries" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; depletion of water resources; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water" @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "2.9 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99% of population / rural: 99.3% of population / total: 99.4% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1% of population / rural: 0.7% of population / total: 0.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Physicians density": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "1.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.6% of population / rural: 98.6% of population / total: 99.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.4% of population / rural: 1.4% of population / total: 0.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -398,7 +392,7 @@ "text": "several previous; latest issued 15 February 2012, passed by referendum and effective 27 February 2012" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the president of the republic or by one third of the People’s Assembly members; following review by a special Assembly committee, passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote by the Assembly and approval by the president" + "text": "proposed by the president of the republic or by one third of the People's Assembly members; following review by a special Assembly committee, passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote by the Assembly and approval by the president" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -464,7 +458,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "legal parties/alliances: Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party [Bashar al-ASAD, regional secretary] Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD] Arab Socialist Union of Syria or ASU [Safwan al-QUDSI] National Progressive Front or NPF [Bashar al-ASAD, Suleiman QADDAH] (alliance includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party) Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallah Nasr al-DIN]Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL] Syrian Social Nationalist Party or SSNP [Ali HAIDAR]Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL]Major Kurdish parties Kurdish Democratic Union Party or PYD [Shahoz HASAN and Aysha HISSO]Kurdish National Council [Sa'ud MALA]  other: Syrian Democratic Party [Mustafa QALAAJI]" + "text": "legal parties/alliances: Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party [Bashar al-ASAD, regional secretary] ++ Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party [President Bashar al-ASAD] ++ Arab Socialist Union of Syria or ASU [Safwan al-QUDSI] ++ National Progressive Front or NPF [Bashar al-ASAD, Suleiman QADDAH] (alliance includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party) ++ Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallah Nasr al-DIN] ++ Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yusuf Rashid FAYSAL] ++ Syrian Social Nationalist Party or SSNP [Ali HAIDAR] ++ Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL] ++ ++ Major Kurdish parties  ++ Kurdish Democratic Union Party or PYD [Shahoz HASAN and Aysha HISSO] ++ Kurdish National Council [Sa'ud MALA] ++   ++ other: Syrian Democratic Party [Mustafa QALAAJI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WBG, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -526,12 +520,12 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Syria's economy has deeply deteriorated amid the ongoing conflict that began in 2011, declining by more than 70% from 2010 to 2017. The government has struggled to fully address the effects of international sanctions, widespread infrastructure damage, diminished domestic consumption and production, reduced subsidies, and high inflation, which have caused dwindling foreign exchange reserves, rising budget and trade deficits, a decreasing value of the Syrian pound, and falling household purchasing power. In 2017, some economic indicators began to stabilize, including the exchange rate and inflation, but economic activity remains depressed and GDP almost certainly fell. During 2017, the ongoing conflict and continued unrest and economic decline worsened the humanitarian crisis, necessitating high levels of international assistance, as more than 13 million people remain in need inside Syria, and the number of registered Syrian refugees increased from 4.8 million in 2016 to more than 5.4 million. Prior to the turmoil, Damascus had begun liberalizing economic policies, including cutting lending interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating multiple exchange rates, raising prices on some subsidized items, and establishing the Damascus Stock Exchange, but the economy remains highly regulated. Long-run economic constraints include foreign trade barriers, declining oil production, high unemployment, rising budget deficits, increasing pressure on water supplies caused by heavy use in agriculture, industrial contaction, water pollution, and widespread infrastructure damage." + "text": "Syria's economy has deeply deteriorated amid the ongoing conflict that began in 2011, declining by more than 70% from 2010 to 2017. The government has struggled to fully address the effects of international sanctions, widespread infrastructure damage, diminished domestic consumption and production, reduced subsidies, and high inflation, which have caused dwindling foreign exchange reserves, rising budget and trade deficits, a decreasing value of the Syrian pound, and falling household purchasing power. In 2017, some economic indicators began to stabilize, including the exchange rate and inflation, but economic activity remains depressed and GDP almost certainly fell. ++ During 2017, the ongoing conflict and continued unrest and economic decline worsened the humanitarian crisis, necessitating high levels of international assistance, as more than 13 million people remain in need inside Syria, and the number of registered Syrian refugees increased from 4.8 million in 2016 to more than 5.4 million. ++ Prior to the turmoil, Damascus had begun liberalizing economic policies, including cutting lending interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating multiple exchange rates, raising prices on some subsidized items, and establishing the Damascus Stock Exchange, but the economy remains highly regulated. Long-run economic constraints include foreign trade barriers, declining oil production, high unemployment, rising budget deficits, increasing pressure on water supplies caused by heavy use in agriculture, industrial contaction, water pollution, and widespread infrastructure damage." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$50.28 billion (2015 est.) / $55.8 billion (2014 est.) / $61.9 billion (2013 est.)", "note": { - "text": "note: data are in 2015 US dollarsthe war-driven deterioration of the economy resulted in a disappearance of quality national level statistics in the 2012-13 period" + "text": "note: data are in 2015 US dollars ++ the war-driven deterioration of the economy resulted in a disappearance of quality national level statistics in the 2012-13 period" } }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { @@ -935,7 +929,7 @@ }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { - "text": "Abdallah Azzam Brigades; Ansar al-Islam; Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq; Hizballah; Hurras al-Din; Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps -- Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham; Kata'ib Hizballah; Kurdistan Workers' Party; Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem; al-Nusrah Front (Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham); al-Qa'ida; Palestine Liberation Front; PFLP-General Command; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (2020)", + "text": "Abdallah Azzam Brigades; Ansar al-Islam; Asa'ib Ahl Al-Haq; Hizballah; Hurras al-Din; Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps -- Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham; Kata'ib Hizballah; Kurdistan Workers' Party; Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem; al-Nusrah Front (Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham); al-Qa'ida; Palestine Liberation Front; PFLP-General Command; Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (2020)", "note": { "text": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T" } @@ -961,10 +955,10 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "as conditions continue to deteriorate due to Syria’s civil war, human trafficking has increased; Syrians remaining in the country and those that are refugees abroad are vulnerable to trafficking; Syria is a source and destination country for men, women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Syrian children continue to be forcibly recruited by government forces, pro-regime militias, armed opposition groups, and terrorist organizations to serve as soldiers, human shields, and executioners; ISIL forces Syrian women and girls and Yazidi women and girls taken from Iraq to marry its fighters, where they experience domestic servitude and sexual violence; Syrian refugee women and girls are forced into exploitive marriages or prostitution in neighboring countries, while displaced children are forced into street begging domestically and abroad" + "text": "as conditions continue to deteriorate due to Syria's civil war, human trafficking has increased; Syrians remaining in the country and those that are refugees abroad are vulnerable to trafficking; Syria is a source and destination country for men, women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Syrian children continue to be forcibly recruited by government forces, pro-regime militias, armed opposition groups, and terrorist organizations to serve as soldiers, human shields, and executioners; ISIL forces Syrian women and girls and Yazidi women and girls taken from Iraq to marry its fighters, where they experience domestic servitude and sexual violence; Syrian refugee women and girls are forced into exploitive marriages or prostitution in neighboring countries, while displaced children are forced into street begging domestically and abroad" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 3 - the government does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Syria’s violent conditions enabled human trafficking to flourish; the government made no effort to investigate, prosecute, or convict trafficking offenders or complicit government officials, including those who forcibly recruited child soldiers; authorities did not identify victims and failed to ensure victims, including child soldiers, were protected from arrest, detention, and severe abuse as a result of being trafficked (2015)" + "text": "Tier 3 - the government does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Syria's violent conditions enabled human trafficking to flourish; the government made no effort to investigate, prosecute, or convict trafficking offenders or complicit government officials, including those who forcibly recruited child soldiers; authorities did not identify victims and failed to ensure victims, including child soldiers, were protected from arrest, detention, and severe abuse as a result of being trafficked (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/middle-east/tu.json b/middle-east/tu.json index 977f2b1c..b75f7723 100644 --- a/middle-east/tu.json +++ b/middle-east/tu.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or \"Father of the Turks.\" Under his leadership, the country adopted radical social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democrat Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of formal political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a \"post-modern coup\" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. An unsuccessful coup attempt was made in July 2016 by a faction of the Turkish Armed Forces. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the \"Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,\" which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a US-designated terrorist organization, has long dominated the attention of Turkish security forces and claimed more than 40,000 lives. In 2013, the Turkish Government and the PKK conducted negotiations aimed at ending the violence, however intense fighting resumed in 2015. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1963, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; it began accession talks with the EU in 2005. Over the past decade, economic reforms, coupled with some political reforms, have contributed to a growing economy, although economic growth slowed in recent years. From 2015 and continuing through 2016, Turkey witnessed an uptick in terrorist violence, including major attacks in Ankara, Istanbul, and throughout the predominantly Kurdish southeastern region of Turkey. On 15 July 2016, elements of the Turkish Armed forces attempted a coup that ultimately failed following widespread popular resistance. More than 240 people were killed and over 2,000 injured when Turkish citizens took to the streets en masse to confront the coup forces. The government accused followers of the Fethullah Gulen transnational religious and social movement (\"Hizmet\") for allegedly instigating the failed coup and designates the movement’s followers as terrorists. Since the attempted coup, Turkish Government authorities arrested, suspended, or dismissed more than 130,000 security personnel, journalists, judges, academics, and civil servants due to their alleged connection to Gulen's movement. Following the failed coup, the Turkish Government instituted a State of Emergency from July 2016 to July 2018. The Turkish Government conducted a referendum on 16 April 2017 in which voters approved constitutional amendments changing Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system. The amendments went into effect fully following the presidential and parliamentary elections in June 2018." + "text": "Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was later honored with the title Ataturk or \"Father of the Turks.\" Under his leadership, the country adopted radical social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950 election victory of the opposition Democrat Party and the peaceful transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of instability and military coups (1960, 1971, 1980), which in each case eventually resulted in a return of formal political power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the ouster - popularly dubbed a \"post-modern coup\" - of the then Islamic-oriented government. An unsuccessful coup attempt was made in July 2016 by a faction of the Turkish Armed Forces. ++ Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since acted as patron state to the \"Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,\" which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984 by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a US-designated terrorist organization, has long dominated the attention of Turkish security forces and claimed more than 40,000 lives. In 2013, the Turkish Government and the PKK conducted negotiations aimed at ending the violence, however intense fighting resumed in 2015. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO. In 1963, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community; it began accession talks with the EU in 2005. Over the past decade, economic reforms, coupled with some political reforms, have contributed to a growing economy, although economic growth slowed in recent years. ++ From 2015 and continuing through 2016, Turkey witnessed an uptick in terrorist violence, including major attacks in Ankara, Istanbul, and throughout the predominantly Kurdish southeastern region of Turkey. On 15 July 2016, elements of the Turkish Armed forces attempted a coup that ultimately failed following widespread popular resistance. More than 240 people were killed and over 2,000 injured when Turkish citizens took to the streets en masse to confront the coup forces. The government accused followers of the Fethullah Gulen transnational religious and social movement (\"Hizmet\") for allegedly instigating the failed coup and designates the movement's followers as terrorists. Since the attempted coup, Turkish Government authorities arrested, suspended, or dismissed more than 130,000 security personnel, journalists, judges, academics, and civil servants due to their alleged connection to Gulen's movement. Following the failed coup, the Turkish Government instituted a State of Emergency from July 2016 to July 2018. The Turkish Government conducted a referendum on 16 April 2017 in which voters approved constitutional amendments changing Turkey from a parliamentary to a presidential system. The amendments went into effect fully following the presidential and parliamentary elections in June 2018." } }, "Geography": { @@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ "text": "the most densely populated area is found around the Bosporus in the northwest where 20% of the population lives in Istanbul; with the exception of Ankara, urban centers remain small and scattered throughout the interior of Anatolia; an overall pattern of peripheral development exists, particularly along the Aegean Sea coast in the west, and the Tigris and Euphrates River systems in the southeast" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van; landslides; flooding\nvolcanism: limited volcanic activity; its three historically active volcanoes; Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier" + "text": "severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van; landslides; flooding ++ volcanism: limited volcanic activity; its three historically active volcanoes; Ararat, Nemrut Dagi, and Tendurek Dagi have not erupted since the 19th century or earlier" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; land degradation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic; conservation of biodiversity" @@ -255,14 +255,11 @@ "text": "69.8% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.6% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 98.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.4% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 1.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -275,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "2.8 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 91.6% of population / total: 97.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "8.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 8.4% of population / total: 2.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -461,7 +455,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democrat Party or DP [Gultekin UYSAL]Democratic Regions Party or DBP [Sebahat TUNCEL, Mehmet ARSLAN]Felicity Party or SP [Temel KARAMOLLAOGLU]Free Cause Party or HUDAPAR [Ishak SAGLAM]Good Party or TYIi [Meral AKSENER]Grand Unity Party or BBP [Mustafa DESTICI]Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]Nation Alliance (CHP, IYI, SP) (electoral alliance)Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]People's Alliance (AKP, MHP) (electoral alliance)Patriotic Party or VP [Dogu PERINCEK]People's Democratic Party or HDP [Pervin BULDAN, Sezai TEMELLI]Republican People's Party or CHP [Kemal KILICDAROGLU]", + "text": "Democrat Party or DP [Gultekin UYSAL] ++ Democratic Regions Party or DBP [Sebahat TUNCEL, Mehmet ARSLAN] ++ Felicity Party or SP [Temel KARAMOLLAOGLU] ++ Free Cause Party or HUDAPAR [Ishak SAGLAM] ++ Good Party or TYIi [Meral AKSENER] ++ Grand Unity Party or BBP [Mustafa DESTICI] ++ Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN] ++ Nation Alliance (CHP, IYI, SP) (electoral alliance) ++ Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI] ++ People's Alliance (AKP, MHP) (electoral alliance) ++ Patriotic Party or VP [Dogu PERINCEK] ++ People's Democratic Party or HDP [Pervin BULDAN, Sezai TEMELLI] ++ Republican People's Party or CHP [Kemal KILICDAROGLU]", "note": { "text": "note:  as of December 2018, 83 political parties were legally registered" } @@ -529,7 +523,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Turkey's largely free-market economy is driven by its industry and, increasingly, service sectors, although its traditional agriculture sector still accounts for about 25% of employment. The automotive, petrochemical, and electronics industries have risen in importance and surpassed the traditional textiles and clothing sectors within Turkey's export mix. However, the recent period of political stability and economic dynamism has given way to domestic uncertainty and security concerns, which are generating financial market volatility and weighing on Turkey’s economic outlook. Current government policies emphasize populist spending measures and credit breaks, while implementation of structural economic reforms has slowed. The government is playing a more active role in some strategic sectors and has used economic institutions and regulators to target political opponents, undermining private sector confidence in the judicial system. Between July 2016 and March 2017, three credit ratings agencies downgraded Turkey’s sovereign credit ratings, citing concerns about the rule of law and the pace of economic reforms. Turkey remains highly dependent on imported oil and gas but is pursuing energy relationships with a broader set of international partners and taking steps to increase use of domestic energy sources including renewables, nuclear, and coal. The joint Turkish-Azerbaijani Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline is moving forward to increase transport of Caspian gas to Turkey and Europe, and when completed will help diversify Turkey's sources of imported gas. After Turkey experienced a severe financial crisis in 2001, Ankara adopted financial and fiscal reforms as part of an IMF program. The reforms strengthened the country's economic fundamentals and ushered in an era of strong growth, averaging more than 6% annually until 2008. An aggressive privatization program also reduced state involvement in basic industry, banking, transport, power generation, and communication. Global economic conditions and tighter fiscal policy caused GDP to contract in 2009, but Turkey's well-regulated financial markets and banking system helped the country weather the global financial crisis, and GDP growth rebounded to around 9% in 2010 and 2011, as exports and investment recovered following the crisis. The growth of Turkish GDP since 2016 has revealed the persistent underlying imbalances in the Turkish economy. In particular, Turkey’s large current account deficit means it must rely on external investment inflows to finance growth, leaving the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence. Other troublesome trends include rising unemployment and inflation, which increased in 2017, given the Turkish lira’s continuing depreciation against the dollar. Although government debt remains low at about 30% of GDP, bank and corporate borrowing has almost tripled as a percent of GDP during the past decade, outpacing its emerging-market peers and prompting investor concerns about its long-term sustainability." + "text": "Turkey's largely free-market economy is driven by its industry and, increasingly, service sectors, although its traditional agriculture sector still accounts for about 25% of employment. The automotive, petrochemical, and electronics industries have risen in importance and surpassed the traditional textiles and clothing sectors within Turkey's export mix. However, the recent period of political stability and economic dynamism has given way to domestic uncertainty and security concerns, which are generating financial market volatility and weighing on Turkey's economic outlook. ++ Current government policies emphasize populist spending measures and credit breaks, while implementation of structural economic reforms has slowed. The government is playing a more active role in some strategic sectors and has used economic institutions and regulators to target political opponents, undermining private sector confidence in the judicial system. Between July 2016 and March 2017, three credit ratings agencies downgraded Turkey's sovereign credit ratings, citing concerns about the rule of law and the pace of economic reforms. ++ Turkey remains highly dependent on imported oil and gas but is pursuing energy relationships with a broader set of international partners and taking steps to increase use of domestic energy sources including renewables, nuclear, and coal. The joint Turkish-Azerbaijani Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline is moving forward to increase transport of Caspian gas to Turkey and Europe, and when completed will help diversify Turkey's sources of imported gas. ++ After Turkey experienced a severe financial crisis in 2001, Ankara adopted financial and fiscal reforms as part of an IMF program. The reforms strengthened the country's economic fundamentals and ushered in an era of strong growth, averaging more than 6% annually until 2008. An aggressive privatization program also reduced state involvement in basic industry, banking, transport, power generation, and communication. Global economic conditions and tighter fiscal policy caused GDP to contract in 2009, but Turkey's well-regulated financial markets and banking system helped the country weather the global financial crisis, and GDP growth rebounded to around 9% in 2010 and 2011, as exports and investment recovered following the crisis. ++ The growth of Turkish GDP since 2016 has revealed the persistent underlying imbalances in the Turkish economy. In particular, Turkey's large current account deficit means it must rely on external investment inflows to finance growth, leaving the economy vulnerable to destabilizing shifts in investor confidence. Other troublesome trends include rising unemployment and inflation, which increased in 2017, given the Turkish lira's continuing depreciation against the dollar. Although government debt remains low at about 30% of GDP, bank and corporate borrowing has almost tripled as a percent of GDP during the past decade, outpacing its emerging-market peers and prompting investor concerns about its long-term sustainability." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.186 trillion (2017 est.) / $2.034 trillion (2016 est.) / $1.972 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -930,7 +924,7 @@ } }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "President Erdoğan on 25 June 2019 signed a new law cutting the men’s mandatory military service period in half, as well as making paid military service permanent; with the new system, the period of conscription was reduced from 12 months to six months for private and non-commissioned soldiers (the service term for reserve officers chosen among university or college graduates will remain 12 months); after completing six months of service, if a conscripted soldier wants to and is suitable for extending his military service, he may do so for an additional six months in return for a monthly salary; under the new law, all male Turkish citizens over the age of 20 will be required to undergo a one month military training period, but they can obtain an exemption from the remaining five months of their mandatory service by paying 31,000 Turkish Liras (2019)" + "text": "President Erdoğan on 25 June 2019 signed a new law cutting the men's mandatory military service period in half, as well as making paid military service permanent; with the new system, the period of conscription was reduced from 12 months to six months for private and non-commissioned soldiers (the service term for reserve officers chosen among university or college graduates will remain 12 months); after completing six months of service, if a conscripted soldier wants to and is suitable for extending his military service, he may do so for an additional six months in return for a monthly salary; under the new law, all male Turkish citizens over the age of 20 will be required to undergo a one month military training period, but they can obtain an exemption from the remaining five months of their mandatory service by paying 31,000 Turkish Liras (2019)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has actively pursued the goal of asserting civilian control over the military since first taking power in 2002; the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) role in internal security has been significantly reduced; the TSK leadership continues to be an influential institution within Turkey, but plays a much smaller role in politics; the Turkish military remains focused on the threats emanating from the Syrian civil war, Russia's actions in Ukraine, and the PKK insurgency; primary domestic threats are listed as fundamentalism (with the definition in some dispute with the civilian government), separatism (Kurdish discontent), and the extreme left wing; Ankara strongly opposed establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region in Iraq; an overhaul of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) taking place under the \"Force 2014\" program is to produce 20-30% smaller, more highly trained forces characterized by greater mobility and firepower and capable of joint and combined operations; the TLFC has taken on increasing international peacekeeping responsibilities including in Afghanistan; the Turkish Navy is a regional naval power that wants to develop the capability to project power beyond Turkey's coastal waters; the Navy is heavily involved in NATO, multinational, and UN operations; its roles include control of territorial waters and security for sea lines of communications; the Turkish Air Force adopted an \"Aerospace and Missile Defense Concept\" in 2002 and has initiated project work on an integrated missile defense system; in a controversial move, it purchased the Russian S-400 air defense system for an estimated $2.5 billion in July 2019; Air Force priorities include attaining a modern deployable, survivable, and sustainable force structure, and establishing a sustainable command and control system; Turkey is a NATO ally and hosts NATO's Land Forces Command in Izmir, as well as the AN/TPY-2 radar as part of NATO Missile Defense (2019)" diff --git a/middle-east/we.json b/middle-east/we.json index 39061d30..cd81338b 100644 --- a/middle-east/we.json +++ b/middle-east/we.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the West Bank has been dominated by many different peoples throughout its history; it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. The West Bank fell to British forces during World War I, becoming part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the West Bank was captured by Transjordan (later renamed Jordan), which annexed the West Bank in 1950; it was captured by Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under a series of agreements known as the Oslo accords signed between 1993 and 1999, Israel transferred to the newly created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for many Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank as well as the Gaza Strip. In 2000, a violent intifada or uprising began, and in 2001 negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start direct negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status of the area. Roughly 60% of the West Bank, remains under Israeli civil and military control. In early 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) election. Attempts to form a unity government between Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed, leading to violent clashed between their respective supporters and HAMAS's violent siezure of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in June 2007. Since 2007, the PA has administered parts of the West Bank under its control, mainly the major Palestinian population centers and areas immediately surrounding them. Fatah and HAMAS have made several attempts at reconciliation, but the factions have been unable to implement agreements including the latest agreement signed in October 2017. In December 2018, the Palestinian Constitutional Court dissolved the PLC. In 2019, PA President ABBAS renewed his calls for PLC elections." + "text": "Inhabited since at least the 15th century B.C., the West Bank has been dominated by many different peoples throughout its history; it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century. The West Bank fell to British forces during World War I, becoming part of the British Mandate of Palestine. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the West Bank was captured by Transjordan (later renamed Jordan), which annexed the West Bank in 1950; it was captured by Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967. Under a series of agreements known as the Oslo accords signed between 1993 and 1999, Israel transferred to the newly created Palestinian Authority (PA) security and civilian responsibility for many Palestinian-populated areas of the West Bank as well as the Gaza Strip. In 2000, a violent intifada or uprising began, and in 2001 negotiations to determine the permanent status of the West Bank and Gaza Strip stalled. Subsequent attempts to re-start direct negotiations have not resulted in progress toward determining final status of the area. ++ Roughly 60% of the West Bank, remains under Israeli civil and military control. In early 2006, the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) won a majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) election. Attempts to form a unity government between Fatah, the dominant Palestinian political faction in the West Bank, and HAMAS failed, leading to violent clashed between their respective supporters and HAMAS's violent siezure of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip in June 2007. Since 2007, the PA has administered parts of the West Bank under its control, mainly the major Palestinian population centers and areas immediately surrounding them. Fatah and HAMAS have made several attempts at reconciliation, but the factions have been unable to implement agreements including the latest agreement signed in October 2017. In December 2018, the Palestinian Constitutional Court dissolved the PLC. In 2019, PA President ABBAS renewed his calls for PLC elections." } }, "Geography": { @@ -253,14 +253,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.1% of population / rural: 97.1% of population / total: 96.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "2.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "3.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.9% of population / rural: 2.9% of population / total: 3.2% of population (2017 est.)" }, "note": { "text": "note: includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank" @@ -273,14 +270,11 @@ "text": "1.3 beds/1,000 population (2018)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 99.3% of population / total: 99.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0.7% of population / total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.)" }, "note": { "text": "note: note includes Gaza Strip and the West Bank" @@ -368,7 +362,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "In 2017, the economic outlook in the West Bank - the larger of the two areas comprising the Palestinian Territories – remained fragile, as security concerns and political friction slowed economic growth. Unemployment in the West Bank remained high at 19.0% in the third quarter of 2017, only slightly better than 19.6% at the same point the previous year, while the labor force participation rate remained flat, year-on-year. Longstanding Israeli restrictions on imports, exports, and movement of goods and people continue to disrupt labor and trade flows and the territory’s industrial capacity, and constrain private sector development. The PA’s budget benefited from an effort to improve tax collection, coupled with lower spending in 2017, but the PA for the foreseeable future will continue to rely heavily on donor aid for its budgetary needs and infrastructure development." + "text": "In 2017, the economic outlook in the West Bank - the larger of the two areas comprising the Palestinian Territories – remained fragile, as security concerns and political friction slowed economic growth. Unemployment in the West Bank remained high at 19.0% in the third quarter of 2017, only slightly better than 19.6% at the same point the previous year, while the labor force participation rate remained flat, year-on-year. ++ Longstanding Israeli restrictions on imports, exports, and movement of goods and people continue to disrupt labor and trade flows and the territory's industrial capacity, and constrain private sector development. The PA's budget benefited from an effort to improve tax collection, coupled with lower spending in 2017, but the PA for the foreseeable future will continue to rely heavily on donor aid for its budgetary needs and infrastructure development." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$21.22 billion (2014 est.) / $20.15 billion (2013 est.) / $19.95 billion (2012 est.)", diff --git a/middle-east/ym.json b/middle-east/ym.json index 7921610d..100182bc 100644 --- a/middle-east/ym.json +++ b/middle-east/ym.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The Kingdom of Yemen (colloquially known as North Yemen) became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1918 and in 1962 became the Yemen Arab Republic. The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became the People's Republic of Southern Yemen (colloquially known as South Yemen). Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist orientation and changed the country's name to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility between the states. The two countries were formally unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement and brief civil war in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to delineate their border. Fighting in the northwest between the government and the Huthis, a Zaydi Shia Muslim minority, continued intermittently from 2004 to 2010, and then again from 2014-present. The southern secessionist movement was revitalized in 2007. Public rallies in Sana'a against then President Ali Abdallah SALIH - inspired by similar demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt - slowly built momentum starting in late January 2011 fueled by complaints over high unemployment, poor economic conditions, and corruption. By the following month, some protests had resulted in violence, and the demonstrations had spread to other major cities. By March the opposition had hardened its demands and was unifying behind calls for SALIH's immediate ouster. In April 2011, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in an attempt to mediate the crisis in Yemen, proposed the GCC Initiative, an agreement in which the president would step down in exchange for immunity from prosecution. SALIH's refusal to sign an agreement led to further violence. The UN Security Council passed Resolution 2014 in October 2011 calling for an end to the violence and completing a power transfer deal. In November 2011, SALIH signed the GCC Initiative to step down and to transfer some of his powers to Vice President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI. Following HADI's uncontested election victory in February 2012, SALIH formally transferred all presidential powers. In accordance with the GCC Initiative, Yemen launched a National Dialogue Conference (NDC) in March 2013 to discuss key constitutional, political, and social issues. HADI concluded the NDC in January 2014 and planned to begin implementing subsequent steps in the transition process, including constitutional drafting, a constitutional referendum, and national elections. The Huthis, perceiving their grievances were not addressed in the NDC, joined forces with SALIH and expanded their influence in northwestern Yemen, which culminated in a major offensive against military units and rival tribes and enabled their forces to overrun the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014. In January 2015, the Huthis surrounded the presidential palace, HADI's residence, and key government facilities, prompting HADI and the cabinet to submit their resignations. HADI fled to Aden in February 2015 and rescinded his resignation. He subsequently escaped to Oman and then moved to Saudi Arabia and asked the GCC to intervene militarily in Yemen to protect the legitimate government from the Huthis. In March, Saudi Arabia assembled a coalition of Arab militaries and began airstrikes against the Huthis and Huthi-affiliated forces. Ground fighting between Huthi-aligned forces and anti-Huthi groups backed by the Saudi-led coalition continued through 2016. In 2016, the UN brokered a months-long cessation of hostilities that reduced airstrikes and fighting, and initiated peace talks in Kuwait. However, the talks ended without agreement. The Huthis and SALIH’s political party announced a Supreme Political Council in August 2016 and a National Salvation Government, including a prime minister and several dozen cabinet members, in November 2016, to govern in Sanaa and further challenge the legitimacy of HADI’s government. However, amid rising tensions between the Huthis and SALIH, sporadic clashes erupted in mid-2017, and escalated into open fighting that ended when Huthi forces killed SALIH in early December 2017. In 2018, anti-Huthi forces made the most battlefield progress in Yemen since early 2016, most notably in Al Hudaydah Governorate. In December 2018, the Huthis and Yemeni Government participated in the first UN-brokered peace talks since 2016, agreeing to a limited ceasefire in Al Hudaydah Governorate and the establishment of a UN Mission to monitor the agreement. In April 2019, Yemen’s parliament convened in Say'un for the first time since the conflict broke out in 2014. In August 2019, violence erupted between HADI's government and the pro-secessionist Southern Transition Council (STC) in southern Yemen. In November 2019, HADI's government and the STC signed a power-sharing agreement to end the fighting between them." + "text": "The Kingdom of Yemen (colloquially known as North Yemen) became independent from the Ottoman Empire in 1918 and in 1962 became the Yemen Arab Republic. The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became the People's Republic of Southern Yemen (colloquially known as South Yemen). Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist orientation and changed the country's name to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility between the states. The two countries were formally unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement and brief civil war in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to delineate their border. ++ Fighting in the northwest between the government and the Huthis, a Zaydi Shia Muslim minority, continued intermittently from 2004 to 2010, and then again from 2014-present. The southern secessionist movement was revitalized in 2007. ++ Public rallies in Sana'a against then President Ali Abdallah SALIH - inspired by similar demonstrations in Tunisia and Egypt - slowly built momentum starting in late January 2011 fueled by complaints over high unemployment, poor economic conditions, and corruption. By the following month, some protests had resulted in violence, and the demonstrations had spread to other major cities. By March the opposition had hardened its demands and was unifying behind calls for SALIH's immediate ouster. In April 2011, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in an attempt to mediate the crisis in Yemen, proposed the GCC Initiative, an agreement in which the president would step down in exchange for immunity from prosecution. SALIH's refusal to sign an agreement led to further violence. The UN Security Council passed Resolution 2014 in October 2011 calling for an end to the violence and completing a power transfer deal. In November 2011, SALIH signed the GCC Initiative to step down and to transfer some of his powers to Vice President Abd Rabuh Mansur HADI. Following HADI's uncontested election victory in February 2012, SALIH formally transferred all presidential powers. In accordance with the GCC Initiative, Yemen launched a National Dialogue Conference (NDC) in March 2013 to discuss key constitutional, political, and social issues. HADI concluded the NDC in January 2014 and planned to begin implementing subsequent steps in the transition process, including constitutional drafting, a constitutional referendum, and national elections. ++ The Huthis, perceiving their grievances were not addressed in the NDC, joined forces with SALIH and expanded their influence in northwestern Yemen, which culminated in a major offensive against military units and rival tribes and enabled their forces to overrun the capital, Sanaa, in September 2014. In January 2015, the Huthis surrounded the presidential palace, HADI's residence, and key government facilities, prompting HADI and the cabinet to submit their resignations. HADI fled to Aden in February 2015 and rescinded his resignation. He subsequently escaped to Oman and then moved to Saudi Arabia and asked the GCC to intervene militarily in Yemen to protect the legitimate government from the Huthis. In March, Saudi Arabia assembled a coalition of Arab militaries and began airstrikes against the Huthis and Huthi-affiliated forces. Ground fighting between Huthi-aligned forces and anti-Huthi groups backed by the Saudi-led coalition continued through 2016. In 2016, the UN brokered a months-long cessation of hostilities that reduced airstrikes and fighting, and initiated peace talks in Kuwait. However, the talks ended without agreement. The Huthis and SALIH's political party announced a Supreme Political Council in August 2016 and a National Salvation Government, including a prime minister and several dozen cabinet members, in November 2016, to govern in Sanaa and further challenge the legitimacy of HADI's government. However, amid rising tensions between the Huthis and SALIH, sporadic clashes erupted in mid-2017, and escalated into open fighting that ended when Huthi forces killed SALIH in early December 2017. In 2018, anti-Huthi forces made the most battlefield progress in Yemen since early 2016, most notably in Al Hudaydah Governorate. In December 2018, the Huthis and Yemeni Government participated in the first UN-brokered peace talks since 2016, agreeing to a limited ceasefire in Al Hudaydah Governorate and the establishment of a UN Mission to monitor the agreement. In April 2019, Yemen's parliament convened in Say'un for the first time since the conflict broke out in 2014. In August 2019, violence erupted between HADI's government and the pro-secessionist Southern Transition Council (STC) in southern Yemen. In November 2019, HADI's government and the STC signed a power-sharing agreement to end the fighting between them." } }, "Geography": { @@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ "text": "the vast majority of the population is found in the Asir Mountains (part of the larger Sarawat Mountain system), located in the far western region of the country" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "sandstorms and dust storms in summer\nvolcanism: limited volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (244 m), which forms an island in the Red Sea, erupted in 2007 after awakening from dormancy; other historically active volcanoes include Harra of Arhab, Harras of Dhamar, Harra es-Sawad, and Jebel Zubair, although many of these have not erupted in over a century" + "text": "sandstorms and dust storms in summer ++ volcanism: limited volcanic activity; Jebel at Tair (Jabal al-Tair, Jebel Teir, Jabal al-Tayr, Jazirat at-Tair) (244 m), which forms an island in the Red Sea, erupted in 2007 after awakening from dormancy; other historically active volcanoes include Harra of Arhab, Harras of Dhamar, Harra es-Sawad, and Jebel Zubair, although many of these have not erupted in over a century" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "limited natural freshwater resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification" @@ -267,14 +267,11 @@ "text": "33.5% (2013)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 87.6% of population / total: 92% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "12.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 12.4% of population / total: 8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -287,14 +284,11 @@ "text": "0.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 6.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 93.1% of population / rural: 48.5% of population / total: 64.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "51.5% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "35.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 6.9% of population / rural: 51.5% of population / total: 35.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -463,7 +457,7 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Majlis consists of:Shura Council or Majlis Alshoora (111 seats; members appointed by the president; member tenure NA) House of Representatives or Majlis al Nuwaab (301 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Majlis consists of: Shura Council or Majlis Alshoora (111 seats; members appointed by the president; member tenure NA) ++ House of Representatives or Majlis al Nuwaab (301 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "House of Representatives - last held on 27 April 2003 (next scheduled for April 2009 but postponed indefinitely)" @@ -484,7 +478,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "General People’s Congress or GPC (3 factions: pro-Hadi [Abdrabbi Mansur HADI], pro-Houthi [Sadeq Ameen Abu RAS], pro-Saleh [Ahmed SALEH]National Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party [Qassem Salam SAID]Nasserist Unionist People's Organization [Abdulmalik al-MEKHLAFI]Southern Transitional Council or STC [Aidarus al-ZOUBAIDA] Yemeni Reform Grouping or Islah [Muhammed Abdallah al-YADUMI]Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Dr. Abd al-Rahman Umar al-SAQQAF]", + "text": "General People's Congress or GPC (3 factions: pro-Hadi [Abdrabbi Mansur HADI], pro-Houthi [Sadeq Ameen Abu RAS], pro-Saleh [Ahmed SALEH] ++ National Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party [Qassem Salam SAID] ++ Nasserist Unionist People's Organization [Abdulmalik al-MEKHLAFI] ++ Southern Transitional Council or STC [Aidarus al-ZOUBAIDA] ++ Yemeni Reform Grouping or Islah [Muhammed Abdallah al-YADUMI] ++ Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Dr. Abd al-Rahman Umar al-SAQQAF]", "note": { "text": "(" } @@ -546,7 +540,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Yemen is a low-income country that faces difficult long-term challenges to stabilizing and growing its economy, and the current conflict has only exacerbated those issues. The ongoing war has halted Yemen’s exports, pressured the currency’s exchange rate, accelerated inflation, severely limited food and fuel imports, and caused widespread damage to infrastructure. The conflict has also created a severe humanitarian crisis - the world’s largest cholera outbreak currently at nearly 1 million cases, more than 7 million people at risk of famine, and more than 80% of the population in need of humanitarian assistance. Prior to the start of the conflict in 2014, Yemen was highly dependent on declining oil and gas resources for revenue. Oil and gas earnings accounted for roughly 25% of GDP and 65% of government revenue. The Yemeni Government regularly faced annual budget shortfalls and tried to diversify the Yemeni economy through a reform program designed to bolster non-oil sectors of the economy and foreign investment. In July 2014, the government continued reform efforts by eliminating some fuel subsidies and in August 2014, the IMF approved a three-year, $570 million Extended Credit Facility for Yemen. However, the conflict that began in 2014 stalled these reform efforts and ongoing fighting continues to accelerate the country’s economic decline. In September 2016, President HADI announced the move of the main branch of Central Bank of Yemen from Sanaa to Aden where his government could exert greater control over the central bank’s dwindling resources. Regardless of which group controls the main branch, the central bank system is struggling to function. Yemen’s Central Bank’s foreign reserves, which stood at roughly $5.2 billion prior to the conflict, have declined to negligible amounts. The Central Bank can no longer fully support imports of critical goods or the country’s exchange rate. The country also is facing a growing liquidity crisis and rising inflation. The private sector is hemorrhaging, with almost all businesses making substantial layoffs. Access to food and other critical commodities such as medical equipment is limited across the country due to security issues on the ground. The Social Welfare Fund, a cash transfer program for Yemen’s neediest, is no longer operational and has not made any disbursements since late 2014. Yemen will require significant international assistance during and after the protracted conflict to stabilize its economy. Long-term challenges include a high population growth rate, high unemployment, declining water resources, and severe food scarcity." + "text": "Yemen is a low-income country that faces difficult long-term challenges to stabilizing and growing its economy, and the current conflict has only exacerbated those issues. The ongoing war has halted Yemen's exports, pressured the currency's exchange rate, accelerated inflation, severely limited food and fuel imports, and caused widespread damage to infrastructure. The conflict has also created a severe humanitarian crisis - the world's largest cholera outbreak currently at nearly 1 million cases, more than 7 million people at risk of famine, and more than 80% of the population in need of humanitarian assistance. ++ Prior to the start of the conflict in 2014, Yemen was highly dependent on declining oil and gas resources for revenue. Oil and gas earnings accounted for roughly 25% of GDP and 65% of government revenue. The Yemeni Government regularly faced annual budget shortfalls and tried to diversify the Yemeni economy through a reform program designed to bolster non-oil sectors of the economy and foreign investment. In July 2014, the government continued reform efforts by eliminating some fuel subsidies and in August 2014, the IMF approved a three-year, $570 million Extended Credit Facility for Yemen. ++ However, the conflict that began in 2014 stalled these reform efforts and ongoing fighting continues to accelerate the country's economic decline. In September 2016, President HADI announced the move of the main branch of Central Bank of Yemen from Sanaa to Aden where his government could exert greater control over the central bank's dwindling resources. Regardless of which group controls the main branch, the central bank system is struggling to function. Yemen's Central Bank's foreign reserves, which stood at roughly $5.2 billion prior to the conflict, have declined to negligible amounts. The Central Bank can no longer fully support imports of critical goods or the country's exchange rate. The country also is facing a growing liquidity crisis and rising inflation. The private sector is hemorrhaging, with almost all businesses making substantial layoffs. Access to food and other critical commodities such as medical equipment is limited across the country due to security issues on the ground. The Social Welfare Fund, a cash transfer program for Yemen's neediest, is no longer operational and has not made any disbursements since late 2014. ++ Yemen will require significant international assistance during and after the protracted conflict to stabilize its economy. Long-term challenges include a high population growth rate, high unemployment, declining water resources, and severe food scarcity." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$73.63 billion (2017 est.) / $78.28 billion (2016 est.) / $90.63 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -955,10 +949,10 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Yemen is a source and, to a lesser extent, transit and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; trafficking activities grew in Yemen in 2014, as the country’s security situation deteriorated and poverty worsened; armed groups increased their recruitment of Yemeni children as combatants or checkpoint guards, and the Yemeni military and security forces continue to use child soldiers; some other Yemeni children, mostly boys, migrate to Yemeni cities or Saudi Arabia and, less frequently Oman, where they end up as beggars, drug smugglers, prostitutes, or forced laborers in domestic service or small shops; Yemeni children increasingly are also subjected to sex trafficking in country and in Saudi Arabia; tens of thousands of Yemeni migrant workers deported from Saudi Arabia and thousands of Syrian refugees are vulnerable to trafficking; additionally, Yemen is a destination and transit country for women and children from the Horn of Africa who are looking for work or receive fraudulent job offers in the Gulf states but are subjected to sexual exploitation or forced labor upon arrival; reports indicate that adults and children are still sold or inherited as slaves in Yemen" + "text": "Yemen is a source and, to a lesser extent, transit and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; trafficking activities grew in Yemen in 2014, as the country's security situation deteriorated and poverty worsened; armed groups increased their recruitment of Yemeni children as combatants or checkpoint guards, and the Yemeni military and security forces continue to use child soldiers; some other Yemeni children, mostly boys, migrate to Yemeni cities or Saudi Arabia and, less frequently Oman, where they end up as beggars, drug smugglers, prostitutes, or forced laborers in domestic service or small shops; Yemeni children increasingly are also subjected to sex trafficking in country and in Saudi Arabia; tens of thousands of Yemeni migrant workers deported from Saudi Arabia and thousands of Syrian refugees are vulnerable to trafficking; additionally, Yemen is a destination and transit country for women and children from the Horn of Africa who are looking for work or receive fraudulent job offers in the Gulf states but are subjected to sexual exploitation or forced labor upon arrival; reports indicate that adults and children are still sold or inherited as slaves in Yemen" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 3 – Yemen does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; weak government institutions, corruption, economic problems, security threats, and poor law enforcement capabilities impeded the government’s ability to combat human trafficking; not all forms of trafficking are criminalized, and officials continue to conflate trafficking and smuggling; the status of an anti-trafficking law drafted with assistance from an international organization remains unknown following the dissolution of the government in January 2015; the government did not report efforts to investigate, prosecute, or convict anyone of trafficking or slavery offenses, including complicit officials, despite reports of officials willfully ignoring trafficking crimes and using child soldiers in the government’s armed forces; the government acknowledged the use of child soldiers and signed a UN action plan to end the practice in 2014 but made no efforts to release child soldiers from the military and provide them with rehabilitative services; authorities failed to identify victims and refer them to protective services; the status of a draft national anti-trafficking strategy remains unknown (2015)" + "text": "Tier 3 – Yemen does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; weak government institutions, corruption, economic problems, security threats, and poor law enforcement capabilities impeded the government's ability to combat human trafficking; not all forms of trafficking are criminalized, and officials continue to conflate trafficking and smuggling; the status of an anti-trafficking law drafted with assistance from an international organization remains unknown following the dissolution of the government in January 2015; the government did not report efforts to investigate, prosecute, or convict anyone of trafficking or slavery offenses, including complicit officials, despite reports of officials willfully ignoring trafficking crimes and using child soldiers in the government's armed forces; the government acknowledged the use of child soldiers and signed a UN action plan to end the practice in 2014 but made no efforts to release child soldiers from the military and provide them with rehabilitative services; authorities failed to identify victims and refer them to protective services; the status of a draft national anti-trafficking strategy remains unknown (2015)" } } } diff --git a/north-america/bd.json b/north-america/bd.json index 2e5ff5b8..8c5a960b 100644 --- a/north-america/bd.json +++ b/north-america/bd.json @@ -213,16 +213,19 @@ "text": "1.91 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 100% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -354,13 +357,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:Senate (11 seats; 3 members appointed by the governor, 5 by the premier, and 3 by the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve up to 5-year terms)House of Assembly (36 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve up to 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (11 seats; 3 members appointed by the governor, 5 by the premier, and 3 by the opposition party; members serve 5-year terms) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve up to 5-year terms) ++ House of Assembly (36 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve up to 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last appointments in August 2017 (next appointments in 2022)House of Assembly - last held on 1 October 2020 (next to be held not later than 2025)" + "text": "Senate - last appointments in August 2017 (next appointments in 2022) ++ House of Assembly - last held on 1 October 2020 (next to be held not later than 2025)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - composition - men 7, women 4, percent of women 36.4%House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - PLP 62.1%, OBA 32.3%, other 5.4%, independent 0.2%; seats by party - PLP 30, OBA 6; composition - NA" + "text": "Senate - composition - men 7, women 4, percent of women 36.4% ++ House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - PLP 62.1%, OBA 32.3%, other 5.4%, independent 0.2%; seats by party - PLP 30, OBA 6; composition - NA" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -375,7 +378,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Free Democratic Movement or FDM (Marc BEAN)One Bermuda Alliance or OBA (Craig CANNONIER)Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Edward D. BURT]" + "text": "Free Democratic Movement or FDM (Marc BEAN) ++ One Bermuda Alliance or OBA (Craig CANNONIER) ++ Progressive Labor Party or PLP [Edward D. BURT]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Caricom (associate), ICC (NGOs), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ITUC (NGOs), UPU, WCO" @@ -428,7 +431,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "International business, which consists primarily of insurance and other financial services, is the real bedrock of Bermuda's economy, consistently accounting for about 85% of the island's GDP. Tourism is the country’s second largest industry, accounting for about 5% of Bermuda's GDP but a much larger share of employment. Over 80% of visitors come from the US and the sector struggled in the wake of the global recession of 2008-09. Even the financial sector has lost roughly 5,000 high-paying expatriate jobs since 2008, weighing heavily on household consumption and retail sales. Bermuda must import almost everything. Agriculture and industry are limited due to the small size of the island. Bermuda's economy returned to negative growth in 2016, reporting a contraction of 0.1% GDP, after growing by 0.6% in 2015. Unemployment reached 7% in 2016 and 2017, public debt is growing and exceeds $2.4 billion, and the government continues to work on attracting foreign investment. Still, Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world." + "text": "International business, which consists primarily of insurance and other financial services, is the real bedrock of Bermuda's economy, consistently accounting for about 85% of the island's GDP. Tourism is the country's second largest industry, accounting for about 5% of Bermuda's GDP but a much larger share of employment. Over 80% of visitors come from the US and the sector struggled in the wake of the global recession of 2008-09. Even the financial sector has lost roughly 5,000 high-paying expatriate jobs since 2008, weighing heavily on household consumption and retail sales. Bermuda must import almost everything. Agriculture and industry are limited due to the small size of the island. ++ Bermuda's economy returned to negative growth in 2016, reporting a contraction of 0.1% GDP, after growing by 0.6% in 2015. Unemployment reached 7% in 2016 and 2017, public debt is growing and exceeds $2.4 billion, and the government continues to work on attracting foreign investment. Still, Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$6.127 billion (2016 est.) / $6.133 billion (2015 est.) / $6.097 billion (2014 est.)" diff --git a/north-america/ca.json b/north-america/ca.json index ead6f839..39c2497d 100644 --- a/north-america/ca.json +++ b/north-america/ca.json @@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ "text": "vast majority of Canadians are positioned in a discontinuous band within approximately 300 km of the southern border with the United States; the most populated province is Ontario, followed by Quebec and British Columbia" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains\nvolcanism: the vast majority of volcanoes in Western Canada's Coast Mountains remain dormant" + "text": "continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and snow east of the mountains ++ volcanism: the vast majority of volcanoes in Western Canada's Coast Mountains remain dormant" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and vehicle emissions impacting agricultural and forest productivity; air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and damaging forests; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities" @@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: second-largest country in world (after Russia) and largest in the Americas; strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km (100 mi) of the US border note 2: Canada has more fresh water than any other country and almost 9% of Canadian territory is water; Canada has at least 2 million and possibly over 3 million lakes - that is more than all other countries combined" + "text": "note 1: second-largest country in world (after Russia) and largest in the Americas; strategic location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km (100 mi) of the US border ++ note 2: Canada has more fresh water than any other country and almost 9% of Canadian territory is water; Canada has at least 2 million and possibly over 3 million lakes - that is more than all other countries combined" } } }, @@ -266,14 +266,11 @@ "text": "1.57 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 98.9% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 1.1% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -286,14 +283,11 @@ "text": "2.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 98.7% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 1.3% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -363,7 +357,7 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Canada has six time zonesetymology: the city lies on the south bank of the Ottawa River, from which it derives its name; the river name comes from the Algonquin word \"adawe\" meaning \"to trade\" and refers to the indigenous peoples who used the river as a trade highway" + "text": "note: Canada has six time zones ++ etymology: the city lies on the south bank of the Ottawa River, from which it derives its name; the river name comes from the Algonquin word \"adawe\" meaning \"to trade\" and refers to the indigenous peoples who used the river as a trade highway ++ ++" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -425,13 +419,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:Senate or Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister and can serve until age 75) House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (338 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote with terms up to 4 years)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of: Senate or Senat (105 seats; members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister and can serve until age 75) ++ House of Commons or Chambre des Communes (338 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote with terms up to 4 years)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - appointed; latest appointments in December 2018 House of Commons - last held on 21 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023)" + "text": "Senate - appointed; latest appointments in December 2018 ++ House of Commons - last held on 21 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - composition as of December 2018 - men 51, women 54, percent of women 51.4% House of Commons - percent of vote by party - CPC 34.4%, Liberal Party 33.1%, NDP 15.9%, Bloc Quebecois 7.7%, Greens 6.5%, other 2.4%; seats by party - Liberal Party 157, CPC 121, NDP 24, Bloc Quebecois 32, Greens 4; composition - men 240, women 98, percent of women 29%; note - total Parliament percent of women 34.3%" + "text": "Senate - composition as of December 2018 - men 51, women 54, percent of women 51.4% ++ House of Commons - percent of vote by party - CPC 34.4%, Liberal Party 33.1%, NDP 15.9%, Bloc Quebecois 7.7%, Greens 6.5%, other 2.4%; seats by party - Liberal Party 157, CPC 121, NDP 24, Bloc Quebecois 32, Greens 4; composition - men 240, women 98, percent of women 29%; note - total Parliament percent of women 34.3%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -446,7 +440,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Bloc Quebecois [Mario BEAULIEU]Conservative Party of Canada or CPC [Erin O'TOOLE]Green Party [Annamie PAUL]Liberal Party [Justin TRUDEAU]New Democratic Party or NDP [Jagmeet SINGH]People's Party of Canada [Maxime BERNIER]" + "text": "Bloc Quebecois [Mario BEAULIEU] ++ Conservative Party of Canada or CPC [Erin O'TOOLE] ++ Green Party [Annamie PAUL] ++ Liberal Party [Justin TRUDEAU] ++ New Democratic Party or NDP [Jagmeet SINGH] ++ People's Party of Canada [Maxime BERNIER]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -514,7 +508,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. Canada has a large oil and natural gas sector with the majority of crude oil production derived from oil sands in the western provinces, especially Alberta. Canada now ranks third in the world in proved oil reserves behind Venezuela and Saudi Arabia and is the world’s seventh-largest oil producer. TThe 1989 Canada-US Free Trade Agreement and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (which includes Mexico) dramatically increased trade and economic integration between the US and Canada. Canada and the US enjoy the world’s most comprehensive bilateral trade and investment relationship, with goods and services trade totaling more than $680 billion in 2017, and two-way investment stocks of more than $800 billion. Over three-fourths of Canada’s merchandise exports are destined for the US each year. Canada is the largest foreign supplier of energy to the US, including oil, natural gas, and electric power, and a top source of US uranium imports. Given its abundant natural resources, highly skilled labor force, and modern capital stock, Canada enjoyed solid economic growth from 1993 through 2007. The global economic crisis of 2007-08 moved the Canadian economy into sharp recession by late 2008, and Ottawa posted its first fiscal deficit in 2009 after 12 years of surplus. Canada's major banks emerged from the financial crisis of 2008-09 among the strongest in the world, owing to the financial sector's tradition of conservative lending practices and strong capitalization. Canada’s economy posted strong growth in 2017 at 3%, but most analysts are projecting Canada’s economic growth will drop back closer to 2% in 2018." + "text": "Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and high living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. Canada has a large oil and natural gas sector with the majority of crude oil production derived from oil sands in the western provinces, especially Alberta. Canada now ranks third in the world in proved oil reserves behind Venezuela and Saudi Arabia and is the world's seventh-largest oil producer. ++ TThe 1989 Canada-US Free Trade Agreement and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (which includes Mexico) dramatically increased trade and economic integration between the US and Canada. Canada and the US enjoy the world's most comprehensive bilateral trade and investment relationship, with goods and services trade totaling more than $680 billion in 2017, and two-way investment stocks of more than $800 billion. Over three-fourths of Canada's merchandise exports are destined for the US each year. Canada is the largest foreign supplier of energy to the US, including oil, natural gas, and electric power, and a top source of US uranium imports. ++ Given its abundant natural resources, highly skilled labor force, and modern capital stock, Canada enjoyed solid economic growth from 1993 through 2007. The global economic crisis of 2007-08 moved the Canadian economy into sharp recession by late 2008, and Ottawa posted its first fiscal deficit in 2009 after 12 years of surplus. Canada's major banks emerged from the financial crisis of 2008-09 among the strongest in the world, owing to the financial sector's tradition of conservative lending practices and strong capitalization. Canada's economy posted strong growth in 2017 at 3%, but most analysts are projecting Canada's economic growth will drop back closer to 2% in 2018." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.774 trillion (2017 est.) / $1.721 trillion (2016 est.) / $1.697 trillion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/north-america/gl.json b/north-america/gl.json index 61cead4e..dc06aecb 100644 --- a/north-america/gl.json +++ b/north-america/gl.json @@ -219,14 +219,11 @@ "text": "1.94 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Physicians density": { @@ -236,14 +233,11 @@ "text": "14 beds/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -311,7 +305,7 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Greenland has four time zonesetymology: \"nuuk\" is the Inuit word for \"cape\" and refers to the city's position at the end of the Nuup Kangerlua fjord" + "text": "note: Greenland has four time zones ++ etymology: \"nuuk\" is the Inuit word for \"cape\" and refers to the city's position at the end of the Nuup Kangerlua fjord" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -361,13 +355,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral Parliament or Inatsisartut (31 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)Greenland elects 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms" + "text": "unicameral Parliament or Inatsisartut (31 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) ++ Greenland elects 2 members to the Danish Parliament to serve 4-year terms" }, "elections": { - "text": "Greenland Parliament - last held on 24 April 2018 (next to be held by 2022)Greenland members to Danish Parliament -  last held on 5 June 2019(next to be held by 4 June 2023)" + "text": "Greenland Parliament - last held on 24 April 2018 (next to be held by 2022) ++ Greenland members to Danish Parliament -  last held on 5 June 2019(next to be held by 4 June 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Greenland Parliament percent of vote by party - S 27.2%, IA 25.5%, D 19.5%, PN 13.4%, A 5.9%, SA 4.1%, NQ 3.4% other 1%; seats by party - S 9, IA 8, D 6, PN 4, A 2, SA 1, NQ 1; composition - men 19, women 12, percent of women 38.7%Greenland members in Danish Parliament - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - IA 1, S 1; composition - 2 women" + "text": "Greenland Parliament percent of vote by party - S 27.2%, IA 25.5%, D 19.5%, PN 13.4%, A 5.9%, SA 4.1%, NQ 3.4% other 1%; seats by party - S 9, IA 8, D 6, PN 4, A 2, SA 1, NQ 1; composition - men 19, women 12, percent of women 38.7% ++ Greenland members in Danish Parliament - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - IA 1, S 1; composition - 2 women" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -382,7 +376,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Cooperation Party (Suleqatigiissitsisut or Samarbejdspartiet) or SA [Michael ROSING]Democrats Party (Demokraatit) or D [Niels THOMSEN]Forward Party (Siumut) or S [Kim KIELSEN]Inuit Community (Inuit Ataqatigiit) or IA [Sara OLSVIG]Our Country's Future (Nunatta Qitornai) or NQ [Vittus QUJAUKITSOQ]Signpost Party (Partii Naleraq) or PN [Hans ENOKSEN]Fellowship Party (Atassut) or A [Siverth Karl HEILMANN]" + "text": "Cooperation Party (Suleqatigiissitsisut or Samarbejdspartiet) or SA [Michael ROSING] ++ Democrats Party (Demokraatit) or D [Niels THOMSEN] ++ Forward Party (Siumut) or S [Kim KIELSEN] ++ Inuit Community (Inuit Ataqatigiit) or IA [Sara OLSVIG] ++ Our Country's Future (Nunatta Qitornai) or NQ [Vittus QUJAUKITSOQ] ++ Signpost Party (Partii Naleraq) or PN [Hans ENOKSEN] ++ Fellowship Party (Atassut) or A [Siverth Karl HEILMANN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Arctic Council, ICC, NC, NIB, UPU" @@ -413,7 +407,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Greenland’s economy depends on exports of shrimp and fish, and on a substantial subsidy from the Danish Government. Fish account for over 90% of its exports, subjecting the economy to price fluctuations. The subsidy from the Danish Government is budgeted to be about $535 million in 2017, more than 50% of government revenues, and 25% of GDP. The economy is expanding after a period of decline. The economy contracted between 2012 and 2014, grew by 1.7% in 2015 and by 7.7%in 2016. The expansion has been driven by larger quotas for shrimp, the predominant Greenlandic export, and also by increased activity in the construction sector, especially in Nuuk, the capital. Private consumption and tourism also are contributing to GDP growth more than in previous years. Tourism in Greenland grew annually around 20% in 2015 and 2016, largely a result of increasing numbers of cruise lines now operating in Greenland's western and southern waters during the peak summer tourism season. The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays a dominant role in Greenland's economy. During the last decade the Greenland Self Rule Government pursued conservative fiscal and monetary policies, but public pressure has increased for better schools, health care, and retirement systems. The budget was in deficit in 2014 and 2016, but public debt remains low at about 5% of GDP. The government plans a balanced budget for the 2017–20 period. Significant challenges face the island, including low levels of qualified labor, geographic dispersion, lack of industry diversification, the long-term sustainability of the public budget, and a declining population due to emigration. Hydrocarbon exploration has ceased with declining oil prices. The island has potential for natural resource exploitation with rare-earth, uranium, and iron ore mineral projects proposed, but a lack of infrastructure hinders development." + "text": "Greenland's economy depends on exports of shrimp and fish, and on a substantial subsidy from the Danish Government. Fish account for over 90% of its exports, subjecting the economy to price fluctuations. The subsidy from the Danish Government is budgeted to be about $535 million in 2017, more than 50% of government revenues, and 25% of GDP. ++ The economy is expanding after a period of decline. The economy contracted between 2012 and 2014, grew by 1.7% in 2015 and by 7.7%in 2016. The expansion has been driven by larger quotas for shrimp, the predominant Greenlandic export, and also by increased activity in the construction sector, especially in Nuuk, the capital. Private consumption and tourism also are contributing to GDP growth more than in previous years. Tourism in Greenland grew annually around 20% in 2015 and 2016, largely a result of increasing numbers of cruise lines now operating in Greenland's western and southern waters during the peak summer tourism season. ++ The public sector, including publicly owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays a dominant role in Greenland's economy. During the last decade the Greenland Self Rule Government pursued conservative fiscal and monetary policies, but public pressure has increased for better schools, health care, and retirement systems. The budget was in deficit in 2014 and 2016, but public debt remains low at about 5% of GDP. The government plans a balanced budget for the 2017–20 period. ++ Significant challenges face the island, including low levels of qualified labor, geographic dispersion, lack of industry diversification, the long-term sustainability of the public budget, and a declining population due to emigration. Hydrocarbon exploration has ceased with declining oil prices. The island has potential for natural resource exploitation with rare-earth, uranium, and iron ore mineral projects proposed, but a lack of infrastructure hinders development." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.413 billion (2015 est.) / $2.24 billion (2014 est.) / $2.203 billion (2013 est.)", @@ -746,7 +740,7 @@ "text": "no regular military forces or conscription. (2019)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "The Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk is responsible for territorial defense of Greenland (2019)" + "text": "The Danish military's Joint Arctic Command in Nuuk is responsible for territorial defense of Greenland (2019)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/north-america/mx.json b/north-america/mx.json index 693e5ece..6e34e6bf 100644 --- a/north-america/mx.json +++ b/north-america/mx.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The site of several advanced Amerindian civilizations - including the Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec - Mexico was conquered and colonized by Spain in the early 16th century. Administered as the Viceroyalty of New Spain for three centuries, it achieved independence early in the 19th century. Elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) - defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON, but Enrique PENA NIETO regained the presidency for the PRI in 2012. Left-leaning antiestablishment politician and former mayor of Mexico City (2000-05) Andres Manuel LOPEZ OBRADOR, from the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), became president in December 2018.The global financial crisis in late 2008 caused a massive economic downturn in Mexico the following year, although growth returned quickly in 2010. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, high underemployment, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely indigenous population in the impoverished southern states. Since 2007, Mexico's powerful drug-trafficking organizations have engaged in bloody feuding, resulting in tens of thousands of drug-related homicides." + "text": "The site of several advanced Amerindian civilizations - including the Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec - Mexico was conquered and colonized by Spain in the early 16th century. Administered as the Viceroyalty of New Spain for three centuries, it achieved independence early in the 19th century. Elections held in 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that an opposition candidate - Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) - defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). He was succeeded in 2006 by another PAN candidate Felipe CALDERON, but Enrique PENA NIETO regained the presidency for the PRI in 2012. Left-leaning antiestablishment politician and former mayor of Mexico City (2000-05) Andres Manuel LOPEZ OBRADOR, from the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), became president in December 2018. ++ The global financial crisis in late 2008 caused a massive economic downturn in Mexico the following year, although growth returned quickly in 2010. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, high underemployment, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely indigenous population in the impoverished southern states. Since 2007, Mexico's powerful drug-trafficking organizations have engaged in bloody feuding, resulting in tens of thousands of drug-related homicides." } }, "Geography": { @@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ "text": "most of the population is found in the middle of the country between the states of Jalisco and Veracruz; approximately a quarter of the population lives in and around Mexico City" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts\nvolcanism: volcanic activity in the central-southern part of the country; the volcanoes in Baja California are mostly dormant; Colima (3,850 m), which erupted in 2010, is Mexico's most active volcano and is responsible for causing periodic evacuations of nearby villagers; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Popocatepetl (5,426 m) poses a threat to Mexico City; other historically active volcanoes include Barcena, Ceboruco, El Chichon, Michoacan-Guanajuato, Pico de Orizaba, San Martin, Socorro, and Tacana; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" + "text": "tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts ++ volcanism: volcanic activity in the central-southern part of the country; the volcanoes in Baja California are mostly dormant; Colima (3,850 m), which erupted in 2010, is Mexico's most active volcano and is responsible for causing periodic evacuations of nearby villagers; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Popocatepetl (5,426 m) poses a threat to Mexico City; other historically active volcanoes include Barcena, Ceboruco, El Chichon, Michoacan-Guanajuato, Pico de Orizaba, San Martin, Socorro, and Tacana; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban migration; natural freshwater resources scarce and polluted in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification; deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion", @@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: strategic location on southern border of the US; Mexico is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire note 2: the \"Three Sisters\" companion plants - winter squash, maize (corn), and climbing beans - served as the main agricultural crops for various North American Indian groups; all three apparently originated in Mexico but then were widely disseminated through much of North America; vanilla, the world's most popular aroma and flavor spice, also emanates from Mexico note 3: the Sac Actun cave system at 348 km (216 mi) is the longest underwater cave in the world and the second longest cave worldwide, after Mammoth Cave in the United States (see \"Geography - note\" under United States)note 4: the prominent Yucatan Peninsula that divides the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea is shared by Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize; just on the northern coast of Yucatan, near the town of Chicxulub (pronounce cheek-sha-loob), lie the remnants of a massive crater (some 150 km in diameter and extending well out into the Gulf of Mexico); formed by an asteroid or comet when it struck the earth 66 million years ago, the impact is now widely accepted as initiating a worldwide climate disruption that caused a mass extinction of 75% of all the earth's plant and animal species - including the non-avian dinosaurs" + "text": "note 1: strategic location on southern border of the US; Mexico is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire ++ note 2: the \"Three Sisters\" companion plants - winter squash, maize (corn), and climbing beans - served as the main agricultural crops for various North American Indian groups; all three apparently originated in Mexico but then were widely disseminated through much of North America; vanilla, the world's most popular aroma and flavor spice, also emanates from Mexico ++ note 3: the Sac Actun cave system at 348 km (216 mi) is the longest underwater cave in the world and the second longest cave worldwide, after Mammoth Cave in the United States (see \"Geography - note\" under United States) ++ note 4: the prominent Yucatan Peninsula that divides the Gulf of Mexico from the Caribbean Sea is shared by Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize; just on the northern coast of Yucatan, near the town of Chicxulub (pronounce cheek-sha-loob), lie the remnants of a massive crater (some 150 km in diameter and extending well out into the Gulf of Mexico); formed by an asteroid or comet when it struck the earth 66 million years ago, the impact is now widely accepted as initiating a worldwide climate disruption that caused a mass extinction of 75% of all the earth's plant and animal species - including the non-avian dinosaurs" } } }, @@ -269,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "73.1% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 96.6% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "3.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 3.4% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -289,14 +286,11 @@ "text": "1.5 beds/1,000 population (2015)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.3% of population / rural: 91.9% of population / total: 97.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "8.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.7% of population / rural: 8.1% of population / total: 2.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -403,7 +397,7 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Mexico has four time zonesetymology: named after the Mexica, the largest and most powerful branch of the Aztecs; the meaning of the name is uncertain" + "text": "note: Mexico has four time zones ++ etymology: named after the Mexica, the largest and most powerful branch of the Aztecs; the meaning of the name is uncertain" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -465,13 +459,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of:Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 32 directly elected in a single, nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms) Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 200 directly elected in a single, nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 3-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of: Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 32 directly elected in a single, nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms) ++ Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 200 directly elected in a single, nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 3-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 1 July 2018 (next to be held on 1 July 2024) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 1 July 2018 (next to be held on 1 July 2021)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 1 July 2018 (next to be held on 1 July 2024) ++ Chamber of Deputies - last held on 1 July 2018 (next to be held on 1 July 2021)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MORENA 58, PAN 22, PRI 14, PRD 9, MC 7, PT 7, PES 5, PVEM 5, PNA/PANAL 1; composition - men 65, women 63, percent of women 49.3% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MORENA 193, PAN 79, PT 61, PES 58, PRI 42, MC 26, PRD 23, PVEM 17, PNA/PANAL 1; composition - men 259, women 241, percent of women 48.2%; note - total National Congress percent of women 48.4%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MORENA 58, PAN 22, PRI 14, PRD 9, MC 7, PT 7, PES 5, PVEM 5, PNA/PANAL 1; composition - men 65, women 63, percent of women 49.3% ++ Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MORENA 193, PAN 79, PT 61, PES 58, PRI 42, MC 26, PRD 23, PVEM 17, PNA/PANAL 1; composition - men 259, women 241, percent of women 48.2%; note - total National Congress percent of women 48.4%" }, "note": { "text": "note: for the 2018 election, senators will be eligible for a second term and deputies up to 4 consecutive terms" @@ -492,14 +486,14 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Citizen's Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano) or MC [Clemente CASTANEDA]Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) or PRI [Claudia RUIZ Massieu]Labor Party (Partido del Trabajo) or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]Mexican Green Ecological Party (Partido Verde Ecologista de Mexico) or PVEM [Carlos Alberto PUENTE Salas]Movement for National Regeneration (Movimiento Regeneracion Nacional) or MORENA [Andres Manuel LOPEZ Obrador]National Action Party (Partido Accion Nacional) or PAN [Damian ZEPEDA Vidales]Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolucion Democratica) or PRD [Manuel GRANADOS]" + "text": "Citizen's Movement (Movimiento Ciudadano) or MC [Clemente CASTANEDA] ++ Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) or PRI [Claudia RUIZ Massieu] ++ Labor Party (Partido del Trabajo) or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez] ++ Mexican Green Ecological Party (Partido Verde Ecologista de Mexico) or PVEM [Carlos Alberto PUENTE Salas] ++ Movement for National Regeneration (Movimiento Regeneracion Nacional) or MORENA [Andres Manuel LOPEZ Obrador] ++ National Action Party (Partido Accion Nacional) or PAN [Damian ZEPEDA Vidales] ++ Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolucion Democratica) or PRD [Manuel GRANADOS]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "APEC, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (observer), Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CE (observer), CELAC, CSN (observer), EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-3, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, MIGA, NAFTA, NAM (observer), NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Martha BARCENA Coqui (since 11 January 2019); note - Ambassador BARCENA Coqui is Mexico'a first-ever female ambassador to the US  " + "text": "Ambassador Martha BARCENA Coqui (since 11 January 2019); note - Ambassador BARCENA Coqui is Mexico'a first-ever female ambassador to the US ++  " }, "chancery": { "text": "1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006" @@ -563,7 +557,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Mexico's $2.4 trillion economy – 11th largest in the world - has become increasingly oriented toward manufacturing since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) entered into force in 1994. Per capita income is roughly one-third that of the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Mexico has become the US' second-largest export market and third-largest source of imports. In 2017, two-way trade in goods and services exceeded $623 billion. Mexico has free trade agreements with 46 countries, putting more than 90% of its trade under free trade agreements. In 2012, Mexico formed the Pacific Alliance with Peru, Colombia, and Chile. Mexico's current government, led by President Enrique PENA NIETO, has emphasized economic reforms, passing and implementing sweeping energy, financial, fiscal, and telecommunications reform legislation, among others, with the long-term aim to improve competitiveness and economic growth across the Mexican economy. Since 2015, Mexico has held public auctions of oil and gas exploration and development rights and for long-term electric power generation contracts. Mexico has also issued permits for private sector import, distribution, and retail sales of refined petroleum products in an effort to attract private investment into the energy sector and boost production. Since 2013, Mexico’s economic growth has averaged 2% annually, falling short of private-sector expectations that President PENA NIETO’s sweeping reforms would bolster economic prospects. Growth is predicted to remain below potential given falling oil production, weak oil prices, structural issues such as low productivity, high inequality, a large informal sector employing over half of the workforce, weak rule of law, and corruption. Mexico’s economy remains vulnerable to uncertainty surrounding the future of NAFTA — because the United States is its top trading partner and the two countries share integrated supply chains — and to potential shifts in domestic policies following the inauguration of a new a president in December 2018." + "text": "Mexico's $2.4 trillion economy – 11th largest in the world - has become increasingly oriented toward manufacturing since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) entered into force in 1994. Per capita income is roughly one-third that of the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. ++ Mexico has become the US' second-largest export market and third-largest source of imports. In 2017, two-way trade in goods and services exceeded $623 billion. Mexico has free trade agreements with 46 countries, putting more than 90% of its trade under free trade agreements. In 2012, Mexico formed the Pacific Alliance with Peru, Colombia, and Chile. ++ Mexico's current government, led by President Enrique PENA NIETO, has emphasized economic reforms, passing and implementing sweeping energy, financial, fiscal, and telecommunications reform legislation, among others, with the long-term aim to improve competitiveness and economic growth across the Mexican economy. Since 2015, Mexico has held public auctions of oil and gas exploration and development rights and for long-term electric power generation contracts. Mexico has also issued permits for private sector import, distribution, and retail sales of refined petroleum products in an effort to attract private investment into the energy sector and boost production. ++ Since 2013, Mexico's economic growth has averaged 2% annually, falling short of private-sector expectations that President PENA NIETO's sweeping reforms would bolster economic prospects. Growth is predicted to remain below potential given falling oil production, weak oil prices, structural issues such as low productivity, high inequality, a large informal sector employing over half of the workforce, weak rule of law, and corruption. Mexico's economy remains vulnerable to uncertainty surrounding the future of NAFTA — because the United States is its top trading partner and the two countries share integrated supply chains — and to potential shifts in domestic policies following the inauguration of a new a president in December 2018." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$2.463 trillion (2017 est.) / $2.413 trillion (2016 est.) / $2.346 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -812,7 +806,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "adequate telephone service for business and government; improving quality and increasing mobile cellular availability, with mobile subscribers far outnumbering fixed-line subscribers; relatively low broadband and mobile penetration, potential for growth; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable; two main MNOs despite efforts for competition; 5G development slow given the existing capabilities of LTE; Mexico’s first local Internet Exchange Point opens in Mexico City; regulator strives to bring competition and foreign investment to Mexico; regulator brings back SIM card registration program (2020)" + "text": "adequate telephone service for business and government; improving quality and increasing mobile cellular availability, with mobile subscribers far outnumbering fixed-line subscribers; relatively low broadband and mobile penetration, potential for growth; extensive microwave radio relay network; considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable; two main MNOs despite efforts for competition; 5G development slow given the existing capabilities of LTE; Mexico's first local Internet Exchange Point opens in Mexico City; regulator strives to bring competition and foreign investment to Mexico; regulator brings back SIM card registration program (2020)" }, "domestic": { "text": "competition has spurred the mobile-cellular market; fixed-line teledensity exceeds 18 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is about 95 per 100 persons; domestic satellite system with 120 earth stations (2019)" diff --git a/north-america/sb.json b/north-america/sb.json index 435c2cf9..c5f26410 100644 --- a/north-america/sb.json +++ b/north-america/sb.json @@ -216,8 +216,11 @@ "text": "1.58 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 8.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 91.4% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 8.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -318,13 +321,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral Territorial Council or Conseil Territorial (19 seats - Saint Pierre 15, Miquelon 4; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 6-year terms);Saint Pierre and Miquelon indirectly elects 1 senator to the French Senate by an electoral college to serve a 6-year term and directly elects 1 deputy to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote to serve a 5-year term" + "text": "unicameral Territorial Council or Conseil Territorial (19 seats - Saint Pierre 15, Miquelon 4; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 6-year terms); ++ Saint Pierre and Miquelon indirectly elects 1 senator to the French Senate by an electoral college to serve a 6-year term and directly elects 1 deputy to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote to serve a 5-year term" }, "elections": { - "text": "Territorial Council - last held on 19 March 2017 (next to be held in March 2023)French Senate - last held on 24 September 2017 (next to be held no later than September 2020)French National Assembly - last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022)" + "text": "Territorial Council - last held on 19 March 2017 (next to be held in March 2023) ++ French Senate - last held on 24 September 2017 (next to be held no later than September 2020) ++ French National Assembly - last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Territorial Council - percent of vote by party - AD 70.2%, Cap sur l'Avenir 29.8%; seats by party - AD 17, Cap sur l'Avenir 2; composition - men 10, women 9, percent of women 47.4%French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PS 1 (affiliated with UMP)French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Ensemble pour l'Avenir 1 (affiliated with PRG); the Republicans (LR) 1" + "text": "Territorial Council - percent of vote by party - AD 70.2%, Cap sur l'Avenir 29.8%; seats by party - AD 17, Cap sur l'Avenir 2; composition - men 10, women 9, percent of women 47.4% ++ French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PS 1 (affiliated with UMP) ++ French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Ensemble pour l'Avenir 1 (affiliated with PRG); the Republicans (LR) 1" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -339,7 +342,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Archipelago Tomorrow or AD (affiliated with UMP)Cap sur l'Avenir [Annick GIRARDIN] (affiliated with Left Radical Party)Togerther for the Future (Ensemble pour l'Avenir) (affiliated with PRG) SPM ensemble" + "text": "Archipelago Tomorrow or AD (affiliated with UMP) ++ Cap sur l'Avenir [Annick GIRARDIN] (affiliated with Left Radical Party) ++ Togerther for the Future (Ensemble pour l'Avenir) (affiliated with PRG) SPM ensemble" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "UPU, WFTU (NGOs)" @@ -369,7 +372,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. The services sector accounted for 86% of GDP in 2010, the last year data is available for. Government employment accounts for than 46% of the GDP, and 78% of the population is working age. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Fish farming, crab fishing, and agriculture are being developed to diversify the local economy. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector. Trade is the second largest sector in terms of value added created, where it contributes significantly to economic activity. The extractive industries and energy sector is the third largest sector of activity in the archipelago, attributable in part to the construction of a new thermal power plant in 2015." + "text": "The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. The services sector accounted for 86% of GDP in 2010, the last year data is available for. Government employment accounts for than 46% of the GDP, and 78% of the population is working age. ++ The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Fish farming, crab fishing, and agriculture are being developed to diversify the local economy. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector. Trade is the second largest sector in terms of value added created, where it contributes significantly to economic activity. The extractive industries and energy sector is the third largest sector of activity in the archipelago, attributable in part to the construction of a new thermal power plant in 2015." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$261.3 million (2015 est.) / $215.3 million (2006 est.)", diff --git a/oceans/oo.json b/oceans/oo.json index 39239c05..ce43485a 100644 --- a/oceans/oo.json +++ b/oceans/oo.json @@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ "text": "sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter" }, "Terrain": { - "text": "the Southern Ocean is 4,000 to 5,000-m deep over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 m (the global mean is 133 m); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 million sq km in March to about 18.8 million sq km in September, better than a sixfold increase in area\nmajor surface currents: the cold, clockwise-flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current (West Wind Drift; 21,000 km long) moves perpetually eastward around the continent and is the world's largest and strongest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers; it is also the only current that flows all the way around the planet and connects the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans; the cold Antarctic Coastal Current (East Wind Drift) is the southernmost current in the world, flowing westward and parallel to the Antarctic coastline" + "text": "the Southern Ocean is 4,000 to 5,000-m deep over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 m (the global mean is 133 m); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 million sq km in March to about 18.8 million sq km in September, better than a sixfold increase in area ++ major surface currents: the cold, clockwise-flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current (West Wind Drift; 21,000 km long) moves perpetually eastward around the continent and is the world's largest and strongest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers; it is also the only current that flows all the way around the planet and connects the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans; the cold Antarctic Coastal Current (East Wind Drift) is the southernmost current in the world, flowing westward and parallel to the Antarctic coastline" }, "Elevation": { "mean depth": { diff --git a/oceans/xo.json b/oceans/xo.json index e1a29cef..e6e27e87 100644 --- a/oceans/xo.json +++ b/oceans/xo.json @@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ "text": "northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean" }, "Terrain": { - "text": "surface dominated by a major gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean and a unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge major surface currents: the counterclockwise Indian Ocean Gyre comprised of the southward flowing warm Agulhas and East Madagascar Currents in the west, the eastward flowing South Indian Current in the south, the northward flowing cold West Australian Current in the east, and the westward flowing South Equatorial Current in the north; a distinctive annual reversal of surface currents occurs in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and clockwise currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and counterclockwise currents" + "text": "surface dominated by a major gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean and a unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge ++ major surface currents: the counterclockwise Indian Ocean Gyre comprised of the southward flowing warm Agulhas and East Madagascar Currents in the west, the eastward flowing South Indian Current in the south, the northward flowing cold West Australian Current in the east, and the westward flowing South Equatorial Current in the north; a distinctive annual reversal of surface currents occurs in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and clockwise currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and counterclockwise currents" }, "Elevation": { "mean depth": { @@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ "text": "The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand." }, "Marine fisheries": { - "text": "the Indian Ocean fisheries are the third most important in the world accounting for 15%, or 12,311,688 mt of the global catch in 2017; tuna, small pelagic fish, and shrimp are important species in these regions; the Food and Agriculture Organization delineated two fishing regions in the Indian Ocean: Eastern Indian Ocean region (Region 57) is the most important region and the fifth largest producing region in the world with more than 8%, or 6,966,875 mt, of the global catch in 2017; the region encompasses the waters north of 55º South latitude and east of 80º East longitude including the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea with the major producers including Indonesia (1,940,190 mt), India (1,431,700 mt), Burma (1,263,080 mt), Bangladesh (637,476 mt), and Sri Lanka (422,842 mt); the principal catches include shad, Skipjack tuna, mackerel, shrimp, and sardinellas Western Indian Ocean region (Region 51) is the world’s sixth largest producing region with more than 6% or 5,344,813 mt of the global catch in 2017; this region encompasses the waters north of 40º South latitude and west of 80º East longitude including the western Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea as well as the waters along the east coast of Africa and Madagascar, the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and the west coast of India with major producers including India (2,402,878 mt), Pakistan (382,768 mt), Oman (347,539 mt), and Mozambique (232,299 mt); the principal catches include Skipjack and Yellowfin tuna, mackerel, sardines, shrimp, and cephalopods" + "text": "the Indian Ocean fisheries are the third most important in the world accounting for 15%, or 12,311,688 mt of the global catch in 2017; tuna, small pelagic fish, and shrimp are important species in these regions; the Food and Agriculture Organization delineated two fishing regions in the Indian Ocean: Eastern Indian Ocean region (Region 57) is the most important region and the fifth largest producing region in the world with more than 8%, or 6,966,875 mt, of the global catch in 2017; the region encompasses the waters north of 55º South latitude and east of 80º East longitude including the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea with the major producers including Indonesia (1,940,190 mt), India (1,431,700 mt), Burma (1,263,080 mt), Bangladesh (637,476 mt), and Sri Lanka (422,842 mt); the principal catches include shad, Skipjack tuna, mackerel, shrimp, and sardinellas Western Indian Ocean region (Region 51) is the world's sixth largest producing region with more than 6% or 5,344,813 mt of the global catch in 2017; this region encompasses the waters north of 40º South latitude and west of 80º East longitude including the western Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea as well as the waters along the east coast of Africa and Madagascar, the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and the west coast of India with major producers including India (2,402,878 mt), Pakistan (382,768 mt), Oman (347,539 mt), and Mozambique (232,299 mt); the principal catches include Skipjack and Yellowfin tuna, mackerel, sardines, shrimp, and cephalopods" } }, "Transportation": { @@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Maritime threats": { - "text": "the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, particularly in the Gulf of Aden, along the east coast of Africa, the Bay of Bengal, and the Strait of Malacca; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators, including the use of on-board armed security teams, have reduced incidents of piracy; in response, Somali-based pirates, using hijacked fishing trawlers as \"mother ships\" to extend their range, shifted operations as far south as the Mozambique Channel, eastward to the vicinity of the Maldives, and northeastward to the Strait of Hormuz; 2018 saw a slight decrease in attacks over 2017, with one incident in the Gulf of Aden, none in the Red Sea, and two off the coast of Somalia; Operation Ocean Shield, the NATO naval task force established in 2009 to combat Somali piracy, concluded its operations in December 2016 as a result of the drop in reported incidents over the last few years; the EU naval mission, Operation ATALANTA, continues its operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean through 2020; naval units from Japan, India, and China also operate in conjunction with EU forces; China has established a logistical base in Djibouti to support its deployed naval units in the Horn of Africa the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2019-012-Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Red Sea-Threats to US and International Shipping from Iran) effective 7 August 2019, which states in part that \"heightened military activities and increased political tensions in this region continue to present risk to commercial shipping...there is a continued possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take actions against US and partner interests in the region;\" at present, Iran has seized two foreign-flagged tankers in the Persian Gulf; the US and UK navies have established Operation Sentinel to provide escorts for commercial shipping transiting the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman" + "text": "the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, particularly in the Gulf of Aden, along the east coast of Africa, the Bay of Bengal, and the Strait of Malacca; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators, including the use of on-board armed security teams, have reduced incidents of piracy; in response, Somali-based pirates, using hijacked fishing trawlers as \"mother ships\" to extend their range, shifted operations as far south as the Mozambique Channel, eastward to the vicinity of the Maldives, and northeastward to the Strait of Hormuz; 2018 saw a slight decrease in attacks over 2017, with one incident in the Gulf of Aden, none in the Red Sea, and two off the coast of Somalia; Operation Ocean Shield, the NATO naval task force established in 2009 to combat Somali piracy, concluded its operations in December 2016 as a result of the drop in reported incidents over the last few years; the EU naval mission, Operation ATALANTA, continues its operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean through 2020; naval units from Japan, India, and China also operate in conjunction with EU forces; China has established a logistical base in Djibouti to support its deployed naval units in the Horn of Africa ++ the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2019-012-Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Red Sea-Threats to US and International Shipping from Iran) effective 7 August 2019, which states in part that \"heightened military activities and increased political tensions in this region continue to present risk to commercial shipping...there is a continued possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take actions against US and partner interests in the region;\" at present, Iran has seized two foreign-flagged tankers in the Persian Gulf; the US and UK navies have established Operation Sentinel to provide escorts for commercial shipping transiting the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/oceans/xq.json b/oceans/xq.json index 257be1a6..4f580627 100644 --- a/oceans/xq.json +++ b/oceans/xq.json @@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ "text": "polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature range; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow" }, "Terrain": { - "text": "central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that, on average, is about 3 m thick, although pressure ridges may be three times that thickness; the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge) major surface currents: two major, slow-moving, wind-driven currents (drift streams) dominate: a clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyre in the western part of the Arctic Ocean and a nearly straight line Transpolar Drift Stream that moves eastward across the ocean from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to the Fram Strait (between Greenland and Svalbard); sea ice that lies close to the center of the gyre can complete a 360 degree circle in about 2 years, while ice on the gyre periphery will complete the same circle in about 7-8 years; sea ice in the Transpolar Drift crosses the ocean in about 3 years" + "text": "central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that, on average, is about 3 m thick, although pressure ridges may be three times that thickness; the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge) ++ major surface currents: two major, slow-moving, wind-driven currents (drift streams) dominate: a clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyre in the western part of the Arctic Ocean and a nearly straight line Transpolar Drift Stream that moves eastward across the ocean from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to the Fram Strait (between Greenland and Svalbard); sea ice that lies close to the center of the gyre can complete a 360 degree circle in about 2 years, while ice on the gyre periphery will complete the same circle in about 7-8 years; sea ice in the Transpolar Drift crosses the ocean in about 3 years" }, "Elevation": { "mean depth": { diff --git a/oceans/zh.json b/oceans/zh.json index 4a965942..7cbf374a 100644 --- a/oceans/zh.json +++ b/oceans/zh.json @@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ "text": "tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near Cabo Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can occur from May to December but are most frequent from August to November" }, "Terrain": { - "text": "surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October to June; surface dominated by two large gyres (broad, circular systems of currents), one in the northern Atlantic and another in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin major surface currents: clockwise North Atlantic Gyre consists of the northward flowing, warm Gulf Stream in the west, the eastward flowing North Atlantic Current in the north, the southward flowing cold Canary Current in the east, and the westward flowing North Equatorial Current in the south; the counterclockwise South Atlantic Gyre composed of the southward flowing warm Brazil Current in the west, the eastward flowing South Atlantic Current in the south, the northward flowing cold Benguela Current in the east, and the westward flowing South Equatorial Current in the north" + "text": "surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October to June; surface dominated by two large gyres (broad, circular systems of currents), one in the northern Atlantic and another in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin ++ major surface currents: clockwise North Atlantic Gyre consists of the northward flowing, warm Gulf Stream in the west, the eastward flowing North Atlantic Current in the north, the southward flowing cold Canary Current in the east, and the westward flowing North Equatorial Current in the south; the counterclockwise South Atlantic Gyre composed of the southward flowing warm Brazil Current in the west, the eastward flowing South Atlantic Current in the south, the northward flowing cold Benguela Current in the east, and the westward flowing South Equatorial Current in the north" }, "Elevation": { "mean depth": { @@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ "text": "The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, dredging of aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea)." }, "Marine fisheries": { - "text": "the Atlantic Ocean fisheries are the second most important in the world accounting for 28%, or 22,434,652 mt, of the global catch in 2017; of the seven regions delineated by the Food and Agriculture Organization in the Atlantic basin, the most important include the following: Northeast Atlantic region (Region 27) is the third most important in the world producing more than 11% of the global catch or 9,309,821 mt in 2017; the region encompasses the waters north of 36º North latitude and east of 40º West longitude with the major producers including Norway (2,208,175 mt), Iceland (1,163,166 mt), Russia (1,105,548 mt), UK (717,545 mt), and Denmark (901,939 mt); the region includes the historically important fishing grounds of the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Atlantic waters between Greenland, Iceland, and the British Isles; the principal catches include Atlantic cod, haddock, saithe (pollock), Blue Whiting, herring, and mackerel; not all fish caught are for human consumption, half of fish catches in the North Sea are processed as fish oil or fish meal, which are used in animal fodder Eastern Central Atlantic region (Region 34) is the second most important Atlantic fishery, and seventh largest in the world producing more than 6% of the global catch or 5,085,264 mt in 2017; the region encompasses the waters between 36º North and 6º South latitude and east of 40º West longitude off the west coast of Africa with the major producers including Morocco (1,336,787 mt), Mauritania (779,580 mt), Nigeria (496,206 mt), Senegal (464,199 mt), Ghana (291,904 mt), Cameroon (205,190 mt), and Sierra Leone (200,000 mt); the principal catches include pilchard, sardinellas, shad, and mackerel Northwest Atlantic region (Region 21) is the third most important Atlantic fishery and ninth in the world producing a little more than 2% of the global catch and 1,755,861 mt in 2017; it encompasses the waters north of 35º North latitude and west of 42º West longitude including the important fishing grounds over the continental shelf of North America such as the Grand Banks, the Georges Bank, and the Flemish Cap, as well as Baffin Bay with the major producers including the US (889,668 mt), Canada (624,747 mt), and Greenland (169,830 mt); the principal catches include sea scallops, prawns, lobster, herring, and menhaden Mediterranean and Black Sea region (Region 37) is a minor fishing region representing 1.6% or 1,348,299 mt of the world’s total capture in 2017; the region encompasses all waters east of the Strait of Gibraltar with the major producers including Turkey (322,175 mt), Italy (185,067 mt), Tunisia (109,636 mt), Russia (90,883 mt), and Spain (86,342 mt); the principal catches include European anchovy, European pilchard, Gobies, and clams" + "text": "the Atlantic Ocean fisheries are the second most important in the world accounting for 28%, or 22,434,652 mt, of the global catch in 2017; of the seven regions delineated by the Food and Agriculture Organization in the Atlantic basin, the most important include the following: Northeast Atlantic region (Region 27) is the third most important in the world producing more than 11% of the global catch or 9,309,821 mt in 2017; the region encompasses the waters north of 36º North latitude and east of 40º West longitude with the major producers including Norway (2,208,175 mt), Iceland (1,163,166 mt), Russia (1,105,548 mt), UK (717,545 mt), and Denmark (901,939 mt); the region includes the historically important fishing grounds of the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Atlantic waters between Greenland, Iceland, and the British Isles; the principal catches include Atlantic cod, haddock, saithe (pollock), Blue Whiting, herring, and mackerel; not all fish caught are for human consumption, half of fish catches in the North Sea are processed as fish oil or fish meal, which are used in animal fodder ++ Eastern Central Atlantic region (Region 34) is the second most important Atlantic fishery, and seventh largest in the world producing more than 6% of the global catch or 5,085,264 mt in 2017; the region encompasses the waters between 36º North and 6º South latitude and east of 40º West longitude off the west coast of Africa with the major producers including Morocco (1,336,787 mt), Mauritania (779,580 mt), Nigeria (496,206 mt), Senegal (464,199 mt), Ghana (291,904 mt), Cameroon (205,190 mt), and Sierra Leone (200,000 mt); the principal catches include pilchard, sardinellas, shad, and mackerel ++ Northwest Atlantic region (Region 21) is the third most important Atlantic fishery and ninth in the world producing a little more than 2% of the global catch and 1,755,861 mt in 2017; it encompasses the waters north of 35º North latitude and west of 42º West longitude including the important fishing grounds over the continental shelf of North America such as the Grand Banks, the Georges Bank, and the Flemish Cap, as well as Baffin Bay with the major producers including the US (889,668 mt), Canada (624,747 mt), and Greenland (169,830 mt); the principal catches include sea scallops, prawns, lobster, herring, and menhaden ++ Mediterranean and Black Sea region (Region 37) is a minor fishing region representing 1.6% or 1,348,299 mt of the world's total capture in 2017; the region encompasses all waters east of the Strait of Gibraltar with the major producers including Turkey (322,175 mt), Italy (185,067 mt), Tunisia (109,636 mt), Russia (90,883 mt), and Spain (86,342 mt); the principal catches include European anchovy, European pilchard, Gobies, and clams" } }, "Transportation": { @@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Maritime threats": { - "text": "West African piracy more than doubled in 2018 totaling 85 attacks, including all of the six ships highjacked during the year; 13 of the 18 vessels fired upon world-wide occurred in West African waters; Nigerian pirates are very aggresive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore and boarded 29 ships in 2018; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2019-010-Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 19 July 2019, which states in part \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom (KFR) continue to serve as significant threats to U.S. flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG). ...According to the Office of Naval Intelligence’s “Weekly Piracy Reports” 72 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea occurred in the GoG region this year as of July 9, 2019. Attacks, kidnappings for ransom (KFR), and boardings to steal valuables from the ships and crews are the most common types of incidents with approximately 75 percent of all incidents taking place off Nigeria. During the first six months of 2019, there were 15 kidnapping and 3 hijackings in the GoG.\"" + "text": "West African piracy more than doubled in 2018 totaling 85 attacks, including all of the six ships highjacked during the year; 13 of the 18 vessels fired upon world-wide occurred in West African waters; Nigerian pirates are very aggresive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore and boarded 29 ships in 2018; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2019-010-Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 19 July 2019, which states in part \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom (KFR) continue to serve as significant threats to U.S. flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG). ...According to the Office of Naval Intelligence's “Weekly Piracy Reports” 72 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea occurred in the GoG region this year as of July 9, 2019. Attacks, kidnappings for ransom (KFR), and boardings to steal valuables from the ships and crews are the most common types of incidents with approximately 75 percent of all incidents taking place off Nigeria. During the first six months of 2019, there were 15 kidnapping and 3 hijackings in the GoG.\"" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/oceans/zn.json b/oceans/zn.json index 685f6c1e..fe7989ac 100644 --- a/oceans/zn.json +++ b/oceans/zn.json @@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ "text": "planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December" }, "Terrain": { - "text": "surface dominated by two large gyres (broad, circular systems of currents), one in the northern Pacific and another in the southern Pacific; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest at 10,924 m major surface currents: clockwise North Pacific Gyre formed by the warm northward flowing Kuroshio Current in the west, the eastward flowing North Pacific Current in the north, the southward flowing cold California Current in the east, and the westward flowing North Equatorial Current in the south; the counterclockwise South Pacific Gyre composed of the southward flowing warm East Australian Current in the west, the eastward flowing South Pacific Current in the south, the northward flowing cold Peru (Humbolt) Current in the east, and the westward flowing South Equatorial Current in the north" + "text": "surface dominated by two large gyres (broad, circular systems of currents), one in the northern Pacific and another in the southern Pacific; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest at 10,924 m ++ major surface currents: clockwise North Pacific Gyre formed by the warm northward flowing Kuroshio Current in the west, the eastward flowing North Pacific Current in the north, the southward flowing cold California Current in the east, and the westward flowing North Equatorial Current in the south; the counterclockwise South Pacific Gyre composed of the southward flowing warm East Australian Current in the west, the eastward flowing South Pacific Current in the south, the northward flowing cold Peru (Humbolt) Current in the east, and the westward flowing South Equatorial Current in the north" }, "Elevation": { "mean depth": { @@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ "text": "The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new drillings." }, "Marine fisheries": { - "text": "the Pacific Ocean fisheries are the most important in the world accounting for 56.6%, or 45,580,140 mt, of the global marine capture in 2017; of the six regions delineated by the Food and Agriculture Organization in the Pacific Ocean, the following are the most important: Northwest Pacific region (Region 61) is the world’s most important fishery producing 25% of the global catch or 20,234,899 mt in 2017; it encompasses the waters north of 20º north latitude and west of 175º west longitude with the major producers including China (12,589,877 mt), Japan (2,917,663 mt), South Korea (948,670 mt), and Taiwan (341,260 mt); the principal catches include Alaska Pollock, Japanese anchovy, chub mackerel, and scads Western Central Pacific region (Region 71) is the world’s second most important fishing region producing 15%, or 12,530,652 mt, of the global catch in 2017; tuna is the most important species in this region; the region includes the waters between 20º North and 25º South latitude and west of 175º West longitude with the major producers including Indonesia (4,281,018 mt), Vietnam (3,118,696 mt), Philippines (1,724,272 mt), Thailand (912,863 mt), and Malaysia (741,561 mt); the principal catches include Skipjack and Yellowfin tuna, sardinellas, and cephalopods Southeast Pacific region (Region 87) is the third major Pacific fishery and fourth largest in the world producing 9%, or 7,223,740 mt, of the global catch in 2017; this region includes the nutrient rich upwelling waters off the west coast of South America between 5º North and 60º South latitude and east of 120º West longitude with the major producers including Peru (4,128,760 mt), Chile (1,918,611 mt), and Ecuador (554,961 mt); the principal catches include Peruvian anchovy (50% of the catch), Jumbo flying squid, and Chilean jack mackerel Pacific Northeast region (Region 67) is the fourth largest Pacific Ocean fishery and eighth largest in the world producing 4% of the global catch or 3,379,432 mt in 2017; this region encompasses the waters north of 40º North latitude and east of 175º West longitude including the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea with the major producers including the US (3,186,515 mt), Canada (180,929 mt), and Russia (11,988 mt); the principal catches include Alaska pollock, Pacific cod, and North Pacific hake" + "text": "the Pacific Ocean fisheries are the most important in the world accounting for 56.6%, or 45,580,140 mt, of the global marine capture in 2017; of the six regions delineated by the Food and Agriculture Organization in the Pacific Ocean, the following are the most important: Northwest Pacific region (Region 61) is the world's most important fishery producing 25% of the global catch or 20,234,899 mt in 2017; it encompasses the waters north of 20º north latitude and west of 175º west longitude with the major producers including China (12,589,877 mt), Japan (2,917,663 mt), South Korea (948,670 mt), and Taiwan (341,260 mt); the principal catches include Alaska Pollock, Japanese anchovy, chub mackerel, and scads ++ Western Central Pacific region (Region 71) is the world's second most important fishing region producing 15%, or 12,530,652 mt, of the global catch in 2017; tuna is the most important species in this region; the region includes the waters between 20º North and 25º South latitude and west of 175º West longitude with the major producers including Indonesia (4,281,018 mt), Vietnam (3,118,696 mt), Philippines (1,724,272 mt), Thailand (912,863 mt), and Malaysia (741,561 mt); the principal catches include Skipjack and Yellowfin tuna, sardinellas, and cephalopods ++ Southeast Pacific region (Region 87) is the third major Pacific fishery and fourth largest in the world producing 9%, or 7,223,740 mt, of the global catch in 2017; this region includes the nutrient rich upwelling waters off the west coast of South America between 5º North and 60º South latitude and east of 120º West longitude with the major producers including Peru (4,128,760 mt), Chile (1,918,611 mt), and Ecuador (554,961 mt); the principal catches include Peruvian anchovy (50% of the catch), Jumbo flying squid, and Chilean jack mackerel Pacific Northeast region (Region 67) is the fourth largest Pacific Ocean fishery and eighth largest in the world producing 4% of the global catch or 3,379,432 mt in 2017; this region encompasses the waters north of 40º North latitude and east of 175º West longitude including the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea with the major producers including the US (3,186,515 mt), Canada (180,929 mt), and Russia (11,988 mt); the principal catches include Alaska pollock, Pacific cod, and North Pacific hake" } }, "Transportation": { diff --git a/south-america/ar.json b/south-america/ar.json index 31b95386..c6527cf2 100644 --- a/south-america/ar.json +++ b/south-america/ar.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina. The country's population and culture were heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, with Italy and Spain providing the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political unrest and conflict between civilian and military factions. After World War II, an era of Peronist populism and direct and indirect military interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983 after a failed bid to seize the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) by force, and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the successive resignations of several presidents. The years 2003-15 saw Peronist rule by Nestor and Cristina FERNANDEZ de KIRCHNER, whose policies isolated Argentina and caused economic stagnation. With the election of Mauricio MACRI in November 2015, Argentina began a period of reform and international reintegration." + "text": "In 1816, the United Provinces of the Rio Plata declared their independence from Spain. After Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay went their separate ways, the area that remained became Argentina. The country's population and culture were heavily shaped by immigrants from throughout Europe, with Italy and Spain providing the largest percentage of newcomers from 1860 to 1930. Up until about the mid-20th century, much of Argentina's history was dominated by periods of internal political unrest and conflict between civilian and military factions. ++ After World War II, an era of Peronist populism and direct and indirect military interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983 after a failed bid to seize the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) by force, and has persisted despite numerous challenges, the most formidable of which was a severe economic crisis in 2001-02 that led to violent public protests and the successive resignations of several presidents. The years 2003-15 saw Peronist rule by Nestor and Cristina FERNANDEZ de KIRCHNER, whose policies isolated Argentina and caused economic stagnation. With the election of Mauricio MACRI in November 2015, Argentina began a period of reform and international reintegration." } }, "Geography": { @@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ "text": "one-third of the population lives in Buenos Aires; pockets of agglomeration occur throughout the northern and central parts of the country; Patagonia to the south remains sparsely populated" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding in some areas\nvolcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains along the Chilean border; Copahue (2,997 m) last erupted in 2000; other historically active volcanoes include Llullaillaco, Maipo, Planchon-Peteroa, San Jose, Tromen, Tupungatito, and Viedma" + "text": "San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding in some areas ++ volcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains along the Chilean border; Copahue (2,997 m) last erupted in 2000; other historically active volcanoes include Llullaillaco, Maipo, Planchon-Peteroa, San Jose, Tromen, Tupungatito, and Viedma" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation (erosion, salinization), desertification, air pollution, and water pollution", @@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ "text": "nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Argentina's population continues to grow but at a slower rate because of its steadily declining birth rate. Argentina's fertility decline began earlier than in the rest of Latin America, occurring most rapidly between the early 20th century and the 1950s, and then becoming more gradual. Life expectancy has been improving, most notably among the young and the poor. While the population under age 15 is shrinking, the youth cohort - ages 15-24 - is the largest in Argentina's history and will continue to bolster the working-age population. If this large working-age population is well-educated and gainfully employed, Argentina is likely to experience an economic boost and possibly higher per capita savings and investment. Although literacy and primary school enrollment are nearly universal, grade repetition is problematic and secondary school completion is low. Both of these issues vary widely by region and socioeconomic group. Argentina has been primarily a country of immigration for most of its history, welcoming European immigrants (often providing needed low-skilled labor) after its independence in the 19th century and attracting especially large numbers from Spain and Italy. More than 7 million European immigrants are estimated to have arrived in Argentina between 1880 and 1930, when it adopted a more restrictive immigration policy. European immigration also began to wane in the 1930s because of the global depression. The inflow rebounded temporarily following WWII and resumed its decline in the 1950s when Argentina's military dictators tightened immigration rules and European economies rebounded. Regional migration increased, however, supplying low-skilled workers escaping economic and political instability in their home countries. As of 2015, immigrants made up almost 5% of Argentina's population, the largest share in South America. Migration from neighboring countries accounted for approximately 80% of Argentina's immigrant population in 2015. The first waves of highly skilled Argentine emigrant workers headed mainly to the United States and Spain in the 1960s and 1970s, driven by economic decline and repressive military dictatorships. The 2008 European economic crisis drove the return migration of some Argentinean and other Latin American nationals, as well as the immigration of Europeans to South America, where Argentina was a key recipient. In 2015, Argentina received the highest number of legal migrants in Latin America and the Caribbean. The majority of its migrant inflow came from Paraguay and Bolivia." + "text": "Argentina's population continues to grow but at a slower rate because of its steadily declining birth rate. Argentina's fertility decline began earlier than in the rest of Latin America, occurring most rapidly between the early 20th century and the 1950s, and then becoming more gradual. Life expectancy has been improving, most notably among the young and the poor. While the population under age 15 is shrinking, the youth cohort - ages 15-24 - is the largest in Argentina's history and will continue to bolster the working-age population. If this large working-age population is well-educated and gainfully employed, Argentina is likely to experience an economic boost and possibly higher per capita savings and investment. Although literacy and primary school enrollment are nearly universal, grade repetition is problematic and secondary school completion is low. Both of these issues vary widely by region and socioeconomic group. ++ Argentina has been primarily a country of immigration for most of its history, welcoming European immigrants (often providing needed low-skilled labor) after its independence in the 19th century and attracting especially large numbers from Spain and Italy. More than 7 million European immigrants are estimated to have arrived in Argentina between 1880 and 1930, when it adopted a more restrictive immigration policy. European immigration also began to wane in the 1930s because of the global depression. The inflow rebounded temporarily following WWII and resumed its decline in the 1950s when Argentina's military dictators tightened immigration rules and European economies rebounded. Regional migration increased, however, supplying low-skilled workers escaping economic and political instability in their home countries. As of 2015, immigrants made up almost 5% of Argentina's population, the largest share in South America. Migration from neighboring countries accounted for approximately 80% of Argentina's immigrant population in 2015. ++ The first waves of highly skilled Argentine emigrant workers headed mainly to the United States and Spain in the 1960s and 1970s, driven by economic decline and repressive military dictatorships. The 2008 European economic crisis drove the return migration of some Argentinean and other Latin American nationals, as well as the immigration of Europeans to South America, where Argentina was a key recipient. In 2015, Argentina received the highest number of legal migrants in Latin America and the Caribbean. The majority of its migrant inflow came from Paraguay and Bolivia." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ "text": "81.3% (2013)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 99.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.9% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0.9% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,8 +278,11 @@ "text": "5 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.3% of population (2017 est.)" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -442,13 +442,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of:Senate (72 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership elected every 2 years)Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 2 years)" + "text": "bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of: Senate (72 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms with one-third of the membership elected every 2 years) ++ Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 2 years)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2021)Chamber of Deputies - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2021)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2021) ++ Chamber of Deputies - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2021)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - TODOS 13, Cambiemos 8, FCS 2, JSRN 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - TODOS 64, Cambiemos 56, CF 3, FCS 3, JSRN 1, other 3" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - TODOS 13, Cambiemos 8, FCS 2, JSRN 1; ++ Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA; seats by bloc or party - TODOS 64, Cambiemos 56, CF 3, FCS 3, JSRN 1, other 3" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Argentina Federal [coalition led by Pablo KOSINER] Cambiemos [Mauricio MACRI] (coalition of CC-ARI, PRO, and UCR)Citizen's Unity or UC [Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER]Civic Coalition ARI or CC-ARI [Elisa CARRIO, Maximiliano FERRARO]Civic Front for Santiago or FCS [Gerardo ZAMORA]Everyone's Front (Frente de Todos) or TODOS [Alberto Angel FERNANDEZ]Federal Consensus or CF [Roberto LAVAGNA, Juan Manuel URTUBEY]Front for the Renewal of Concord or FRCFront for Victory or FpV [coalition led by Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER and Agustin ROSSI] Generation for a National Encounter or GEN [Monica PERALTA]Justicialist Party or PJ [Miguel Angel PICHETTO]Radical Civic Union or UCR [Alfredo CORNEJO]Renewal Front (Frente Renovador) or FR [Sergio MASSA]Republican Proposal or PRO [Mauricio MACRI, Humberto SCHIAVONI]Socialist Party or PS [Antonio BONFATTI]Socialist Workers’ Party or PTS [Jose MONTES]Together We Are Rio Negro or JSRN [Alberto Edgardo WERETILNECK]We Do For Cordoba (Hacemos Por Cordoba) or HC [Juan SCHIARETTI]Workers' Party or PO [Jorge ALTAMIRA]Worker’s Socialist Movement or MST [Alejandro BODDART; Vilma RIPOLL]numerous provincial parties" + "text": "Argentina Federal [coalition led by Pablo KOSINER] ++ Cambiemos [Mauricio MACRI] (coalition of CC-ARI, PRO, and UCR) ++ Citizen's Unity or UC [Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER] ++ Civic Coalition ARI or CC-ARI [Elisa CARRIO, Maximiliano FERRARO] ++ Civic Front for Santiago or FCS [Gerardo ZAMORA] ++ Everyone's Front (Frente de Todos) or TODOS [Alberto Angel FERNANDEZ] ++ Federal Consensus or CF [Roberto LAVAGNA, Juan Manuel URTUBEY] ++ Front for the Renewal of Concord or FRC ++ Front for Victory or FpV [coalition led by Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER and Agustin ROSSI] ++ Generation for a National Encounter or GEN [Monica PERALTA] ++ Justicialist Party or PJ [Miguel Angel PICHETTO] ++ Radical Civic Union or UCR [Alfredo CORNEJO] ++ Renewal Front (Frente Renovador) or FR [Sergio MASSA] ++ Republican Proposal or PRO [Mauricio MACRI, Humberto SCHIAVONI] ++ Socialist Party or PS [Antonio BONFATTI] ++ Socialist Workers' Party or PTS [Jose MONTES] ++ Together We Are Rio Negro or JSRN [Alberto Edgardo WERETILNECK] ++ We Do For Cordoba (Hacemos Por Cordoba) or HC [Juan SCHIARETTI] ++ Workers' Party or PO [Jorge ALTAMIRA] ++ Worker's Socialist Movement or MST [Alejandro BODDART; Vilma RIPOLL] ++ numerous provincial parties" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" @@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th century from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight. Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER succeeded her husband as president in late 2007, and in 2008 the rapid economic growth of previous years slowed sharply as government policies held back exports and the world economy fell into recession. In 2010 the economy rebounded strongly, but slowed in late 2011 even as the government continued to rely on expansionary fiscal and monetary policies, which kept inflation in the double digits. In order to deal with these problems, the government expanded state intervention in the economy: it nationalized the oil company YPF from Spain's Repsol, expanded measures to restrict imports, and further tightened currency controls in an effort to bolster foreign reserves and stem capital flight. Between 2011 and 2013, Central Bank foreign reserves dropped $21.3 billion from a high of $52.7 billion. In July 2014, Argentina and China agreed on an $11 billion currency swap; the Argentine Central Bank has received the equivalent of $3.2 billion in Chinese yuan, which it counts as international reserves. With the election of President Mauricio MACRI in November 2015, Argentina began a historic political and economic transformation, as his administration took steps to liberalize the Argentine economy, lifting capital controls, floating the peso, removing export controls on some commodities, cutting some energy subsidies, and reforming the country’s official statistics. Argentina negotiated debt payments with holdout bond creditors, continued working with the IMF to shore up its finances, and returned to international capital markets in April 2016. In 2017, Argentina’s economy emerged from recession with GDP growth of nearly 3.0%. The government passed important pension, tax, and fiscal reforms. And after years of international isolation, Argentina took on several international leadership roles, including hosting the World Economic Forum on Latin America and the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference, and is set to assume the presidency of the G-20 in 2018." + "text": "Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Although one of the world's wealthiest countries 100 years ago, Argentina suffered during most of the 20th century from recurring economic crises, persistent fiscal and current account deficits, high inflation, mounting external debt, and capital flight. ++ Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER succeeded her husband as president in late 2007, and in 2008 the rapid economic growth of previous years slowed sharply as government policies held back exports and the world economy fell into recession. In 2010 the economy rebounded strongly, but slowed in late 2011 even as the government continued to rely on expansionary fiscal and monetary policies, which kept inflation in the double digits. ++ In order to deal with these problems, the government expanded state intervention in the economy: it nationalized the oil company YPF from Spain's Repsol, expanded measures to restrict imports, and further tightened currency controls in an effort to bolster foreign reserves and stem capital flight. Between 2011 and 2013, Central Bank foreign reserves dropped $21.3 billion from a high of $52.7 billion. In July 2014, Argentina and China agreed on an $11 billion currency swap; the Argentine Central Bank has received the equivalent of $3.2 billion in Chinese yuan, which it counts as international reserves. ++ With the election of President Mauricio MACRI in November 2015, Argentina began a historic political and economic transformation, as his administration took steps to liberalize the Argentine economy, lifting capital controls, floating the peso, removing export controls on some commodities, cutting some energy subsidies, and reforming the country's official statistics. Argentina negotiated debt payments with holdout bond creditors, continued working with the IMF to shore up its finances, and returned to international capital markets in April 2016. ++ In 2017, Argentina's economy emerged from recession with GDP growth of nearly 3.0%. The government passed important pension, tax, and fiscal reforms. And after years of international isolation, Argentina took on several international leadership roles, including hosting the World Economic Forum on Latin America and the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference, and is set to assume the presidency of the G-20 in 2018." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$922.1 billion (2017 est.) / $896.5 billion (2016 est.) / $913.2 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/south-america/bl.json b/south-america/bl.json index 964bb6f1..e102dbc0 100644 --- a/south-america/bl.json +++ b/south-america/bl.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of coups and countercoups, with the last coup occurring in 1978. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. In December 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the nation's poor, indigenous majority. In December 2009 and October 2014, President MORALES easily won reelection. His party maintained control of the legislative branch of the government, which has allowed him to continue his process of change. In February 2016, MORALES narrowly lost a referendum to approve a constitutional amendment that would have allowed him to compete in the 2019 presidential election. However, a 2017 Supreme Court ruling stating that term limits violate human rights provided the justification for MORALES to be chosen by his party to run again in 2019. MORALES attempted to claim victory in the 20 October 2019 election, but widespread allegations of electoral fraud, rising violence, and pressure from the military ultimately forced him to flee the country. An interim government, led by President Jeanine ANEZ Chavez, prepared new elections that took place on 18 October 2020." + "text": "Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of coups and countercoups, with the last coup occurring in 1978. Democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and illegal drug production. ++ In December 2005, Bolivians elected Movement Toward Socialism leader Evo MORALES president - by the widest margin of any leader since the restoration of civilian rule in 1982 - after he ran on a promise to change the country's traditional political class and empower the nation's poor, indigenous majority. In December 2009 and October 2014, President MORALES easily won reelection. His party maintained control of the legislative branch of the government, which has allowed him to continue his process of change. In February 2016, MORALES narrowly lost a referendum to approve a constitutional amendment that would have allowed him to compete in the 2019 presidential election. However, a 2017 Supreme Court ruling stating that term limits violate human rights provided the justification for MORALES to be chosen by his party to run again in 2019. MORALES attempted to claim victory in the 20 October 2019 election, but widespread allegations of electoral fraud, rising violence, and pressure from the military ultimately forced him to flee the country. An interim government, led by President Jeanine ANEZ Chavez, prepared new elections that took place on 18 October 2020." } }, "Geography": { @@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ "text": "a high altitude plain in the west between two cordillera of the Andes, known as the Altiplano, is the focal area for most of the population; a dense settlement pattern is also found in and around the city of Santa Cruz, located on the eastern side of the Andes" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "flooding in the northeast (March to April)\nvolcanism: volcanic activity in Andes Mountains on the border with Chile; historically active volcanoes in this region are Irruputuncu (5,163 m), which last erupted in 1995, and the Olca-Paruma volcanic complex (5,762 m to 5,167 m)" + "text": "flooding in the northeast (March to April) ++ volcanism: volcanic activity in Andes Mountains on the border with Chile; historically active volcanoes in this region are Irruputuncu (5,163 m), which last erupted in 1995, and the Olca-Paruma volcanic complex (5,762 m to 5,167 m)" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the international demand for tropical timber are contributing to deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification; loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used for drinking and irrigation" @@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Perunote 2: the southern regions of Peru and the extreme northwestern part of Bolivia are considered to be the place of origin for the common potato" + "text": "note 1: landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru ++ note 2: the southern regions of Peru and the extreme northwestern part of Bolivia are considered to be the place of origin for the common potato" } } }, @@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 76.8%, Evangelical and Pentecostal 8.1%, Protestant 7.9%, other 1.7%, none 5.5% (2012 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Bolivia ranks at or near the bottom among Latin American countries in several areas of health and development, including poverty, education, fertility, malnutrition, mortality, and life expectancy. On the positive side, more children are being vaccinated and more pregnant women are getting prenatal care and having skilled health practitioners attend their births.\nBolivia’s income inequality is the highest in Latin America and one of the highest in the world. Public education is of poor quality, and educational opportunities are among the most unevenly distributed in Latin America, with girls and indigenous and rural children less likely to be literate or to complete primary school. The lack of access to education and family planning services helps to sustain Bolivia’s high fertility rate—approximately three children per woman. Bolivia’s lack of clean water and basic sanitation, especially in rural areas, contributes to health problems.\nBetween 7% and 16% of Bolivia’s population lives abroad (estimates vary in part because of illegal migration). Emigrants primarily seek jobs and better wages in Argentina (the principal destination), the US, and Spain. In recent years, more restrictive immigration policies in Europe and the US have increased the flow of Bolivian emigrants to neighboring countries. Fewer Bolivians migrated to Brazil in 2015 and 2016 because of its recession; increasing numbers have been going to Chile, mainly to work as miners." + "text": "Bolivia ranks at or near the bottom among Latin American countries in several areas of health and development, including poverty, education, fertility, malnutrition, mortality, and life expectancy. On the positive side, more children are being vaccinated and more pregnant women are getting prenatal care and having skilled health practitioners attend their births. ++ Bolivia's income inequality is the highest in Latin America and one of the highest in the world. Public education is of poor quality, and educational opportunities are among the most unevenly distributed in Latin America, with girls and indigenous and rural children less likely to be literate or to complete primary school. The lack of access to education and family planning services helps to sustain Bolivia's high fertility rate—approximately three children per woman. Bolivia's lack of clean water and basic sanitation, especially in rural areas, contributes to health problems. ++ Between 7% and 16% of Bolivia's population lives abroad (estimates vary in part because of illegal migration). Emigrants primarily seek jobs and better wages in Argentina (the principal destination), the US, and Spain. In recent years, more restrictive immigration policies in Europe and the US have increased the flow of Bolivian emigrants to neighboring countries. Fewer Bolivians migrated to Brazil in 2015 and 2016 because of its recession; increasing numbers have been going to Chile, mainly to work as miners." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -263,14 +263,11 @@ "text": "66.5% (2016)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 78.1% of population / total: 92.8% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "21.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "7.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 21.9% of population / total: 7.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -283,14 +280,11 @@ "text": "1.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 5.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 94.1% of population / rural: 42.2% of population / total: 78% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "57.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "22% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 5.9% of population / rural: 57.8% of population / total: 22% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -380,7 +374,7 @@ "text": "UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "etymology: La Paz is a shortening of the original name of the city, Nuestra Senora de La Paz (Our Lady of Peace); Sucre is named after Antonio Jose de Sucre (1795-1830), military hero in the independence struggle from Spain and the second president of Bolivianote: at approximately 3,630 m above sea level, La Paz's elevation makes it the highest capital city in the world" + "text": "etymology: La Paz is a shortening of the original name of the city, Nuestra Senora de La Paz (Our Lady of Peace); Sucre is named after Antonio Jose de Sucre (1795-1830), military hero in the independence struggle from Spain and the second president of Bolivia ++ ++ note: at approximately 3,630 m above sea level, La Paz's elevation makes it the highest capital city in the world" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -425,7 +419,7 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "Interim President Jeanine ANEZ Chavez (since 12 November 2019); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government note: former President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma resigned from office on 10 November 2019 over alleged election rigging; resignations of all his constitutionally designated successors followed, including the Vice President, President of the Senate, President of the Chamber of Deputies, and First Vice President of the Senate, leaving the Second Vice President of the Senate, Jeanine ANEZ Chavez, the highest-ranking official still in office; her appointment to the presidency was endorsed by Bolivia's Constitutional Court" + "text": "Interim President Jeanine ANEZ Chavez (since 12 November 2019); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government ++ note: former President Juan Evo MORALES Ayma resigned from office on 10 November 2019 over alleged election rigging; resignations of all his constitutionally designated successors followed, including the Vice President, President of the Senate, President of the Chamber of Deputies, and First Vice President of the Senate, leaving the Second Vice President of the Senate, Jeanine ANEZ Chavez, the highest-ranking official still in office; her appointment to the presidency was endorsed by Bolivia's Constitutional Court" }, "head of government": { "text": "Interim President Jeanine ANEZ Chavez (since 12 November 2019); Vice President (vacant)" @@ -442,13 +436,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Plurinational Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional consists of:Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (36 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 53 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote, and 7 - apportioned to non-contiguous, rural areas in 7 of the 9 states - directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Plurinational Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional consists of: Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (36 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms) ++ Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 53 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote, and 7 - apportioned to non-contiguous, rural areas in 7 of the 9 states - directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Chamber of Senators - last held on 20 October 2019, but the results were annulled and a new election - originally scheduled for 3 May 2020 and then moved to 6 September - was postponed until 18 October due to the COVID-19 pandemicChamber of Deputies - last held on 20 October 2019, but the results were annulled and a new election - originally scheduled for 3 May 2020 and then moved to 6 September - was postponed until 18 October due to the COVID-19 pandemic" + "text": "Chamber of Senators - last held on 20 October 2019, but the results were annulled and a new election - originally scheduled for 3 May 2020 and then moved to 6 September - was postponed until 18 October due to the COVID-19 pandemic ++ Chamber of Deputies - last held on 20 October 2019, but the results were annulled and a new election - originally scheduled for 3 May 2020 and then moved to 6 September - was postponed until 18 October due to the COVID-19 pandemic" }, "election results": { - "text": "Chamber of Senators - results annulledChamber of Deputies - results annulled" + "text": "Chamber of Senators - results annulled ++ Chamber of Deputies - results annulled" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -463,7 +457,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]Community Citizen Alliance or ACC [Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert]Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma]National Unity or UN [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana]Social Democrat Movement or MDS [Ruben COSTAS Aguilera]We Believe or Creemos [Luis Fernando CAMACHO Vaca]", + "text": "Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez] ++ Community Citizen Alliance or ACC [Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert] ++ Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma] ++ National Unity or UN [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana] ++ Social Democrat Movement or MDS [Ruben COSTAS Aguilera] ++ We Believe or Creemos [Luis Fernando CAMACHO Vaca]", "note": { "text": "note: the Democrat Unity Coalition or UD [Samuel DORIA MEDINA Arana] was a coalition comprised of several of the largest opposition parties participating in the 2014 election, which included the Democrats (MDS), National Unity Front (UN), and Without Fear Movement" } @@ -534,7 +528,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Bolivia is a resource rich country with strong growth attributed to captive markets for natural gas exports – to Brazil and Argentina. However, the country remains one of the least developed countries in Latin America because of state-oriented policies that deter investment. Following an economic crisis during the early 1980s, reforms in the 1990s spurred private investment, stimulated economic growth, and cut poverty rates. The period 2003-05 was characterized by political instability, racial tensions, and violent protests against plans - subsequently abandoned - to export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large Northern Hemisphere markets. In 2005-06, the government passed hydrocarbon laws that imposed significantly higher royalties and required foreign firms then operating under risk-sharing contracts to surrender all production to the state energy company in exchange for a predetermined service fee; the laws engendered much public debate. High commodity prices between 2010 and 2014 sustained rapid growth and large trade surpluses with GDP growing 6.8% in 2013 and 5.4% in 2014. The global decline in oil prices that began in late 2014 exerted downward pressure on the price Bolivia receives for exported gas and resulted in lower GDP growth rates - 4.9% in 2015 and 4.3% in 2016 - and losses in government revenue as well as fiscal and trade deficits. A lack of foreign investment in the key sectors of mining and hydrocarbons, along with conflict among social groups, pose challenges for the Bolivian economy. In 2015, President Evo MORALES expanded efforts to court international investment and boost Bolivia’s energy production capacity. MORALES passed an investment law and promised not to nationalize additional industries in an effort to improve the investment climate. In early 2016, the Government of Bolivia approved the 2016-2020 National Economic and Social Development Plan aimed at maintaining growth of 5% and reducing poverty." + "text": "Bolivia is a resource rich country with strong growth attributed to captive markets for natural gas exports – to Brazil and Argentina. However, the country remains one of the least developed countries in Latin America because of state-oriented policies that deter investment. ++ Following an economic crisis during the early 1980s, reforms in the 1990s spurred private investment, stimulated economic growth, and cut poverty rates. The period 2003-05 was characterized by political instability, racial tensions, and violent protests against plans - subsequently abandoned - to export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large Northern Hemisphere markets. In 2005-06, the government passed hydrocarbon laws that imposed significantly higher royalties and required foreign firms then operating under risk-sharing contracts to surrender all production to the state energy company in exchange for a predetermined service fee; the laws engendered much public debate. High commodity prices between 2010 and 2014 sustained rapid growth and large trade surpluses with GDP growing 6.8% in 2013 and 5.4% in 2014. The global decline in oil prices that began in late 2014 exerted downward pressure on the price Bolivia receives for exported gas and resulted in lower GDP growth rates - 4.9% in 2015 and 4.3% in 2016 - and losses in government revenue as well as fiscal and trade deficits. ++ A lack of foreign investment in the key sectors of mining and hydrocarbons, along with conflict among social groups, pose challenges for the Bolivian economy. In 2015, President Evo MORALES expanded efforts to court international investment and boost Bolivia's energy production capacity. MORALES passed an investment law and promised not to nationalize additional industries in an effort to improve the investment climate. In early 2016, the Government of Bolivia approved the 2016-2020 National Economic and Social Development Plan aimed at maintaining growth of 5% and reducing poverty." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$83.72 billion (2017 est.) / $80.35 billion (2016 est.) / $77.07 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/south-america/br.json b/south-america/br.json index c5609f08..001ba1b9 100644 --- a/south-america/br.json +++ b/south-america/br.json @@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 64.6%, other Catholic 0.4%, Protestant 22.2% (includes Adventist 6.5%, Assembly of God 2.0%, Christian Congregation of Brazil 1.2%, Universal Kingdom of God 1.0%, other Protestant 11.5%), other Christian 0.7%, Spiritist 2.2%, other 1.4%, none 8%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Brazil's rapid fertility decline since the 1960s is the main factor behind the country's slowing population growth rate, aging population, and fast-paced demographic transition. Brasilia has not taken full advantage of its large working-age population to develop its human capital and strengthen its social and economic institutions but is funding a study abroad program to bring advanced skills back to the country. The current favorable age structure will begin to shift around 2025, with the labor force shrinking and the elderly starting to compose an increasing share of the total population. Well-funded public pensions have nearly wiped out poverty among the elderly, and Bolsa Familia and other social programs have lifted tens of millions out of poverty. More than half of Brazil's population is considered middle class, but poverty and income inequality levels remain high; the Northeast, North, and Center-West, women, and black, mixed race, and indigenous populations are disproportionately affected. Disparities in opportunities foster social exclusion and contribute to Brazil's high crime rate, particularly violent crime in cities and favelas (slums).\nBrazil has traditionally been a net recipient of immigrants, with its southeast being the prime destination. After the importation of African slaves was outlawed in the mid-19th century, Brazil sought Europeans (Italians, Portuguese, Spaniards, and Germans) and later Asians (Japanese) to work in agriculture, especially coffee cultivation. Recent immigrants come mainly from Argentina, Chile, and Andean countries (many are unskilled illegal migrants) or are returning Brazilian nationals. Since Brazil's economic downturn in the 1980s, emigration to the United States, Europe, and Japan has been rising but is negligible relative to Brazil's total population. The majority of these emigrants are well-educated and middle-class. Fewer Brazilian peasants are emigrating to neighboring countries to take up agricultural work." + "text": "Brazil's rapid fertility decline since the 1960s is the main factor behind the country's slowing population growth rate, aging population, and fast-paced demographic transition. Brasilia has not taken full advantage of its large working-age population to develop its human capital and strengthen its social and economic institutions but is funding a study abroad program to bring advanced skills back to the country. The current favorable age structure will begin to shift around 2025, with the labor force shrinking and the elderly starting to compose an increasing share of the total population. Well-funded public pensions have nearly wiped out poverty among the elderly, and Bolsa Familia and other social programs have lifted tens of millions out of poverty. More than half of Brazil's population is considered middle class, but poverty and income inequality levels remain high; the Northeast, North, and Center-West, women, and black, mixed race, and indigenous populations are disproportionately affected. Disparities in opportunities foster social exclusion and contribute to Brazil's high crime rate, particularly violent crime in cities and favelas (slums). ++ Brazil has traditionally been a net recipient of immigrants, with its southeast being the prime destination. After the importation of African slaves was outlawed in the mid-19th century, Brazil sought Europeans (Italians, Portuguese, Spaniards, and Germans) and later Asians (Japanese) to work in agriculture, especially coffee cultivation. Recent immigrants come mainly from Argentina, Chile, and Andean countries (many are unskilled illegal migrants) or are returning Brazilian nationals. Since Brazil's economic downturn in the 1980s, emigration to the United States, Europe, and Japan has been rising but is negligible relative to Brazil's total population. The majority of these emigrants are well-educated and middle-class. Fewer Brazilian peasants are emigrating to neighboring countries to take up agricultural work." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "80.2% (2013)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 91.6% of population / total: 98.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "8.4% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 8.4% of population / total: 1.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "2.1 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 7.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 92.8% of population / rural: 60.1% of population / total: 88.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "39.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "11.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 7.2% of population / rural: 39.9% of population / total: 11.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -398,7 +392,7 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins third Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in February" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Brazil has four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islandsetymology: name bestowed on the new capital of Brazil upon its inauguration in 1960; previous Brazilian capitals had been Salvador from 1549 to 1763 and Rio de Janeiro from 1763 to 1960" + "text": "note: Brazil has four time zones, including one for the Fernando de Noronha Islands ++ etymology: name bestowed on the new capital of Brazil upon its inauguration in 1960; previous Brazilian capitals had been Salvador from 1549 to 1763 and Rio de Janeiro from 1763 to 1960 ++ ++" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -460,13 +454,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of:Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members each from 26 states and 3 from the federal district directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 8-year terms, with one-third and two-thirds of the membership elected alternately every 4 years) Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of: Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; 3 members each from 26 states and 3 from the federal district directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 8-year terms, with one-third and two-thirds of the membership elected alternately every 4 years) ++ Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Federal Senate - last held on 7 October 2018 for two-thirds of the Senate (next to be held in October 2022 for one-third of the Senate)Chamber of Deputies - last held on 7 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022)" + "text": "Federal Senate - last held on 7 October 2018 for two-thirds of the Senate (next to be held in October 2022 for one-third of the Senate) ++ Chamber of Deputies - last held on 7 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PMDB 7, PP 5, REDE 5, DEM 4, PSDB 4, PSDC 4, PSL 4, PT 4, PDT 2, PHS 2, PPS 2, PSB 2, PTB 2, Podemos 1, PR 1, PRB 1, PROS 1, PRP 1, PSC 1, SD 1; composition - men 70, women 11, percent of women 13.6%     Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PT 56, PSL 52, PP 37, PMDB 34, PSDC 34, PR 33, PSB 32, PRB 30, DEM 29, PSDB 29, PDT 28, SD 13, Podemos 11, PSOL 10, PTB 10, PCdoB 9, NOVO 8, PPS 8, PROS 8, PSC 8, Avante 7, PHS 6, Patriota 5, PRP 4, PV 4, PMN 3, PTC 2, DC 1, PPL 1, REDE 1; composition - men 462, women 51, percent of women 9.9%; total National Congress percent of women 10.4%" + "text": "Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PMDB 7, PP 5, REDE 5, DEM 4, PSDB 4, PSDC 4, PSL 4, PT 4, PDT 2, PHS 2, PPS 2, PSB 2, PTB 2, Podemos 1, PR 1, PRB 1, PROS 1, PRP 1, PSC 1, SD 1; composition - men 70, women 11, percent of women 13.6%     ++ Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PT 56, PSL 52, PP 37, PMDB 34, PSDC 34, PR 33, PSB 32, PRB 30, DEM 29, PSDB 29, PDT 28, SD 13, Podemos 11, PSOL 10, PTB 10, PCdoB 9, NOVO 8, PPS 8, PROS 8, PSC 8, Avante 7, PHS 6, Patriota 5, PRP 4, PV 4, PMN 3, PTC 2, DC 1, PPL 1, REDE 1; composition - men 462, women 51, percent of women 9.9%; total National Congress percent of women 10.4%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -481,7 +475,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Avante [Luis TIBE] (formerly Labor Party of Brazil or PTdoB) Brazilian Communist Party or PCB [Ivan Martins PINHEIRO]Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Michel TEMER]Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Cristiane BRASIL]Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB [Jose Levy FIDELIX da Cruz]Brazilian Republican Party or PRB [Marcos Antonio PEREIRA]Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Tasso JEREISSATI]Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Carlos Roberto SIQUEIRA de Barros]Christian Democracy or DC [Jose Maria EYMAEL] (formerly Christian Social Democratic Party or PSDC)Christian Labor Party or PTC [Daniel TOURINHO]Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Jose Renato RABELO]Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos Roberto LUPI]The Democrats or DEM [Jose AGRIPINO] (formerly Liberal Front Party or PFL)Free Homeland Party or PPL [Sergio RUBENS]Green Party or PV [Jose Luiz PENNA]Humanist Party of Solidarity or PHS [Eduardo MACHADO]National Mobilization Party or PMN [Telma RIBEIRO dos Santos]New Party or NOVO [Moises JARDIM]Party of the Republic or PR [Alfredo NASCIMENTO]Patriota [Adilson BARROSO Oliveira] (formerly National Ecologic Party or PEN)Podemos [Renata ABREU] (formerly National Labor Party or PTN) Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Roberto Joao Pereira FREIRE]Progressive Party or PP [Ciro NOGUEIRA]Progressive Republican Party or PRP [Ovasco Roma Altimari RESENDE]Republican Social Order Party or PROS [Euripedes JUNIOR]Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor Jorge Abdala NOSSEIS]Social Democratic Party or PSD [Guilherme CAMPOS]Social Liberal Party or PSL [Luciano Caldas BIVAR]Socialism and Freedom Party or PSOL [Luiz ARAUJO]Solidarity or SD [Paulo PEREIRA DA SILVA]Sustainability Network or REDE [Marina SILVA]United Socialist Workers' Party or PSTU [Jose Maria DE ALMEIDA]Workers' Cause Party or PCO [Rui Costa PIMENTA]Workers' Party or PT [Gleisi HOFFMAN]" + "text": "Avante [Luis TIBE] (formerly Labor Party of Brazil or PTdoB)  ++ Brazilian Communist Party or PCB [Ivan Martins PINHEIRO] ++ Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Michel TEMER] ++ Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Cristiane BRASIL] ++ Brazilian Renewal Labor Party or PRTB [Jose Levy FIDELIX da Cruz] ++ Brazilian Republican Party or PRB [Marcos Antonio PEREIRA] ++ Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Tasso JEREISSATI] ++ Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Carlos Roberto SIQUEIRA de Barros] ++ Christian Democracy or DC [Jose Maria EYMAEL] (formerly Christian Social Democratic Party or PSDC) ++ Christian Labor Party or PTC [Daniel TOURINHO] ++ Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Jose Renato RABELO] ++ Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos Roberto LUPI] ++ The Democrats or DEM [Jose AGRIPINO] (formerly Liberal Front Party or PFL) ++ Free Homeland Party or PPL [Sergio RUBENS] ++ Green Party or PV [Jose Luiz PENNA] ++ Humanist Party of Solidarity or PHS [Eduardo MACHADO] ++ National Mobilization Party or PMN [Telma RIBEIRO dos Santos] ++ New Party or NOVO [Moises JARDIM] ++ Party of the Republic or PR [Alfredo NASCIMENTO] ++ Patriota [Adilson BARROSO Oliveira] (formerly National Ecologic Party or PEN) ++ Podemos [Renata ABREU] (formerly National Labor Party or PTN)  ++ Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Roberto Joao Pereira FREIRE] ++ Progressive Party or PP [Ciro NOGUEIRA] ++ Progressive Republican Party or PRP [Ovasco Roma Altimari RESENDE] ++ Republican Social Order Party or PROS [Euripedes JUNIOR] ++ Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor Jorge Abdala NOSSEIS] ++ Social Democratic Party or PSD [Guilherme CAMPOS] ++ Social Liberal Party or PSL [Luciano Caldas BIVAR] ++ Socialism and Freedom Party or PSOL [Luiz ARAUJO] ++ Solidarity or SD [Paulo PEREIRA DA SILVA] ++ Sustainability Network or REDE [Marina SILVA] ++ United Socialist Workers' Party or PSTU [Jose Maria DE ALMEIDA] ++ Workers' Cause Party or PCO [Rui Costa PIMENTA] ++ Workers' Party or PT [Gleisi HOFFMAN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "AfDB (nonregional member), BIS, BRICS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, CPLP, FAO, FATF, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-5, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPANAL, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -546,7 +540,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Brazil is the eighth-largest economy in the world, but is recovering from a recession in 2015 and 2016 that ranks as the worst in the country’s history. In 2017, Brazil`s GDP grew 1%, inflation fell to historic lows of 2.9%, and the Central Bank lowered benchmark interest rates from 13.75% in 2016 to 7%. The economy has been negatively affected by multiple corruption scandals involving private companies and government officials, including the impeachment and conviction of Former President Dilma ROUSSEFF in August 2016. Sanctions against the firms involved — some of the largest in Brazil — have limited their business opportunities, producing a ripple effect on associated businesses and contractors but creating opportunities for foreign companies to step into what had been a closed market. The succeeding TEMER administration has implemented a series of fiscal and structural reforms to restore credibility to government finances. Congress approved legislation in December 2016 to cap public spending. Government spending growth had pushed public debt to 73.7% of GDP at the end of 2017, up from over 50% in 2012. The government also boosted infrastructure projects, such as oil and natural gas auctions, in part to raise revenues. Other economic reforms, proposed in 2016, aim to reduce barriers to foreign investment, and to improve labor conditions. Policies to strengthen Brazil’s workforce and industrial sector, such as local content requirements, have boosted employment, but at the expense of investment. Brazil is a member of the Common Market of the South (Mercosur), a trade bloc that includes Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay - Venezuela’s membership in the organization was suspended In August 2017. After the Asian and Russian financial crises, Mercosur adopted a protectionist stance to guard against exposure to volatile foreign markets and it currently is negotiating Free Trade Agreements with the European Union and Canada." + "text": "Brazil is the eighth-largest economy in the world, but is recovering from a recession in 2015 and 2016 that ranks as the worst in the country's history. In 2017, Brazil`s GDP grew 1%, inflation fell to historic lows of 2.9%, and the Central Bank lowered benchmark interest rates from 13.75% in 2016 to 7%. ++ The economy has been negatively affected by multiple corruption scandals involving private companies and government officials, including the impeachment and conviction of Former President Dilma ROUSSEFF in August 2016. Sanctions against the firms involved — some of the largest in Brazil — have limited their business opportunities, producing a ripple effect on associated businesses and contractors but creating opportunities for foreign companies to step into what had been a closed market. ++ The succeeding TEMER administration has implemented a series of fiscal and structural reforms to restore credibility to government finances. Congress approved legislation in December 2016 to cap public spending. Government spending growth had pushed public debt to 73.7% of GDP at the end of 2017, up from over 50% in 2012. The government also boosted infrastructure projects, such as oil and natural gas auctions, in part to raise revenues. Other economic reforms, proposed in 2016, aim to reduce barriers to foreign investment, and to improve labor conditions. Policies to strengthen Brazil's workforce and industrial sector, such as local content requirements, have boosted employment, but at the expense of investment. ++ Brazil is a member of the Common Market of the South (Mercosur), a trade bloc that includes Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay - Venezuela's membership in the organization was suspended In August 2017. After the Asian and Russian financial crises, Mercosur adopted a protectionist stance to guard against exposure to volatile foreign markets and it currently is negotiating Free Trade Agreements with the European Union and Canada." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$3.248 trillion (2017 est.) / $3.216 trillion (2016 est.) / $3.332 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -965,7 +959,7 @@ "text": "18-45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 10-12 months; 17-45 years of age for voluntary service; an increasing percentage of the ranks are \"long-service\" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in early 1980s, when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps (2012)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "the military's primary role is enforcing border security, particularly in the Amazon states; it also assists with internal security operations with a focus on organized crimeBrazilian police forces are divided into Federal Police (around 15,000 personnel), Military Police (approximately 400,000 personnel), and Civil Police (approximately 125,000 personnel); the Federal Police serve under the Ministry of Justice, while the Military and Civil police are subordinate to the state governments; the National Public Security Force (Forca Nacional de Seguranca Publica or SENASP) is a national police force made up of Military Police from various states; article 144 of the Brazilian constitution states that all state Military Police are classified as reserve troops and ancillary forces of the Brazilian Army" + "text": "the military's primary role is enforcing border security, particularly in the Amazon states; it also assists with internal security operations with a focus on organized crime ++ Brazilian police forces are divided into Federal Police (around 15,000 personnel), Military Police (approximately 400,000 personnel), and Civil Police (approximately 125,000 personnel); the Federal Police serve under the Ministry of Justice, while the Military and Civil police are subordinate to the state governments; the National Public Security Force (Forca Nacional de Seguranca Publica or SENASP) is a national police force made up of Military Police from various states; article 144 of the Brazilian constitution states that all state Military Police are classified as reserve troops and ancillary forces of the Brazilian Army" } }, "Transnational Issues": { diff --git a/south-america/ci.json b/south-america/ci.json index 8d6cf281..ae263d08 100644 --- a/south-america/ci.json +++ b/south-america/ci.json @@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ "text": "90% of the population is located in the middle third of the country around the capital of Santiago; the far north (anchored by the Atacama Desert) and the extreme south are relatively underpopulated" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis\nvolcanism: significant volcanic activity due to more than three-dozen active volcanoes along the Andes Mountains; Lascar (5,592 m), which last erupted in 2007, is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes; Llaima (3,125 m) in central Chile, which last erupted in 2009, is another of the country's most active; Chaiten's 2008 eruption forced major evacuations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Cerro Hudson, Calbuco, Copahue, Guallatiri, Llullaillaco, Nevados de Chillan, Puyehue, San Pedro, and Villarrica; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" + "text": "severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis ++ volcanism: significant volcanic activity due to more than three-dozen active volcanoes along the Andes Mountains; Lascar (5,592 m), which last erupted in 2007, is the most active volcano in the northern Chilean Andes; Llaima (3,125 m) in central Chile, which last erupted in 2009, is another of the country's most active; Chaiten's 2008 eruption forced major evacuations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Cerro Hudson, Calbuco, Copahue, Guallatiri, Llullaillaco, Nevados de Chillan, Puyehue, San Pedro, and Villarrica; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; noise pollution; improper garbage disposal; soil degradation; widespread deforestation and mining threaten the environment; wildlife conservation" @@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: the longest north-south trending country in the world, extending across 39 degrees of latitude; strategic location relative to sea lanes between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage) note 2: Chile is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire note 3: the Atacama Desert - the driest desert in the world - spreads across the northern part of the country; Ojos del Salado (6,893 m) in the Atacama Desert is the highest active volcano in the world, Chile's tallest mountain, and the second highest in the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere - its small crater lake (at 6,390 m) is the world's highest lake" + "text": "note 1: the longest north-south trending country in the world, extending across 39 degrees of latitude; strategic location relative to sea lanes between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage) ++ note 2: Chile is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire ++ note 3: the Atacama Desert - the driest desert in the world - spreads across the northern part of the country; Ojos del Salado (6,893 m) in the Atacama Desert is the highest active volcano in the world, Chile's tallest mountain, and the second highest in the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere - its small crater lake (at 6,390 m) is the world's highest lake" } } }, @@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 66.7%, Evangelical or Protestant 16.4%, Jehovah's Witness 1%, other 3.4%, none 11.5%, unspecified 1.1% (2012 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Chile is in the advanced stages of demographic transition and is becoming an aging society - with fertility below replacement level, low mortality rates, and life expectancy on par with developed countries. Nevertheless, with its dependency ratio nearing its low point, Chile could benefit from its favorable age structure. It will need to keep its large working-age population productively employed, while preparing to provide for the needs of its growing proportion of elderly people, especially as women - the traditional caregivers - increasingly enter the workforce. Over the last two decades, Chile has made great strides in reducing its poverty rate, which is now lower than most Latin American countries. However, its severe income inequality ranks as the worst among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Unequal access to quality education perpetuates this uneven income distribution.\nChile has historically been a country of emigration but has slowly become more attractive to immigrants since transitioning to democracy in 1990 and improving its economic stability (other regional destinations have concurrently experienced deteriorating economic and political conditions). Most of Chile's small but growing foreign-born population consists of transplants from other Latin American countries, especially Peru." + "text": "Chile is in the advanced stages of demographic transition and is becoming an aging society - with fertility below replacement level, low mortality rates, and life expectancy on par with developed countries. Nevertheless, with its dependency ratio nearing its low point, Chile could benefit from its favorable age structure. It will need to keep its large working-age population productively employed, while preparing to provide for the needs of its growing proportion of elderly people, especially as women - the traditional caregivers - increasingly enter the workforce. Over the last two decades, Chile has made great strides in reducing its poverty rate, which is now lower than most Latin American countries. However, its severe income inequality ranks as the worst among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Unequal access to quality education perpetuates this uneven income distribution. ++ Chile has historically been a country of emigration but has slowly become more attractive to immigrants since transitioning to democracy in 1990 and improving its economic stability (other regional destinations have concurrently experienced deteriorating economic and political conditions). Most of Chile's small but growing foreign-born population consists of transplants from other Latin American countries, especially Peru." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -266,14 +266,11 @@ "text": "76.3% (2015/16)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -286,14 +283,11 @@ "text": "2.1 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -386,7 +380,7 @@ "text": "+1hr, begins second Sunday in August; ends second Sunday in May; note - Punta Arenas observes DST throughout the year" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Chile has three time zones: the continental portion at UTC-3; the southern Magallanes region, which does not use daylight savings time and remains at UTC-3 for the summer months; and Easter Island at UTC-5etymology: Santiago is named after the biblical figure Saint James (ca. A.D. 3-44), patron saint of Spain, but especially revered in Galicia; \"Santiago\" derives from the local Galician evolution of the Vulgar Latin \"Sanctu Iacobu\"; Valparaiso derives from the Spanish \"Valle Paraiso\" meaning \"Paradise Valley\"" + "text": "note: Chile has three time zones: the continental portion at UTC-3; the southern Magallanes region, which does not use daylight savings time and remains at UTC-3 for the summer months; and Easter Island at UTC-5 ++ etymology: Santiago is named after the biblical figure Saint James (ca. A.D. 3-44), patron saint of Spain, but especially revered in Galicia; \"Santiago\" derives from the local Galician evolution of the Vulgar Latin \"Sanctu Iacobu\"; Valparaiso derives from the Spanish \"Valle Paraiso\" meaning \"Paradise Valley\" ++ ++" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -451,13 +445,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of:Senate or Senado (43 seats following the 2017 election; to increase to 50 in 2021); members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open party-list proportional representation vote to serve 8-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 4 years) Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (155 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by oen party-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of: Senate or Senado (43 seats following the 2017 election; to increase to 50 in 2021); members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open party-list proportional representation vote to serve 8-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 4 years) ++ Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (155 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by oen party-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 19 November 2017 (next to be held in 2021) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 19 November 2017 (next to be held in 2021)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 19 November 2017 (next to be held in 2021) ++ Chamber of Deputies - last held on 19 November 2017 (next to be held in 2021)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - New Majority Coalition (formerly known as Concertacion) 19 (PDC 6, PS 6, PPD 6, MAS 1), Let's Go Chile Coalition (formerly known as the Coalition for Change and the Alianza coalition) 15 (RN 6, UDI 8, Amplitude Party 1), independent 4; composition - men 33, women 10, percent of women 23.3% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - New Majority 68 (PDC 21, PS 16, PPD 14, PC 6, PRSD 6, Citizen Left 1, independent 4), Coalition for Change 47 (UDI 29, RN 14, independent 3, EP 1), Liberal Party 1, independent 4; composition -men 120, women 35, percent of women 22.6%; note - total National Congress percent of women 22.7%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - New Majority Coalition (formerly known as Concertacion) 19 (PDC 6, PS 6, PPD 6, MAS 1), Let's Go Chile Coalition (formerly known as the Coalition for Change and the Alianza coalition) 15 (RN 6, UDI 8, Amplitude Party 1), independent 4; composition - men 33, women 10, percent of women 23.3% ++ Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - New Majority 68 (PDC 21, PS 16, PPD 14, PC 6, PRSD 6, Citizen Left 1, independent 4), Coalition for Change 47 (UDI 29, RN 14, independent 3, EP 1), Liberal Party 1, independent 4; composition -men 120, women 35, percent of women 22.6%; note - total National Congress percent of women 22.7%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -472,7 +466,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Amplitude (Amplitud) [Lily PEREZ]Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) or FA (includes RD, PL, PH, PEV, Igualdad, and Poder) [Beatriz SANCHEZ]Broad Social Movement of Leftist Citizens (includes former MAS and Izquierda Ciudadana) [Fernando ZAMORANO]Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Fuad CHAHIN]Citizen Power (Poder) [Karina OLIVA]Communist Party of Chile or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER del Valle]Democratic Revolution or RD [Rodrigo ECHECOPAR]Equality Party (Igualdad) [Guillermo GONZALEZ]Green Ecological Party or PEV [Felix GONZALEZ]Humanist Party or PH [Octavio GONZALEZ]Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Jacqueline VAN RYSSELBERGHE Herrera])Independent Regionalist Democratic Party or PRI [Hugo ORTIZ de Filippi]Let’s Go Chile Coalition (Chile Vamos) [Sebastian PINERA] (includes EVOPOLI, PRI, RN, UDI)Liberal Party (Partido Liberal de Chile) or PL [Luis Felipe RAMOS]National Renewal or RN [Mario DESBORDES]New Majority Coalition (Nueva Mayoria) [Michelle BACHELET] (includes PDC, PC, PPD, PRSD, PS); note - dissolved in March 2018Party for Democracy or PPD [Heraldo MUNOZ]Political Evolution or EVOPOLI [Hernan LARRAIN MATTE]Progressive Party or PRO [Camilo LAGOS]Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Carlos MALDONADO Curti],Socialist Party or PS [Alvaro ELIZALDE Soto] (formerly known as Concertacion)" + "text": "Amplitude (Amplitud) [Lily PEREZ] ++ Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) or FA (includes RD, PL, PH, PEV, Igualdad, and Poder) [Beatriz SANCHEZ] ++ Broad Social Movement of Leftist Citizens (includes former MAS and Izquierda Ciudadana) [Fernando ZAMORANO] ++ Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Fuad CHAHIN] ++ Citizen Power (Poder) [Karina OLIVA] ++ Communist Party of Chile or PC [Guillermo TEILLIER del Valle] ++ Democratic Revolution or RD [Rodrigo ECHECOPAR] ++ Equality Party (Igualdad) [Guillermo GONZALEZ] ++ Green Ecological Party or PEV [Felix GONZALEZ] ++ Humanist Party or PH [Octavio GONZALEZ] ++ Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Jacqueline VAN RYSSELBERGHE Herrera]) ++ Independent Regionalist Democratic Party or PRI [Hugo ORTIZ de Filippi] ++ Let's Go Chile Coalition (Chile Vamos) [Sebastian PINERA] (includes EVOPOLI, PRI, RN, UDI) ++ Liberal Party (Partido Liberal de Chile) or PL [Luis Felipe RAMOS] ++ National Renewal or RN [Mario DESBORDES] ++ New Majority Coalition (Nueva Mayoria) [Michelle BACHELET] (includes PDC, PC, PPD, PRSD, PS); note - dissolved in March 2018 ++ Party for Democracy or PPD [Heraldo MUNOZ] ++ Political Evolution or EVOPOLI [Hernan LARRAIN MATTE] ++ Progressive Party or PRO [Camilo LAGOS] ++ Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Carlos MALDONADO Curti], ++ Socialist Party or PS [Alvaro ELIZALDE Soto] (formerly known as Concertacion)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "APEC, BIS, CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -534,7 +528,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade and a reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. Exports of goods and services account for approximately one-third of GDP, with commodities making up some 60% of total exports. Copper is Chile’s top export and provides 20% of government revenue. From 2003 through 2013, real growth averaged almost 5% per year, despite a slight contraction in 2009 that resulted from the global financial crisis. Growth slowed to an estimated 1.4% in 2017. A continued drop in copper prices prompted Chile to experience its third consecutive year of slow growth. Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, effective 1 January 2004. Chile has 26 trade agreements covering 60 countries including agreements with the EU, Mercosur, China, India, South Korea, and Mexico. In May 2010, Chile signed the OECD Convention, becoming the first South American country to join the OECD. In October 2015, Chile signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, which was finalized as the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and signed at a ceremony in Chile in March 2018. The Chilean Government has generally followed a countercyclical fiscal policy, under which it accumulates surpluses in sovereign wealth funds during periods of high copper prices and economic growth, and generally allows deficit spending only during periods of low copper prices and growth. As of 31 October 2016, those sovereign wealth funds - kept mostly outside the country and separate from Central Bank reserves - amounted to more than $23.5 billion. Chile used these funds to finance fiscal stimulus packages during the 2009 economic downturn. In 2014, then-President Michelle BACHELET introduced tax reforms aimed at delivering her campaign promise to fight inequality and to provide access to education and health care. The reforms are expected to generate additional tax revenues equal to 3% of Chile’s GDP, mostly by increasing corporate tax rates to OECD averages." + "text": "Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade and a reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. Exports of goods and services account for approximately one-third of GDP, with commodities making up some 60% of total exports. Copper is Chile's top export and provides 20% of government revenue. ++ From 2003 through 2013, real growth averaged almost 5% per year, despite a slight contraction in 2009 that resulted from the global financial crisis. Growth slowed to an estimated 1.4% in 2017. A continued drop in copper prices prompted Chile to experience its third consecutive year of slow growth. ++ Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, effective 1 January 2004. Chile has 26 trade agreements covering 60 countries including agreements with the EU, Mercosur, China, India, South Korea, and Mexico. In May 2010, Chile signed the OECD Convention, becoming the first South American country to join the OECD. In October 2015, Chile signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, which was finalized as the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and signed at a ceremony in Chile in March 2018. ++ The Chilean Government has generally followed a countercyclical fiscal policy, under which it accumulates surpluses in sovereign wealth funds during periods of high copper prices and economic growth, and generally allows deficit spending only during periods of low copper prices and growth. As of 31 October 2016, those sovereign wealth funds - kept mostly outside the country and separate from Central Bank reserves - amounted to more than $23.5 billion. Chile used these funds to finance fiscal stimulus packages during the 2009 economic downturn. ++ In 2014, then-President Michelle BACHELET introduced tax reforms aimed at delivering her campaign promise to fight inequality and to provide access to education and health care. The reforms are expected to generate additional tax revenues equal to 3% of Chile's GDP, mostly by increasing corporate tax rates to OECD averages." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$452.1 billion (2017 est.) / $445.5 billion (2016 est.) / $439.9 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/south-america/co.json b/south-america/co.json index a3a13948..524242dc 100644 --- a/south-america/co.json +++ b/south-america/co.json @@ -30,6 +30,963 @@ }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly less than twice the size of Texas" + }, + "Land boundaries": { + "total": { + "text": "6,672 km" + }, + "border countries": { + "text": "Brazil 1790 km, Ecuador 708 km, Panama 339 km, Peru 1494 km, Venezuela 2341 km" + } + }, + "Coastline": { + "text": "3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)" + }, + "Maritime claims": { + "territorial sea": { + "text": "12 nm" + }, + "exclusive economic zone": { + "text": "200 nm" + }, + "continental shelf": { + "text": "200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation" + } + }, + "Climate": { + "text": "tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands" + }, + "Terrain": { + "text": "flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains, eastern lowland plains (Llanos)" + }, + "Elevation": { + "mean elevation": { + "text": "593 m" + }, + "lowest point": { + "text": "Pacific Ocean 0 m" + }, + "highest point": { + "text": "Pico Cristobal Colon 5,730 m" + } + }, + "Natural resources": { + "text": "petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper, emeralds, hydropower" + }, + "Land use": { + "agricultural land": { + "text": "37.5% (2011 est.)" + }, + "arable land / permanent crops / permanent pasture": { + "text": "1.4% (2011 est.) / 1.6% (2011 est.) / 34.5% (2011 est.)" + }, + "forest": { + "text": "54.4% (2011 est.)" + }, + "other": { + "text": "8.1% (2011 est.)" + } + }, + "Irrigated land": { + "text": "10,900 sq km (2012)" + }, + "Population distribution": { + "text": "the majority of people live in the north and west where agricultural opportunities and natural resources are found; the vast grasslands of the llanos to the south and east, which make up approximately 60% of the country, are sparsely populated" + }, + "Natural hazards": { + "text": "highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes; periodic droughts ++ volcanism: Galeras (4,276 m) is one of Colombia's most active volcanoes, having erupted in 2009 and 2010 causing major evacuations; it has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Nevado del Ruiz (5,321 m), 129 km (80 mi) west of Bogota, erupted in 1985 producing lahars (mudflows) that killed 23,000 people; the volcano last erupted in 1991; additionally, after 500 years of dormancy, Nevado del Huila reawakened in 2007 and has experienced frequent eruptions since then; other historically active volcanoes include Cumbal, Dona Juana, Nevado del Tolima, and Purace" + }, + "Environment - current issues": { + "text": "deforestation resulting from timber exploitation in the jungles of the Amazon and the region of Chocó; illicit drug crops grown by peasants in the national parks; soil erosion; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions" + }, + "Environment - international agreements": { + "party to": { + "text": "Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands" + }, + "signed, but not ratified": { + "text": "Law of the Sea" + } + }, + "Geography - note": { + "text": "only South American country with coastlines on both the North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea" + } + }, + "People and Society": { + "Population": { + "text": "49,084,841 (July 2020 est.)" + }, + "Nationality": { + "noun": { + "text": "Colombian(s)" + }, + "adjective": { + "text": "Colombian" + } + }, + "Ethnic groups": { + "text": "mestizo and white 87.6%, Afro-Colombian (includes mulatto, Raizal, and Palenquero) 6.8%, Amerindian 4.3%, unspecified 1.4% (2018 est.)" + }, + "Languages": { + "text": "Spanish (official)" + }, + "Religions": { + "text": "Roman Catholic 79%, Protestant 14% (includes Pentecostal 6%, mainline Protestant 2%, other 6%), other 2%, unspecified 5% (2014 est.)" + }, + "Demographic profile": { + "text": "Colombia is in the midst of a demographic transition resulting from steady declines in its fertility, mortality, and population growth rates. The birth rate has fallen from more than 6 children per woman in the 1960s to just above replacement level today as a result of increased literacy, family planning services, and urbanization. However, income inequality is among the worst in the world, and more than a third of the population lives below the poverty line. ++ Colombia experiences significant legal and illegal economic emigration and refugee outflows. Large-scale labor emigration dates to the 1960s; the United States and, until recently, Venezuela have been the main host countries. Emigration to Spain picked up in the 1990s because of its economic growth, but this flow has since diminished because of Spain's ailing economy and high unemployment. Colombia has been the largest source of Latin American refugees in Latin America, nearly 400,000 of whom live primarily in Venezuela and Ecuador. Venezuela's political and economic crisis since 2015, however, has created a reverse flow, consisting largely of Colombians returning home. ++ Forced displacement continues to be prevalent because of violence among guerrillas, paramilitary groups, and Colombian security forces. Afro-Colombian and indigenous populations are disproportionately affected. Even with the Colombian Government's December 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the risk of displacement remains as other rebel groups fill the void left by the FARC. Between 1985 and September 2017, nearly 7.6 million persons have been internally displaced, the highest total in the world. These estimates may undercount actual numbers because many internally displaced persons are not registered. Historically, Colombia also has one of the world's highest levels of forced disappearances. About 30,000 cases have been recorded over the last four decades—although the number is likely to be much higher—including human rights activists, trade unionists, Afro-Colombians, indigenous people, and farmers in rural conflict zones. ++ Because of political violence and economic problems, Colombia received limited numbers of immigrants during the 19th and 20th centuries, mostly from the Middle East, Europe, and Japan. More recently, growth in the oil, mining, and manufacturing sectors has attracted increased labor migration; the primary source countries are Venezuela, the US, Mexico, and Argentina. Colombia has also become a transit area for illegal migrants from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean -- especially Haiti and Cuba -- who are en route to the US or Canada." + }, + "Age structure": { + "0-14 years": { + "text": "23.27% (male 5,853,351/female 5,567,196)" + }, + "15-24 years": { + "text": "16.38% (male 4,098,421/female 3,939,870)" + }, + "25-54 years": { + "text": "42.04% (male 10,270,516/female 10,365,423)" + }, + "55-64 years": { + "text": "9.93% (male 2,307,705/female 2,566,173)" + }, + "65 years and over": { + "text": "8.39% (male 1,725,461/female 2,390,725) (2020 est.)" + } + }, + "Dependency ratios": { + "total dependency ratio": { + "text": "45.4" + }, + "youth dependency ratio": { + "text": "32.3" + }, + "elderly dependency ratio": { + "text": "13.2" + }, + "potential support ratio": { + "text": "7.6 (2020 est.)" + } + }, + "Median age": { + "total": { + "text": "31.2 years" + }, + "male": { + "text": "30.2 years" + }, + "female": { + "text": "32.2 years (2020 est.)" + } + }, + "Population growth rate": { + "text": "0.93% (2020 est.)" + }, + "Birth rate": { + "text": "15.4 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)" + }, + "Death rate": { + "text": "5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.)" + }, + "Net migration rate": { + "text": "-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.)" + }, + "Population distribution": { + "text": "the majority of people live in the north and west where agricultural opportunities and natural resources are found; the vast grasslands of the llanos to the south and east, which make up approximately 60% of the country, are sparsely populated" + }, + "Urbanization": { + "urban population": { + "text": "81.4% of total population (2020)" + }, + "rate of urbanization": { + "text": "1.22% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)" + } + }, + "Major urban areas - population": { + "text": "10.978 million BOGOTA (capital), 4.000 million Medellin, 2.782 million Cali, 2.273 million Barranquilla, 1.331 million Bucaramanga, 1.063 million Cartagena (2020)" + }, + "Sex ratio": { + "at birth": { + "text": "1.06 male(s)/female" + }, + "0-14 years": { + "text": "1.05 male(s)/female" + }, + "15-24 years": { + "text": "1.04 male(s)/female" + }, + "25-54 years": { + "text": "0.99 male(s)/female" + }, + "55-64 years": { + "text": "0.9 male(s)/female" + }, + "65 years and over": { + "text": "0.72 male(s)/female" + }, + "total population": { + "text": "0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)" + } + }, + "Mother's mean age at first birth": { + "text": "21.7 years (2015 est.)", + "note": { + "text": "note: median age at first birth among women 25-29" + } + }, + "Maternal mortality rate": { + "text": "83 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)" + }, + "Infant mortality rate": { + "total": { + "text": "12.3 deaths/1,000 live births" + }, + "male": { + "text": "14.9 deaths/1,000 live births" + }, + "female": { + "text": "9.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)" + } + }, + "Life expectancy at birth": { + "total population": { + "text": "76.6 years" + }, + "male": { + "text": "73.5 years" + }, + "female": { + "text": "80 years (2020 est.)" + } + }, + "Total fertility rate": { + "text": "1.94 children born/woman (2020 est.)" + }, + "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { + "text": "81% (2015/16)" + }, + "Drinking water source": { + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 86.4% of population / total: 97.3% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 13.6% of population / total: 2.7% of population (2017 est.)" + } + }, + "Current Health Expenditure": { + "text": "7.2% (2017)" + }, + "Physicians density": { + "text": "2.11 physicians/1,000 population (2017)" + }, + "Hospital bed density": { + "text": "1.7 beds/1,000 population (2017)" + }, + "Sanitation facility access": { + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.3% of population / rural: 80.1% of population / total: 94.7% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.7% of population / rural: 19.9% of population / total: 5.3% of population (2017 est.)" + } + }, + "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { + "text": "0.5% (2019 est.)" + }, + "HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS": { + "text": "200,000 (2019 est.)" + }, + "HIV/AIDS - deaths": { + "text": "4,100 (2019 est.)" + }, + "Major infectious diseases": { + "degree of risk": { + "text": "high (2020)" + }, + "food or waterborne diseases": { + "text": "bacterial diarrhea" + }, + "vectorborne diseases": { + "text": "dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever" + }, + "note": { + "text": "note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Colombia; as of 10 November 2020, Colombia has reported a total of 1,127,733 cases of COVID-19 or 22,163 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 1 million population with 637 cumulative deaths per 1 million population" + } + }, + "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { + "text": "22.3% (2016)" + }, + "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { + "text": "3.7% (2015/16)" + }, + "Education expenditures": { + "text": "4.5% of GDP (2017)" + }, + "Literacy": { + "definition": { + "text": "age 15 and over can read and write" + }, + "total population": { + "text": "95.1%" + }, + "male": { + "text": "94.9%" + }, + "female": { + "text": "95.3% (2018)" + } + }, + "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { + "total": { + "text": "14 years" + }, + "male": { + "text": "14 years" + }, + "female": { + "text": "15 years (2018)" + } + }, + "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": { + "total": { + "text": "18.5%" + }, + "male": { + "text": "14.4%" + }, + "female": { + "text": "24% (2018 est.)" + } + } + }, + "Government": { + "Country name": { + "conventional long form": { + "text": "Republic of Colombia" + }, + "conventional short form": { + "text": "Colombia" + }, + "local long form": { + "text": "Republica de Colombia" + }, + "local short form": { + "text": "Colombia" + }, + "etymology": { + "text": "the country is named after explorer Christopher COLUMBUS" + } + }, + "Government type": { + "text": "presidential republic" + }, + "Capital": { + "name": { + "text": "Bogota" + }, + "geographic coordinates": { + "text": "4 36 N, 74 05 W" + }, + "time difference": { + "text": "UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" + }, + "note": { + "text": "etymology: originally referred to as \"Bacata,\" meaning \"enclosure outside of the farm fields,\" by the indigenous Muisca" + } + }, + "Administrative divisions": { + "text": "32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, Archipielago de San Andres, Providencia y Santa Catalina (colloquially San Andres y Providencia), Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada" + }, + "Independence": { + "text": "20 July 1810 (from Spain)" + }, + "National holiday": { + "text": "Independence Day, 20 July (1810)" + }, + "Constitution": { + "history": { + "text": "several previous; latest promulgated 4 July 1991" + }, + "amendments": { + "text": "proposed by the government, by Congress, by a constituent assembly, or by public petition; passage requires a majority vote by Congress in each of two consecutive sessions; passage of amendments to constitutional articles on citizen rights, guarantees, and duties also require approval in a referendum by over one half of voters and participation of over one fourth of citizens registered to vote; amended many times, last in 2020" + } + }, + "Legal system": { + "text": "civil law system influenced by the Spanish and French civil codes" + }, + "International law organization participation": { + "text": "has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction" + }, + "Citizenship": { + "citizenship by birth": { + "text": "no" + }, + "citizenship by descent only": { + "text": "least one parent must be a citizen or permanent resident of Colombia" + }, + "dual citizenship recognized": { + "text": "yes" + }, + "residency requirement for naturalization": { + "text": "5 years" + } + }, + "Suffrage": { + "text": "18 years of age; universal" + }, + "Executive branch": { + "chief of state": { + "text": "President Ivan DUQUE Marquez (since 7 August 2018); Vice President Marta Lucia RAMIREZ Blanco (since 7 August 2018); the president is both chief of state and head of government" + }, + "head of government": { + "text": "President Ivan DUQUE Marquez (since 7 August 2018); Vice President Marta Lucia RAMIREZ Blanco (since 7 August 2018)" + }, + "cabinet": { + "text": "Cabinet appointed by the president" + }, + "elections/appointments": { + "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single 4-year term; election last held on 27 May 2018 with a runoff held on 17 June 2018 (next to be held in 2022); note - political reform in 2015 eliminated presidential reelection" + }, + "election results": { + "text": "Ivan DUQUE Marquez elected president in second round; percent of vote - Ivan DUQUE Marquez (CD) 54%, Gustavo PETRO (Humane Colombia) 41.8%, other/blank/invalid 4.2%" + } + }, + "Legislative branch": { + "description": { + "text": "bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of: Senate or Senado (108 seats; 100 members elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote, 2 members elected in a special nationwide constituency for indigenous communities, 5 members of the People's Alternative Revolutionary Force (FARC) political party for the 2018 and 2022 elections only as per the 2016 peace accord, and 1 seat reserved for the runner-up presidential candidate in the recent election; all members serve 4-year terms) ++ Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (172 seats; 165 members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote, 5 members of the FARC for the 2018 and 2022 elections only as per the 2016 peace accord, and 1 seat reserved for the runner-up vice presidential candidate in the recent election; all members serve 4-year terms)" + }, + "elections": { + "text": "  ++ Senate - last held on 11 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2022) ++ Chamber of Representatives - last held on 11 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2022)" + }, + "election results": { + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CD 19, CR 16, PC 15, PL 14, U Party 14, Green Alliance 10, PDA 5, other 9; composition - men 77, women 31, percent of women 28.7% ++ Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PL 35, CD 32, CR 30, U Party 25, PC 21, Green Alliance 9, other 13; composition - men 147, women 25, percent of women 14.5%; total Congress percent of women 20%" + } + }, + "Judicial branch": { + "highest courts": { + "text": "Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (consists of the Civil-Agrarian and Labor Chambers each with 7 judges, and the Penal Chamber with 9 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 magistrates); Council of State (consists of 27 judges); Superior Judiciary Council (consists of 13 magistrates)" + }, + "judge selection and term of office": { + "text": "Supreme Court judges appointed by the Supreme Court members from candidates submitted by the Superior Judiciary Council; judges elected for individual 8-year terms; Constitutional Court magistrates - nominated by the president, by the Supreme Court, and elected by the Senate; judges elected for individual 8-year terms; Council of State members appointed by the State Council plenary from lists nominated by the Superior Judiciary Council" + }, + "subordinate courts": { + "text": "Superior Tribunals (appellate courts for each of the judicial districts); regional courts; civil municipal courts; Superior Military Tribunal; first instance administrative courts" + } + }, + "Political parties and leaders": { + "text": "Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Jorge Enrique ROBLEDO] ++ Citizens Option (Opcion Ciudadana) or OC [Angel ALIRIO Moreno] (formerly known as the National Integration Party or PIN) ++ Conservative Party or PC [Hernan ANDRADE] ++ Democratic Center Party or CD [Alvaro URIBE Velez] ++ Green Alliance [Claudia LOPEZ Hernandez] ++ Humane Colombia [Gustavo PETRO] ++ Liberal Party or PL [Cesar GAVIRIA] ++ People's Alternative Revolutionary Force or FARC [Rodrigo LONDONO Echeverry] ++ Radical Change or CR [Rodrigo LARA Restrepo] ++ Social National Unity Party or U Party [Roy BARRERAS]", + "note": { + "text": "note: Colombia has numerous smaller political movements" + } + }, + "International organization participation": { + "text": "BCIE, BIS, CAN, Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" + }, + "Diplomatic representation in the US": { + "chief of mission": { + "text": "Ambassador Francisco SANTOS Calderon (since 17 September 2018)" + }, + "chancery": { + "text": "1724 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036" + }, + "telephone": { + "text": "[1] (202) 387-8338" + }, + "FAX": { + "text": "[1] (202) 232-8643" + }, + "consulate(s) general": { + "text": "Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark (NJ), Orlando, San Juan (Puerto Rico)" + }, + "consulate(s)": { + "text": "Boston, Chicago, San Francisco" + } + }, + "Diplomatic representation from the US": { + "chief of mission": { + "text": "Ambassador Philip S. GOLDBERG (since 19 September 2019)" + }, + "telephone": { + "text": "[57] (1) 275-2000" + }, + "embassy": { + "text": "Carrera 45, No. 24B-27, Bogota" + }, + "mailing address": { + "text": "Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, Bogota, D.C." + }, + "FAX": { + "text": "[57] (1) 275-4600" + } + }, + "Flag description": { + "text": "three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; the flag retains the three main colors of the banner of Gran Colombia, the short-lived South American republic that broke up in 1830; various interpretations of the colors exist and include: yellow for the gold in Colombia's land, blue for the seas on its shores, and red for the blood spilled in attaining freedom; alternatively, the colors have been described as representing more elemental concepts such as sovereignty and justice (yellow), loyalty and vigilance (blue), and valor and generosity (red); or simply the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity", + "note": { + "text": "note: similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center" + } + }, + "National symbol(s)": { + "text": "Andean condor; national colors: yellow, blue, red" + }, + "National anthem": { + "name": { + "text": "\"Himno Nacional de la Republica de Colombia\" (National Anthem of the Republic of Colombia)" + }, + "lyrics/music": { + "text": "Rafael NUNEZ/Oreste SINDICI" + }, + "note": { + "text": "note: adopted 1920; the anthem was created from an inspirational poem written by President Rafael NUNEZ" + } + } + }, + "Economy": { + "Economy - overview": { + "text": "Colombia heavily depends on energy and mining exports, making it vulnerable to fluctuations in commodity prices. Colombia is Latin America's fourth largest oil producer and the world's fourth largest coal producer, third largest coffee exporter, and second largest cut flowers exporter. Colombia's economic development is hampered by inadequate infrastructure, poverty, narcotrafficking, and an uncertain security situation, in addition to dependence on primary commodities (goods that have little value-added from processing or labor inputs). ++ Colombia's economy slowed in 2017 because of falling world market prices for oil and lower domestic oil production due to insurgent attacks on pipeline infrastructure. Although real GDP growth averaged 4.7% during the past decade, it fell to an estimated 1.8% in 2017. Declining oil prices also have contributed to reduced government revenues. In 2016, oil revenue dropped below 4% of the federal budget and likely remained below 4% in 2017. A Western credit rating agency in December 2017 downgraded Colombia's sovereign credit rating to BBB-, because of weaker-than-expected growth and increasing external debt. Colombia has struggled to address local referendums against foreign investment, which have slowed its expansion, especially in the oil and mining sectors. Colombia's FDI declined by 3% to $10.2 billion between January and September 2017. ++ Colombia has signed or is negotiating Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with more than a dozen countries; the US-Colombia FTA went into effect in May 2012. Colombia is a founding member of the Pacific Alliance—a regional trade block formed in 2012 by Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru to promote regional trade and economic integration. The Colombian government took steps in 2017 to address several bilateral trade irritants with the US, including those on truck scrappage, distilled spirits, pharmaceuticals, ethanol imports, and labor rights. Colombia hopes to accede to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development." + }, + "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { + "text": "$711.6 billion (2017 est.) / $699.1 billion (2016 est.) / $685.6 billion (2015 est.)", + "note": { + "text": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" + } + }, + "GDP (official exchange rate)": { + "text": "$314.5 billion (2017 est.)" + }, + "GDP - real growth rate": { + "text": "1.8% (2017 est.) / 2% (2016 est.) / 3% (2015 est.)" + }, + "GDP - per capita (PPP)": { + "text": "$14,400 (2017 est.) / $14,300 (2016 est.) / $14,200 (2015 est.)", + "note": { + "text": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" + } + }, + "Gross national saving": { + "text": "18.9% of GDP (2017 est.) / 19% of GDP (2016 est.) / 17.4% of GDP (2015 est.)" + }, + "GDP - composition, by end use": { + "household consumption": { + "text": "68.2% (2017 est.)" + }, + "government consumption": { + "text": "14.8% (2017 est.)" + }, + "investment in fixed capital": { + "text": "22.2% (2017 est.)" + }, + "investment in inventories": { + "text": "0.2% (2017 est.)" + }, + "exports of goods and services": { + "text": "14.6% (2017 est.)" + }, + "imports of goods and services": { + "text": "-19.7% (2017 est.)" + } + }, + "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { + "agriculture": { + "text": "7.2% (2017 est.)" + }, + "industry": { + "text": "30.8% (2017 est.)" + }, + "services": { + "text": "62.1% (2017 est.)" + } + }, + "Agriculture - products": { + "text": "coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; shrimp; forest products" + }, + "Industries": { + "text": "textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds" + }, + "Industrial production growth rate": { + "text": "-2.2% (2017 est.)" + }, + "Labor force": { + "text": "25.76 million (2017 est.)" + }, + "Labor force - by occupation": { + "agriculture": { + "text": "17%" + }, + "industry": { + "text": "21%" + }, + "services": { + "text": "62% (2011 est.)" + } + }, + "Unemployment rate": { + "text": "9.3% (2017 est.) / 9.2% (2016 est.)" + }, + "Population below poverty line": { + "text": "28% (2017 est.)" + }, + "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { + "lowest 10%": { + "text": "1.2%" + }, + "highest 10%": { + "text": "39.6% (2015 est.)" + } + }, + "Budget": { + "revenues": { + "text": "83.35 billion (2017 est.)" + }, + "expenditures": { + "text": "91.73 billion (2017 est.)" + } + }, + "Taxes and other revenues": { + "text": "26.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" + }, + "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { + "text": "-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" + }, + "Public debt": { + "text": "49.4% of GDP (2017 est.) / 49.8% of GDP (2016 est.)", + "note": { + "text": "note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities" + } + }, + "Fiscal year": { + "text": "calendar year" + }, + "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { + "text": "4.3% (2017 est.) / 7.5% (2016 est.)" + }, + "Current account balance": { + "text": "-$10.36 billion (2017 est.) / -$12.13 billion (2016 est.)" + }, + "Exports": { + "text": "$39.48 billion (2017 est.) / $31.39 billion (2016 est.)" + }, + "Exports - partners": { + "text": "US 28.5%, Panama 8.6%, China 5.1% (2017)" + }, + "Exports - commodities": { + "text": "petroleum, coal, emeralds, coffee, nickel, cut flowers, bananas, apparel" + }, + "Imports": { + "text": "$44.24 billion (2017 est.) / $43.24 billion (2016 est.)" + }, + "Imports - commodities": { + "text": "industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity" + }, + "Imports - partners": { + "text": "US 26.3%, China 19.3%, Mexico 7.5%, Brazil 5%, Germany 4.1% (2017)" + }, + "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { + "text": "$47.13 billion (31 December 2017 est.) / $46.18 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" + }, + "Debt - external": { + "text": "$124.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.) / $115 billion (31 December 2016 est.)" + }, + "Exchange rates": { + "text": "Colombian pesos (COP) per US dollar - / 2,957 (2017 est.) / 3,055.3 (2016 est.) / 3,055.3 (2015 est.) / 2,001 (2014 est.) / 2,001.1 (2013 est.)" + } + }, + "Energy": { + "Electricity access": { + "population without electricity": { + "text": "1 million (2017)" + }, + "electrification - total population": { + "text": "99% (2016)" + }, + "electrification - urban areas": { + "text": "100% (2016)" + }, + "electrification - rural areas": { + "text": "95.7% (2016)" + } + }, + "Electricity - production": { + "text": "74.92 billion kWh (2016 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - consumption": { + "text": "68.25 billion kWh (2016 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - exports": { + "text": "460 million kWh (2015 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - imports": { + "text": "378 million kWh (2016 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - installed generating capacity": { + "text": "16.89 million kW (2016 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - from fossil fuels": { + "text": "29% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": { + "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": { + "text": "69% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" + }, + "Electricity - from other renewable sources": { + "text": "2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" + }, + "Crude oil - production": { + "text": "863,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)" + }, + "Crude oil - exports": { + "text": "726,700 bbl/day (2015 est.)" + }, + "Crude oil - imports": { + "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" + }, + "Crude oil - proved reserves": { + "text": "1.665 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)" + }, + "Refined petroleum products - production": { + "text": "303,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)" + }, + "Refined petroleum products - consumption": { + "text": "333,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)" + }, + "Refined petroleum products - exports": { + "text": "56,900 bbl/day (2015 est.)" + }, + "Refined petroleum products - imports": { + "text": "57,170 bbl/day (2015 est.)" + }, + "Natural gas - production": { + "text": "10.02 billion cu m (2017 est.)" + }, + "Natural gas - consumption": { + "text": "10.08 billion cu m (2017 est.)" + }, + "Natural gas - exports": { + "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" + }, + "Natural gas - imports": { + "text": "48.14 million cu m (2017 est.)" + }, + "Natural gas - proved reserves": { + "text": "113.9 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)" + }, + "Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy": { + "text": "95.59 million Mt (2017 est.)" + } + }, + "Communications": { + "Telephones - fixed lines": { + "total subscriptions": { + "text": "6,774,363" + }, + "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { + "text": "13.93 (2019 est.)" + } + }, + "Telephones - mobile cellular": { + "total subscriptions": { + "text": "64,033,049" + }, + "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { + "text": "131.67 (2019 est.)" + } + }, + "Telecommunication systems": { + "general assessment": { + "text": "fastest growing sector is mobile broadband with LTE infrastructure and investment in 5G; strong demand in rural areas for mobile broadband, potential is high while penetration is low; fiber-optic network linking 50 cities; the cable sector commands about half of the market by subscribers, with DSL having a declining share while fiber-based broadband is developing strongly; competition among the MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) sector has promoted 2.9 million subscribers as of mid-2018; most infrastructure is primarily in high-density urban areas; growing popularity of bundled services (2020)" + }, + "domestic": { + "text": "fixed-line connections stand at about 14 per 100 persons; mobile cellular telephone subscribership is about 132 per 100 persons; competition among cellular service providers is resulting in falling local and international calling rates and contributing to the steep decline in the market share of fixed-line services; domestic satellite system with 41 earth stations (2019)" + }, + "international": { + "text": "country code - 57; landing points for the SAC, Maya-1, SAIT, ACROS, AMX-1, CFX-1, PCCS, Deep Blue Cable, Globe Net, PAN-AM, SAm-1 submarine cable systems providing links to the US, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America; satellite earth stations - 10 (6 Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 3 fully digitalized international switching centers) (2019)" + }, + "note": { + "text": "note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated" + } + }, + "Broadcast media": { + "text": "combination of state-owned and privately owned broadcast media provide service; more than 500 radio stations and many national, regional, and local TV stations (2019)" + }, + "Internet country code": { + "text": ".co" + }, + "Internet users": { + "total": { + "text": "29,990,017" + }, + "percent of population": { + "text": "62.26% (July 2018 est.)" + } + }, + "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { + "total": { + "text": "6,678,543" + }, + "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { + "text": "14 (2018 est.)" + } + } + }, + "Transportation": { + "National air transport system": { + "number of registered air carriers": { + "text": "12 (2020)" + }, + "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { + "text": "157" + }, + "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": { + "text": "33,704,037 (2018)" + }, + "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": { + "text": "1,349,450,000 mt-km (2018)" + } + }, + "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { + "text": "HJ, HK (2016)" + }, + "Airports": { + "text": "836 (2013)" + }, + "Airports - with paved runways": { + "total": { + "text": "121 (2017)" + }, + "over 3,047 m": { + "text": "2 (2017)" + }, + "2,438 to 3,047 m": { + "text": "9 (2017)" + }, + "1,524 to 2,437 m": { + "text": "39 (2017)" + }, + "914 to 1,523 m": { + "text": "53 (2017)" + }, + "under 914 m": { + "text": "18 (2017)" + } + }, + "Airports - with unpaved runways": { + "total": { + "text": "715 (2013)" + }, + "over 3,047 m": { + "text": "1 (2013)" + }, + "1,524 to 2,437 m": { + "text": "25 (2013)" + }, + "914 to 1,523 m": { + "text": "201 (2013)" + }, + "under 914 m": { + "text": "488 (2013)" + } + }, + "Heliports": { + "text": "3 (2013)" + }, + "Pipelines": { + "text": "4991 km gas, 6796 km oil, 3429 km refined products (2013)" + }, + "Railways": { + "total": { + "text": "2,141 km (2015)" + }, + "standard gauge": { + "text": "150 km 1.435-m gauge (2015)" + }, + "narrow gauge": { + "text": "1,991 km 0.914-m gauge (2015)" + } + }, + "Roadways": { + "total": { + "text": "206,500 km (2016)" + } + }, + "Waterways": { + "text": "24,725 km (18,300 km navigable; the most important waterway, the River Magdalena, of which 1,488 km is navigable, is dredged regularly to ensure safe passage of cargo vessels and container barges) (2012)" + }, + "Merchant marine": { + "total": { + "text": "115" + }, + "by type": { + "text": "general cargo 21, oil tanker 9, other 85 (2019)" + } + }, + "Ports and terminals": { + "major seaport(s)": { + "text": "Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean) - Cartagena, Santa Marta, Turbo" + }, + "oil terminal(s)": { + "text": "Covenas offshore terminal" + }, + "container port(s) (TEUs)": { + "text": "Cartagena (2,663,415) (2017)" + }, + "river port(s)": { + "text": "Barranquilla (Rio Magdalena)" + }, + "dry bulk cargo port(s)": { + "text": "Puerto Bolivar (coal)" + }, + "note": { + "text": "Pacific Ocean - Buenaventura" + } + } + }, + "Military and Security": { + "Military and security forces": { + "text": "Military Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Militares de Colombia): National Army (Ejercito Nacional), Republic of Colombia Navy (Armada Republica de Colombia, ARC; includes Coast Guard), Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea de Colombia, FAC); Colombian National Police (civilian force that is part of the Ministry of Defense) (2020)" + }, + "Military expenditures": { + "text": "3.2% of GDP (2019) / 3.1% of GDP (2018 est.) / 3.2% of GDP (2017) / 3.1% of GDP (2016) / 3.1% of GDP (2015)" + }, + "Military and security service personnel strengths": { + "text": "size estimates for the Military Forces of Colombia (FMC) vary; approximately 295,000 total active troops (235,000 Army; 45,000 Navy, including about 22,000 marines; 14,000 Air Force) (2019 )" + }, + "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { + "text": "the Colombian military inventory includes a wide mix of equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Brazil, Canada, Europe, Israel, South Korea, and the US; Germany, Israel, and the US are the leading suppliers of military hardware since 2010; Colombia's defense industry is active in producing air, land, and naval platforms (2019 est.)" + }, + "Military deployments": { + "text": "275 Egypt (MFO) (Dec. 2019)" + }, + "Military service age and obligation": { + "text": "18-24 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; service obligation is 18 months (2012)" + }, + "Military - note": { + "text": "the Colombian Armed Forces are primarily focused on internal security, particularly counter-narcotics, counter-terrorism, and counterinsurgency operations against drug traffickers, militants from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and National Liberation Army (ELN) terrorist/guerrilla organizations, and other illegal armed groups; the Colombian Government signed a peace agreement with the FARC in 2016, but some former members (known as dissidents) have returned to fighting; the Colombian military resumed operations against FARC dissidents and their successor paramilitary groups in late 2019; in 2017, the Colombian Government initiated formal peace talks with the ELN, but in January 2019, the government ended the peace talks shortly after the ELN exploded a car bomb at the National Police Academy in Bogotá; the military is also focused on the security challenges posed by its neighbor, Venezuela (2020)" + } + }, + "Terrorism": { + "Terrorist group(s)": { + "text": "National Liberation Army; Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (2020)", + "note": { + "text": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T" + } + } + }, + "Transnational Issues": { + "Disputes - international": { + "text": "in December 2007, ICJ allocated San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under 1928 Treaty but did not rule on 82 degrees W meridian as maritime boundary with Nicaragua; managed dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all neighboring borders and have caused Colombian citizens to flee mostly into neighboring countries; Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank" + }, + "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { + "refugees (country of origin)": { + "text": "768,714 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or received alternative legal stay)(2020)" + }, + "IDPs": { + "text": "7,967,965 (conflict between government and illegal armed groups and drug traffickers since 1985; about 300,000 new IDPs each year since 2000) (2020)" + }, + "stateless persons": { + "text": "11 (2018)" + } + }, + "Illicit drugs": { + "text": "illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's leading coca cultivator with 188,000 hectares in coca cultivation in 2016, a 18% increase over 2015, producing a potential of 710 mt of pure cocaine; the world's largest producer of coca derivatives; supplies cocaine to nearly all of the US market and the great majority of other international drug markets; in 2016, the Colombian government reported manual eradication of 17,642 hectares; Colombia suspended aerial eradication in October 2015 making 2016 the first full year without aerial eradication; a significant portion of narcotics proceeds are either laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso exchange; Colombia probably remains the second largest supplier of heroin to the US market; opium poppy cultivation was estimated to be 1,100 hectares in 2015, sufficient to potentially produce three metric tons of pure heroin" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/south-america/ec.json b/south-america/ec.json index 20ead20b..25b34373 100644 --- a/south-america/ec.json +++ b/south-america/ec.json @@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ "text": "nearly half of the population is concentrated in the interior in the Andean intermontane basins and valleys, with large concentrations also found along the western coastal strip; the rainforests of the east remain sparsely populated" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "frequent earthquakes; landslides; volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts\nvolcanism: volcanic activity concentrated along the Andes Mountains; Sangay (5,230 m), which erupted in 2010, is mainland Ecuador's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes in the Andes include Antisana, Cayambe, Chacana, Cotopaxi, Guagua Pichincha, Reventador, Sumaco, and Tungurahua; Fernandina (1,476 m), a shield volcano that last erupted in 2009, is the most active of the many Galapagos volcanoes; other historically active Galapagos volcanoes include Wolf, Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul, Pinta, Marchena, and Santiago" + "text": "frequent earthquakes; landslides; volcanic activity; floods; periodic droughts ++ volcanism: volcanic activity concentrated along the Andes Mountains; Sangay (5,230 m), which erupted in 2010, is mainland Ecuador's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes in the Andes include Antisana, Cayambe, Chacana, Cotopaxi, Guagua Pichincha, Reventador, Sumaco, and Tungurahua; Fernandina (1,476 m), a shield volcano that last erupted in 2009, is the most active of the many Galapagos volcanoes; other historically active Galapagos volcanoes include Wolf, Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul, Pinta, Marchena, and Santiago" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands" @@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in worldnote 2: according to the latest archeological research, the cacao tree, whose seeds are used to make chocolate and which was long thought to have originated in Mesoamerica, was first domesticated in the upper Amazon region of northwest South America - present-day Ecuador - about 3,300 B.C. (2020)" + "text": "note 1: Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world ++ note 2: according to the latest archeological research, the cacao tree, whose seeds are used to make chocolate and which was long thought to have originated in Mesoamerica, was first domesticated in the upper Amazon region of northwest South America - present-day Ecuador - about 3,300 B.C. (2020)" } } }, @@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ } }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Ecuador's high poverty and income inequality most affect indigenous, mixed race, and rural populations. The government has increased its social spending to ameliorate these problems, but critics question the efficiency and implementation of its national development plan. Nevertheless, the conditional cash transfer program, which requires participants' children to attend school and have medical check-ups, has helped improve educational attainment and healthcare among poor children. Ecuador is stalled at above replacement level fertility and the population most likely will keep growing rather than stabilize.\nAn estimated 2 to 3 million Ecuadorians live abroad, but increased unemployment in key receiving countries - Spain, the United States, and Italy - is slowing emigration and increasing the likelihood of returnees to Ecuador. The first large-scale emigration of Ecuadorians occurred between 1980 and 2000, when an economic crisis drove Ecuadorians from southern provinces to New York City, where they had trade contacts. A second, nationwide wave of emigration in the late 1990s was caused by another economic downturn, political instability, and a currency crisis. Spain was the logical destination because of its shared language and the wide availability of low-skilled, informal jobs at a time when increased border surveillance made illegal migration to the US difficult. Ecuador has a small but growing immigrant population and is Latin America's top recipient of refugees; 98% are neighboring Colombians fleeing violence in their country." + "text": "Ecuador's high poverty and income inequality most affect indigenous, mixed race, and rural populations. The government has increased its social spending to ameliorate these problems, but critics question the efficiency and implementation of its national development plan. Nevertheless, the conditional cash transfer program, which requires participants' children to attend school and have medical check-ups, has helped improve educational attainment and healthcare among poor children. Ecuador is stalled at above replacement level fertility and the population most likely will keep growing rather than stabilize. ++ An estimated 2 to 3 million Ecuadorians live abroad, but increased unemployment in key receiving countries - Spain, the United States, and Italy - is slowing emigration and increasing the likelihood of returnees to Ecuador. The first large-scale emigration of Ecuadorians occurred between 1980 and 2000, when an economic crisis drove Ecuadorians from southern provinces to New York City, where they had trade contacts. A second, nationwide wave of emigration in the late 1990s was caused by another economic downturn, political instability, and a currency crisis. Spain was the logical destination because of its shared language and the wide availability of low-skilled, informal jobs at a time when increased border surveillance made illegal migration to the US difficult. Ecuador has a small but growing immigrant population and is Latin America's top recipient of refugees; 98% are neighboring Colombians fleeing violence in their country." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -272,14 +272,11 @@ "text": "80.1% (2007/12)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 83.5% of population / total: 94% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "16.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 16.2% of population / total: 6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -292,14 +289,11 @@ "text": "1.4 beds/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population (2015 est.) / rural: 91.9% of population / total: 97.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "8.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 8.1% of population / total: 2.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -400,7 +394,7 @@ "text": "UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "note": { - "text": "note: Ecuador has two time zones, including the Galapagos Islands (UTC-6)etymology: named after the Quitus, a Pre-Columbian indigenous people credited with founding the city" + "text": "note: Ecuador has two time zones, including the Galapagos Islands (UTC-6) ++ etymology: named after the Quitus, a Pre-Columbian indigenous people credited with founding the city ++ ++" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -483,7 +477,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alianza PAIS movement [Lenin Voltaire MORENO Garces]Avanza Party or AVANZA [Ramiro GONZALEZ]Citizen Revolution Movement or MRC [Rafael CORREA]Creating Opportunities Movement or CREO [Guillermo LASSO]Democratic Left or IDForward Ecuador Movement [Alvaro NOBOA]Fuerza Ecuador [Abdala BUCARAM] (successor to Roldosist Party)Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement or MUPP [Marlon Rene SANTI Gualinga]Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Gilmar GUTIERREZ Borbua]Popular Democracy Movement or MPD [Luis VILLACIS]Social Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO]Socialist Party [Patricio ZABRANO]Society United for More Action or SUMA [Mauricio RODAS]" + "text": "Alianza PAIS movement [Lenin Voltaire MORENO Garces] ++ Avanza Party or AVANZA [Ramiro GONZALEZ] ++ Citizen Revolution Movement or MRC [Rafael CORREA] ++ Creating Opportunities Movement or CREO [Guillermo LASSO] ++ Democratic Left or ID ++ Forward Ecuador Movement [Alvaro NOBOA] ++ Fuerza Ecuador [Abdala BUCARAM] (successor to Roldosist Party) ++ Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement or MUPP [Marlon Rene SANTI Gualinga] ++ Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Gilmar GUTIERREZ Borbua] ++ Popular Democracy Movement or MPD [Luis VILLACIS] ++ Social Christian Party or PSC [Pascual DEL CIOPPO] ++ Socialist Party [Patricio ZABRANO] ++ Society United for More Action or SUMA [Mauricio RODAS]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "CAN, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -548,7 +542,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Ecuador is substantially dependent on its petroleum resources, which accounted for about a third of the country's export earnings in 2017. Remittances from overseas Ecuadorian are also important. In 1999/2000, Ecuador's economy suffered from a banking crisis that lead to some reforms, including adoption of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and positive growth returned in most of the years that followed. China has become Ecuador's largest foreign lender since 2008 and now accounts for 77.7% of the Ecuador’s bilateral debt. Various economic policies under the CORREA administration, such as an announcement in 2017 that Ecuador would terminate 13 bilateral investment treaties - including one with the US, generated economic uncertainty and discouraged private investment. Faced with a 2013 trade deficit of $1.1 billion, Ecuador imposed tariff surcharges from 5% to 45% on an estimated 32% of imports. Ecuador’s economy fell into recession in 2015 and remained in recession in 2016. Declining oil prices and exports forced the CORREA administration to cut government oulays. Foreign investment in Ecuador is low as a result of the unstable regulatory environment and weak rule of law. n April of 2017, Lenin MORENO was elected President of Ecuador by popular vote. His immediate challenge was to reengage the private sector to improve cash flow in the country. Ecuador’s economy returned to positive, but sluggish, growth. In early 2018, the MORENO administration held a public referendum on seven economic and political issues in a move counter to CORREA-administration policies, reduce corruption, strengthen democracy, and revive employment and the economy. The referendum resulted in repeal of taxes associated with recovery from the earthquake of 2016, reduced restrictions on metal mining in the Yasuni Intangible Zone - a protected area, and several political reforms." + "text": "Ecuador is substantially dependent on its petroleum resources, which accounted for about a third of the country's export earnings in 2017. Remittances from overseas Ecuadorian are also important. ++ In 1999/2000, Ecuador's economy suffered from a banking crisis that lead to some reforms, including adoption of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the economy, and positive growth returned in most of the years that followed. China has become Ecuador's largest foreign lender since 2008 and now accounts for 77.7% of the Ecuador's bilateral debt. Various economic policies under the CORREA administration, such as an announcement in 2017 that Ecuador would terminate 13 bilateral investment treaties - including one with the US, generated economic uncertainty and discouraged private investment. ++ Faced with a 2013 trade deficit of $1.1 billion, Ecuador imposed tariff surcharges from 5% to 45% on an estimated 32% of imports. Ecuador's economy fell into recession in 2015 and remained in recession in 2016. Declining oil prices and exports forced the CORREA administration to cut government oulays. Foreign investment in Ecuador is low as a result of the unstable regulatory environment and weak rule of law. ++ n April of 2017, Lenin MORENO was elected President of Ecuador by popular vote. His immediate challenge was to reengage the private sector to improve cash flow in the country. Ecuador's economy returned to positive, but sluggish, growth. In early 2018, the MORENO administration held a public referendum on seven economic and political issues in a move counter to CORREA-administration policies, reduce corruption, strengthen democracy, and revive employment and the economy. The referendum resulted in repeal of taxes associated with recovery from the earthquake of 2016, reduced restrictions on metal mining in the Yasuni Intangible Zone - a protected area, and several political reforms." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$193 billion (2017 est.) / $188.6 billion (2016 est.) / $190.9 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/south-america/fk.json b/south-america/fk.json index 417ee1d1..87282a7a 100644 --- a/south-america/fk.json +++ b/south-america/fk.json @@ -177,25 +177,19 @@ "text": "NA" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 78.2% of population / total: 92% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "21.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 21.8% of population / total: 5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95% of population / rural: 78% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "22% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 5% of population / rural: 22% of population / total: 0% of population (2017)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -338,7 +332,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but fishing and tourism currently comprise the bulk of economic activity. In 1987, the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falkland Islands' exclusive fishing zone. These license fees net more than $40 million per year, which help support the island's health, education, and welfare system. The waters around the Falkland Islands are known for their squid, which account for around 75% of the annual 200,000-ton catch. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Foreign exchange earnings come from shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and from the sale of postage stamps and coins. Tourism, especially ecotourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 69,000 visitors in 2009 and adds approximately $5.5 million to the Falkland’s annual GDP. The British military presence also provides a sizable economic boost. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. In 1993, the British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day. Political tensions between the UK and Argentina remain high following the start of oil drilling activities in the waters. In May 2010 the first commercial oil discovery was made, signaling the potential for the development of a long term hydrocarbon industry in the Falkland Islands." + "text": "The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but fishing and tourism currently comprise the bulk of economic activity. In 1987, the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falkland Islands' exclusive fishing zone. These license fees net more than $40 million per year, which help support the island's health, education, and welfare system. The waters around the Falkland Islands are known for their squid, which account for around 75% of the annual 200,000-ton catch. ++ Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Foreign exchange earnings come from shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and from the sale of postage stamps and coins. ++ Tourism, especially ecotourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 69,000 visitors in 2009 and adds approximately $5.5 million to the Falkland's annual GDP. The British military presence also provides a sizable economic boost. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. ++ In 1993, the British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day. Political tensions between the UK and Argentina remain high following the start of oil drilling activities in the waters. In May 2010 the first commercial oil discovery was made, signaling the potential for the development of a long term hydrocarbon industry in the Falkland Islands." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$206.4 million (2015 est.) / $164.5 million (2014 est.) / $167.5 million (2013 est.)" diff --git a/south-america/gy.json b/south-america/gy.json index f69e0eb7..16a578eb 100644 --- a/south-america/gy.json +++ b/south-america/gy.json @@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ "text": "Protestant 34.8% (Pentecostal 22.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.4%, Anglican 5.2%, Methodist 1.4%), Hindu 24.8%, Roman Catholic 7.1%, Muslim 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, Rastafarian 0.5%, other Christian 20.8%, other 0.9%, none 3.1% (2012 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and shares cultural and historical bonds with the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana's two largest ethnic groups are the Afro-Guyanese (descendants of African slaves) and the Indo-Guyanese (descendants of Indian indentured laborers), which together comprise about three quarters of Guyana's population. Tensions periodically have boiled over between the two groups, which back ethnically based political parties and vote along ethnic lines. Poverty reduction has stagnated since the late 1990s. About one-third of the Guyanese population lives below the poverty line; indigenous people are disproportionately affected. Although Guyana's literacy rate is reported to be among the highest in the Western Hemisphere, the level of functional literacy is considerably lower, which has been attributed to poor education quality, teacher training, and infrastructure.\nGuyana's emigration rate is among the highest in the world - more than 55% of its citizens reside abroad - and it is one of the largest recipients of remittances relative to GDP among Latin American and Caribbean counties. Although remittances are a vital source of income for most citizens, the pervasive emigration of skilled workers deprives Guyana of professionals in healthcare and other key sectors. More than 80% of Guyanese nationals with tertiary level educations have emigrated. Brain drain and the concentration of limited medical resources in Georgetown hamper Guyana's ability to meet the health needs of its predominantly rural population. Guyana has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the region and continues to rely on international support for its HIV treatment and prevention programs." + "text": "Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and shares cultural and historical bonds with the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana's two largest ethnic groups are the Afro-Guyanese (descendants of African slaves) and the Indo-Guyanese (descendants of Indian indentured laborers), which together comprise about three quarters of Guyana's population. Tensions periodically have boiled over between the two groups, which back ethnically based political parties and vote along ethnic lines. Poverty reduction has stagnated since the late 1990s. About one-third of the Guyanese population lives below the poverty line; indigenous people are disproportionately affected. Although Guyana's literacy rate is reported to be among the highest in the Western Hemisphere, the level of functional literacy is considerably lower, which has been attributed to poor education quality, teacher training, and infrastructure. ++ Guyana's emigration rate is among the highest in the world - more than 55% of its citizens reside abroad - and it is one of the largest recipients of remittances relative to GDP among Latin American and Caribbean counties. Although remittances are a vital source of income for most citizens, the pervasive emigration of skilled workers deprives Guyana of professionals in healthcare and other key sectors. More than 80% of Guyanese nationals with tertiary level educations have emigrated. Brain drain and the concentration of limited medical resources in Georgetown hamper Guyana's ability to meet the health needs of its predominantly rural population. Guyana has one of the highest HIV prevalence rates in the region and continues to rely on international support for its HIV treatment and prevention programs." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "33.9% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 95.6% of population / total: 96.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "38.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "26.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 38.7% of population / total: 26.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "1.7 beds/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.8% of population / rural: 95.4% of population / total: 96% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "4.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.2% of population / rural: 4.6% of population / total: 4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -472,7 +466,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "A New and United Guyana or ANUG [Ralph RAMKARRAN]A Partnership for National Unity or APNU [David A. GRANGER]Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN]Justice for All Party [C.N. SHARMA]Liberty and Justice Party or LJP [Lenox SHUMAN]National Independent Party or NIP [Saphier Husain SUBEDAR]People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO]The New Movement or TNM [joint leadership of several medical doctors]The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]United Republican Party or URP [Vishnu BANDHU]" + "text": "A New and United Guyana or ANUG [Ralph RAMKARRAN] ++ A Partnership for National Unity or APNU [David A. GRANGER] ++ Alliance for Change or AFC [Raphael TROTMAN] ++ Justice for All Party [C.N. SHARMA] ++ Liberty and Justice Party or LJP [Lenox SHUMAN] ++ National Independent Party or NIP [Saphier Husain SUBEDAR] ++ People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO] ++ The New Movement or TNM [joint leadership of several medical doctors] ++ The United Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR] ++ United Republican Party or URP [Vishnu BANDHU]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, C, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -531,7 +525,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in recent years and is based largely on agriculture and extractive industries. The economy is heavily dependent upon the export of six commodities - sugar, gold, bauxite, shrimp, timber, and rice - which represent nearly 60% of the country's GDP and are highly susceptible to adverse weather conditions and fluctuations in commodity prices. Guyana closed or consolidated several sugar estates in 2017, reducing production of sugar to a forecasted 147,000 tons in 2018, less than half of 2017 production. Much of Guyana's growth in recent years has come from a surge in gold production. With a record-breaking 700,000 ounces of gold produced in 2016, Gold production in Guyana has offset the economic effects of declining sugar production. In January 2018, estimated 3.2 billion barrels of oil were found offshore and Guyana is scheduled to become a petroleum producer by March 2020. Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy in January 2006 broadened the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials sector. Guyana has experienced positive growth almost every year over the past decade. Inflation has been kept under control. Recent years have seen the government's stock of debt reduced significantly - with external debt now less than half of what it was in the early 1990s. Despite these improvements, the government is still juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. In March 2007, the Inter-American Development Bank, Guyana's principal donor, canceled Guyana's nearly $470 million debt, equivalent to 21% of GDP, which along with other Highly Indebted Poor Country debt forgiveness, brought the debt-to-GDP ratio down from 183% in 2006 to 52% in 2017. Guyana had become heavily indebted as a result of the inward-looking, state-led development model pursued in the 1970s and 1980s. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure." + "text": "The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in recent years and is based largely on agriculture and extractive industries. The economy is heavily dependent upon the export of six commodities - sugar, gold, bauxite, shrimp, timber, and rice - which represent nearly 60% of the country's GDP and are highly susceptible to adverse weather conditions and fluctuations in commodity prices. Guyana closed or consolidated several sugar estates in 2017, reducing production of sugar to a forecasted 147,000 tons in 2018, less than half of 2017 production. Much of Guyana's growth in recent years has come from a surge in gold production. With a record-breaking 700,000 ounces of gold produced in 2016, Gold production in Guyana has offset the economic effects of declining sugar production. In January 2018, estimated 3.2 billion barrels of oil were found offshore and Guyana is scheduled to become a petroleum producer by March 2020. ++ Guyana's entrance into the Caricom Single Market and Economy in January 2006 broadened the country's export market, primarily in the raw materials sector. Guyana has experienced positive growth almost every year over the past decade. Inflation has been kept under control. Recent years have seen the government's stock of debt reduced significantly - with external debt now less than half of what it was in the early 1990s. Despite these improvements, the government is still juggling a sizable external debt against the urgent need for expanded public investment. In March 2007, the Inter-American Development Bank, Guyana's principal donor, canceled Guyana's nearly $470 million debt, equivalent to 21% of GDP, which along with other Highly Indebted Poor Country debt forgiveness, brought the debt-to-GDP ratio down from 183% in 2006 to 52% in 2017. Guyana had become heavily indebted as a result of the inward-looking, state-led development model pursued in the 1970s and 1980s. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient infrastructure." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$6.301 billion (2017 est.) / $6.169 billion (2016 est.) / $5.969 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -898,7 +892,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "current situation": { - "text": "Guyana is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor – children are particularly vulnerable; women and girls from Guyana, Venezuela, Suriname, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic are forced into prostitution in Guyana’s interior mining communities and urban areas; forced labor is reported in mining, agriculture, forestry, domestic service, and shops; Guyanese nationals are also trafficked to Suriname, Jamaica, and other Caribbean countries for sexual exploitation and forced labor" + "text": "Guyana is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor – children are particularly vulnerable; women and girls from Guyana, Venezuela, Suriname, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic are forced into prostitution in Guyana's interior mining communities and urban areas; forced labor is reported in mining, agriculture, forestry, domestic service, and shops; Guyanese nationals are also trafficked to Suriname, Jamaica, and other Caribbean countries for sexual exploitation and forced labor" }, "tier rating": { "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Guyana does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Guyana was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; the government released its anti-trafficking action plan in June 2014 but made uneven efforts to implement it; law enforcement was weak, investigating seven trafficking cases, prosecuting four alleged traffickers, and convicting one trafficker – a police officer – who was released on bail pending appeal; in 2014, as in previous years, Guyanese courts dismissed the majority of ongoing trafficking prosecutions; the government referred some victims to care services, which were provided by NGOs with little or no government support (2015)" diff --git a/south-america/ns.json b/south-america/ns.json index b0de0019..7716b3d5 100644 --- a/south-america/ns.json +++ b/south-america/ns.json @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ "text": "Protestant 23.6% (includes Evangelical 11.2%, Moravian 11.2%, Reformed .7%, Lutheran .5%), Hindu 22.3%, Roman Catholic 21.6%, Muslim 13.8%, other Christian 3.2%, Winti 1.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.2%, other 1.7%, none 7.5%, unspecified 3.2% (2012 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Suriname is a pluralistic society consisting primarily of Creoles (persons of mixed African and European heritage), the descendants of escaped African slaves known as Maroons, and the descendants of Indian and Javanese (Indonesian) contract workers. The country overall is in full, post-industrial demographic transition, with a low fertility rate, a moderate mortality rate, and a rising life expectancy. However, the Maroon population of the rural interior lags behind because of lower educational attainment and contraceptive use, higher malnutrition, and significantly less access to electricity, potable water, sanitation, infrastructure, and health care.\nSome 350,000 people of Surinamese descent live in the Netherlands, Suriname's former colonial ruler. In the 19th century, better-educated, largely Dutch-speaking Surinamese began emigrating to the Netherlands. World War II interrupted the outflow, but it resumed after the war when Dutch labor demands grew - emigrants included all segments of the Creole population. Suriname still is strongly influenced by the Netherlands because most Surinamese have relatives living there and it is the largest supplier of development aid. Other emigration destinations include French Guiana and the United States. Suriname's immigration rules are flexible, and the country is easy to enter illegally because rainforests obscure its borders. Since the mid-1980s, Brazilians have settled in Suriname's capital, Paramaribo, or eastern Suriname, where they mine gold. This immigration is likely to slowly re-orient Suriname toward its Latin American roots." + "text": "Suriname is a pluralistic society consisting primarily of Creoles (persons of mixed African and European heritage), the descendants of escaped African slaves known as Maroons, and the descendants of Indian and Javanese (Indonesian) contract workers. The country overall is in full, post-industrial demographic transition, with a low fertility rate, a moderate mortality rate, and a rising life expectancy. However, the Maroon population of the rural interior lags behind because of lower educational attainment and contraceptive use, higher malnutrition, and significantly less access to electricity, potable water, sanitation, infrastructure, and health care. ++ Some 350,000 people of Surinamese descent live in the Netherlands, Suriname's former colonial ruler. In the 19th century, better-educated, largely Dutch-speaking Surinamese began emigrating to the Netherlands. World War II interrupted the outflow, but it resumed after the war when Dutch labor demands grew - emigrants included all segments of the Creole population. Suriname still is strongly influenced by the Netherlands because most Surinamese have relatives living there and it is the largest supplier of development aid. Other emigration destinations include French Guiana and the United States. Suriname's immigration rules are flexible, and the country is easy to enter illegally because rainforests obscure its borders. Since the mid-1980s, Brazilians have settled in Suriname's capital, Paramaribo, or eastern Suriname, where they mine gold. This immigration is likely to slowly re-orient Suriname toward its Latin American roots." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -252,14 +252,11 @@ "text": "39.1% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.2% of population / rural: 92% of population / total: 96.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "3.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.8% of population / rural: 8% of population / total: 3.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -272,14 +269,11 @@ "text": "3 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.5% of population / rural: 88.2% of population / total: 95% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "11.8% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.5% of population / rural: 11.8% of population / total: 5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -455,7 +449,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alternative Combination or A-Com (coalition includes ABOP, KTPI, Party for Democracy and Development)Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP [Celsius WATERBERG]Democratic Alternative '91 or DA91 [Angelique DEL CASTILLO]General Liberation and Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK}National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire Delano BOUTERSE]National Party of Suriname or NPS [Gregory RUSLAND]Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE [Carl BREEVELD]Party for National Unity and Solidarity or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA]People's Alliance (Pertjaja Luhur) or PL [Paul SOMOHARDJO]Progressive Workers' and Farmers' Union or PALU [Jim HOK]Progressive Reform Party or VHP [Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI]Reform and Renewal Movement or HVBSurinamese Labor Party or SPA [Guno CASTELEN]" + "text": "Alternative Combination or A-Com (coalition includes ABOP, KTPI, Party for Democracy and Development) ++ Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP [Celsius WATERBERG] ++ Democratic Alternative '91 or DA91 [Angelique DEL CASTILLO] ++ General Liberation and Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK} ++ National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire Delano BOUTERSE] ++ National Party of Suriname or NPS [Gregory RUSLAND] ++ Party for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE [Carl BREEVELD] ++ Party for National Unity and Solidarity or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA] ++ People's Alliance (Pertjaja Luhur) or PL [Paul SOMOHARDJO] ++ Progressive Workers' and Farmers' Union or PALU [Jim HOK] ++ Progressive Reform Party or VHP [Chandrikapersad SANTOKHI] ++ Reform and Renewal Movement or HVB ++ Surinamese Labor Party or SPA [Guno CASTELEN]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AOSIS, Caricom, CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -514,7 +508,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Suriname’s economy is dominated by the mining industry, with exports of oil and gold accounting for approximately 85% of exports and 27% of government revenues. This makes the economy highly vulnerable to mineral price volatility. The worldwide drop in international commodity prices and the cessation of alumina mining in Suriname significantly reduced government revenue and national income during the past few years. In November 2015, a major US aluminum company discontinued its mining activities in Suriname after 99 years of operation. Public sector revenues fell, together with exports, international reserves, employment, and private sector investment. Economic growth declined annually from just under 5% in 2012 to -10.4% in 2016. In January 2011, the government devalued the currency by 20% and raised taxes to reduce the budget deficit. Suriname began instituting macro adjustments between September 2015 and 2016; these included another 20% currency devaluation in November 2015 and foreign currency interventions by the Central Bank until March 2016, after which time the Bank allowed the Surinamese dollar (SRD) to float. By December 2016, the SRD had lost 46% of its value against the dollar. Depreciation of the Surinamese dollar and increases in tariffs on electricity caused domestic prices in Suriname to rise 22.0% year-over-year by December 2017. Suriname's economic prospects for the medium-term will depend on its commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and on the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition. The government's over-reliance on revenue from the extractive sector colors Suriname's economic outlook. Following two years of recession, the Fitch Credit Bureau reported a positive growth of 1.2% in 2017 and the World Bank predicted 2.2% growth in 2018. Inflation declined to 9%, down from 55% in 2016 , and increased gold production helped lift exports. Yet continued budget imbalances and a heavy debt and interest burden resulted in a debt-to-GDP ratio of 83% in September 2017. Purchasing power has fallen rapidly due to the devalued local currency. The government has announced its intention to pass legislation to introduce a new value-added tax in 2018. Without this and other measures to strengthen the country’s fiscal position, the government may face liquidity pressures." + "text": "Suriname's economy is dominated by the mining industry, with exports of oil and gold accounting for approximately 85% of exports and 27% of government revenues. This makes the economy highly vulnerable to mineral price volatility. The worldwide drop in international commodity prices and the cessation of alumina mining in Suriname significantly reduced government revenue and national income during the past few years. In November 2015, a major US aluminum company discontinued its mining activities in Suriname after 99 years of operation. Public sector revenues fell, together with exports, international reserves, employment, and private sector investment. ++ Economic growth declined annually from just under 5% in 2012 to -10.4% in 2016. In January 2011, the government devalued the currency by 20% and raised taxes to reduce the budget deficit. Suriname began instituting macro adjustments between September 2015 and 2016; these included another 20% currency devaluation in November 2015 and foreign currency interventions by the Central Bank until March 2016, after which time the Bank allowed the Surinamese dollar (SRD) to float. By December 2016, the SRD had lost 46% of its value against the dollar. Depreciation of the Surinamese dollar and increases in tariffs on electricity caused domestic prices in Suriname to rise 22.0% year-over-year by December 2017. ++ Suriname's economic prospects for the medium-term will depend on its commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and on the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote competition. The government's over-reliance on revenue from the extractive sector colors Suriname's economic outlook. Following two years of recession, the Fitch Credit Bureau reported a positive growth of 1.2% in 2017 and the World Bank predicted 2.2% growth in 2018. Inflation declined to 9%, down from 55% in 2016 , and increased gold production helped lift exports. Yet continued budget imbalances and a heavy debt and interest burden resulted in a debt-to-GDP ratio of 83% in September 2017. Purchasing power has fallen rapidly due to the devalued local currency. The government has announced its intention to pass legislation to introduce a new value-added tax in 2018. Without this and other measures to strengthen the country's fiscal position, the government may face liquidity pressures." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$8.688 billion (2017 est.) / $8.526 billion (2016 est.) / $8.988 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -892,7 +886,7 @@ "text": "Suriname is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to sex trafficking and men, women, and children subjected to forced labor; women and girls from Suriname, Guyana, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic are subjected to sex trafficking in the country, sometimes in interior mining camps; migrant workers in agriculture and on fishing boats and children working in informal urban sectors and gold mines are vulnerable to forced labor; traffickers from Suriname exploit victims in the Netherlands" }, "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Suriname does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Suriname was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; authorities increased the number of trafficking investigations, prosecutions, and convictions as compared to 2013, but resources were insufficient to conduct investigations in the country’s interior; more trafficking victims were identified in 2014 than in 2013, but protective services for adults and children were inadequate, with a proposed government shelter for women and child trafficking victims remaining unopened (2015)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List – Suriname does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, Suriname was granted a waiver from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 because its government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute making significant efforts to bring itself into compliance with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; authorities increased the number of trafficking investigations, prosecutions, and convictions as compared to 2013, but resources were insufficient to conduct investigations in the country's interior; more trafficking victims were identified in 2014 than in 2013, but protective services for adults and children were inadequate, with a proposed government shelter for women and child trafficking victims remaining unopened (2015)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/south-america/pa.json b/south-america/pa.json index 8abc0ea4..85b050e9 100644 --- a/south-america/pa.json +++ b/south-america/pa.json @@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 89.6%, Protestant 6.2%, other Christian 1.1%, other or unspecified 1.9%, none 1.1% (2002 census)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Paraguay falls below the Latin American average in several socioeconomic categories, including immunization rates, potable water, sanitation, and secondary school enrollment, and has greater rates of income inequality and child and maternal mortality. Paraguay's poverty rate has declined in recent years but remains high, especially in rural areas, with more than a third of the population below the poverty line. However, the well-being of the poor in many regions has improved in terms of housing quality and access to clean water, telephone service, and electricity. The fertility rate continues to drop, declining sharply from an average 4.3 births per woman in the late 1990s to about 2 in 2013, as a result of the greater educational attainment of women, increased use of contraception, and a desire for smaller families among young women.\nParaguay is a country of emigration; it has not attracted large numbers of immigrants because of political instability, civil wars, years of dictatorship, and the greater appeal of neighboring countries. Paraguay first tried to encourage immigration in 1870 in order to rebound from the heavy death toll it suffered during the War of the Triple Alliance, but it received few European and Middle Eastern immigrants. In the 20th century, limited numbers of immigrants arrived from Lebanon, Japan, South Korea, and China, as well as Mennonites from Canada, Russia, and Mexico. Large flows of Brazilian immigrants have been arriving since the 1960s, mainly to work in agriculture. Paraguayans continue to emigrate to Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, the United States, Italy, Spain, and France." + "text": "Paraguay falls below the Latin American average in several socioeconomic categories, including immunization rates, potable water, sanitation, and secondary school enrollment, and has greater rates of income inequality and child and maternal mortality. Paraguay's poverty rate has declined in recent years but remains high, especially in rural areas, with more than a third of the population below the poverty line. However, the well-being of the poor in many regions has improved in terms of housing quality and access to clean water, telephone service, and electricity. The fertility rate continues to drop, declining sharply from an average 4.3 births per woman in the late 1990s to about 2 in 2013, as a result of the greater educational attainment of women, increased use of contraception, and a desire for smaller families among young women. ++ Paraguay is a country of emigration; it has not attracted large numbers of immigrants because of political instability, civil wars, years of dictatorship, and the greater appeal of neighboring countries. Paraguay first tried to encourage immigration in 1870 in order to rebound from the heavy death toll it suffered during the War of the Triple Alliance, but it received few European and Middle Eastern immigrants. In the 20th century, limited numbers of immigrants arrived from Lebanon, Japan, South Korea, and China, as well as Mennonites from Canada, Russia, and Mexico. Large flows of Brazilian immigrants have been arriving since the 1960s, mainly to work in agriculture. Paraguayans continue to emigrate to Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, the United States, Italy, Spain, and France." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "68.4% (2016)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "0.8 beds/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.6% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.4% of population / rural: 84.8% of population / total: 93.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "15.2% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "6.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.6% of population / rural: 15.2% of population / total: 6.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -451,13 +445,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of:Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members directly elected in 18 multi-seat constituencies - corresponding to the country's 17 departments and capital city - by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of: Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) ++ Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members directly elected in 18 multi-seat constituencies - corresponding to the country's 17 departments and capital city - by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Chamber of Senators - last held on 22 April 2018 (next to be held in April 2023) Chamber of Deputies - last held on 22 April 2018 (next to be held in April 2023)" + "text": "Chamber of Senators - last held on 22 April 2018 (next to be held in April 2023) ++ Chamber of Deputies - last held on 22 April 2018 (next to be held in April 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party/coalition - ANR 32.52%, PLRA 24.18%, FG 11.83%, PPQ 6.77%, MH 4.47%, PDP 3.66%, MCN 2.48%, UNACE 2.12%, other 11.97%; seats by party/coalition - ANR 17, PLRA 13, FG 6, PPQ 3, MH 2, PDP 2, MCN 1, UNACE 1; composition - men 36, women 9, percent of women 20% Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party/coalition - ANR 39.1%, PLRA 17.74%, Ganar Alliance 12.08%, PPQ 4.46%, MH 3.19%; other 23.43%; seats by party/coalition - ANR 42, PLRA 17, Ganar Alliance 13, PPQ 3, MH 2, other 3; composition - men 66, women 14, percent of women 17.5%; note - total National Congress percent of women 18.4%" + "text": "Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party/coalition - ANR 32.52%, PLRA 24.18%, FG 11.83%, PPQ 6.77%, MH 4.47%, PDP 3.66%, MCN 2.48%, UNACE 2.12%, other 11.97%; seats by party/coalition - ANR 17, PLRA 13, FG 6, PPQ 3, MH 2, PDP 2, MCN 1, UNACE 1; composition - men 36, women 9, percent of women 20% ++ Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party/coalition - ANR 39.1%, PLRA 17.74%, Ganar Alliance 12.08%, PPQ 4.46%, MH 3.19%; other 23.43%; seats by party/coalition - ANR 42, PLRA 17, Ganar Alliance 13, PPQ 3, MH 2, other 3; composition - men 66, women 14, percent of women 17.5%; note - total National Congress percent of women 18.4%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -472,7 +466,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Pedro ALLIANA]Avanza Pais coalition or AP [Adolfo FERREIRO]Broad Front coalition (Frente Guasu) or FG [Esperanza MARTINEZ]Ganar Alliance (alliance between PLRA and Guasu Front)Movimiento Cruzada Nacional or MCNMovimiento Hagamos or MH [Antonio \"Tony\" APURIL]Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Jorge OVIEDO MATTO]Partido del Movimiento al Socialismo or P-MAS [Camilo Ernesto SOARES Machado]Partido Democratica Progresista or PDP [Rafael FILIZZOLA]Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Hermann RATZLAFFIN Klippemstein]Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Efrain ALEGRE]Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares]Partido Popular Tekojoja or PPT [Sixto PEREIRA Galeano]Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PPQ [Miguel CARRIZOSA]" + "text": "Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Pedro ALLIANA] ++ Avanza Pais coalition or AP [Adolfo FERREIRO] ++ Broad Front coalition (Frente Guasu) or FG [Esperanza MARTINEZ] ++ Ganar Alliance (alliance between PLRA and Guasu Front) ++ Movimiento Cruzada Nacional or MCN ++ Movimiento Hagamos or MH [Antonio \"Tony\" APURIL] ++ Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Jorge OVIEDO MATTO] ++ Partido del Movimiento al Socialismo or P-MAS [Camilo Ernesto SOARES Machado] ++ Partido Democratica Progresista or PDP [Rafael FILIZZOLA] ++ Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Hermann RATZLAFFIN Klippemstein] ++ Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Efrain ALEGRE] ++ Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares] ++ Partido Popular Tekojoja or PPT [Sixto PEREIRA Galeano] ++ Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PPQ [Miguel CARRIZOSA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -534,7 +528,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy distinguished by a large informal sector, featuring re-export of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries, as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. A large percentage of the population, especially in rural areas, derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. On a per capita basis, real income has grown steadily over the past five years as strong world demand for commodities, combined with high prices and favorable weather, supported Paraguay's commodity-based export expansion. Paraguay is the fifth largest soy producer in the world. Drought hit in 2008, reducing agricultural exports and slowing the economy even before the onset of the global recession. The economy fell 3.8% in 2009, as lower world demand and commodity prices caused exports to contract. Severe drought and outbreaks of hoof-and-mouth disease in 2012 led to a brief drop in beef and other agricultural exports. Since 2014, however, Paraguay’s economy has grown at a 4% average annual rate due to strong production and high global prices, at a time when other countries in the region have contracted. The Paraguayan Government recognizes the need to diversify its economy and has taken steps in recent years to do so. In addition to looking for new commodity markets in the Middle East and Europe, Paraguayan officials have promoted the country’s low labor costs, cheap energy from its massive Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam, and single-digit tax rate on foreign firms. As a result, the number of factories operating in the country – mostly transplants from Brazil - has tripled since 2014. Corruption, limited progress on structural reform, and deficient infrastructure are the main obstacles to long-term growth. Judicial corruption is endemic and is seen as the greatest barrier to attracting more foreign investment. Paraguay has been adverse to public debt throughout its history, but has recently sought to finance infrastructure improvements to attract foreign investment." + "text": "Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy distinguished by a large informal sector, featuring re-export of imported consumer goods to neighboring countries, as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. A large percentage of the population, especially in rural areas, derives its living from agricultural activity, often on a subsistence basis. Because of the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. ++ On a per capita basis, real income has grown steadily over the past five years as strong world demand for commodities, combined with high prices and favorable weather, supported Paraguay's commodity-based export expansion. Paraguay is the fifth largest soy producer in the world. Drought hit in 2008, reducing agricultural exports and slowing the economy even before the onset of the global recession. The economy fell 3.8% in 2009, as lower world demand and commodity prices caused exports to contract. Severe drought and outbreaks of hoof-and-mouth disease in 2012 led to a brief drop in beef and other agricultural exports. Since 2014, however, Paraguay's economy has grown at a 4% average annual rate due to strong production and high global prices, at a time when other countries in the region have contracted. ++ The Paraguayan Government recognizes the need to diversify its economy and has taken steps in recent years to do so. In addition to looking for new commodity markets in the Middle East and Europe, Paraguayan officials have promoted the country's low labor costs, cheap energy from its massive Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam, and single-digit tax rate on foreign firms. As a result, the number of factories operating in the country – mostly transplants from Brazil - has tripled since 2014. ++ Corruption, limited progress on structural reform, and deficient infrastructure are the main obstacles to long-term growth. Judicial corruption is endemic and is seen as the greatest barrier to attracting more foreign investment. Paraguay has been adverse to public debt throughout its history, but has recently sought to finance infrastructure improvements to attract foreign investment." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$88.91 billion (2017 est.) / $84.87 billion (2016 est.) / $81.36 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/south-america/pe.json b/south-america/pe.json index ace22402..9b0f6ce9 100644 --- a/south-america/pe.json +++ b/south-america/pe.json @@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ "text": "approximately one-third of the population resides along the desert coastal belt in the west, with a strong focus on the capital city of Lima; the Andean highlands, or sierra, which is strongly identified with the country's Amerindian population, contains roughly half of the overall population; the eastern slopes of the Andes, and adjoining rainforest, are sparsely populated" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity\nvolcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains; Ubinas (5,672 m), which last erupted in 2009, is the country's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes include El Misti, Huaynaputina, Sabancaya, and Yucamane; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" + "text": "earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity ++ volcanism: volcanic activity in the Andes Mountains; Ubinas (5,672 m), which last erupted in 2009, is the country's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes include El Misti, Huaynaputina, Sabancaya, and Yucamane; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes; overfishing" @@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River note 2: Peru is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Firenote 3: on 19 February 1600, Mount Huaynaputina in the southern Peruvian Andes erupted in the largest volcanic explosion in South America in historical times; intermittent eruptions lasted until 5 March 1600 and pumped an estimated 16 to 32 million metric tons of particulates into the atmosphere reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the earth's surface and affecting weather worldwide; over the next two and a half years, millions died around the globe in famines from bitterly cold winters, cool summers, and the loss of crops and animalsnote 4: the southern regions of Peru and the extreme northwestern part of Bolivia are considered to be the place of origin for the common potato" + "text": "note 1: shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the ultimate source of the Amazon River ++ note 2: Peru is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire ++ note 3: on 19 February 1600, Mount Huaynaputina in the southern Peruvian Andes erupted in the largest volcanic explosion in South America in historical times; intermittent eruptions lasted until 5 March 1600 and pumped an estimated 16 to 32 million metric tons of particulates into the atmosphere reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the earth's surface and affecting weather worldwide; over the next two and a half years, millions died around the globe in famines from bitterly cold winters, cool summers, and the loss of crops and animals ++ note 4: the southern regions of Peru and the extreme northwestern part of Bolivia are considered to be the place of origin for the common potato" } } }, @@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 60%, Christian 14.6% (includes evangelical 11.1%, other 3.5%), other .3%, none 4%, unspecified 21.1% (2017 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Peru's urban and coastal communities have benefited much more from recent economic growth than rural, Afro-Peruvian, indigenous, and poor populations of the Amazon and mountain regions. The poverty rate has dropped substantially during the last decade but remains stubbornly high at about 30% (more than 55% in rural areas). After remaining almost static for about a decade, Peru's malnutrition rate began falling in 2005, when the government introduced a coordinated strategy focusing on hygiene, sanitation, and clean water. School enrollment has improved, but achievement scores reflect ongoing problems with educational quality. Many poor children temporarily or permanently drop out of school to help support their families. About a quarter to a third of Peruvian children aged 6 to 14 work, often putting in long hours at hazardous mining or construction sites.\nPeru was a country of immigration in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but has become a country of emigration in the last few decades. Beginning in the 19th century, Peru brought in Asian contract laborers mainly to work on coastal plantations. Populations of Chinese and Japanese descent - among the largest in Latin America - are economically and culturally influential in Peru today. Peruvian emigration began rising in the 1980s due to an economic crisis and a violent internal conflict, but outflows have stabilized in the last few years as economic conditions have improved. Nonetheless, more than 2 million Peruvians have emigrated in the last decade, principally to the US, Spain, and Argentina." + "text": "Peru's urban and coastal communities have benefited much more from recent economic growth than rural, Afro-Peruvian, indigenous, and poor populations of the Amazon and mountain regions. The poverty rate has dropped substantially during the last decade but remains stubbornly high at about 30% (more than 55% in rural areas). After remaining almost static for about a decade, Peru's malnutrition rate began falling in 2005, when the government introduced a coordinated strategy focusing on hygiene, sanitation, and clean water. School enrollment has improved, but achievement scores reflect ongoing problems with educational quality. Many poor children temporarily or permanently drop out of school to help support their families. About a quarter to a third of Peruvian children aged 6 to 14 work, often putting in long hours at hazardous mining or construction sites. ++ Peru was a country of immigration in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but has become a country of emigration in the last few decades. Beginning in the 19th century, Peru brought in Asian contract laborers mainly to work on coastal plantations. Populations of Chinese and Japanese descent - among the largest in Latin America - are economically and culturally influential in Peru today. Peruvian emigration began rising in the 1980s due to an economic crisis and a violent internal conflict, but outflows have stabilized in the last few years as economic conditions have improved. Nonetheless, more than 2 million Peruvians have emigrated in the last decade, principally to the US, Spain, and Argentina." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -260,14 +260,11 @@ "text": "76.3% (2018)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95.6% of population / rural: 77.4% of population / total: 92.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "22.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "7.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 4.4% of population / rural: 22.6% of population / total: 7.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -280,14 +277,11 @@ "text": "1.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 7.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 92.2% of population / rural: 60.8% of population / total: 85.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "14.8% of population (2017 est.)" - }, - "total": { - "text": "23.8% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 7.8% of population / rural: 14.8% of population (2017 est.) / total: 23.8% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -310,7 +304,7 @@ "text": "dengue fever, malaria, and Bartonellosis (Oroya fever)" }, "note": { - "text": "note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Peru; as of 10 November 2020, Peru has reported a total of 917,503 cases of COVID-19 or 27,827 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 1 million population with 1,055 cumulative deaths per 1 million population; at this time, there are no specific limitations or quarantine requirements for US citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents entering the US from Peru; on 3 June 2020, Peruvian President Martín VIZCARRA signed a supreme decree extending Peru’s Health State of Emergency for 90 days beginning Wednesday, 10 June 2020; this is not an extension of the national quarantine, although social distancing and the use of facemasks will be required for the foreseeable future" + "text": "note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring throughout Peru; as of 10 November 2020, Peru has reported a total of 917,503 cases of COVID-19 or 27,827 cumulative cases of COVID-19 per 1 million population with 1,055 cumulative deaths per 1 million population; at this time, there are no specific limitations or quarantine requirements for US citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents entering the US from Peru; on 3 June 2020, Peruvian President Martín VIZCARRA signed a supreme decree extending Peru's Health State of Emergency for 90 days beginning Wednesday, 10 June 2020; this is not an extension of the national quarantine, although social distancing and the use of facemasks will be required for the foreseeable future" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -454,7 +448,7 @@ "text": "Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi (Fuerza Popular) 39.9%, Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard (Peruanos Por el Kambio) 21.1%, Veronika MENDOZA (Broad Front) 18.7%, Alfredo BARNECHEA (Popular Action) 7%, Alan GARCIA (APRA) 5.8%, other 7.5%; percent of vote in second round - Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard 50.1%, Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi 49.9%" }, "note": { - "text": "note: President Martin Alberto VIZCARRA Cornejo assumed office after President Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard resigned from office on 21 March 2018; after VIZCARRA was impeached on 9 November 2020, the constitutional line of succession led to the inauguration of the President of the Peruvian Congress, Manuel Arturo MERINO, as President of Peru on 10 November 2020; following his resignation only days later on 15 November 2020, Francisco Rafael SAGASTI Hochhausler - who had been elected by the legislature to be the new President of Congress on 16 November 2020 - was then sworn in as President of Peru on 17 November 2020 by line of succession note: Prime Minister Antero FLORES-ARAOZ Esparza (since 11 November 2020) does not exercise executive power; this power rests with the president" + "text": "note: President Martin Alberto VIZCARRA Cornejo assumed office after President Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI Godard resigned from office on 21 March 2018; after VIZCARRA was impeached on 9 November 2020, the constitutional line of succession led to the inauguration of the President of the Peruvian Congress, Manuel Arturo MERINO, as President of Peru on 10 November 2020; following his resignation only days later on 15 November 2020, Francisco Rafael SAGASTI Hochhausler - who had been elected by the legislature to be the new President of Congress on 16 November 2020 - was then sworn in as President of Peru on 17 November 2020 by line of succession ++ note: Prime Minister Antero FLORES-ARAOZ Esparza (since 11 November 2020) does not exercise executive power; this power rests with the president ++" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -480,7 +474,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for Progress (Alianza para el Progreso) or APP [Cesar ACUNA Peralta]American Popular Revolutionary Alliance or APRABroad Front (Frente Amplio; also known as El Frente Amplio por Justicia, Vida y Libertad) (coalition includes Nuevo Peru [Veronika Mendoza], Tierra y Libertad [Marco ARANA Zegarra], and Fuerza Social [Susana VILLARAN de la Puente]Fuerza Popular (formerly Fuerza 2011) [Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi]National Solidarity (Solidaridad Nacional) or SN [Luis CASTANEDA Lossio]Peru Posible or PP (coalition includes Accion Popular and Somos Peru) [Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique]Peruvian Aprista Party (Partido Aprista Peruano) or PAP [Javier VELASQUEZ Quesquen] (also referred to by its original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA)Peruvian Nationalist Party [Ollanta HUMALA]Peruvians for Change (Peruanos Por el Kambio) or PPK [Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI]Popular Action (Accion Popular) or AP [Mesias GUEVARA Amasifuen]Popular Christian Party (Partido Popular Cristiano) or PPC [Lourdes FLORES Nano]" + "text": "Alliance for Progress (Alianza para el Progreso) or APP [Cesar ACUNA Peralta]American Popular Revolutionary Alliance or APRA ++ Broad Front (Frente Amplio; also known as El Frente Amplio por Justicia, Vida y Libertad) (coalition includes Nuevo Peru [Veronika Mendoza], Tierra y Libertad [Marco ARANA Zegarra], and Fuerza Social [Susana VILLARAN de la Puente] ++ Fuerza Popular (formerly Fuerza 2011) [Keiko FUJIMORI Higuchi] ++ National Solidarity (Solidaridad Nacional) or SN [Luis CASTANEDA Lossio] ++ Peru Posible or PP (coalition includes Accion Popular and Somos Peru) [Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique] ++ Peruvian Aprista Party (Partido Aprista Peruano) or PAP [Javier VELASQUEZ Quesquen] (also referred to by its original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana or APRA) ++ Peruvian Nationalist Party [Ollanta HUMALA] ++ Peruvians for Change (Peruanos Por el Kambio) or PPK [Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI] ++ Popular Action (Accion Popular) or AP [Mesias GUEVARA Amasifuen] ++ Popular Christian Party (Partido Popular Cristiano) or PPC [Lourdes FLORES Nano]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "APEC, BIS, CAN, CD, CELAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance, PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UN Security Council (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -539,7 +533,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Peru's economy reflects its varied topography - an arid lowland coastal region, the central high sierra of the Andes, and the dense forest of the Amazon. A wide range of important mineral resources are found in the mountainous and coastal areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent fishing grounds. Peru is the world's second largest producer of silver and copper. The Peruvian economy grew by an average of 5.6% per year from 2009-13 with a stable exchange rate and low inflation. This growth was due partly to high international prices for Peru's metals and minerals exports, which account for 55% of the country's total exports. Growth slipped from 2014 to 2017, due to weaker world prices for these resources. Despite Peru's strong macroeconomic performance, dependence on minerals and metals exports and imported foodstuffs makes the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices. Peru's rapid expansion coupled with cash transfers and other programs have helped to reduce the national poverty rate by over 35 percentage points since 2004, but inequality persists and continued to pose a challenge for the Ollanta HUMALA administration, which championed a policy of social inclusion and a more equitable distribution of income. Poor infrastructure hinders the spread of growth to Peru's non-coastal areas. The HUMALA administration passed several economic stimulus packages in 2014 to bolster growth, including reforms to environmental regulations in order to spur investment in Peru’s lucrative mining sector, a move that was opposed by some environmental groups. However, in 2015, mining investment fell as global commodity prices remained low and social conflicts plagued the sector. Peru's free trade policy continued under the HUMALA administration; since 2006, Peru has signed trade deals with the US, Canada, Singapore, China, Korea, Mexico, Japan, the EU, the European Free Trade Association, Chile, Thailand, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Honduras, concluded negotiations with Guatemala and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and begun trade talks with El Salvador, India, and Turkey. Peru also has signed a trade pact with Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, called the Pacific Alliance, that seeks integration of services, capital, investment and movement of people. Since the US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement entered into force in February 2009, total trade between Peru and the US has doubled. President Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI succeeded HUMALA in July 2016 and is focusing on economic reforms and free market policies aimed at boosting investment in Peru. Mining output increased significantly in 2016-17, which helped Peru attain one of the highest GDP growth rates in Latin America, and Peru should maintain strong growth in 2018. However, economic performance was depressed by delays in infrastructure mega-projects and the start of a corruption scandal associated with a Brazilian firm. Massive flooding in early 2017 also was a drag on growth, offset somewhat by additional public spending aimed at recovery efforts." + "text": "Peru's economy reflects its varied topography - an arid lowland coastal region, the central high sierra of the Andes, and the dense forest of the Amazon. A wide range of important mineral resources are found in the mountainous and coastal areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent fishing grounds. Peru is the world's second largest producer of silver and copper. ++ The Peruvian economy grew by an average of 5.6% per year from 2009-13 with a stable exchange rate and low inflation. This growth was due partly to high international prices for Peru's metals and minerals exports, which account for 55% of the country's total exports. Growth slipped from 2014 to 2017, due to weaker world prices for these resources. Despite Peru's strong macroeconomic performance, dependence on minerals and metals exports and imported foodstuffs makes the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices. ++ Peru's rapid expansion coupled with cash transfers and other programs have helped to reduce the national poverty rate by over 35 percentage points since 2004, but inequality persists and continued to pose a challenge for the Ollanta HUMALA administration, which championed a policy of social inclusion and a more equitable distribution of income. Poor infrastructure hinders the spread of growth to Peru's non-coastal areas. The HUMALA administration passed several economic stimulus packages in 2014 to bolster growth, including reforms to environmental regulations in order to spur investment in Peru's lucrative mining sector, a move that was opposed by some environmental groups. However, in 2015, mining investment fell as global commodity prices remained low and social conflicts plagued the sector. ++ Peru's free trade policy continued under the HUMALA administration; since 2006, Peru has signed trade deals with the US, Canada, Singapore, China, Korea, Mexico, Japan, the EU, the European Free Trade Association, Chile, Thailand, Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Honduras, concluded negotiations with Guatemala and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and begun trade talks with El Salvador, India, and Turkey. Peru also has signed a trade pact with Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, called the Pacific Alliance, that seeks integration of services, capital, investment and movement of people. Since the US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement entered into force in February 2009, total trade between Peru and the US has doubled. President Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI succeeded HUMALA in July 2016 and is focusing on economic reforms and free market policies aimed at boosting investment in Peru. Mining output increased significantly in 2016-17, which helped Peru attain one of the highest GDP growth rates in Latin America, and Peru should maintain strong growth in 2018. However, economic performance was depressed by delays in infrastructure mega-projects and the start of a corruption scandal associated with a Brazilian firm. Massive flooding in early 2017 also was a drag on growth, offset somewhat by additional public spending aimed at recovery efforts." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$430.3 billion (2017 est.) / $420 billion (2016 est.) / $403.7 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/south-america/uy.json b/south-america/uy.json index eb585a4f..c6d49dc7 100644 --- a/south-america/uy.json +++ b/south-america/uy.json @@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ "text": "Roman Catholic 47.1%, non-Catholic Christians 11.1%, nondenominational 23.2%, Jewish 0.3%, atheist or agnostic 17.2%, other 1.1% (2006 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Uruguay rates high for most development indicators and is known for its secularism, liberal social laws, and well-developed social security, health, and educational systems. It is one of the few countries in Latin America and the Caribbean where the entire population has access to clean water. Uruguay's provision of free primary through university education has contributed to the country's high levels of literacy and educational attainment. However, the emigration of human capital has diminished the state's return on its investment in education. Remittances from the roughly 18% of Uruguayans abroad amount to less than 1 percent of national GDP. The emigration of young adults and a low birth rate are causing Uruguay's population to age rapidly.\nIn the 1960s, Uruguayans for the first time emigrated en masse - primarily to Argentina and Brazil - because of economic decline and the onset of more than a decade of military dictatorship. Economic crises in the early 1980s and 2002 also triggered waves of emigration, but since 2002 more than 70% of Uruguayan emigrants have selected the US and Spain as destinations because of better job prospects. Uruguay had a tiny population upon its independence in 1828 and welcomed thousands of predominantly Italian and Spanish immigrants, but the country has not experienced large influxes of new arrivals since the aftermath of World War II. More recent immigrants include Peruvians and Arabs." + "text": "Uruguay rates high for most development indicators and is known for its secularism, liberal social laws, and well-developed social security, health, and educational systems. It is one of the few countries in Latin America and the Caribbean where the entire population has access to clean water. Uruguay's provision of free primary through university education has contributed to the country's high levels of literacy and educational attainment. However, the emigration of human capital has diminished the state's return on its investment in education. Remittances from the roughly 18% of Uruguayans abroad amount to less than 1 percent of national GDP. The emigration of young adults and a low birth rate are causing Uruguay's population to age rapidly. ++ In the 1960s, Uruguayans for the first time emigrated en masse - primarily to Argentina and Brazil - because of economic decline and the onset of more than a decade of military dictatorship. Economic crises in the early 1980s and 2002 also triggered waves of emigration, but since 2002 more than 70% of Uruguayan emigrants have selected the US and Spain as destinations because of better job prospects. Uruguay had a tiny population upon its independence in 1828 and welcomed thousands of predominantly Italian and Spanish immigrants, but the country has not experienced large influxes of new arrivals since the aftermath of World War II. More recent immigrants include Peruvians and Arabs." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 100% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 93.9% of population / total: 99.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "95% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "100% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 95% of population / total: 100% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "2.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99% of population / rural: 98.3% of population / total: 98.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "2.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1% of population / rural: 1.7% of population / total: 2.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -446,13 +440,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of:Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (31 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; the vice-president serves as the presiding ex-officio member; elected members serve 5-year terms) Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of: Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (31 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; the vice-president serves as the presiding ex-officio member; elected members serve 5-year terms) ++ Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Chamber of Senators - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2024) Chamber of Representatives - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2024)" + "text": "Chamber of Senators - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2024) ++ Chamber of Representatives - last held on 27 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by coalition/party - na; seats by coalition/party - Frente Amplio 13, National Party 10, Colorado Party 4, Open Cabildo 3; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition/party - na; seats by coalition/party - Frente Amplio 42, National Party 30, Colorado Party 13, Open Cabildo 11, Independent Party 1, other 2" + "text": "Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by coalition/party - na; seats by coalition/party - Frente Amplio 13, National Party 10, Colorado Party 4, Open Cabildo 3; ++ Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition/party - na; seats by coalition/party - Frente Amplio 42, National Party 30, Colorado Party 13, Open Cabildo 11, Independent Party 1, other 2" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -467,7 +461,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Broad Front or FA (Frente Amplio) [Javier MIRANDA] - (a broad governing coalition that includes Uruguay Assembly [Danilo ASTORI], Progressive Alliance [Rodolfo NIN NOVOA], New Space [Rafael MICHELINI], Socialist Party [Monica XAVIER], Vertiente Artiguista [Enrique RUBIO], Christian Democratic Party [Jorge RODRIGUEZ], For the People’s Victory [Luis PUIG], Popular Participation Movement (MPP) [Jose MUJICA], Broad Front Commitment [Raul SENDIC], Big House [Constanza MOREIRA], Communist Party [Marcos CARAMBULA], The Federal League [Dario PEREZ]Colorado Party (including Vamos Uruguay (or Let's Go Uruguay), Open Space [Tabare VIERA], and Open Batllism [Ope PASQUET])Independent Party [Pablo MIERES]National Party or Blanco (including Everyone [Luis LACALLE POU] and National Alliance [Jorge LARRANAGA])Popular Unity [Gonzalo ABELLA]Open Cabildo [Guido MANINI RIOS]" + "text": "Broad Front or FA (Frente Amplio) [Javier MIRANDA] - (a broad governing coalition that includes Uruguay Assembly [Danilo ASTORI], Progressive Alliance [Rodolfo NIN NOVOA], New Space [Rafael MICHELINI], Socialist Party [Monica XAVIER], Vertiente Artiguista [Enrique RUBIO], Christian Democratic Party [Jorge RODRIGUEZ], For the People's Victory [Luis PUIG], Popular Participation Movement (MPP) [Jose MUJICA], Broad Front Commitment [Raul SENDIC], Big House [Constanza MOREIRA], Communist Party [Marcos CARAMBULA], The Federal League [Dario PEREZ] ++ Colorado Party (including Vamos Uruguay (or Let's Go Uruguay), Open Space [Tabare VIERA], and Open Batllism [Ope PASQUET]) ++ Independent Party [Pablo MIERES] ++ National Party or Blanco (including Everyone [Luis LACALLE POU] and National Alliance [Jorge LARRANAGA]) ++ Popular Unity [Gonzalo ABELLA] ++ Open Cabildo [Guido MANINI RIOS]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "CAN (associate), CD, CELAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS, OIF (observer), OPANAL, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, SICA (observer), UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -529,7 +523,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Uruguay has a free market economy characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and high levels of social spending. Uruguay has sought to expand trade within the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) and with non-Mercosur members, and President VAZQUEZ has maintained his predecessor's mix of pro-market policies and a strong social safety net.  Following financial difficulties in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Uruguay's economic growth averaged 8% annually during the 2004-08 period. The 2008-09 global financial crisis put a brake on Uruguay's vigorous growth, which decelerated to 2.6% in 2009. Nevertheless, the country avoided a recession and kept growth rates positive, mainly through higher public expenditure and investment; GDP growth reached 8.9% in 2010 but slowed markedly in the 2012-16 period as a result of a renewed slowdown in the global economy and in Uruguay's main trade partners and Mercosur counterparts, Argentina and Brazil. Reforms in those countries should give Uruguay an economic boost. Growth picked up in 2017." + "text": "Uruguay has a free market economy characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and high levels of social spending. Uruguay has sought to expand trade within the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) and with non-Mercosur members, and President VAZQUEZ has maintained his predecessor's mix of pro-market policies and a strong social safety net.  ++ Following financial difficulties in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Uruguay's economic growth averaged 8% annually during the 2004-08 period. The 2008-09 global financial crisis put a brake on Uruguay's vigorous growth, which decelerated to 2.6% in 2009. Nevertheless, the country avoided a recession and kept growth rates positive, mainly through higher public expenditure and investment; GDP growth reached 8.9% in 2010 but slowed markedly in the 2012-16 period as a result of a renewed slowdown in the global economy and in Uruguay's main trade partners and Mercosur counterparts, Argentina and Brazil. Reforms in those countries should give Uruguay an economic boost. Growth picked up in 2017." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$78.16 billion (2017 est.) / $76.14 billion (2016 est.) / $74.87 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/south-america/ve.json b/south-america/ve.json index 0627872e..6f1f30cf 100644 --- a/south-america/ve.json +++ b/south-america/ve.json @@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: the country lies on major sea and air routes linking North and South America note 2: Venezuela has some of the most unique geology in the world; tepuis are massive table-top mountains of the western Guiana Highlands that tend to be isolated and thus support unique endemic plant and animal species; their sheer cliffsides account for some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world including Angel Falls, the world's highest (979 m) that drops off Auyan Tepui" + "text": "note 1: the country lies on major sea and air routes linking North and South America ++ note 2: Venezuela has some of the most unique geology in the world; tepuis are massive table-top mountains of the western Guiana Highlands that tend to be isolated and thus support unique endemic plant and animal species; their sheer cliffsides account for some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world including Angel Falls, the world's highest (979 m) that drops off Auyan Tepui" } } }, @@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ "text": "nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "Social investment in Venezuela during the CHAVEZ administration reduced poverty from nearly 50% in 1999 to about 27% in 2011, increased school enrollment, substantially decreased infant and child mortality, and improved access to potable water and sanitation through social investment. \"Missions\" dedicated to education, nutrition, healthcare, and sanitation were funded through petroleum revenues. The sustainability of this progress remains questionable, however, as the continuation of these social programs depends on the prosperity of Venezuela's oil industry. In the long-term, education and health care spending may increase economic growth and reduce income inequality, but rising costs and the staffing of new health care jobs with foreigners are slowing development. While CHAVEZ was in power, more than one million predominantly middle- and upper-class Venezuelans are estimated to have emigrated. The brain drain is attributed to a repressive political system, lack of economic opportunities, steep inflation, a high crime rate, and corruption. Thousands of oil engineers emigrated to Canada, Colombia, and the United States following CHAVEZ's firing of over 20,000 employees of the state-owned petroleum company during a 2002-03 oil strike. Additionally, thousands of Venezuelans of European descent have taken up residence in their ancestral homelands. Nevertheless, Venezuela has attracted hundreds of thousands of immigrants from South America and southern Europe because of its lenient migration policy and the availability of education and health care. Venezuela also has been a fairly accommodating host to Colombian refugees, numbering about 170,000 as of year-end 2016. However, since 2014, falling oil prices have driven a major economic crisis that has pushed Venezuelans from all walks of life to migrate or to seek asylum abroad to escape severe shortages of food, water, and medicine; soaring inflation; unemployment; and violence. As of November 2019, an estimated 4.6 million Venezuelans were refugees or migrants worldwide, with almost 80% taking refuge in Latin America and the Caribbean (notably Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, and Brazil, as well as the Dominican Republic, Aruba, and Curacao). Asylum applications increased significantly in the US and Brazil in 2016 and 2017. Several receiving countries are making efforts to increase immigration restrictions and to deport illegal Venezuelan migrants - Ecuador and Peru in August 2018 began requiring valid passports for entry, which are difficult to obtain for Venezuelans. Nevertheless, Venezuelans continue to migrate to avoid economic collapse at home." + "text": "Social investment in Venezuela during the CHAVEZ administration reduced poverty from nearly 50% in 1999 to about 27% in 2011, increased school enrollment, substantially decreased infant and child mortality, and improved access to potable water and sanitation through social investment. \"Missions\" dedicated to education, nutrition, healthcare, and sanitation were funded through petroleum revenues. The sustainability of this progress remains questionable, however, as the continuation of these social programs depends on the prosperity of Venezuela's oil industry. In the long-term, education and health care spending may increase economic growth and reduce income inequality, but rising costs and the staffing of new health care jobs with foreigners are slowing development. ++ While CHAVEZ was in power, more than one million predominantly middle- and upper-class Venezuelans are estimated to have emigrated. The brain drain is attributed to a repressive political system, lack of economic opportunities, steep inflation, a high crime rate, and corruption. Thousands of oil engineers emigrated to Canada, Colombia, and the United States following CHAVEZ's firing of over 20,000 employees of the state-owned petroleum company during a 2002-03 oil strike. Additionally, thousands of Venezuelans of European descent have taken up residence in their ancestral homelands. Nevertheless, Venezuela has attracted hundreds of thousands of immigrants from South America and southern Europe because of its lenient migration policy and the availability of education and health care. Venezuela also has been a fairly accommodating host to Colombian refugees, numbering about 170,000 as of year-end 2016. However, since 2014, falling oil prices have driven a major economic crisis that has pushed Venezuelans from all walks of life to migrate or to seek asylum abroad to escape severe shortages of food, water, and medicine; soaring inflation; unemployment; and violence. As of November 2019, an estimated 4.6 million Venezuelans were refugees or migrants worldwide, with almost 80% taking refuge in Latin America and the Caribbean (notably Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, and Brazil, as well as the Dominican Republic, Aruba, and Curacao). Asylum applications increased significantly in the US and Brazil in 2016 and 2017. Several receiving countries are making efforts to increase immigration restrictions and to deport illegal Venezuelan migrants - Ecuador and Peru in August 2018 began requiring valid passports for entry, which are difficult to obtain for Venezuelans. Nevertheless, Venezuelans continue to migrate to avoid economic collapse at home." }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -260,8 +260,11 @@ "text": "75% (2010)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 4.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 95.7% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 4.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -271,8 +274,11 @@ "text": "0.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "total": { - "text": "unimproved: 6.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "total: 93.9% of population" + }, + "unimproved": { + "text": "total: 6.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -424,7 +430,7 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "Notification Statement: the United States recognizes Juan GUAIDO as the Interim President of VenezuelaPresident Nicolas MADURO Moros (since 19 April 2013); Executive Vice President Delcy RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 14 June 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government" + "text": "Notification Statement: the United States recognizes Juan GUAIDO as the Interim President of Venezuela ++ President Nicolas MADURO Moros (since 19 April 2013); Executive Vice President Delcy RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 14 June 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government" }, "head of government": { "text": "President Nicolas MADURO Moros (since 19 April 2013); Executive Vice President Delcy RODRIGUEZ Gomez (since 14 June 2018)" @@ -462,7 +468,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "A New Era or UNT [Manuel ROSALES]Brave People's Alliance or ABP [Richard BLANCO]Christian Democrats or COPEI [Roberto ENRIQUEZ]Clear Accounts or CC [Enzo SCARENO]Coalition of parties loyal to Hugo CHAVEZ -- Great Patriotic Pole or GPP [Nicolas MADURO]Coalition of opposition parties -- The Democratic Unity Table or MUD [Jose Luis CARTAYA]Come On Venezuela or VV [Maria MACHADO]Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV [Oscar FIGUERA]Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS ALLUP]Justice First or PJ [Julio BORGES]Popular Will or VP [Leopoldo LOPEZ]Progressive Wave or AP [Henri FALCON]The Radical Cause or La Causa R [Andres VELAZQUEZ]United Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV [Nicolas MADURO]Venezuelan Progressive Movement or MPV [Simon CALZADILLA]Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique Fernando SALAS FEO]" + "text": "A New Era or UNT [Manuel ROSALES] ++ Brave People's Alliance or ABP [Richard BLANCO] ++ Christian Democrats or COPEI [Roberto ENRIQUEZ] ++ Clear Accounts or CC [Enzo SCARENO] ++ Coalition of parties loyal to Hugo CHAVEZ -- Great Patriotic Pole or GPP [Nicolas MADURO] ++ Coalition of opposition parties -- The Democratic Unity Table or MUD [Jose Luis CARTAYA] ++ Come On Venezuela or VV [Maria MACHADO] ++ Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV [Oscar FIGUERA] ++ Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS ALLUP] ++ Justice First or PJ [Julio BORGES] ++ Popular Will or VP [Leopoldo LOPEZ] ++ Progressive Wave or AP [Henri FALCON] ++ The Radical Cause or La Causa R [Andres VELAZQUEZ] ++ United Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV [Nicolas MADURO] ++ Venezuelan Progressive Movement or MPV [Simon CALZADILLA] ++ Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique Fernando SALAS FEO]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -521,7 +527,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account for almost all export earnings and nearly half of the government’s revenue, despite a continued decline in oil production in 2017. In the absence of official statistics, foreign experts estimate that GDP contracted 12% in 2017, inflation exceeded 2000%, people faced widespread shortages of consumer goods and medicine, and the central bank's international reserves dwindled. In late 2017, Venezuela also entered selective default on some of its sovereign and state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., (PDVSA) bonds. Domestic production and industry continues to severely underperform and the Venezuelan Government continues to rely on imports to meet its basic food and consumer goods needs. Falling oil prices since 2014 have aggravated Venezuela’s economic crisis. Insufficient access to dollars, price controls, and rigid labor regulations have led some US and multinational firms to reduce or shut down their Venezuelan operations. Market uncertainty and PDVSA’s poor cash flow have slowed investment in the petroleum sector, resulting in a decline in oil production. Under President Nicolas MADURO, the Venezuelan Government’s response to the economic crisis has been to increase state control over the economy and blame the private sector for shortages. MADURO has given authority for the production and distribution of basic goods to the military and to local socialist party member committees. The Venezuelan Government has maintained strict currency controls since 2003. The government has been unable to sustain its mechanisms for distributing dollars to the private sector, in part because it needed to withhold some foreign exchange reserves to make its foreign bond payments. As a result of price and currency controls, local industries have struggled to purchase production inputs necessary to maintain their operations or sell goods at a profit on the local market. Expansionary monetary policies and currency controls have created opportunities for arbitrage and corruption and fueled a rapid increase in black market activity." + "text": "Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account for almost all export earnings and nearly half of the government's revenue, despite a continued decline in oil production in 2017. In the absence of official statistics, foreign experts estimate that GDP contracted 12% in 2017, inflation exceeded 2000%, people faced widespread shortages of consumer goods and medicine, and the central bank's international reserves dwindled. In late 2017, Venezuela also entered selective default on some of its sovereign and state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., (PDVSA) bonds. Domestic production and industry continues to severely underperform and the Venezuelan Government continues to rely on imports to meet its basic food and consumer goods needs. ++ Falling oil prices since 2014 have aggravated Venezuela's economic crisis. Insufficient access to dollars, price controls, and rigid labor regulations have led some US and multinational firms to reduce or shut down their Venezuelan operations. Market uncertainty and PDVSA's poor cash flow have slowed investment in the petroleum sector, resulting in a decline in oil production. ++ Under President Nicolas MADURO, the Venezuelan Government's response to the economic crisis has been to increase state control over the economy and blame the private sector for shortages. MADURO has given authority for the production and distribution of basic goods to the military and to local socialist party member committees. The Venezuelan Government has maintained strict currency controls since 2003. The government has been unable to sustain its mechanisms for distributing dollars to the private sector, in part because it needed to withhold some foreign exchange reserves to make its foreign bond payments. As a result of price and currency controls, local industries have struggled to purchase production inputs necessary to maintain their operations or sell goods at a profit on the local market. Expansionary monetary policies and currency controls have created opportunities for arbitrage and corruption and fueled a rapid increase in black market activity." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$381.6 billion (2017 est.) / $443.7 billion (2016 est.) / $531.1 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/south-asia/af.json b/south-asia/af.json index 4792af1c..45f744c3 100644 --- a/south-asia/af.json +++ b/south-asia/af.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in increased democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 communist countercoup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-communist mujahidin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Usama BIN LADIN. A UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan, and the National Assembly was inaugurated the following December. KARZAI was reelected in August 2009 for a second term. The 2014 presidential election was the country's first to include a runoff, which featured the top two vote-getters from the first round, Abdullah ABDULLAH and Ashraf GHANI. Throughout the summer of 2014, their campaigns disputed the results and traded accusations of fraud, leading to a US-led diplomatic intervention that included a full vote audit as well as political negotiations between the two camps. In September 2014, GHANI and ABDULLAH agreed to form the Government of National Unity, with GHANI inaugurated as president and ABDULLAH elevated to the newly-created position of chief executive officer. The day after the inauguration, the GHANI administration signed the US-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement and NATO Status of Forces Agreement, which provide the legal basis for the post-2014 international military presence in Afghanistan. After two postponements, the next presidential election was held in September 2019. The Taliban remains a serious challenge for the Afghan Government in almost every province. The Taliban still considers itself the rightful government of Afghanistan, and it remains a capable and confident insurgent force fighting for the withdrawal of foreign military forces from Afghanistan, establishment of sharia law, and rewriting of the Afghan constitution. In 2019, negotiations between the US and the Taliban in Doha entered their highest level yet, building on momentum that began in late 2018. Underlying the negotiations is the unsettled state of Afghan politics, and prospects for a sustainable political settlement remain unclear." + "text": "Ahmad Shah DURRANI unified the Pashtun tribes and founded Afghanistan in 1747. The country served as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires until it won independence from notional British control in 1919. A brief experiment in increased democracy ended in a 1973 coup and a 1978 communist countercoup. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979 to support the tottering Afghan communist regime, touching off a long and destructive war. The USSR withdrew in 1989 under relentless pressure by internationally supported anti-communist mujahidin rebels. A series of subsequent civil wars saw Kabul finally fall in 1996 to the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that emerged in 1994 to end the country's civil war and anarchy. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a US, Allied, and anti-Taliban Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban for sheltering Usama BIN LADIN. ++ A UN-sponsored Bonn Conference in 2001 established a process for political reconstruction that included the adoption of a new constitution, a presidential election in 2004, and National Assembly elections in 2005. In December 2004, Hamid KARZAI became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan, and the National Assembly was inaugurated the following December. KARZAI was reelected in August 2009 for a second term. The 2014 presidential election was the country's first to include a runoff, which featured the top two vote-getters from the first round, Abdullah ABDULLAH and Ashraf GHANI. Throughout the summer of 2014, their campaigns disputed the results and traded accusations of fraud, leading to a US-led diplomatic intervention that included a full vote audit as well as political negotiations between the two camps. In September 2014, GHANI and ABDULLAH agreed to form the Government of National Unity, with GHANI inaugurated as president and ABDULLAH elevated to the newly-created position of chief executive officer. The day after the inauguration, the GHANI administration signed the US-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement and NATO Status of Forces Agreement, which provide the legal basis for the post-2014 international military presence in Afghanistan. After two postponements, the next presidential election was held in September 2019. ++ The Taliban remains a serious challenge for the Afghan Government in almost every province. The Taliban still considers itself the rightful government of Afghanistan, and it remains a capable and confident insurgent force fighting for the withdrawal of foreign military forces from Afghanistan, establishment of sharia law, and rewriting of the Afghan constitution. In 2019, negotiations between the US and the Taliban in Doha entered their highest level yet, building on momentum that began in late 2018. Underlying the negotiations is the unsettled state of Afghan politics, and prospects for a sustainable political settlement remain unclear." } }, "Geography": { @@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ "Languages": { "text": "Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 77% (Dari functions as the lingua franca), Pashto (official) 48%, Uzbek 11%, English 6%, Turkmen 3%, Urdu 3%, Pashayi 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi 1% (2017 est.)", "note": { - "text": "note: data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because there is much bilingualism in the country and because respondents were allowed to select more than one language note: the Turkic languages Uzbek and Turkmen, as well as Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them" + "text": "note: data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because there is much bilingualism in the country and because respondents were allowed to select more than one language ++ note: the Turkic languages Uzbek and Turkmen, as well as Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them" } }, "Religions": { @@ -261,14 +261,11 @@ } }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.2% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 95.9% of population / rural: 61.4% of population / total: 70.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "38.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "38.6% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.2% of population / rural: 38.6% of population / total: 38.6% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -281,14 +278,11 @@ "text": "0.4 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 16.4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 83.6% of population / rural: 43% of population / total: 53.2% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "57% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "46.8% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 16.4% of population / rural: 57% of population / total: 46.8% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -457,13 +451,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Assembly consists of:Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats; 34 members indirectly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed by district councils to serve 3-year terms, 34 indirectly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed by provincial councils to serve 4-year terms, and 34 appointed by the president from nominations by civic groups, political parties, and the public, of which 17 must be women, 2 must represent the disabled, and 2 must be Kuchi nomads; presidential appointees serve 5-year terms) Wolesi Jirga or House of People (250 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Assembly consists of: Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102 seats; 34 members indirectly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed by district councils to serve 3-year terms, 34 indirectly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed by provincial councils to serve 4-year terms, and 34 appointed by the president from nominations by civic groups, political parties, and the public, of which 17 must be women, 2 must represent the disabled, and 2 must be Kuchi nomads; presidential appointees serve 5-year terms) ++ Wolesi Jirga or House of People (250 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Meshrano Jirga - district councils - within 5 days of installation; provincial councils - within 15 days of installation; presidential appointees - within 2 weeks after the presidential inauguration Wolesi Jirga - last held on 20 October 2018) (next to be held in 2023)" + "text": "Meshrano Jirga - district councils - within 5 days of installation; provincial councils - within 15 days of installation; presidential appointees - within 2 weeks after the presidential inauguration ++ Wolesi Jirga - last held on 20 October 2018) (next to be held in 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Meshrano Jirga - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 84, women 18, percent of women 17.6%Wolesi Jirga - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA" + "text": "Meshrano Jirga - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 84, women 18, percent of women 17.6% ++ Wolesi Jirga - percent of vote by party NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA" }, "note": { "text": "note: the constitution allows the government to convene a constitutional Loya Jirga (Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it consists of members of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils; a Loya Jirga can amend provisions of the constitution and prosecute the president; no constitutional Loya Jirga has ever been held, and district councils have never been elected; the president appointed 34 members of the Meshrano Jirga that the district councils should have indirectly elected" @@ -543,7 +537,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Despite improvements in life expectancy, incomes, and literacy since 2001, Afghanistan is extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs. Corruption, insecurity, weak governance, lack of infrastructure, and the Afghan Government's difficulty in extending rule of law to all parts of the country pose challenges to future economic growth. Afghanistan's living standards are among the lowest in the world. Since 2014, the economy has slowed, in large part because of the withdrawal of nearly 100,000 foreign troops that had artificially inflated the country’s economic growth. The international community remains committed to Afghanistan's development, pledging over $83 billion at ten donors' conferences between 2003 and 2016. In October 2016, the donors at the Brussels conference pledged an additional $3.8 billion in development aid annually from 2017 to 2020. Even with this help, Government of Afghanistan still faces number of challenges, including low revenue collection, anemic job creation, high levels of corruption, weak government capacity, and poor public infrastructure. In 2017 Afghanistan's growth rate was only marginally above that of the 2014-2016 average. The drawdown of international security forces that started in 2012 has negatively affected economic growth, as a substantial portion of commerce, especially in the services sector, has catered to the ongoing international troop presence in the country. Afghan President Ashraf GHANI Ahmadzai is dedicated to instituting economic reforms to include improving revenue collection and fighting corruption. The government has implemented reforms to the budget process and in some other areas. However, many other reforms will take time to implement and Afghanistan will remain dependent on international donor support over the next several years." + "text": "Despite improvements in life expectancy, incomes, and literacy since 2001, Afghanistan is extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid. Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs. Corruption, insecurity, weak governance, lack of infrastructure, and the Afghan Government's difficulty in extending rule of law to all parts of the country pose challenges to future economic growth. Afghanistan's living standards are among the lowest in the world. Since 2014, the economy has slowed, in large part because of the withdrawal of nearly 100,000 foreign troops that had artificially inflated the country's economic growth. ++ The international community remains committed to Afghanistan's development, pledging over $83 billion at ten donors' conferences between 2003 and 2016. In October 2016, the donors at the Brussels conference pledged an additional $3.8 billion in development aid annually from 2017 to 2020. Even with this help, Government of Afghanistan still faces number of challenges, including low revenue collection, anemic job creation, high levels of corruption, weak government capacity, and poor public infrastructure. ++ In 2017 Afghanistan's growth rate was only marginally above that of the 2014-2016 average. The drawdown of international security forces that started in 2012 has negatively affected economic growth, as a substantial portion of commerce, especially in the services sector, has catered to the ongoing international troop presence in the country. Afghan President Ashraf GHANI Ahmadzai is dedicated to instituting economic reforms to include improving revenue collection and fighting corruption. The government has implemented reforms to the budget process and in some other areas. However, many other reforms will take time to implement and Afghanistan will remain dependent on international donor support over the next several years." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$69.45 billion (2017 est.) / $67.65 billion (2016 est.) / $66.21 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -919,7 +913,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) are comprised of military, police, and other security elements:Ministry of Defense: Afghan National Army ((ANA), Afghan Air Force, Afghan Special Security Forces (includes Special Operations Forces), Afghanistan National Army Territorial Forces (ANA-TF)); Afghan Border Force (ABF); Afghan National Civil Order Force (ANCOF)Ministry of Interior: Afghan Uniform (National) Police (AUP); Public Security Police (PSP); Afghan Border Police (ABP); Afghan Anti-Crime Police; Afghan Local Police; Afghan Public Protection ForceNational Directorate of Security ((NDS), intelligence service) (2020)" + "text": "Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) are comprised of military, police, and other security elements: Ministry of Defense: Afghan National Army ((ANA), Afghan Air Force, Afghan Special Security Forces (includes Special Operations Forces), Afghanistan National Army Territorial Forces (ANA-TF)); Afghan Border Force (ABF); Afghan National Civil Order Force (ANCOF) ++ Ministry of Interior: Afghan Uniform (National) Police (AUP); Public Security Police (PSP); Afghan Border Police (ABP); Afghan Anti-Crime Police; Afghan Local Police; Afghan Public Protection Force ++ National Directorate of Security ((NDS), intelligence service) (2020)" }, "Military expenditures": { "text": "1.2% of GDP (2019) / 1% of GDP (2018) / 0.9% of GDP (2017) / 1% of GDP (2016) / 1% of GDP (2015)" @@ -939,7 +933,7 @@ }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { - "text": "Haqqani Taliban Network; Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami; Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Jaish-e-Mohammed; Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Lashkar i Jhangvi; Lashkar-e Tayyiba; al-Qa’ida; al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent; Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (2020)", + "text": "Haqqani Taliban Network; Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami; Islamic Jihad Union; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province; Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Jaish-e-Mohammed; Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Lashkar i Jhangvi; Lashkar-e Tayyiba; al-Qa'ida; al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent; Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (2020)", "note": { "text": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix T" } diff --git a/south-asia/bg.json b/south-asia/bg.json index 224df885..400e6473 100644 --- a/south-asia/bg.json +++ b/south-asia/bg.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The huge delta region formed at the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River systems - now referred to as Bangladesh - was a loosely incorporated outpost of various empires centered on the Gangetic plain for much of the first millennium A.D. Muslim conversions and settlement in the region began in the 10th century, primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans established trading posts in the area in the 16th century. Eventually the area known as Bengal, primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India. Partition in 1947 resulted in an eastern wing of Pakistan in the Muslim-majority area, which became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western wings of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement, led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India, won the independence war for Bangladesh in 1971. The post-independence AL government faced daunting challenges and in 1975 it was overthrown by the military, triggering a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in 1978. That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections occurred in 1991. The BNP and AL have alternated in power since 1991, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime that suspended parliamentary elections planned for January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption. That government returned the country to fully democratic rule in December 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. In January 2014, the incumbent AL won the national election by an overwhelming majority after the BNP boycotted the election, which extended HASINA's term as prime minister. In December 2018, HASINA secured a third consecutive term (fourth overall) with the AL coalition securing 96% of available seats, amid widespread claims of election irregularities. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh has reduced the poverty rate from over half of the population to less than a third, achieved Millennium Development Goals for maternal and child health, and made great progress in food security since independence. The economy has grown at an annual average of about 6% for the last two decades and the country reached World Bank lower-middle income status in 2014." + "text": "The huge delta region formed at the confluence of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River systems - now referred to as Bangladesh - was a loosely incorporated outpost of various empires centered on the Gangetic plain for much of the first millennium A.D. Muslim conversions and settlement in the region began in the 10th century, primarily from Arab and Persian traders and preachers. Europeans established trading posts in the area in the 16th century. Eventually the area known as Bengal, primarily Hindu in the western section and mostly Muslim in the eastern half, became part of British India. Partition in 1947 resulted in an eastern wing of Pakistan in the Muslim-majority area, which became East Pakistan. Calls for greater autonomy and animosity between the eastern and western wings of Pakistan led to a Bengali independence movement. That movement, led by the Awami League (AL) and supported by India, won the independence war for Bangladesh in 1971. ++ The post-independence AL government faced daunting challenges and in 1975 it was overthrown by the military, triggering a series of military coups that resulted in a military-backed government and subsequent creation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in 1978. That government also ended in a coup in 1981, followed by military-backed rule until democratic elections occurred in 1991. The BNP and AL have alternated in power since 1991, with the exception of a military-backed, emergency caretaker regime that suspended parliamentary elections planned for January 2007 in an effort to reform the political system and root out corruption. That government returned the country to fully democratic rule in December 2008 with the election of the AL and Prime Minister Sheikh HASINA. In January 2014, the incumbent AL won the national election by an overwhelming majority after the BNP boycotted the election, which extended HASINA's term as prime minister. In December 2018, HASINA secured a third consecutive term (fourth overall) with the AL coalition securing 96% of available seats, amid widespread claims of election irregularities. With the help of international development assistance, Bangladesh has reduced the poverty rate from over half of the population to less than a third, achieved Millennium Development Goals for maternal and child health, and made great progress in food security since independence. The economy has grown at an annual average of about 6% for the last two decades and the country reached World Bank lower-middle income status in 2014." } }, "Geography": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "62.3% (2014)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.1% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.9% of population / rural: 98.4% of population / total: 98.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "1.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.1% of population / rural: 1.6% of population / total: 1.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "0.8 beds/1,000 population (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 17.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 82.5% of population / rural: 64.4% of population / total: 70.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "35.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "29.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 17.5% of population / rural: 35.6% of population / total: 29.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -481,7 +475,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]Bangladesh Nationalist Front or BNF [Abdul Kalam AZADI]Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA]Bangladesh Tariqat Federation or BTF [Syed Nozibul Bashar MAIZBHANDARI]Jamaat-i-Islami Bangladesh or JIB (Makbul AHMAD)Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]Jatiya Party or JP (Manju faction) [Anwar Hossain MANJU]Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Oli AHMED]National Socialist Party or JSD [KHALEQUZZAMAN]Workers Party or WP [Rashed Khan MENON]" + "text": "Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA] ++ Bangladesh Nationalist Front or BNF [Abdul Kalam AZADI] ++ Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP [Khaleda ZIA] ++ Bangladesh Tariqat Federation or BTF [Syed Nozibul Bashar MAIZBHANDARI] ++ Jamaat-i-Islami Bangladesh or JIB (Makbul AHMAD) ++ Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD] ++ Jatiya Party or JP (Manju faction) [Anwar Hossain MANJU] ++ Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Oli AHMED] ++ National Socialist Party or JSD [KHALEQUZZAMAN] ++ Workers Party or WP [Rashed Khan MENON]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -540,7 +534,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Bangladesh's economy has grown roughly 6% per year since 2005 despite prolonged periods of political instability, poor infrastructure, endemic corruption, insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the services sector, almost half of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important product.   Garments, the backbone of Bangladesh's industrial sector, accounted for more than 80% of total exports in FY 2016-17. The industrial sector continues to grow, despite the need for improvements in factory safety conditions. Steady export growth in the garment sector, combined with $13 billion in remittances from overseas Bangladeshis, contributed to Bangladesh's rising foreign exchange reserves in FY 2016-17. Recent improvements to energy infrastructure, including the start of liquefied natural gas imports in 2018, represent a major step forward in resolving a key growth bottleneck." + "text": "Bangladesh's economy has grown roughly 6% per year since 2005 despite prolonged periods of political instability, poor infrastructure, endemic corruption, insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the services sector, almost half of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important product. ++   ++ Garments, the backbone of Bangladesh's industrial sector, accounted for more than 80% of total exports in FY 2016-17. The industrial sector continues to grow, despite the need for improvements in factory safety conditions. Steady export growth in the garment sector, combined with $13 billion in remittances from overseas Bangladeshis, contributed to Bangladesh's rising foreign exchange reserves in FY 2016-17. Recent improvements to energy infrastructure, including the start of liquefied natural gas imports in 2018, represent a major step forward in resolving a key growth bottleneck." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$690.3 billion (2017 est.) / $642.7 billion (2016 est.) / $599.5 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/south-asia/bt.json b/south-asia/bt.json index 74b371bb..22f14632 100644 --- a/south-asia/bt.json +++ b/south-asia/bt.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Following Britain’s victory in the 1865 Duar War, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding land to British India. Ugyen WANGCHUCK - who had served as the de facto ruler of an increasingly unified Bhutan and had improved relations with the British toward the end of the 19th century - was named king in 1907. Three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs, and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. Bhutan negotiated a similar arrangement with independent India in 1949. The Indo-Bhutanese Treaty of Friendship returned to Bhutan a small piece of the territory annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. Under a succession of modernizing monarchs beginning in the 1950s, Bhutan joined the UN in 1971 and slowly continued its engagement beyond its borders. In 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the draft of Bhutan's first constitution - which introduced major democratic reforms - and held a national referendum for its approval. The King abdicated the throne in 2006 in favor of his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK. In 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty, eliminating the clause that stated that Bhutan would be \"guided by\" India in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate closely with New Delhi. In 2008, Bhutan held its first parliamentary election in accordance with the constitution. Bhutan experienced a peaceful turnover of power following a parliamentary election in 2013, which resulted in the defeat of the incumbent party. In 2018, the incumbent party again lost the parliamentary election. Of the more than 100,000 ethnic Nepali - predominantly Lhotshampa - refugees who fled or were forced out of Bhutan in the 1990s, about 6,500 remain displaced in Nepal." + "text": "Following Britain's victory in the 1865 Duar War, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding land to British India. Ugyen WANGCHUCK - who had served as the de facto ruler of an increasingly unified Bhutan and had improved relations with the British toward the end of the 19th century - was named king in 1907. Three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs, and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. Bhutan negotiated a similar arrangement with independent India in 1949. The Indo-Bhutanese Treaty of Friendship returned to Bhutan a small piece of the territory annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. Under a succession of modernizing monarchs beginning in the 1950s, Bhutan joined the UN in 1971 and slowly continued its engagement beyond its borders. ++ In 2005, King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK unveiled the draft of Bhutan's first constitution - which introduced major democratic reforms - and held a national referendum for its approval. The King abdicated the throne in 2006 in favor of his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel WANGCHUCK. In 2007, India and Bhutan renegotiated their treaty, eliminating the clause that stated that Bhutan would be \"guided by\" India in conducting its foreign policy, although Thimphu continues to coordinate closely with New Delhi. In 2008, Bhutan held its first parliamentary election in accordance with the constitution. Bhutan experienced a peaceful turnover of power following a parliamentary election in 2013, which resulted in the defeat of the incumbent party. In 2018, the incumbent party again lost the parliamentary election. Of the more than 100,000 ethnic Nepali - predominantly Lhotshampa - refugees who fled or were forced out of Bhutan in the 1990s, about 6,500 remain displaced in Nepal." } }, "Geography": { @@ -240,14 +240,11 @@ "text": "65.6% (2010)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 99.3% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 99.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0.7% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -260,14 +257,11 @@ "text": "1.7 beds/1,000 population (2012)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 12.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 87.5% of population / rural: 72.1% of population / total: 78.3% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "27.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "21.7% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 12.5% of population / rural: 27.9% of population / total: 21.7% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -416,13 +410,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Chi Tshog consists of:non-partisan National Council or Gyelyong Tshogde (25 seats; 20 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 5 members appointed by the king; members serve 5-year terms)National Assembly or Tshogdu (47 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Chi Tshog consists of: non-partisan National Council or Gyelyong Tshogde (25 seats; 20 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 5 members appointed by the king; members serve 5-year terms) ++ National Assembly or Tshogdu (47 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "National Council election last held on 20 April 2018 (next to be held in 2023)National Assembly - first round held on 15 September 2018 and second round held on 18 October 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" + "text": "National Council election last held on 20 April 2018 (next to be held in 2023) ++ National Assembly - first round held on 15 September 2018 and second round held on 18 October 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "National Council - seats by party - independent 20 (all candidates ran as independents); composition - men 23, women 2, percent of women 8%National Assembly - first round - percent of vote by party - DNT 31.9%, DPT 30.9%, PDP 27.4%, BKP 9.8%; second round - percent of vote by party -  NA; seats by party - DNT 30, DPT 17; composition - men 40, women 7, percent of women 14.9%; note - total Parliament percent of women 12.5%" + "text": "National Council - seats by party - independent 20 (all candidates ran as independents); composition - men 23, women 2, percent of women 8% ++ National Assembly - first round - percent of vote by party - DNT 31.9%, DPT 30.9%, PDP 27.4%, BKP 9.8%; second round - percent of vote by party -  NA; seats by party - DNT 30, DPT 17; composition - men 40, women 7, percent of women 14.9%; note - total Parliament percent of women 12.5%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -437,7 +431,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party or BKPBhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT [Pema GYAMTSHO] (Druk Chirwang Tshogpa or DCT merged with DPT in March 2018)People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tshering TOBGAY]United Party of Bhutan (Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa) or DNT [Lotay TSHERING]" + "text": "Bhutan Kuen-Nyam Party or BKP ++ Bhutan Peace and Prosperity Party (Druk Phuensum Tshogpa) or DPT [Pema GYAMTSHO] (Druk Chirwang Tshogpa or DCT merged with DPT in March 2018) ++ People's Democratic Party or PDP [Tshering TOBGAY] ++ United Party of Bhutan (Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa) or DNT [Lotay TSHERING]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)" @@ -473,7 +467,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Bhutan's small economy is based largely on hydropower, agriculture, and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than half the population. Because rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive, industrial production is primarily of the cottage industry type. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and is dependent on India for financial assistance and migrant laborers for development projects, especially for road construction. Bhutan signed a pact in December 2014 to expand duty-free trade with Bangladesh. Multilateral development organizations administer most educational, social, and environment programs, and take into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. For example, the government is cautious in its expansion of the tourist sector, restricing visits to environmentally conscientious tourists. Complicated controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. Bhutan’s largest export - hydropower to India - could spur sustainable growth in the coming years if Bhutan resolves chronic delays in construction. Bhutan’s hydropower exports comprise 40% of total exports and 25% of the government’s total revenue. Bhutan currently taps only 6.5% of its 24,000-megawatt hydropower potential and is behind schedule in building 12 new hydropower dams with a combined capacity of 10,000 megawatts by 2020 in accordance with a deal signed in 2008 with India. The high volume of imported materials to build hydropower plants has expanded Bhutan's trade and current account deficits. Bhutan also signed a memorandum of understanding with Bangladesh and India in July 2017 to jointly construct a new hydropower plant for exporting electricity to Bangladesh." + "text": "Bhutan's small economy is based largely on hydropower, agriculture, and forestry, which provide the main livelihood for more than half the population. Because rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive, industrial production is primarily of the cottage industry type. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and is dependent on India for financial assistance and migrant laborers for development projects, especially for road construction. Bhutan signed a pact in December 2014 to expand duty-free trade with Bangladesh. ++ Multilateral development organizations administer most educational, social, and environment programs, and take into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. For example, the government is cautious in its expansion of the tourist sector, restricing visits to environmentally conscientious tourists. Complicated controls and uncertain policies in areas such as industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. ++ Bhutan's largest export - hydropower to India - could spur sustainable growth in the coming years if Bhutan resolves chronic delays in construction. Bhutan's hydropower exports comprise 40% of total exports and 25% of the government's total revenue. Bhutan currently taps only 6.5% of its 24,000-megawatt hydropower potential and is behind schedule in building 12 new hydropower dams with a combined capacity of 10,000 megawatts by 2020 in accordance with a deal signed in 2008 with India. The high volume of imported materials to build hydropower plants has expanded Bhutan's trade and current account deficits. Bhutan also signed a memorandum of understanding with Bangladesh and India in July 2017 to jointly construct a new hydropower plant for exporting electricity to Bangladesh." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$7.205 billion (2017 est.) / $6.71 billion (2016 est.) / $6.252 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -822,7 +816,7 @@ }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { - "text": "lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes arising from substantial cartographic discrepancies, the most contentious of which lie in Bhutan's west along China’s Chumbi salient" + "text": "lacking any treaty describing the boundary, Bhutan and China continue negotiations to establish a common boundary alignment to resolve territorial disputes arising from substantial cartographic discrepancies, the most contentious of which lie in Bhutan's west along China's Chumbi salient" } } } \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/south-asia/ce.json b/south-asia/ce.json index 5dc6c6db..db71dc9a 100644 --- a/south-asia/ce.json +++ b/south-asia/ce.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced circa 250 B.C., and the first kingdoms developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (from circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. The Portuguese controlled the coastal areas of the island in the 16th century followed by the Dutch in the 17th century. The island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was formally united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Prevailing tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in July 1983. Fighting between the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) continued for over a quarter century. Although Norway brokered peace negotiations that led to a ceasefire in 2002, the fighting slowly resumed and was again in full force by 2006. The government defeated the LTTE in May 2009. During the post-conflict years under President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA, the government initiated infrastructure development projects, many of which were financed by loans from China. His regime faced significant allegations of human rights violations and a shrinking democratic space for civil society.  In 2015, a new coalition government headed by President Maithripala SIRISENA of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and Prime Minister Ranil WICKREMESINGHE of the United National Party came to power with pledges to advance economic, governance, anti-corruption, reconciliation, justice, and accountability reforms. However, implementation of these reforms has been uneven. In October 2018, President SIRISENA attempted to oust Prime Minister WICKREMESINGHE, swearing in former President RAJAPAKSA as the new prime minister and issuing an order to dissolve the parliament and hold elections. This sparked a seven-week constitutional crisis that ended when the Supreme Court ruled SIRISENA’s actions unconstitutional, RAJAPAKSA resigned, and WICKREMESINGHE was reinstated. In November 2019, Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA won the presidential election and appointed his brother, Mahinda, prime minister." + "text": "The first Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced circa 250 B.C., and the first kingdoms developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (from circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. The Portuguese controlled the coastal areas of the island in the 16th century followed by the Dutch in the 17th century. The island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was formally united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Prevailing tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in July 1983. Fighting between the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) continued for over a quarter century. Although Norway brokered peace negotiations that led to a ceasefire in 2002, the fighting slowly resumed and was again in full force by 2006. The government defeated the LTTE in May 2009. ++ During the post-conflict years under President Mahinda RAJAPAKSA, the government initiated infrastructure development projects, many of which were financed by loans from China. His regime faced significant allegations of human rights violations and a shrinking democratic space for civil society.  In 2015, a new coalition government headed by President Maithripala SIRISENA of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and Prime Minister Ranil WICKREMESINGHE of the United National Party came to power with pledges to advance economic, governance, anti-corruption, reconciliation, justice, and accountability reforms. However, implementation of these reforms has been uneven. In October 2018, President SIRISENA attempted to oust Prime Minister WICKREMESINGHE, swearing in former President RAJAPAKSA as the new prime minister and issuing an order to dissolve the parliament and hold elections. This sparked a seven-week constitutional crisis that ended when the Supreme Court ruled SIRISENA's actions unconstitutional, RAJAPAKSA resigned, and WICKREMESINGHE was reinstated. In November 2019, Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA won the presidential election and appointed his brother, Mahinda, prime minister." } }, "Geography": { @@ -259,14 +259,11 @@ "text": "61.7% (2016)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.1% of population / rural: 91.4% of population / total: 92.6% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "8.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "7.4% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.9% of population / rural: 8.6% of population / total: 7.4% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -279,14 +276,11 @@ "text": "4.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 2.9% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 97.1% of population / rural: 99.3% of population / total: 98.9% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0.7% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "1.1% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 2.9% of population / rural: 0.7% of population / total: 1.1% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -476,7 +470,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Crusaders for Democracy [Ganeshalingam CHANDRALINGAM]Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE]Jathika Hela Urumaya or JHU [Karunarathna PARANAWITHANA, Ven. Hadigalle Wimalasara THERO]National Peoples Power or JVP [Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE]Samagi Jana Balawegaya or SJB [Sajith PREMADASA]Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Maithripala SIRISENA]Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance [Mahinda RAJAPAKSA]Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna or SLPP [G. L. PEIRIS]Tamil National Alliance or TNA [Rajavarothiam SAMPANTHAN] (alliance includes Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi [Mavai SENATHIRAJAH], People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam [D. SIDDARTHAN], Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization [Selvam ADAIKALANATHAN])Tamil National People's Front [Gajendrakumar PONNAMBALAM]United National Front for Good Governance or UNFGG [Ranil WICKREMESINGHE] (coalition includes JHU, UNP)United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMESINGHE]United People's Freedom Alliance or UPFA [Maithripala SIRISENA] (coalition includes SLFP)" + "text": "Crusaders for Democracy [Ganeshalingam CHANDRALINGAM] ++ Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA] ++ Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN] ++ Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE] ++ Jathika Hela Urumaya or JHU [Karunarathna PARANAWITHANA, Ven. Hadigalle Wimalasara THERO] ++ National Peoples Power or JVP [Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKE] ++ Samagi Jana Balawegaya or SJB [Sajith PREMADASA] ++ Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Maithripala SIRISENA] ++ Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM] ++ Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance [Mahinda RAJAPAKSA] ++ Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna or SLPP [G. L. PEIRIS] ++ Tamil National Alliance or TNA [Rajavarothiam SAMPANTHAN] (alliance includes Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi [Mavai SENATHIRAJAH], People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam [D. SIDDARTHAN], Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization [Selvam ADAIKALANATHAN]) ++ Tamil National People's Front [Gajendrakumar PONNAMBALAM] ++ United National Front for Good Governance or UNFGG [Ranil WICKREMESINGHE] (coalition includes JHU, UNP) ++ United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMESINGHE] ++ United People's Freedom Alliance or UPFA [Maithripala SIRISENA] (coalition includes SLFP)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ABEDA, ADB, ARF, BIMSTEC, C, CD, CICA (observer), CP, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -535,7 +529,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Sri Lanka is attempting to sustain economic growth while maintaining macroeconomic stability under the IMF program it began in 2016. The government's high debt payments and bloated civil service, which have contributed to historically high budget deficits, remain a concern. Government debt is about 79% of GDP and remains among the highest of the emerging markets. In the coming years, Sri Lanka will need to balance its elevated debt repayment schedule with its need to maintain adequate foreign exchange reserves. In May 2016, Sri Lanka regained its preferential trade status under the European Union’s Generalized System of Preferences Plus, enabling many of its firms to export products, including its top export garments, tax free to the EU. In 2017, Parliament passed a new Inland Revenue Act in an effort to increase tax collection and broaden the tax base in response to recommendations made under its IMF program. In November 2017, the Financial Action Task Force on money laundering and terrorist financing listed Sri Lanka as non-compliant, but reported subsequently that Sri Lanka had made good progress in implementing an action plan to address deficiencies. Tourism has experienced strong growth in the years since the resolution of the government's 26-year conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. In 2017, the government promulgated plans to transform the country into a knowledge-based, export-oriented Indian Ocean hub by 2025." + "text": "Sri Lanka is attempting to sustain economic growth while maintaining macroeconomic stability under the IMF program it began in 2016. The government's high debt payments and bloated civil service, which have contributed to historically high budget deficits, remain a concern. Government debt is about 79% of GDP and remains among the highest of the emerging markets. In the coming years, Sri Lanka will need to balance its elevated debt repayment schedule with its need to maintain adequate foreign exchange reserves. ++ In May 2016, Sri Lanka regained its preferential trade status under the European Union's Generalized System of Preferences Plus, enabling many of its firms to export products, including its top export garments, tax free to the EU. In 2017, Parliament passed a new Inland Revenue Act in an effort to increase tax collection and broaden the tax base in response to recommendations made under its IMF program. In November 2017, the Financial Action Task Force on money laundering and terrorist financing listed Sri Lanka as non-compliant, but reported subsequently that Sri Lanka had made good progress in implementing an action plan to address deficiencies. ++ Tourism has experienced strong growth in the years since the resolution of the government's 26-year conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. In 2017, the government promulgated plans to transform the country into a knowledge-based, export-oriented Indian Ocean hub by 2025." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$275.8 billion (2017 est.) / $267 billion (2016 est.) / $255.6 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/south-asia/in.json b/south-asia/in.json index 5998cf26..e8a5d110 100644 --- a/south-asia/in.json +++ b/south-asia/in.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Islam spread across the subcontinent over a period of 700 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Delhi Sultanate. In the early 16th century, the Emperor BABUR established the Mughal Dynasty, which ruled India for more than three centuries. European explorers began establishing footholds in India during the 16th century. By the 19th century, Great Britain had become the dominant political power on the subcontinent and India was seen as the \"Jewel in the Crown\" of the British Empire. The British Indian Army played a vital role in both World Wars. Years of nonviolent resistance to British rule, led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU, eventually resulted in Indian independence in 1947. Large-scale communal violence took place before and after the subcontinent partition into two separate states - India and Pakistan. The neighboring countries have fought three wars since independence, the last of which was in 1971 and resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons tests in 1998 emboldened Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. In November 2008, terrorists originating from Pakistan conducted a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. India's economic growth following the launch of economic reforms in 1991, a massive youthful population, and a strategic geographic location have contributed to India's emergence as a regional and global power. However, India still faces pressing problems such as environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption, and its restrictive business climate is dampening economic growth expectations." + "text": "The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world's oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. - which reached its zenith under ASHOKA - united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Islam spread across the subcontinent over a period of 700 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Delhi Sultanate. In the early 16th century, the Emperor BABUR established the Mughal Dynasty, which ruled India for more than three centuries. European explorers began establishing footholds in India during the 16th century. ++ By the 19th century, Great Britain had become the dominant political power on the subcontinent and India was seen as the \"Jewel in the Crown\" of the British Empire. The British Indian Army played a vital role in both World Wars. Years of nonviolent resistance to British rule, led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU, eventually resulted in Indian independence in 1947. Large-scale communal violence took place before and after the subcontinent partition into two separate states - India and Pakistan. The neighboring countries have fought three wars since independence, the last of which was in 1971 and resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India's nuclear weapons tests in 1998 emboldened Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. In November 2008, terrorists originating from Pakistan conducted a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India's financial capital. India's economic growth following the launch of economic reforms in 1991, a massive youthful population, and a strategic geographic location have contributed to India's emergence as a regional and global power. However, India still faces pressing problems such as environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption, and its restrictive business climate is dampening economic growth expectations." } }, "Geography": { @@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ "text": "with the notable exception of the deserts in the northwest, including the Thar Desert, and the mountain fringe in the north, a very high population density exists throughout most of the country; the core of the population is in the north along the banks of the Ganges, with other river valleys and southern coastal areas also having large population concentrations" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes\nvolcanism: Barren Island (354 m) in the Andaman Sea has been active in recent years" + "text": "droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes ++ volcanism: Barren Island (354 m) in the Andaman Sea has been active in recent years" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing population is overstraining natural resources; preservation and quality of forests; biodiversity loss" @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "53.5% (2015/16)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 4% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96% of population / rural: 91% of population / total: 92.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "7.2% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 4% of population / rural: 9% of population / total: 7.2% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "0.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 6.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 93.7% of population / rural: 61.1% of population / total: 72% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "38.9% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "28% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 6.3% of population / rural: 38.9% of population / total: 28% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -460,13 +454,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of:Council of States or Rajya Sabha (245 seats; 233 members indirectly elected by state and territorial assemblies by proportional representation vote and 12 members appointed by the president; members serve 6-year terms) House of the People or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 2 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of: Council of States or Rajya Sabha (245 seats; 233 members indirectly elected by state and territorial assemblies by proportional representation vote and 12 members appointed by the president; members serve 6-year terms) ++ House of the People or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 2 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Council of States - last held by state and territorial assemblies at various dates in 2019 (next originally scheduled for March, June, and November 2020 but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic)House of the People - last held April-May 2019 in 7 phases (next to be held in 2024)" + "text": "Council of States - last held by state and territorial assemblies at various dates in 2019 (next originally scheduled for March, June, and November 2020 but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic) ++ House of the People - last held April-May 2019 in 7 phases (next to be held in 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BJP 83, INC 46, AITC 13, DMK 11, SP, other 77, independent 6; composition - men 220, women 25, percent of women 10.2% House of the People - percent of vote by party - BJP 55.8%, INC 9.6%, AITC 4.4%, YSRC 4.4%, DMK 4.2%, SS 3.3%, JDU 2.9%, BJD 2.2%, BSP 1.8%, TRS 1.7%, LJP 1.1%, NCP 0.9%, SP 0.9%, other 6.4%, independent 0.7%; seats by party - BJP 303, INC 52, DMK 24, AITC 22, YSRC 22, SS 18, JDU 16, BJD 12, BSP 10, TRS 9, LJP 6, NCP 5, SP 5, other 35, independent 4, vacant 2; composition - men 465, women 78, percent of women 14.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 11.3%" + "text": "Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BJP 83, INC 46, AITC 13, DMK 11, SP, other 77, independent 6; composition - men 220, women 25, percent of women 10.2% ++ House of the People - percent of vote by party - BJP 55.8%, INC 9.6%, AITC 4.4%, YSRC 4.4%, DMK 4.2%, SS 3.3%, JDU 2.9%, BJD 2.2%, BSP 1.8%, TRS 1.7%, LJP 1.1%, NCP 0.9%, SP 0.9%, other 6.4%, independent 0.7%; seats by party - BJP 303, INC 52, DMK 24, AITC 22, YSRC 22, SS 18, JDU 16, BJD 12, BSP 10, TRS 9, LJP 6, NCP 5, SP 5, other 35, independent 4, vacant 2; composition - men 465, women 78, percent of women 14.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 11.3%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -480,11 +474,11 @@ "text": "High Courts; District Courts; Labour Court" }, "note": { - "text": "note: in mid-2011, India’s Cabinet approved the \"National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reform\" to eliminate judicial corruption and reduce the backlog of cases" + "text": "note: in mid-2011, India's Cabinet approved the \"National Mission for Justice Delivery and Legal Reform\" to eliminate judicial corruption and reduce the backlog of cases" } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Aam Aadmi Party or AAP [Arvind KEJRIWAL]All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [Edappadi PALANISWAMY, Occhaathevar PANNEERSELVAM]All India Trinamool Congress or AITC [Mamata BANERJEE]Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI]Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Amit SHAH]Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]Communist Party of India-Marxist or CPI(M) [Sitaram YECHURY]Indian National Congress or INCLok Janshakti Party (LJP) [Ram Vilas PASWAN]Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR]Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Lalu Prasad YADAV]Samajwadi Party or SP [Akhilesh YADAV]Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [Sukhbir Singh BADAL]Shiv Sena or SS [Uddhav THACKERAY]Telegana Rashtra Samithi or TRS [K. Chandrashekar RAO]Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU]YSR Congress or YSRC [Jagan Mohan REDDY]", + "text": "Aam Aadmi Party or AAP [Arvind KEJRIWAL] ++ All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [Edappadi PALANISWAMY, Occhaathevar PANNEERSELVAM] ++ All India Trinamool Congress or AITC [Mamata BANERJEE] ++ Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP [MAYAWATI] ++ Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Amit SHAH] ++ Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK] ++ Communist Party of India-Marxist or CPI(M) [Sitaram YECHURY] ++ Indian National Congress or INC ++ Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) [Ram Vilas PASWAN] ++ Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR] ++ Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD [Lalu Prasad YADAV] ++ Samajwadi Party or SP [Akhilesh YADAV] ++ Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [Sukhbir Singh BADAL] ++ Shiv Sena or SS [Uddhav THACKERAY] ++ Telegana Rashtra Samithi or TRS [K. Chandrashekar RAO] ++ Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU] ++ YSR Congress or YSRC [Jagan Mohan REDDY]", "note": { "text": "note: India has dozens of national and regional political parties" } @@ -552,7 +546,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services. Slightly less than half of the workforce is in agriculture, but services are the major source of economic growth, accounting for nearly two-thirds of India's output but employing less than one-third of its labor force. India has capitalized on its large educated English-speaking population to become a major exporter of information technology services, business outsourcing services, and software workers. Nevertheless, per capita income remains below the world average. India is developing into an open-market economy, yet traces of its past autarkic policies remain. Economic liberalization measures, including industrial deregulation, privatization of state-owned enterprises, and reduced controls on foreign trade and investment, began in the early 1990s and served to accelerate the country's growth, which averaged nearly 7% per year from 1997 to 2017. India's economic growth slowed in 2011 because of a decline in investment caused by high interest rates, rising inflation, and investor pessimism about the government's commitment to further economic reforms and about slow world growth. Investors’ perceptions of India improved in early 2014, due to a reduction of the current account deficit and expectations of post-election economic reform, resulting in a surge of inbound capital flows and stabilization of the rupee. Growth rebounded in 2014 through 2016. Despite a high growth rate compared to the rest of the world, India’s government-owned banks faced mounting bad debt, resulting in low credit growth. Rising macroeconomic imbalances in India and improving economic conditions in Western countries led investors to shift capital away from India, prompting a sharp depreciation of the rupee through 2016. The economy slowed again in 2017, due to shocks of \"demonetizaton\" in 2016 and introduction of GST in 2017. Since the election, the government has passed an important goods and services tax bill and raised foreign direct investment caps in some sectors, but most economic reforms have focused on administrative and governance changes, largely because the ruling party remains a minority in India’s upper house of Parliament, which must approve most bills. India has a young population and corresponding low dependency ratio, healthy savings and investment rates, and is increasing integration into the global economy. However, long-term challenges remain significant, including: India's discrimination against women and girls, an inefficient power generation and distribution system, ineffective enforcement of intellectual property rights, decades-long civil litigation dockets, inadequate transport and agricultural infrastructure, limited non-agricultural employment opportunities, high spending and poorly targeted subsidies, inadequate availability of quality basic and higher education, and accommodating rural-to-urban migration." + "text": "India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of services. Slightly less than half of the workforce is in agriculture, but services are the major source of economic growth, accounting for nearly two-thirds of India's output but employing less than one-third of its labor force. India has capitalized on its large educated English-speaking population to become a major exporter of information technology services, business outsourcing services, and software workers. Nevertheless, per capita income remains below the world average. India is developing into an open-market economy, yet traces of its past autarkic policies remain. Economic liberalization measures, including industrial deregulation, privatization of state-owned enterprises, and reduced controls on foreign trade and investment, began in the early 1990s and served to accelerate the country's growth, which averaged nearly 7% per year from 1997 to 2017. ++ India's economic growth slowed in 2011 because of a decline in investment caused by high interest rates, rising inflation, and investor pessimism about the government's commitment to further economic reforms and about slow world growth. Investors' perceptions of India improved in early 2014, due to a reduction of the current account deficit and expectations of post-election economic reform, resulting in a surge of inbound capital flows and stabilization of the rupee. Growth rebounded in 2014 through 2016. Despite a high growth rate compared to the rest of the world, India's government-owned banks faced mounting bad debt, resulting in low credit growth. Rising macroeconomic imbalances in India and improving economic conditions in Western countries led investors to shift capital away from India, prompting a sharp depreciation of the rupee through 2016. ++ The economy slowed again in 2017, due to shocks of \"demonetizaton\" in 2016 and introduction of GST in 2017. Since the election, the government has passed an important goods and services tax bill and raised foreign direct investment caps in some sectors, but most economic reforms have focused on administrative and governance changes, largely because the ruling party remains a minority in India's upper house of Parliament, which must approve most bills. ++ India has a young population and corresponding low dependency ratio, healthy savings and investment rates, and is increasing integration into the global economy. However, long-term challenges remain significant, including: India's discrimination against women and girls, an inefficient power generation and distribution system, ineffective enforcement of intellectual property rights, decades-long civil litigation dockets, inadequate transport and agricultural infrastructure, limited non-agricultural employment opportunities, high spending and poorly targeted subsidies, inadequate availability of quality basic and higher education, and accommodating rural-to-urban migration." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$9.474 trillion (2017 est.) / $8.88 trillion (2016 est.) / $8.291 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -973,7 +967,7 @@ }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { - "text": "Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami; Hizbul Mujahideen; Indian Mujahedeen; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – India; Jaish-e-Mohammed; Lashkar-e Tayyiba; al-Qa’ida; al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (2019)", + "text": "Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami; Hizbul Mujahideen; Indian Mujahedeen; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – India; Jaish-e-Mohammed; Lashkar-e Tayyiba; al-Qa'ida; al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent (2019)", "note": { "text": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T" } diff --git a/south-asia/io.json b/south-asia/io.json index 0282d557..11cfa49c 100644 --- a/south-asia/io.json +++ b/south-asia/io.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "Formerly administered as part of the British Crown Colony of Mauritius, the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) was established as an overseas territory of the UK in 1965. A number of the islands of the territory were later transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. Only Diego Garcia, the largest and most southerly of the islands, is inhabited. It contains a joint UK-US naval support facility and hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system (the others are on Kwajalein (Marshall Islands), at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US), and on Ascension Island (Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha)). The US Air Force also operates a telescope array on Diego Garcia as part of the Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance System (GEODSS) for tracking orbital debris, which can be a hazard to spacecraft and astronauts. Between 1967 and 1973, former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius, but also to the Seychelles. Negotiations between 1971 and 1982 resulted in the establishment of a trust fund by the British Government as compensation for the displaced islanders, known as Chagossians. Beginning in 1998, the islanders pursued a series of lawsuits against the British Government seeking further compensation and the right to return to the territory. In 2006 and 2007, British court rulings invalidated the immigration policies contained in the 2004 BIOT Constitution Order that had excluded the islanders from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. In 2008, the House of Lords, as the final court of appeal in the UK, ruled in favor of the British Government by overturning the lower court rulings and finding no right of return for the Chagossians. In March 2015, the Permanent Court of Arbitration unanimously held that the marine protected area (MPA) that the UK declared around the Chagos Archipelago in April 2010 was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.In February 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled in an advisory opinion that Britain’s decolonization of Mauritius was not completed lawfully because of continued Chagossian claims. A non-binding May 2019 UN General Assembly vote demanded that Britain end its “colonial administration” of the Chagos Archipelago and that it be returned to Mauritius. UK officials defend Britain's sovereignty over the islands and argue that the issue is a bilateral dispute between Mauritius and the UK that does not warrant international intervention. " + "text": "Formerly administered as part of the British Crown Colony of Mauritius, the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) was established as an overseas territory of the UK in 1965. A number of the islands of the territory were later transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. Only Diego Garcia, the largest and most southerly of the islands, is inhabited. It contains a joint UK-US naval support facility and hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system (the others are on Kwajalein (Marshall Islands), at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US), and on Ascension Island (Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha)). The US Air Force also operates a telescope array on Diego Garcia as part of the Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance System (GEODSS) for tracking orbital debris, which can be a hazard to spacecraft and astronauts. ++ Between 1967 and 1973, former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius, but also to the Seychelles. Negotiations between 1971 and 1982 resulted in the establishment of a trust fund by the British Government as compensation for the displaced islanders, known as Chagossians. Beginning in 1998, the islanders pursued a series of lawsuits against the British Government seeking further compensation and the right to return to the territory. In 2006 and 2007, British court rulings invalidated the immigration policies contained in the 2004 BIOT Constitution Order that had excluded the islanders from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. In 2008, the House of Lords, as the final court of appeal in the UK, ruled in favor of the British Government by overturning the lower court rulings and finding no right of return for the Chagossians. In March 2015, the Permanent Court of Arbitration unanimously held that the marine protected area (MPA) that the UK declared around the Chagos Archipelago in April 2010 was in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. ++ In February 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled in an advisory opinion that Britain's decolonization of Mauritius was not completed lawfully because of continued Chagossian claims. A non-binding May 2019 UN General Assembly vote demanded that Britain end its “colonial administration” of the Chagos Archipelago and that it be returned to Mauritius. UK officials defend Britain's sovereignty over the islands and argue that the issue is a bilateral dispute between Mauritius and the UK that does not warrant international intervention.  ++ ++" } }, "Geography": { @@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ }, "Geography - note": { "note": { - "text": "note 1: archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, the largest and southernmost island, occupies a strategic location in the central Indian Ocean; the island is the site of a joint US-UK military facility note 2: Diego Garcia is the only inhabited island of the BIOT and one of only two British territories where traffic drives on the right, the other being Gibraltar" + "text": "note 1: archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, the largest and southernmost island, occupies a strategic location in the central Indian Ocean; the island is the site of a joint US-UK military facility ++ note 2: Diego Garcia is the only inhabited island of the BIOT and one of only two British territories where traffic drives on the right, the other being Gibraltar" } } }, diff --git a/south-asia/mv.json b/south-asia/mv.json index e8bb7eeb..1e5d0db5 100644 --- a/south-asia/mv.json +++ b/south-asia/mv.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887. The islands became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated Maldives' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following political demonstrations in the capital Male in August 2003, GAYOOM and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Political parties were legalized in 2005. In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the \"Special Majlis\" - finalized a new constitution ratified by GAYOOM in August 2008. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the GAYOOM regime. In early February 2012, after several weeks of street protests in response to his ordering the arrest of a top judge, NASHEED purportedly resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. A government-appointed Commission of National Inquiry concluded there was no evidence of a coup, but NASHEED contends that police and military personnel forced him to resign. NASHEED, WAHEED, and Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ran in the 2013 elections with YAMEEN ultimately winning the presidency after three rounds of voting. As president, YAMEEN weakened democratic institutions, curtailed civil liberties, jailed his political opponents, restricted the press, and exerted control over the judiciary to strengthen his hold on power and limit dissent. In September 2018, YAMEEN lost his reelection bid to Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH, a parliamentarian of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), who had the support of a coalition of four parties that came together to defeat YAMEEN and restore democratic norms to Maldives. In April 2019, SOLIH's MDP won 65 of 87 seats in parliament." + "text": "A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887. The islands became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated Maldives' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following political demonstrations in the capital Male in August 2003, GAYOOM and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Political parties were legalized in 2005. ++ In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the \"Special Majlis\" - finalized a new constitution ratified by GAYOOM in August 2008. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the GAYOOM regime. In early February 2012, after several weeks of street protests in response to his ordering the arrest of a top judge, NASHEED purportedly resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. A government-appointed Commission of National Inquiry concluded there was no evidence of a coup, but NASHEED contends that police and military personnel forced him to resign. NASHEED, WAHEED, and Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ran in the 2013 elections with YAMEEN ultimately winning the presidency after three rounds of voting. As president, YAMEEN weakened democratic institutions, curtailed civil liberties, jailed his political opponents, restricted the press, and exerted control over the judiciary to strengthen his hold on power and limit dissent. In September 2018, YAMEEN lost his reelection bid to Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH, a parliamentarian of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), who had the support of a coalition of four parties that came together to defeat YAMEEN and restore democratic norms to Maldives. In April 2019, SOLIH's MDP won 65 of 87 seats in parliament." } }, "Geography": { @@ -256,14 +256,11 @@ "text": "18.8% (2016/17)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 1.7% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 98.3% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 1.7% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -276,14 +273,11 @@ "text": "4.3 beds/1,000 population (2009)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 0% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 100% of population / rural: 100% of population / total: 100% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "0% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "0% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 0% of population / rural: 0% of population / total: 0% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -445,7 +439,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Sheikh Imran ABDULLA]Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party or DRP [Ahmed Thasmeen ALI]Maldives Development Alliance or MDA [Ahmed Shiyam MOHAMED]Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]Maldives Labor and Social Democratic Party or MLSDP [Ahmed SHIHAM]Maldives Thirdway Democrats or MTD [Ahmed ADEEB]Maumoon/Maldives Reform Movement or MRM [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM]National Democratic Congress [Yousuf Maaniu] (formed in 2020)People's National Congress or PNC [Abdul Raheem ABDULLA] (formed in early 2019)Progressive Party of Maldives or PPM Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP [Qasim IBRAHIM] (2020)" + "text": "Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Sheikh Imran ABDULLA] ++ Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party or DRP [Ahmed Thasmeen ALI] ++ Maldives Development Alliance or MDA [Ahmed Shiyam MOHAMED] ++ Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED] ++ Maldives Labor and Social Democratic Party or MLSDP [Ahmed SHIHAM] ++ Maldives Thirdway Democrats or MTD [Ahmed ADEEB] ++ Maumoon/Maldives Reform Movement or MRM [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM] ++ National Democratic Congress [Yousuf Maaniu] (formed in 2020) ++ People's National Congress or PNC [Abdul Raheem ABDULLA] (formed in early 2019) ++ Progressive Party of Maldives or PPM ++ Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP [Qasim IBRAHIM] (2020)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -487,7 +481,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Maldives has quickly become a middle-income country, driven by the rapid growth of its tourism and fisheries sectors, but the country still contends with a large and growing fiscal deficit. Infrastructure projects, largely funded by China, could add significantly to debt levels. Political turmoil and the declaration of a state of emergency in February 2018 led to the issuance of travel warnings by several countries whose citizens visit Maldives in significant numbers, but the overall impact on tourism revenue was unclear. In 2015, Maldives’ Parliament passed a constitutional amendment legalizing foreign ownership of land; foreign land-buyers must reclaim at least 70% of the desired land from the ocean and invest at least $1 billion in a construction project approved by Parliament. Diversifying the economy beyond tourism and fishing, reforming public finance, increasing employment opportunities, and combating corruption, cronyism, and a growing drug problem are near-term challenges facing the government. Over the longer term, Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is 1 meter or less above sea level." + "text": "Maldives has quickly become a middle-income country, driven by the rapid growth of its tourism and fisheries sectors, but the country still contends with a large and growing fiscal deficit. Infrastructure projects, largely funded by China, could add significantly to debt levels. Political turmoil and the declaration of a state of emergency in February 2018 led to the issuance of travel warnings by several countries whose citizens visit Maldives in significant numbers, but the overall impact on tourism revenue was unclear. ++ In 2015, Maldives' Parliament passed a constitutional amendment legalizing foreign ownership of land; foreign land-buyers must reclaim at least 70% of the desired land from the ocean and invest at least $1 billion in a construction project approved by Parliament. ++ Diversifying the economy beyond tourism and fishing, reforming public finance, increasing employment opportunities, and combating corruption, cronyism, and a growing drug problem are near-term challenges facing the government. Over the longer term, Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is 1 meter or less above sea level." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$6.901 billion (2017 est.) / $6.583 billion (2016 est.) / $6.3 billion (2015 est.)", diff --git a/south-asia/np.json b/south-asia/np.json index 5ad41c11..f2039364 100644 --- a/south-asia/np.json +++ b/south-asia/np.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "During the late 18th-early 19th centuries, the principality of Gorkha united many of the other principalities and states of the sub-Himalayan region into a Nepali Kingdom. Nepal retained its independence following the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814-16 and the subsequent peace treaty laid the foundations for two centuries of amicable relations between Britain and Nepal. (The Brigade of Gurkhas continues to serve in the British Army to the present day.) In 1951, the Nepali monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system that brought political parties into the government. That arrangement lasted until 1960, when political parties were again banned, but was reinstated in 1990 with the establishment of a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. An insurgency led by Maoists broke out in 1996. During the ensuing 10-year civil war between Maoist and government forces, the monarchy dissolved the cabinet and parliament and re-assumed absolute power in 2002, after the crown prince massacred the royal family in 2001. A peace accord in 2006 led to the promulgation of an interim constitution in 2007. Following a nationwide Constituent Assembly (CA) election in 2008, the newly formed CA declared Nepal a federal democratic republic, abolished the monarchy, and elected the country's first president. After the CA failed to draft a constitution by a 2012 deadline set by the Supreme Court, then-Prime Minister Baburam BHATTARAI dissolved the CA. Months of negotiations ensued until 2013 when the major political parties agreed to create an interim government headed by then-Chief Justice Khil Raj REGMI with a mandate to hold elections for a new CA. Elections were held in 2013, in which the Nepali Congress (NC) won the largest share of seats in the CA and in 2014 formed a coalition government with the second-place Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) with NC President Sushil KOIRALA serving as prime minister. Nepal's new constitution came into effect in 2015, at which point the CA became the Parliament. Khagda Prasad Sharma OLI served as the first post-constitution prime minister from 2015 to 2016. OLI resigned ahead of a no-confidence motion against him, and Parliament elected Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) leader Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (aka \"Prachanda\") prime minister. The constitution provided for a transitional period during which three sets of elections – local, provincial, and national – needed to take place. The first local elections in 20 years occurred in three phases between May and September 2017, and state and federal elections proceeded in two phases in November and December 2017. The parties headed by OLI and DAHAL ran in coalition and swept the parliamentary elections, and OLI, who led the larger of the two parties, was sworn in as prime minister in February 2018. In May 2018, OLI and DAHAL announced the merger of their parties - the UML and CPN-M - to establish the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), which is now the ruling party in Parliament.  " + "text": "During the late 18th-early 19th centuries, the principality of Gorkha united many of the other principalities and states of the sub-Himalayan region into a Nepali Kingdom. Nepal retained its independence following the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814-16 and the subsequent peace treaty laid the foundations for two centuries of amicable relations between Britain and Nepal. (The Brigade of Gurkhas continues to serve in the British Army to the present day.) In 1951, the Nepali monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system that brought political parties into the government. That arrangement lasted until 1960, when political parties were again banned, but was reinstated in 1990 with the establishment of a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. ++ An insurgency led by Maoists broke out in 1996. During the ensuing 10-year civil war between Maoist and government forces, the monarchy dissolved the cabinet and parliament and re-assumed absolute power in 2002, after the crown prince massacred the royal family in 2001. A peace accord in 2006 led to the promulgation of an interim constitution in 2007. Following a nationwide Constituent Assembly (CA) election in 2008, the newly formed CA declared Nepal a federal democratic republic, abolished the monarchy, and elected the country's first president. After the CA failed to draft a constitution by a 2012 deadline set by the Supreme Court, then-Prime Minister Baburam BHATTARAI dissolved the CA. Months of negotiations ensued until 2013 when the major political parties agreed to create an interim government headed by then-Chief Justice Khil Raj REGMI with a mandate to hold elections for a new CA. Elections were held in 2013, in which the Nepali Congress (NC) won the largest share of seats in the CA and in 2014 formed a coalition government with the second-place Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) with NC President Sushil KOIRALA serving as prime minister. Nepal's new constitution came into effect in 2015, at which point the CA became the Parliament. Khagda Prasad Sharma OLI served as the first post-constitution prime minister from 2015 to 2016. OLI resigned ahead of a no-confidence motion against him, and Parliament elected Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) leader Pushpa Kamal DAHAL (aka \"Prachanda\") prime minister. The constitution provided for a transitional period during which three sets of elections – local, provincial, and national – needed to take place. The first local elections in 20 years occurred in three phases between May and September 2017, and state and federal elections proceeded in two phases in November and December 2017. The parties headed by OLI and DAHAL ran in coalition and swept the parliamentary elections, and OLI, who led the larger of the two parties, was sworn in as prime minister in February 2018. In May 2018, OLI and DAHAL announced the merger of their parties - the UML and CPN-M - to establish the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), which is now the ruling party in Parliament. ++  " } }, "Geography": { @@ -258,14 +258,11 @@ "text": "52.6% (2016/17)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 8.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 91.7% of population / rural: 91.4% of population / total: 91.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "8.6% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "8.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 8.3% of population / rural: 8.6% of population / total: 8.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -278,14 +275,11 @@ "text": "0.3 beds/1,000 population (2012)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 7.3% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 91.7% of population / rural: 71.9% of population / total: 75.7% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "28.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "24.3% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 7.3% of population / rural: 28.1% of population / total: 24.3% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -396,7 +390,7 @@ "text": "1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan SHAH)" }, "National holiday": { - "text": "Constitution Day, 20 September (2015); note - marks the promulgation of Nepal’s constitution in 2015 and replaces the previous 28 May Republic Day as the official national day in Nepal; the Gregorian day fluctuates based on Nepal’s Hindu calendar" + "text": "Constitution Day, 20 September (2015); note - marks the promulgation of Nepal's constitution in 2015 and replaces the previous 28 May Republic Day as the official national day in Nepal; the Gregorian day fluctuates based on Nepal's Hindu calendar" }, "Constitution": { "history": { @@ -451,13 +445,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Federal Parliament consists of:National Assembly (59 seats; 56 members, including at least 3 women, 1 Dalit, 1 member with disabilities, or 1 minority indirectly elected by an electoral college of state and municipal government leaders, and 3 members, including 1 woman, nominated by the president of Nepal on the recommendation of the government; members serve 6-year terms with renewal of one-third of the membership every 2 years) House of Representatives (275 seats; 165 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 110 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Federal Parliament consists of: National Assembly (59 seats; 56 members, including at least 3 women, 1 Dalit, 1 member with disabilities, or 1 minority indirectly elected by an electoral college of state and municipal government leaders, and 3 members, including 1 woman, nominated by the president of Nepal on the recommendation of the government; members serve 6-year terms with renewal of one-third of the membership every 2 years) ++ House of Representatives (275 seats; 165 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 110 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "first election for the National Assembly held on 7 February 2018 (next to be held in 2024) first election for House of Representatives held on 26 November and 7 December 2017 (next to be held in 2022)" + "text": "first election for the National Assembly held on 7 February 2018 (next to be held in 2024) ++ first election for House of Representatives held on 26 November and 7 December 2017 (next to be held in 2022)" }, "election results": { - "text": "National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NCP 42, NC 13, FSFN 2, RJPN 2; composition - men 37, women 22, percent of women 37.3% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NCP 174, NC 63, RJPN 17, FSFN 16, other 4, independent 1; composition - men 185, women 90, percent of women 32.7%; note - total Federal Parliament percent of women 33.5%" + "text": "National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NCP 42, NC 13, FSFN 2, RJPN 2; composition - men 37, women 22, percent of women 37.3% ++ House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NCP 174, NC 63, RJPN 17, FSFN 16, other 4, independent 1; composition - men 185, women 90, percent of women 32.7%; note - total Federal Parliament percent of women 33.5%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -472,7 +466,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "the Election Commission of Nepal granted ballot access under the proportional system to 88 political parties for the November-December 2017 House of Representatives election to the Federal Parliament; of these, the following 8 parties won seats:Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal or FSFN [Upendra YADAV]Naya Shakti Party, Nepal [Baburam BHATTARAI]Nepal Communist Party or NCP [Khadga Prasad OLI, Pushpa Kamal DAHAL]Nepali Congress or NC [Sher Bahadur DEUBA]Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE]Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra Bahadur K.C.]Rastriya Janata Party or RJPN [Mahanta THAKUR]Rastriya Prajatantra party or RPP [Kamal THAPA]" + "text": "the Election Commission of Nepal granted ballot access under the proportional system to 88 political parties for the November-December 2017 House of Representatives election to the Federal Parliament; of these, the following 8 parties won seats: Federal Socialist Forum, Nepal or FSFN [Upendra YADAV] ++ Naya Shakti Party, Nepal [Baburam BHATTARAI] ++ Nepal Communist Party or NCP [Khadga Prasad OLI, Pushpa Kamal DAHAL] ++ Nepali Congress or NC [Sher Bahadur DEUBA] ++ Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE] ++ Rastriya Janamorcha [Chitra Bahadur K.C.] ++ Rastriya Janata Party or RJPN [Mahanta THAKUR] ++ Rastriya Prajatantra party or RPP [Kamal THAPA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, BIMSTEC, CD, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -534,7 +528,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Nepal is among the least developed countries in the world, with about one-quarter of its population living below the poverty line. Nepal is heavily dependent on remittances, which amount to as much as 30% of GDP. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for almost two-thirds of the population but accounting for less than a third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower, with an estimated 42,000 MW of commercially feasible capacity. Nepal has signed trade and investment agreements with India, China, and other countries, but political uncertainty and a difficult business climate have hampered foreign investment. The United States and Nepal signed a $500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact in September 2017 which will expand Nepal’s electricity infrastructure and help maintain transportation infrastructure. Massive earthquakes struck Nepal in early 2015, which damaged or destroyed infrastructure and homes and set back economic development. Although political gridlock and lack of capacity have hindered post-earthquake recovery, government-led reconstruction efforts have progressively picked up speed, although many hard hit areas still have seen little assistance. Additional challenges to Nepal's growth include its landlocked geographic location, inconsistent electricity supply, and underdeveloped transportation infrastructure." + "text": "Nepal is among the least developed countries in the world, with about one-quarter of its population living below the poverty line. Nepal is heavily dependent on remittances, which amount to as much as 30% of GDP. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for almost two-thirds of the population but accounting for less than a third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. ++ Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower, with an estimated 42,000 MW of commercially feasible capacity. Nepal has signed trade and investment agreements with India, China, and other countries, but political uncertainty and a difficult business climate have hampered foreign investment. The United States and Nepal signed a $500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact in September 2017 which will expand Nepal's electricity infrastructure and help maintain transportation infrastructure. ++ Massive earthquakes struck Nepal in early 2015, which damaged or destroyed infrastructure and homes and set back economic development. Although political gridlock and lack of capacity have hindered post-earthquake recovery, government-led reconstruction efforts have progressively picked up speed, although many hard hit areas still have seen little assistance. Additional challenges to Nepal's growth include its landlocked geographic location, inconsistent electricity supply, and underdeveloped transportation infrastructure." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$79.19 billion (2017 est.) / $73.39 billion (2016 est.) / $72.96 billion (2015 est.)", @@ -786,7 +780,7 @@ }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { - "text": "mountainous topography hinders development of telecom infrastructure; mobile service has been extended to all 75 districts covering 90% of Nepal’s land area; fixed broadband is low due to limited number of fixed lines and preeminence of the mobile platform, with overall penetration 2.8%; 3G and 4G subscribers, early stages for mobile broadband market; first launch of a Nepalese satellite (2020)" + "text": "mountainous topography hinders development of telecom infrastructure; mobile service has been extended to all 75 districts covering 90% of Nepal's land area; fixed broadband is low due to limited number of fixed lines and preeminence of the mobile platform, with overall penetration 2.8%; 3G and 4G subscribers, early stages for mobile broadband market; first launch of a Nepalese satellite (2020)" }, "domestic": { "text": "3G coverage is available in 20 major cities (2019); disparity between high coverage in cities and coverage available in underdeveloped rural regions; fixed-line 3 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular 139 per 100 persons; fair radiotelephone communication service; 20% of the market share is fixed (wired) broadband, 2% is fixed (wireless) broadband, and 78% is mobile broadband (2019)" diff --git a/south-asia/pk.json b/south-asia/pk.json index 1933ffbf..966aa444 100644 --- a/south-asia/pk.json +++ b/south-asia/pk.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars and a limited conflict - in 1947-48, 1965, and 1999 respectively - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India assisted an indigenous movement reacting to the marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in mid-1998. India-Pakistan relations improved in the mid-2000s but have been rocky since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and have been further strained by attacks in India by militants believed to be based in Pakistan. Imran KHAN took office as prime minister in 2018 after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party won a plurality of seats in the July 2018 general elections. Pakistan has been engaged in a decades-long armed conflict with militant groups that target government institutions and civilians, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant networks." + "text": "The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world and dating back at least 5,000 years, spread over much of what is presently Pakistan. During the second millennium B.C., remnants of this culture fused with the migrating Indo-Aryan peoples. The area underwent successive invasions in subsequent centuries from the Persians, Greeks, Scythians, Arabs (who brought Islam), Afghans, and Turks. The Mughal Empire flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries; the British came to dominate the region in the 18th century. The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of Pakistan (with West and East sections) and largely Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan fought two wars and a limited conflict - in 1947-48, 1965, and 1999 respectively - over the disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which India assisted an indigenous movement reacting to the marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. ++ In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in mid-1998. India-Pakistan relations improved in the mid-2000s but have been rocky since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and have been further strained by attacks in India by militants believed to be based in Pakistan. Imran KHAN took office as prime minister in 2018 after the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party won a plurality of seats in the July 2018 general elections. Pakistan has been engaged in a decades-long armed conflict with militant groups that target government institutions and civilians, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant networks." } }, "Geography": { @@ -264,14 +264,11 @@ "text": "34.2% (2017/18)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 5.8% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 94.2% of population / rural: 89.9% of population / total: 91.5% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "10.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "8.5% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 5.8% of population / rural: 10.1% of population / total: 8.5% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { @@ -284,14 +281,11 @@ "text": "0.6 beds/1,000 population (2017)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 17.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 82.5% of population / rural: 62.9% of population / total: 70.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "37.1% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "29.9% of population (2017 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 17.5% of population / rural: 37.1% of population / total: 29.9% of population (2017 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -463,13 +457,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of:Senate (104 seats; members indirectly elected by the 4 provincial assemblies and the territories' representatives by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years); note - the byelection scheduled for 15 April 2020 has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 70 members - 60 women and 10 non-Muslims - directly elected by proportional representation vote; all members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of: Senate (104 seats; members indirectly elected by the 4 provincial assemblies and the territories' representatives by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years); note - the byelection scheduled for 15 April 2020 has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic ++ National Assembly (342 seats; 272 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 70 members - 60 women and 10 non-Muslims - directly elected by proportional representation vote; all members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 3 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2021) National Assembly - last held on 25 July 2018 (next to be held on 25 July 2023)" + "text": "Senate - last held on 3 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2021) ++ National Assembly - last held on 25 July 2018 (next to be held on 25 July 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party as of December 2019  - PPP 19, PML-N 16,  PTI 14, MQM-P 5, JUI-F 4, BAP 2, JI 2, PkMAP 2, ANP 1, BNP 1, PML-F 1, other 7, independent 30 National Assembly - percent of votes by party NA; seats by party as of December 2019 - PTI 156, PML-N 84, PPP 55, MMA 16, MQM-P 7, BAP 5, PML-Q 5, BNP 4, GDA 3, AML 1, ANP 1, JWP 1, independent 4" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party as of December 2019  - PPP 19, PML-N 16,  PTI 14, MQM-P 5, JUI-F 4, BAP 2, JI 2, PkMAP 2, ANP 1, BNP 1, PML-F 1, other 7, independent 30 ++ National Assembly - percent of votes by party NA; seats by party as of December 2019 - PTI 156, PML-N 84, PPP 55, MMA 16, MQM-P 7, BAP 5, PML-Q 5, BNP 4, GDA 3, AML 1, ANP 1, JWP 1, independent 4" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -484,7 +478,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN]Awami Muslim League or AML [Sheikh Rashid AHMED]Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Mir Israr Ullah ZEHRI]Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Akhtar Jan MENGAL]Grand Democratic Alliance or GDA (alliance of several parties)Jamhoori Wattan Party or JWP [Shahzain BUGTI]Jamaat-i Islami or JI [Sirajul HAQ]Jamiat-i Ulema-i Islam Fazl-ur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazlur REHMAN]Muttahida Quami Movement-London or MQM-L [Altaf HUSSAIN] (MQM split into two factions in 2016)Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan or MQM-P [Dr. Khalid Maqbool SIDDIQUI] (MQM split into two factions in 2016) Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal or MMA [Fazl-ur- REHMAN] (alliance of several parties)National Party or NP [Mir Hasil Khan BIZENJO]Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party or PMAP or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI]Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO or Syed Shah Mardan SHAH-II]Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-N [Shehbaz SHARIF]Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid-e-Azam Group or PML-Q [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]Pakistan Peoples Party or PPP [Bilawal BHUTTO ZARDARI, Asif Ali ZARDARI]Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI (Pakistan Movement for Justice) [Imran KHAN]Pak Sarzameen Party or PSP [Mustafa KAMAL]Quami Watan Party or QWP [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]", + "text": "Awami National Party or ANP [Asfandyar Wali KHAN] ++ Awami Muslim League or AML [Sheikh Rashid AHMED] ++ Balochistan National Party-Awami or BNP-A [Mir Israr Ullah ZEHRI] ++ Balochistan National Party-Mengal or BNP-M [Sardar Akhtar Jan MENGAL] ++ Grand Democratic Alliance or GDA (alliance of several parties) ++ Jamhoori Wattan Party or JWP [Shahzain BUGTI] ++ Jamaat-i Islami or JI [Sirajul HAQ] ++ Jamiat-i Ulema-i Islam Fazl-ur Rehman or JUI-F [Fazlur REHMAN] ++ Muttahida Quami Movement-London or MQM-L [Altaf HUSSAIN] (MQM split into two factions in 2016) ++ Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan or MQM-P [Dr. Khalid Maqbool SIDDIQUI] (MQM split into two factions in 2016) ++ Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal or MMA [Fazl-ur- REHMAN] (alliance of several parties) ++ National Party or NP [Mir Hasil Khan BIZENJO] ++ Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party or PMAP or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan ACHAKZAI] ++ Pakistan Muslim League-Functional or PML-F [Pir PAGARO or Syed Shah Mardan SHAH-II] ++ Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-N [Shehbaz SHARIF] ++ Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid-e-Azam Group or PML-Q [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN] ++ Pakistan Peoples Party or PPP [Bilawal BHUTTO ZARDARI, Asif Ali ZARDARI] ++ Pakistan Tehrik-e Insaaf or PTI (Pakistan Movement for Justice) [Imran KHAN]Pak Sarzameen Party or PSP [Mustafa KAMAL] ++ Quami Watan Party or QWP [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]", "note": { "text": "note: political alliances in Pakistan shift frequently" } @@ -552,12 +546,12 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "Decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment have led to underdevelopment in Pakistan. Pakistan has a large English-speaking population, with English-language skills less prevalent outside urban centers. Despite some progress in recent years in both security and energy, a challenging security environment, electricity shortages, and a burdensome investment climate have traditionally deterred investors. Agriculture accounts for one-fifth of output and two-fifths of employment. Textiles and apparel account for more than half of Pakistan's export earnings; Pakistan's failure to diversify its exports has left the country vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Pakistan’s GDP growth has gradually increased since 2012, and was 5.3% in 2017. Official unemployment was 6% in 2017, but this fails to capture the true picture, because much of the economy is informal and underemployment remains high. Human development continues to lag behind most of the region. In 2013, Pakistan embarked on a $6.3 billion IMF Extended Fund Facility, which focused on reducing energy shortages, stabilizing public finances, increasing revenue collection, and improving its balance of payments position. The program concluded in September 2016. Although Pakistan missed several structural reform criteria, it restored macroeconomic stability, improved its credit rating, and boosted growth. The Pakistani rupee has remained relatively stable against the US dollar since 2015, though it declined about 10% between November 2017 and March 2018. Balance of payments concerns have reemerged, however, as a result of a significant increase in imports and weak export and remittance growth. Pakistan must continue to address several longstanding issues, including expanding investment in education, healthcare, and sanitation; adapting to the effects of climate change and natural disasters; improving the country’s business environment; and widening the country’s tax base. Given demographic challenges, Pakistan’s leadership will be pressed to implement economic reforms, promote further development of the energy sector, and attract foreign investment to support sufficient economic growth necessary to employ its growing and rapidly urbanizing population, much of which is under the age of 25. In an effort to boost development, Pakistan and China are implementing the \"China-Pakistan Economic Corridor\" (CPEC) with $60 billion in investments targeted towards energy and other infrastructure projects. Pakistan believes CPEC investments will enable growth rates of over 6% of GDP by laying the groundwork for increased exports. CPEC-related obligations, however, have raised IMF concern about Pakistan’s capital outflows and external financing needs over the medium term." + "text": "Decades of internal political disputes and low levels of foreign investment have led to underdevelopment in Pakistan. Pakistan has a large English-speaking population, with English-language skills less prevalent outside urban centers. Despite some progress in recent years in both security and energy, a challenging security environment, electricity shortages, and a burdensome investment climate have traditionally deterred investors. Agriculture accounts for one-fifth of output and two-fifths of employment. Textiles and apparel account for more than half of Pakistan's export earnings; Pakistan's failure to diversify its exports has left the country vulnerable to shifts in world demand. Pakistan's GDP growth has gradually increased since 2012, and was 5.3% in 2017. Official unemployment was 6% in 2017, but this fails to capture the true picture, because much of the economy is informal and underemployment remains high. Human development continues to lag behind most of the region. ++ In 2013, Pakistan embarked on a $6.3 billion IMF Extended Fund Facility, which focused on reducing energy shortages, stabilizing public finances, increasing revenue collection, and improving its balance of payments position. The program concluded in September 2016. Although Pakistan missed several structural reform criteria, it restored macroeconomic stability, improved its credit rating, and boosted growth. The Pakistani rupee has remained relatively stable against the US dollar since 2015, though it declined about 10% between November 2017 and March 2018. Balance of payments concerns have reemerged, however, as a result of a significant increase in imports and weak export and remittance growth. ++ Pakistan must continue to address several longstanding issues, including expanding investment in education, healthcare, and sanitation; adapting to the effects of climate change and natural disasters; improving the country's business environment; and widening the country's tax base. Given demographic challenges, Pakistan's leadership will be pressed to implement economic reforms, promote further development of the energy sector, and attract foreign investment to support sufficient economic growth necessary to employ its growing and rapidly urbanizing population, much of which is under the age of 25. ++ In an effort to boost development, Pakistan and China are implementing the \"China-Pakistan Economic Corridor\" (CPEC) with $60 billion in investments targeted towards energy and other infrastructure projects. Pakistan believes CPEC investments will enable growth rates of over 6% of GDP by laying the groundwork for increased exports. CPEC-related obligations, however, have raised IMF concern about Pakistan's capital outflows and external financing needs over the medium term." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$1.061 trillion (2017 est.) / $1.007 trillion (2016 est.) / $962.8 billion (2015 est.)", "note": { - "text": "note: data are in 2017 dollarsdata are for fiscal years" + "text": "note: data are in 2017 dollars ++ data are for fiscal years" } }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { @@ -572,7 +566,7 @@ "GDP - per capita (PPP)": { "text": "$5,400 (2017 est.) / $5,200 (2016 est.) / $5,100 (2015 est.)", "note": { - "text": "note: data are in 2017 dollarsdata are for fiscal years" + "text": "note: data are in 2017 dollars ++ data are for fiscal years" } }, "Gross national saving": { @@ -968,7 +962,7 @@ "text": "4% of GDP (2019) / 4.1% of GDP (2018) / 3.8% of GDP (2017) / 3.6% of GDP (2016) / 3.6% of GDP (2015)" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "estimates of the size of the Pakistan military’s active force vary; approximately 650,000 active personnel (560,000 Army; 30,000 Navy; 60,000 Air Force); est. 70,000 Frontier Corps; est. 25,000 Pakistan Rangers (2019)" + "text": "estimates of the size of the Pakistan military's active force vary; approximately 650,000 active personnel (560,000 Army; 30,000 Navy; 60,000 Air Force); est. 70,000 Frontier Corps; est. 25,000 Pakistan Rangers (2019)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the Pakistan military inventory includes a broad mix of equipment, primarily from China, France, Ukraine, the UK, and the US; since 2010, China and the US are the leading suppliers of arms to Pakistan; Pakistan also has a large domestic defense industry capable of upgrading existing air, land, and sea weapons systems (2019 est.)" @@ -982,7 +976,7 @@ }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { - "text": "Haqqani Network; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami; Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Hizbul Mujahideen; Indian Mujahedeen; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan; Islamic State of ash-Sham – India; Islamic State of ash-Sham – Pakistan; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; Jaish-e-Mohammed; Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Lashkar i Jhangvi; Lashkar-e Tayyiba; Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan; al-Qa’ida; al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (2019)", + "text": "Haqqani Network; Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami; Harakat ul-Mujahidin; Hizbul Mujahideen; Indian Mujahedeen; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan; Islamic State of ash-Sham – India; Islamic State of ash-Sham – Pakistan; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan; Jaish-e-Mohammed; Jaysh al Adl (Jundallah); Lashkar i Jhangvi; Lashkar-e Tayyiba; Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan; al-Qa'ida; al-Qa'ida in the Indian Subcontinent (2019)", "note": { "text": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T" } diff --git a/world/xx.json b/world/xx.json index 267328e6..3cf944fa 100644 --- a/world/xx.json +++ b/world/xx.json @@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ "Geography": { "": { "note": { - "text": "top fifteen World Factbook entities ranked by size: Pacific Ocean 155,557,000 sq km; Atlantic Ocean 76,762,000 sq km; Indian Ocean 68,556,000 sq km; Southern Ocean 20,327,000 sq km; Russia 17,098,242 sq km; Antarctica 14,200,000 sq km; Arctic Ocean 14,056,000 sq km; Canada 9,984,670 sq km; United States 9,826,675 sq km; China 9,596,960 sq km; Brazil 8,515,770 sq km; Australia 7,741,220 sq km; European Union 4,324,782 sq km; India 3,287,263 sq km; Argentina 2,780,400 sq km top ten largest water bodies: Pacific Ocean 155,557,000 sq km; Atlantic Ocean 76,762,000 sq km; Indian Ocean 68,556,000 sq km; Southern Ocean 20,327,000 sq km; Arctic Ocean 14,056,000 sq km; Coral Sea 4,184,100 sq km; South China Sea 3,595,900 sq km; Caribbean Sea 2,834,000 sq km; Bering Sea 2,520,000 sq km; Mediterranean Sea 2,469,000 sq km top ten largest landmasses: Asia 44,568,500 sq km; Africa 30,065,000 sq km; North America 24,473,000 sq km; South America 17,819,000 sq km; Antarctica 14,200,000 sq km; Europe 9,948,000 sq km; Australia 7,741,220 sq km; Greenland 2,166,086 sq km; New Guinea 785,753 sq km; Borneo 751,929 sq km top ten largest islands: Greenland 2,166,086 sq km; New Guinea (Indonesia, Papua New Guinea) 785,753 sq km; Borneo (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia) 751,929 sq km; Madagascar 587,713 sq km; Baffin Island (Canada) 507,451 sq km; Sumatra (Indonesia) 472,784 sq km; Honshu (Japan) 227,963 sq km; Victoria Island (Canada) 217,291 sq km; Great Britain (United Kingdom) 209,331 sq km; Ellesmere Island (Canada) 196,236 sq kmtop ten longest mountain ranges (land-based): Andes (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina) 7,000 km; Rocky Mountains (Canada, US) 4,830 km; Great Dividing Range (Australia) 3,700 km; Transantarctic Mountains (Antarctica) 3,500 km; Kunlun Mountains (China) 3,000 km; Ural Mountains (Russia, Kazakhstan) 2,640 km; Atlas Mountains (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) 2,500 km; Appalachian Mountains (Canada, US) 2,400 km; Himalayas (Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, China, Nepal, Bhutan) 2,300 km; Altai Mountains (Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia) 2,000 km; note - lengths are approximate; if oceans are included, the Mid-Ocean Ridge is by far the longest mountain range at 40,389 km top ten largest forested countries (sq km and percent of land): Russia 8,149,310 (49.8%); Brazil 4,935,380 (58.9%); Canada 3,470,690 (38.2%); United States 3,103,700 (33.9%); China 2,098,640 (22.3%); Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,522,670 (67.2%); Australia 1,250,590 (16.3%);  Indonesia 903,250 (49.9%); Peru 738,054 (57.7%); India 708,600 (23.8%) (2016 est.)top ten most densely forested countries (percent of land): Suriname (98.3%), Federated States of Micronesia (91.9%), Gabon (90%), Seychelles (88.4%), Palau (87.6%), Guyana (83.9%), Laos (82.1%), Solomon Islands (77.9%), Papua New Guinea (74.1%), Finland (73.1%) (2016 est.)top ten largest (non-polar) deserts: Sahara (Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan, Tunisia) 9,200,000 sq km; Arabian (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Yemen) 2,330,000 sq km; Gobi (China, Mongolia) 1,295,000 sq km; Kalahari (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa) 900,000 sq km; Patagonian (Argentina) 673,000 sq km; Syrian (Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia) 500,000 sq km; Chihuahuan (Mexico) 362,000 sq km; Kara-Kum (Turkmenistan) 350,000 sq km; Great Victoria (Australia) 348,750 sq km; Great Basin (United States) 343,169 sq km; note - if the two polar deserts are included, they would rank first and second: Antarctic Desert 14,200,000 sq km and Arctic Desert 13,900,000 sq km ten smallest independent countries: Holy See (Vatican City) 0.44 sq km; Monaco 2 sq km; Nauru 21 sq km; Tuvalu 26 sq km; San Marino 61 sq km; Liechtenstein 160 sq km; Marshall Islands 181 sq km; Saint Kitts and Nevis 261 sq km; Maldives 298 sq km; Malta 316 sq km" + "text": "top fifteen World Factbook entities ranked by size: Pacific Ocean 155,557,000 sq km; Atlantic Ocean 76,762,000 sq km; Indian Ocean 68,556,000 sq km; Southern Ocean 20,327,000 sq km; Russia 17,098,242 sq km; Antarctica 14,200,000 sq km; Arctic Ocean 14,056,000 sq km; Canada 9,984,670 sq km; United States 9,826,675 sq km; China 9,596,960 sq km; Brazil 8,515,770 sq km; Australia 7,741,220 sq km; European Union 4,324,782 sq km; India 3,287,263 sq km; Argentina 2,780,400 sq km ++ top ten largest water bodies: Pacific Ocean 155,557,000 sq km; Atlantic Ocean 76,762,000 sq km; Indian Ocean 68,556,000 sq km; Southern Ocean 20,327,000 sq km; Arctic Ocean 14,056,000 sq km; Coral Sea 4,184,100 sq km; South China Sea 3,595,900 sq km; Caribbean Sea 2,834,000 sq km; Bering Sea 2,520,000 sq km; Mediterranean Sea 2,469,000 sq km ++ top ten largest landmasses: Asia 44,568,500 sq km; Africa 30,065,000 sq km; North America 24,473,000 sq km; South America 17,819,000 sq km; Antarctica 14,200,000 sq km; Europe 9,948,000 sq km; Australia 7,741,220 sq km; Greenland 2,166,086 sq km; New Guinea 785,753 sq km; Borneo 751,929 sq km ++ top ten largest islands: Greenland 2,166,086 sq km; New Guinea (Indonesia, Papua New Guinea) 785,753 sq km; Borneo (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia) 751,929 sq km; Madagascar 587,713 sq km; Baffin Island (Canada) 507,451 sq km; Sumatra (Indonesia) 472,784 sq km; Honshu (Japan) 227,963 sq km; Victoria Island (Canada) 217,291 sq km; Great Britain (United Kingdom) 209,331 sq km; Ellesmere Island (Canada) 196,236 sq km ++ top ten longest mountain ranges (land-based): Andes (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina) 7,000 km; Rocky Mountains (Canada, US) 4,830 km; Great Dividing Range (Australia) 3,700 km; Transantarctic Mountains (Antarctica) 3,500 km; Kunlun Mountains (China) 3,000 km; Ural Mountains (Russia, Kazakhstan) 2,640 km; Atlas Mountains (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia) 2,500 km; Appalachian Mountains (Canada, US) 2,400 km; Himalayas (Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, China, Nepal, Bhutan) 2,300 km; Altai Mountains (Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia) 2,000 km; note - lengths are approximate; if oceans are included, the Mid-Ocean Ridge is by far the longest mountain range at 40,389 km  ++ top ten largest forested countries (sq km and percent of land): Russia 8,149,310 (49.8%); Brazil 4,935,380 (58.9%); Canada 3,470,690 (38.2%); United States 3,103,700 (33.9%); China 2,098,640 (22.3%); Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,522,670 (67.2%); Australia 1,250,590 (16.3%);  Indonesia 903,250 (49.9%); Peru 738,054 (57.7%); India 708,600 (23.8%) (2016 est.) ++ top ten most densely forested countries (percent of land): Suriname (98.3%), Federated States of Micronesia (91.9%), Gabon (90%), Seychelles (88.4%), Palau (87.6%), Guyana (83.9%), Laos (82.1%), Solomon Islands (77.9%), Papua New Guinea (74.1%), Finland (73.1%) (2016 est.) ++ top ten largest (non-polar) deserts: Sahara (Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan, Tunisia) 9,200,000 sq km; Arabian (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Yemen) 2,330,000 sq km; Gobi (China, Mongolia) 1,295,000 sq km; Kalahari (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa) 900,000 sq km; Patagonian (Argentina) 673,000 sq km; Syrian (Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia) 500,000 sq km; Chihuahuan (Mexico) 362,000 sq km; Kara-Kum (Turkmenistan) 350,000 sq km; Great Victoria (Australia) 348,750 sq km; Great Basin (United States) 343,169 sq km; note - if the two polar deserts are included, they would rank first and second: Antarctic Desert 14,200,000 sq km and Arctic Desert 13,900,000 sq km ++ ten smallest independent countries: Holy See (Vatican City) 0.44 sq km; Monaco 2 sq km; Nauru 21 sq km; Tuvalu 26 sq km; San Marino 61 sq km; Liechtenstein 160 sq km; Marshall Islands 181 sq km; Saint Kitts and Nevis 261 sq km; Maldives 298 sq km; Malta 316 sq km" } }, "Map references": { @@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ }, "Land boundaries": { "note": { - "text": "the land boundaries in the world total 251,060 km (not counting shared boundaries twice); two nations, China and Russia, each border 14 other countries note: 46 nations and other areas are landlocked, these include: Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Czechia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, South Sudan, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan, are doubly landlocked" + "text": "the land boundaries in the world total 251,060 km (not counting shared boundaries twice); two nations, China and Russia, each border 14 other countries ++ note: 46 nations and other areas are landlocked, these include: Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Czechia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay, Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, South Sudan, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan, are doubly landlocked" } }, "Coastline": { @@ -49,22 +49,22 @@ "Climate": { "text": "a wide equatorial band of hot and humid tropical climates, bordered north and south by subtropical temperate zones that separate two large areas of cold and dry polar climates", "Ten Driest Places on Earth (Average Annual Precipitation)": { - "text": "McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica 0 mm (0 in)Arica, Chile 0.76 mm (0.03 in)Al Kufrah, Libya 0.86 mm (0.03 in)Aswan, Egypt 0.86 mm (0.03 in)Luxor, Egypt 0.86 mm (0.03 in)Ica, Peru 2.29 mm (0.09 in)Wadi Halfa, Sudan 2.45 mm (0.1 in)Iquique, Chile 5.08 mm (0.2 in)Pelican Point, Namibia 8.13 mm (0.32 in)El Arab (Aoulef), Algeria 12.19 mm (0.48 in)" + "text": "McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica 0 mm (0 in) ++ Arica, Chile 0.76 mm (0.03 in) ++ Al Kufrah, Libya 0.86 mm (0.03 in) ++ Aswan, Egypt 0.86 mm (0.03 in) ++ Luxor, Egypt 0.86 mm (0.03 in) ++ Ica, Peru 2.29 mm (0.09 in) ++ Wadi Halfa, Sudan 2.45 mm (0.1 in) ++ Iquique, Chile 5.08 mm (0.2 in) ++ Pelican Point, Namibia 8.13 mm (0.32 in) ++ El Arab (Aoulef), Algeria 12.19 mm (0.48 in)" }, "Ten Wettest Places on Earth (Average Annual Precipitation)": { - "text": "Mawsynram, India 11,871 mm (467.4 in)Cherrapunji, India 11,777 mm (463.7 in)Tutunendo, Colombia 11,770 mm (463.4 in)Cropp River, New Zealand 11,516 mm (453.4 in)San Antonia de Ureca, Equatorial Guinea 10,450 mm (411.4 in)Debundsha, Cameroon 10,299 mm (405.5 in)Big Bog, US (Hawaii) 10,272 mm (404.4 in)Mt Waialeale, US (Hawaii) 9,763 mm (384.4 in)Kukui, US (Hawaii) 9,293 mm (365.9 in)Emeishan, China 8,169 mm (321.6 in)" + "text": "Mawsynram, India 11,871 mm (467.4 in) ++ Cherrapunji, India 11,777 mm (463.7 in) ++ Tutunendo, Colombia 11,770 mm (463.4 in) ++ Cropp River, New Zealand 11,516 mm (453.4 in) ++ San Antonia de Ureca, Equatorial Guinea 10,450 mm (411.4 in) ++ Debundsha, Cameroon 10,299 mm (405.5 in) ++ Big Bog, US (Hawaii) 10,272 mm (404.4 in) ++ Mt Waialeale, US (Hawaii) 9,763 mm (384.4 in) ++ Kukui, US (Hawaii) 9,293 mm (365.9 in) ++ Emeishan, China 8,169 mm (321.6 in)" }, "Ten Coldest Places on Earth (Lowest Average Monthly Temperature)": { - "text": "Verkhoyansk, Russia (Siberia) -47°C (-53°F) JanuaryOymyakon, Russia (Siberia) -46°C (-52°F) JanuaryEureka, Canada -38.4°C (-37.1°F) FebruaryIsachsen, Canada -36°C (-32.8°F) FebruaryAlert, Canada -34°C (-28°F) FebruaryKap Morris Jesup, Greenland -34°C (-29°F) MarchCornwallis Island, Canada -33.5°C (-28.3°F) FebruaryCambridge Bay, Canada -33.5°C (28.3°F) FebruaryIlirnej, Russia -33°C (-28°F) JanuaryResolute, Canada -33°C (-27.4°F) February" + "text": "Verkhoyansk, Russia (Siberia) -47°C (-53°F) January ++ Oymyakon, Russia (Siberia) -46°C (-52°F) January ++ Eureka, Canada -38.4°C (-37.1°F) February ++ Isachsen, Canada -36°C (-32.8°F) February ++ Alert, Canada -34°C (-28°F) February ++ Kap Morris Jesup, Greenland -34°C (-29°F) March ++ Cornwallis Island, Canada -33.5°C (-28.3°F) February ++ Cambridge Bay, Canada -33.5°C (28.3°F) February ++ Ilirnej, Russia -33°C (-28°F) January ++ Resolute, Canada -33°C (-27.4°F) February" }, "Ten Hottest Places on Earth (Highest Average Monthly Temperature)": { - "text": "Death Valley, US (California) 39°C (101°F) JulyIranshahr, Iran 38.3°C (100.9°F) June Ouallene, Algeria 38°C (100.4°F) JulyKuwait City, Kuwait 37.7°C (100°F) JulyMedina, Saudi Arabia 36°C (97°F) JulyBuckeye, US (Arizona) 34°C (93°F) JulyJazan, Saudi Arabia 33°C (91°F) JuneAl Kufrah, Libya 31°C (87°F) JulyAlice Springs, Australia 29°C (84°F) JanuaryTamanrasset, Algeria 29°C (84°F) June" + "text": "Death Valley, US (California) 39°C (101°F) July ++ Iranshahr, Iran 38.3°C (100.9°F) June ++ Ouallene, Algeria 38°C (100.4°F) July ++ Kuwait City, Kuwait 37.7°C (100°F) July ++ Medina, Saudi Arabia 36°C (97°F) July ++ Buckeye, US (Arizona) 34°C (93°F) July ++ Jazan, Saudi Arabia 33°C (91°F) June ++ Al Kufrah, Libya 31°C (87°F) July ++ Alice Springs, Australia 29°C (84°F) January ++ Tamanrasset, Algeria 29°C (84°F) June" } }, "Terrain": { "text": "tremendous variation of terrain on each of the continents; check the World 'Elevation' entry for a compilation of terrain extremes; the world's ocean floors are marked by mid-ocean ridges while the ocean surfaces form a dynamic, continuously changing environment; check the 'Terrain' field and its 'major surface currents' subfield under each of the five ocean (Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern) entries for further information on oceanic environs", "Ten Cave Superlatives": { - "text": "compiled from \"Geography - note(s)\" under various country entries where more details may be foundlargest cave: Son Doong in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam is the world's largest cave (greatest cross sectional area) and is the largest known cave passage in the world by volume; it currently measures a total of 38.5 million cu m (about 1.35 billion cu ft); it connects to Thung cave (but not yet officially); when recognized, it will add an additional 1.6 million cu m in volumelargest ice cave: the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, Austria is the world's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi) longest cave: Mammoth Cave, in west-central Kentucky, is the world's longest known cave system with more than 650 km (405 mi) of surveyed passagewayslongest salt cave: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom in Israel is the world's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); its survey is not complete and its length will undoubtedly increaselongest underwater cave: the Sac Actun cave system in Mexico at 348 km (216 mi) is the longest underwater cave in the world and the second longest cave worldwidelongest lava tube cave: Kazumura Cave on the island of Hawaii is the world's longest and deepest lava tube cave; it has been surveyed at 66 km (41 mi) long and 1,102 m (3,614 ft) deep deepest cave: Veryovkina Cave in the Caucasus country of Georgia is the world's deepest cave, plunging down 2,212 m (7,257 ft)deepest underwater cave: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed underwater cave at 404 m (1,325 ft); its survey is not complete and it could end up being some 800-1,200 m deeplargest cave chamber: the Miao Room in the Gebihe cave system at China's Ziyun Getu He Chuandong National Park encloses some 10.78 million cu m (380.7 million cu ft) of volumelargest bat cave: Bracken Cave outside of San Antonio, Texas is the world's largest bat cave; it is the summer home to the largest colony of bats in the world; an estimated 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the cave from March to October making it the world's largest known concentration of mammals" + "text": "compiled from \"Geography - note(s)\" under various country entries where more details may be found ++ largest cave: Son Doong in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam is the world's largest cave (greatest cross sectional area) and is the largest known cave passage in the world by volume; it currently measures a total of 38.5 million cu m (about 1.35 billion cu ft); it connects to Thung cave (but not yet officially); when recognized, it will add an additional 1.6 million cu m in volume ++ largest ice cave: the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, Austria is the world's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi) ++ ++ longest cave: Mammoth Cave, in west-central Kentucky, is the world's longest known cave system with more than 650 km (405 mi) of surveyed passageways ++ longest salt cave: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom in Israel is the world's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); its survey is not complete and its length will undoubtedly increase ++ longest underwater cave: the Sac Actun cave system in Mexico at 348 km (216 mi) is the longest underwater cave in the world and the second longest cave worldwide ++ longest lava tube cave: Kazumura Cave on the island of Hawaii is the world's longest and deepest lava tube cave; it has been surveyed at 66 km (41 mi) long and 1,102 m (3,614 ft) deep ++ deepest cave: Veryovkina Cave in the Caucasus country of Georgia is the world's deepest cave, plunging down 2,212 m (7,257 ft) ++ deepest underwater cave: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed underwater cave at 404 m (1,325 ft); its survey is not complete and it could end up being some 800-1,200 m deep ++ largest cave chamber: the Miao Room in the Gebihe cave system at China's Ziyun Getu He Chuandong National Park encloses some 10.78 million cu m (380.7 million cu ft) of volume ++ largest bat cave: Bracken Cave outside of San Antonio, Texas is the world's largest bat cave; it is the summer home to the largest colony of bats in the world; an estimated 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the cave from March to October making it the world's largest known concentration of mammals" } }, "Elevation": { @@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ "text": "Mount Everest 8,848 m" }, "note": { - "text": "top ten highest mountains (measured from sea level): Mount Everest (China-Nepal) 8,848 m; K2 (Pakistan) 8,611 m; Kanchenjunga (India-Nepal) 8,598 m; Lhotse (Nepal) 8,516 m; Makalu (China-Nepal) 8,463 m; Cho Oyu (China-Nepal) 8,201 m; Dhaulagiri (Nepal) 8,167 m; Manaslu (Nepal) 8,163 m; Nanga Parbat (Pakistan) 8,125 m; Anapurna (Nepal) 8,091 m; note - Mauna Kea (United States) is the world's tallest mountain as measured from base to summit; the peak of this volcanic colossus lies on the island of Hawaii, but its base begins more than 70 km offshore and at a depth of about 6,000 m; total height estimates range from 9,966 m to 10,203 mtop ten highest island peaks: Puncak Jaya (New Guinea) 4,884 m (Indonesia)*; Mauna Kea (Hawaii) 4,207 m (United States); Gunung Kinabalu (Borneo) 4,095 m (Malaysia)*; Yu Shan (Taiwan) 3,952 (Taiwan)*; Mount Kerinci (Sumatra) 3,805 m (Indonesia); Mount Erebus (Ross Island) 3,794 (Antarctica); Mount Fuji (Honshu) 3,776 m (Japan)*; Mount Rinjani (Lombok) 3,726 m (Indonesia); Aoraki-Mount Cook (South Island) 3,724 m (New Zealand)*; Pico de Teide (Tenerife) 3,718 m (Spain)*; note - * indicates the highest peak for that Factbook entry highest point on each continent: Asia - Mount Everest (China-Nepal) 8,848 m; South America - Cerro Aconcagua (Argentina) 6,960 m; North America - Denali (Mount McKinley) (United States) 6,190 m; Africa - Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) 5,895 m; Europe - El'brus (Russia) 5,633 m; Antarctica - Vinson Massif 4,897 m; Australia - Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 mhighest capital on each continent: South America - La Paz (Bolivia) 3,640 m; Africa - Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) 2,355 m; Asia - Thimphu (Bhutan) 2,334 m; North America - Mexico City (Mexico) 2,240 m; Europe - Andorra la Vella (Andorra) 1,023 m; Australia - Canberra (Australia) 605 m lowest point on each continent: Antarctica - Denman Glacier more than -3,500 m; Asia - Dead Sea (Israel-Jordan) -431 m; Africa - Lac Assal (Djibouti) -155 m; South America - Laguna del Carbon (Argentina) -105 m; North America - Death Valley (United States) -86 m; Europe - Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan-Russia) -28 m; Australia - Lake Eyre -15 mlowest capital on each continent: Asia - Baku (Azerbaijan) -28 m; Europe - Amsterdam (Netherlands) -2 m; Africa - Banjul (Gambia); Bissau (Guinea-Bissau), Conakry (Guinea), Djibouti (Djibouti), Libreville (Gabon), Male (Maldives), Monrovia (Liberia), Tunis (Tunisia), Victoria (Seychelles) 0 m; North America - Basseterre (Saint Kitts and Nevis), Kingstown (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Panama City (Panama), Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago), Roseau (Dominica), Saint John's (Antigua and Barbuda), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) 0 m; South America - Georgetown (Guyana) 0 m; Australia - Canberra (Australia) 605 m" + "text": "top ten highest mountains (measured from sea level): Mount Everest (China-Nepal) 8,848 m; K2 (Pakistan) 8,611 m; Kanchenjunga (India-Nepal) 8,598 m; Lhotse (Nepal) 8,516 m; Makalu (China-Nepal) 8,463 m; Cho Oyu (China-Nepal) 8,201 m; Dhaulagiri (Nepal) 8,167 m; Manaslu (Nepal) 8,163 m; Nanga Parbat (Pakistan) 8,125 m; Anapurna (Nepal) 8,091 m; note - Mauna Kea (United States) is the world's tallest mountain as measured from base to summit; the peak of this volcanic colossus lies on the island of Hawaii, but its base begins more than 70 km offshore and at a depth of about 6,000 m; total height estimates range from 9,966 m to 10,203 m ++ top ten highest island peaks: Puncak Jaya (New Guinea) 4,884 m (Indonesia)*; Mauna Kea (Hawaii) 4,207 m (United States); Gunung Kinabalu (Borneo) 4,095 m (Malaysia)*; Yu Shan (Taiwan) 3,952 (Taiwan)*; Mount Kerinci (Sumatra) 3,805 m (Indonesia); Mount Erebus (Ross Island) 3,794 (Antarctica); Mount Fuji (Honshu) 3,776 m (Japan)*; Mount Rinjani (Lombok) 3,726 m (Indonesia); Aoraki-Mount Cook (South Island) 3,724 m (New Zealand)*; Pico de Teide (Tenerife) 3,718 m (Spain)*; note - * indicates the highest peak for that Factbook entry ++ highest point on each continent: Asia - Mount Everest (China-Nepal) 8,848 m; South America - Cerro Aconcagua (Argentina) 6,960 m; North America - Denali (Mount McKinley) (United States) 6,190 m; Africa - Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) 5,895 m; Europe - El'brus (Russia) 5,633 m; Antarctica - Vinson Massif 4,897 m; Australia - Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m ++ highest capital on each continent: South America - La Paz (Bolivia) 3,640 m; Africa - Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) 2,355 m; Asia - Thimphu (Bhutan) 2,334 m; North America - Mexico City (Mexico) 2,240 m; Europe - Andorra la Vella (Andorra) 1,023 m; Australia - Canberra (Australia) 605 m ++ lowest point on each continent: Antarctica - Denman Glacier more than -3,500 m; Asia - Dead Sea (Israel-Jordan) -431 m; Africa - Lac Assal (Djibouti) -155 m; South America - Laguna del Carbon (Argentina) -105 m; North America - Death Valley (United States) -86 m; Europe - Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan-Russia) -28 m; Australia - Lake Eyre -15 m ++ lowest capital on each continent: Asia - Baku (Azerbaijan) -28 m; Europe - Amsterdam (Netherlands) -2 m; Africa - Banjul (Gambia); Bissau (Guinea-Bissau), Conakry (Guinea), Djibouti (Djibouti), Libreville (Gabon), Male (Maldives), Monrovia (Liberia), Tunis (Tunisia), Victoria (Seychelles) 0 m; North America - Basseterre (Saint Kitts and Nevis), Kingstown (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Panama City (Panama), Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago), Roseau (Dominica), Saint John's (Antigua and Barbuda), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) 0 m; South America - Georgetown (Guyana) 0 m; Australia - Canberra (Australia) 605 m" } }, "Natural resources": { @@ -91,25 +91,25 @@ "text": "six of the world's seven continents are widely and permanently inhabited; Asia is easily the most populous continent with about 60% of the world's population (China and India together account for over 35%); Africa comes in second with over 15% of the earth's populace, Europe has about 10%, North America 8%, South America almost 6%, and Oceania less than 1%; the harsh conditions on Antarctica prevent any permanent habitation" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones); natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions) volcanism: volcanism is a fundamental driver and consequence of plate tectonics, the physical process reshaping the Earth's lithosphere; the world is home to more than 1,500 potentially active volcanoes, with over 500 of these having erupted in historical times; an estimated 500 million people live near these volcanoes; associated dangers include lava flows, lahars (mudflows), pyroclastic flows, ash clouds, ash fall, ballistic projectiles, gas emissions, landslides, earthquakes, and tsunamis; in the 1990s, the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, created a list of 16 Decade Volcanoes worthy of special study because of their great potential for destruction: Avachinsky-Koryaksky (Russia), Colima (Mexico), Etna (Italy), Galeras (Colombia), Mauna Loa (United States), Merapi (Indonesia), Nyiragongo (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Rainier (United States), Sakurajima (Japan), Santa Maria (Guatemala), Santorini (Greece), Taal (Philippines), Teide (Spain), Ulawun (Papua New Guinea), Unzen (Japan), Vesuvius (Italy); see second note under \"Geography - note\"" + "text": "large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones); natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions) ++ volcanism: volcanism is a fundamental driver and consequence of plate tectonics, the physical process reshaping the Earth's lithosphere; the world is home to more than 1,500 potentially active volcanoes, with over 500 of these having erupted in historical times; an estimated 500 million people live near these volcanoes; associated dangers include lava flows, lahars (mudflows), pyroclastic flows, ash clouds, ash fall, ballistic projectiles, gas emissions, landslides, earthquakes, and tsunamis; in the 1990s, the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, created a list of 16 Decade Volcanoes worthy of special study because of their great potential for destruction: Avachinsky-Koryaksky (Russia), Colima (Mexico), Etna (Italy), Galeras (Colombia), Mauna Loa (United States), Merapi (Indonesia), Nyiragongo (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Rainier (United States), Sakurajima (Japan), Santa Maria (Guatemala), Santorini (Greece), Taal (Philippines), Teide (Spain), Ulawun (Papua New Guinea), Unzen (Japan), Vesuvius (Italy); see second note under \"Geography - note\"" }, "Environment - current issues": { "text": "large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of biodiversity; soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion; ozone layer depletion; waste disposal; global warming becoming a greater concern" }, "Geography - note": { - "text": "note 1: the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, just about one-third of the 13.8-billion-year age estimated for the universe; the earliest widely accepted date for life appearing on earth is 3.48 billion years ago, but this date is conservative and may get pushed back further note 2: although earthquakes can strike anywhere at any time, the vast majority occur in three large zones of the earth; the world's greatest earthquake belt, the Circum-Pacific Belt (popularly referred to as the Ring of Fire), is the zone of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; about 90% of the world's earthquakes (81% of the largest earthquakes) and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire; the belt extends northward from Chile, along the South American coast, through Central America, Mexico, the western US, southern Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, to Japan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, island groups in the southwestern Pacific, and New Zealandthe second prominent belt, the Alpide, extends from Java to Sumatra, northward along the mountains of Burma, then eastward through the Himalayas, the Mediterranean, and out into the Atlantic Ocean; it accounts for about 17% of the world's largest earthquakes; the third important belt follows the long Mid-Atlantic Ridge" + "text": "note 1: the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, just about one-third of the 13.8-billion-year age estimated for the universe; the earliest widely accepted date for life appearing on earth is 3.48 billion years ago, but this date is conservative and may get pushed back further ++ note 2: although earthquakes can strike anywhere at any time, the vast majority occur in three large zones of the earth; the world's greatest earthquake belt, the Circum-Pacific Belt (popularly referred to as the Ring of Fire), is the zone of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; about 90% of the world's earthquakes (81% of the largest earthquakes) and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire; the belt extends northward from Chile, along the South American coast, through Central America, Mexico, the western US, southern Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, to Japan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, island groups in the southwestern Pacific, and New Zealand ++ the second prominent belt, the Alpide, extends from Java to Sumatra, northward along the mountains of Burma, then eastward through the Himalayas, the Mediterranean, and out into the Atlantic Ocean; it accounts for about 17% of the world's largest earthquakes; the third important belt follows the long Mid-Atlantic Ridge" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "7,684,292,383 (July 2020 est.)", "note": { - "text": "top ten most populous countries (in millions): China 1394.02; India 1326.1; United States 332.64; Indonesia 267.03; Pakistan 233.5; Nigeria 214.03; Brazil 211.72; Bangladesh 162.65; Russia 141.72; Japan 128.65 ten least populous countries: Holy See (Vatican City) 1,000; Saint Pierre and Miquelon 5,347; Montserrat 5,373; Saint Barthelemy 7,122; Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan de Cunha 7,862; Cook Islands 8,574; Nauru 9,785; Tuvalu 11,342; Wallis and Futuna 15,854; Anguilla 18,090 ten most densely populated countries (population per sq km): Macau 21,789; Monaco 15,470; Singapore 8,756; Hong Kong 6,757; Gaza Strip 5,328; Gibraltar 4,551; Bahrain 1,980; Malta 1,447; Bermuda 1,329; Maldives 1,315 ten least densely populated countries (population per sq km): Greenland less than 1; Mongolia 2; Western Sahara 2.5; Namibia 3.2; Australia 3.3; Iceland 3.5; Guyana 3.8; Libya 3.9; Mauritania 3.9; Suriname 3.9" + "text": "top ten most populous countries (in millions): China 1394.02; India 1326.1; United States 332.64; Indonesia 267.03; Pakistan 233.5; Nigeria 214.03; Brazil 211.72; Bangladesh 162.65; Russia 141.72; Japan 128.65 ++ ten least populous countries: Holy See (Vatican City) 1,000; Saint Pierre and Miquelon 5,347; Montserrat 5,373; Saint Barthelemy 7,122; Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan de Cunha 7,862; Cook Islands 8,574; Nauru 9,785; Tuvalu 11,342; Wallis and Futuna 15,854; Anguilla 18,090 ++ ten most densely populated countries (population per sq km): Macau 21,789; Monaco 15,470; Singapore 8,756; Hong Kong 6,757; Gaza Strip 5,328; Gibraltar 4,551; Bahrain 1,980; Malta 1,447; Bermuda 1,329; Maldives 1,315 ++ ten least densely populated countries (population per sq km): Greenland less than 1; Mongolia 2; Western Sahara 2.5; Namibia 3.2; Australia 3.3; Iceland 3.5; Guyana 3.8; Libya 3.9; Mauritania 3.9; Suriname 3.9" } }, "Languages": { "note": { - "text": "most-spoken language: English 16.5%, Mandarin Chinese 14.6%, Hindi 8.3%, Spanish 7%, French 3.6%, Arabic 3.6%, Bengali 3.4%, Russian 3.4%, Portuguese 3.3%, Indonesian 2.6% (2020 est.) most-spoken first language: Mandarin Chinese 12.3%, Spanish 6%, English 5.1%, Arabic 5.1%, Hindi 3.5%, Bengali 3.3%, Portuguese 3%, Russian 2.1%, Japanese 1.7%, Punjabi, Western 1.3%, Javanese 1.1% (2018 est.) note 1: the six UN languages - Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, Russian, and Spanish (Castilian) - are the mother tongue or second language of about 45% of the world's population, and are the official languages in more than half the states in the world; some 400 languages have more than a million first-language speakers (2018) note 2: all told, there are estimated to be just over 7,115 languages spoken in the world (2020); approximately 80% of these languages are spoken by less than 100,000 people; about 150 languages are spoken by less than 10 people; communities that are isolated from each other in mountainous regions often develop multiple languages; Papua New Guinea, for example, boasts about 840 separate languages (2018) note 3: approximately 2,300 languages are spoken in Asia, 2,140, in Africa, 1,310 in the Pacific, 1,060 in the Americas, and 290 in Europe (2020)" + "text": "most-spoken language: English 16.5%, Mandarin Chinese 14.6%, Hindi 8.3%, Spanish 7%, French 3.6%, Arabic 3.6%, Bengali 3.4%, Russian 3.4%, Portuguese 3.3%, Indonesian 2.6% (2020 est.) ++ most-spoken first language: Mandarin Chinese 12.3%, Spanish 6%, English 5.1%, Arabic 5.1%, Hindi 3.5%, Bengali 3.3%, Portuguese 3%, Russian 2.1%, Japanese 1.7%, Punjabi, Western 1.3%, Javanese 1.1% (2018 est.) ++ note 1: the six UN languages - Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, Russian, and Spanish (Castilian) - are the mother tongue or second language of about 45% of the world's population, and are the official languages in more than half the states in the world; some 400 languages have more than a million first-language speakers (2018) ++ note 2: all told, there are estimated to be just over 7,115 languages spoken in the world (2020); approximately 80% of these languages are spoken by less than 100,000 people; about 150 languages are spoken by less than 10 people; communities that are isolated from each other in mountainous regions often develop multiple languages; Papua New Guinea, for example, boasts about 840 separate languages (2018) ++ note 3: approximately 2,300 languages are spoken in Asia, 2,140, in Africa, 1,310 in the Pacific, 1,060 in the Americas, and 290 in Europe (2020)" } }, "Religions": { @@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "ten largest urban agglomerations: Tokyo (Japan) - 37,393,000; New Delhi (India) - 30,291,000; Shanghai (China) - 27,058,000; Sao Paulo (Brazil) - 22,043,000; Mexico City (Mexico) - 21,782,000; Dhaka (Bangladesh) - 21,006,000; Cairo (Egypt) - 20,901,000; Beijing (China) - 20,463,000; Mumbai (India) - 20,411,000;  Osaka (Japan) - 19,165,000 (2020)", "note": { - "text": "ten largest urban agglomerations, by continent:Africa - Cairo (Egypt) - 20,485,000; Lagos (Nigeria) - 13,904,000; Kinshasha (DRC) - 13,743,000; Luanda (Angola) - 8,045,000; Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania) - 6,368,000; Khartoum (Sudan) - 5,678,000; Johannesburg (South Africa) - 5,635,000; Alexandria (Egypt) - 5,182,000; Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) - 5,059,000; Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) - 4,592,000Asia - Tokyo (Japan) - 37,435,000; New Delhi (India) - 29,399,000; Shanghai (China) - 26,317,000; Dhaka (Bangladesh) - 20,284,000; Mumbai (India) - 20,185,000; Beijing (China) - 20,035,000; Osaka (Japan) - 19,223,000; Karachi (Pakistan) - 15,741,000; Chongqing (China) - 15,354,000; Istanbul (Turkey) - 14,968,000Europe - Moscow (Russia) - 12,476,000; Paris (France) - 10,958,000; London (United Kingdom) - 9,177,000; Madrid (Spain) - 6,559,000; Barcelona (Spain) - 5,541,000, Saint Petersburg (Russia) -  5,427,000; Rome (Italy) - 4,234,000; Berlin (Germany) - 3,557,000; Athens (Greece) - 3,154,000; Milan (Italy) - 3,136,000North America - Mexico City (Mexico) - 21,672,000; New York-Newark (United States) - 18,805,000; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana (United States) - 12,448,000; Chicago (United States) - 8,862,000; Houston (United States) - 6,245,000; Dallas-Fort Worth (United States) - 6,201,000; Toronto (Canada) - 6,139,000; Miami (United States) - 6,079,000; Philadelphia (United States) - 5,705,000; Atlanta (United States) - 5,689,000Oceania - Melbourne (Australia) - 4,870,000, Sydney (Australia) - 4,859,000; Brisbane (Australia) - 2,372,000; Perth (Australia) - 2,016,000; Auckland (New Zealand) - 1,582,000; Adelaide (Australia) - 1,328,000; Gold Coast-Tweed Head (Australia) - 687,000; Canberra (Australia) - 452,000; Newcastle-Maitland (Australia) - 447,000; Wellington (New Zealand) - 413,000South America - Sao Paulo (Brazil) - 21,847,000; Buenos Aires (Argentina) - 15,057,000; Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) - 13,374,000; Bogota (Colombia) - 10,779,000; Lima (Peru) - 10,555,000; Santiago (Chile) - 6,724,000; Belo Horizonte (Brazil) - 6,028,000; Brasilia (Brazil) - 4,559,000; Porto Alegre (Brazil) - 4,115,000; Recife (Brazil) - 4,078,000 (2019)" + "text": "ten largest urban agglomerations, by continent: Africa - Cairo (Egypt) - 20,485,000; Lagos (Nigeria) - 13,904,000; Kinshasha (DRC) - 13,743,000; Luanda (Angola) - 8,045,000; Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania) - 6,368,000; Khartoum (Sudan) - 5,678,000; Johannesburg (South Africa) - 5,635,000; Alexandria (Egypt) - 5,182,000; Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) - 5,059,000; Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) - 4,592,000 ++ Asia - Tokyo (Japan) - 37,435,000; New Delhi (India) - 29,399,000; Shanghai (China) - 26,317,000; Dhaka (Bangladesh) - 20,284,000; Mumbai (India) - 20,185,000; Beijing (China) - 20,035,000; Osaka (Japan) - 19,223,000; Karachi (Pakistan) - 15,741,000; Chongqing (China) - 15,354,000; Istanbul (Turkey) - 14,968,000 ++ Europe - Moscow (Russia) - 12,476,000; Paris (France) - 10,958,000; London (United Kingdom) - 9,177,000; Madrid (Spain) - 6,559,000; Barcelona (Spain) - 5,541,000, Saint Petersburg (Russia) -  5,427,000; Rome (Italy) - 4,234,000; Berlin (Germany) - 3,557,000; Athens (Greece) - 3,154,000; Milan (Italy) - 3,136,000 ++ North America - Mexico City (Mexico) - 21,672,000; New York-Newark (United States) - 18,805,000; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana (United States) - 12,448,000; Chicago (United States) - 8,862,000; Houston (United States) - 6,245,000; Dallas-Fort Worth (United States) - 6,201,000; Toronto (Canada) - 6,139,000; Miami (United States) - 6,079,000; Philadelphia (United States) - 5,705,000; Atlanta (United States) - 5,689,000 ++ Oceania - Melbourne (Australia) - 4,870,000, Sydney (Australia) - 4,859,000; Brisbane (Australia) - 2,372,000; Perth (Australia) - 2,016,000; Auckland (New Zealand) - 1,582,000; Adelaide (Australia) - 1,328,000; Gold Coast-Tweed Head (Australia) - 687,000; Canberra (Australia) - 452,000; Newcastle-Maitland (Australia) - 447,000; Wellington (New Zealand) - 413,000 ++ South America - Sao Paulo (Brazil) - 21,847,000; Buenos Aires (Argentina) - 15,057,000; Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) - 13,374,000; Bogota (Colombia) - 10,779,000; Lima (Peru) - 10,555,000; Santiago (Chile) - 6,724,000; Belo Horizonte (Brazil) - 6,028,000; Brasilia (Brazil) - 4,559,000; Porto Alegre (Brazil) - 4,115,000; Recife (Brazil) - 4,078,000 (2019)" } }, "Sex ratio": { @@ -244,28 +244,22 @@ "text": "2.42 children born/woman (2020 est.)" }, "Drinking water source": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 3.5% of population" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 96.5% of population / rural: 84.7% of population / total: 91.1% of population" }, - "rural": { - "text": "15.3% of population" - }, - "total": { - "text": "8.9% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 3.5% of population / rural: 15.3% of population / total: 8.9% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { "text": "10% (2016)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { - "urban": { - "text": "unimproved: 17.7% of population (2015 est.)" + "improved": { + "text": "urban: 82.3% of population (2015 est.) / rural: 50.5% of population (2015 est.) / total: 67.7% of population (2015 est.)" }, - "rural": { - "text": "49.5% of population (2015 est.)" - }, - "total": { - "text": "32.3% of population (2015 est.)" + "unimproved": { + "text": "urban: 17.7% of population (2015 est.) / rural: 49.5% of population (2015 est.) / total: 32.3% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { @@ -322,7 +316,7 @@ }, "Capital": { "time difference": { - "text": "there are 21 World entities (20 countries and 1 dependency) with multiple time zones: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, France, Greenland (part of the Danish Kingdom), Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Russia, Spain, United Statesnote 1: in some instances, the time zones pertain to portions of a country that lie overseasnote 2: in 1851, the British set their prime meridian (0° longitude) through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England; this meridian became the international standard in 1884 and thus the basis for the standard time zones of the world; today, GMT is officially known as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and is also referred to as \"Zulu time\"; UTC is the basis for all civil time, with the world divided into time zones expressed as positive or negative differences from UTCnote 3: each time zone is based on 15° starting from the prime meridian; in theory, there are 24 time zones based on the solar day, but there are now upward of 40 because of fractional hour offsets that adjust for various political and physical geographic realities; see the Standard Time Zones of the World map included with the Reference Maps" + "text": "there are 21 World entities (20 countries and 1 dependency) with multiple time zones: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, France, Greenland (part of the Danish Kingdom), Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Russia, Spain, United States ++ note 1: in some instances, the time zones pertain to portions of a country that lie overseas ++ note 2: in 1851, the British set their prime meridian (0° longitude) through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England; this meridian became the international standard in 1884 and thus the basis for the standard time zones of the world; today, GMT is officially known as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and is also referred to as \"Zulu time\"; UTC is the basis for all civil time, with the world divided into time zones expressed as positive or negative differences from UTC ++ note 3: each time zone is based on 15° starting from the prime meridian; in theory, there are 24 time zones based on the solar day, but there are now upward of 40 because of fractional hour offsets that adjust for various political and physical geographic realities; see the Standard Time Zones of the World map included with the Reference Maps" }, "daylight saving time": { "text": "some 67 countries - including most of the world's leading industrialized nations - use daylight savings time (DST) in at least a portion of the country; China, Japan, India, and Russia are major industrialized countries that do not use DST; Asia and Africa generally do not observe DST and it is generally not observed near the equator, where sunrise and sunset times do not vary enough to justify it; some countries observe DST only in certain regions; for example, only southeastern Australia observes it; in fact, only a minority of the world's population - about 20% - uses DST" @@ -354,7 +348,7 @@ }, "Economy": { "Economy - overview": { - "text": "The international financial crisis of 2008-09 led to the first downturn in global output since 1946 and presented the world with a major new challenge: determining what mix of fiscal and monetary policies to follow to restore growth and jobs, while keeping inflation and debt under control. Financial stabilization and stimulus programs that started in 2009-11, combined with lower tax revenues in 2009-10, required most countries to run large budget deficits. Treasuries issued new public debt - totaling $9.1 trillion since 2008 - to pay for the additional expenditures. To keep interest rates low, most central banks monetized that debt, injecting large sums of money into their economies - between December 2008 and December 2013 the global money supply increased by more than 35%. Governments are now faced with the difficult task of spurring current growth and employment without saddling their economies with so much debt that they sacrifice long-term growth and financial stability. When economic activity picks up, central banks will confront the difficult task of containing inflation without raising interest rates so high they snuff out further growth. Fiscal and monetary data for 2013 are currently available for 180 countries, which together account for 98.5% of world GDP. Of the 180 countries, 82 pursued unequivocally expansionary policies, boosting government spending while also expanding their money supply relatively rapidly - faster than the world average of 3.1%; 28 followed restrictive fiscal and monetary policies, reducing government spending and holding money growth to less than the 3.1% average; and the remaining 70 followed a mix of counterbalancing fiscal and monetary policies, either reducing government spending while accelerating money growth, or boosting spending while curtailing money growth. (For more information, see attached spreadsheet.) In 2013, for many countries the drive for fiscal austerity that began in 2011 abated. While 5 out of 6 countries slowed spending in 2012, only 1 in 2 countries slowed spending in 2013. About 1 in 3 countries actually lowered the level of their expenditures. The global growth rate for government expenditures increased from 1.6% in 2012 to 5.1% in 2013, after falling from a 10.1% growth rate in 2011. On the other hand, nearly 2 out of 3 central banks tightened monetary policy in 2013, decelerating the rate of growth of their money supply, compared with only 1 out of 3 in 2012. Roughly 1 of 4 central banks actually withdrew money from circulation, an increase from 1 out of 7 in 2012. Growth of the global money supply, as measured by the narrowly defined M1, slowed from 8.7% in 2009 and 10.4% in 2010 to 5.2% in 2011, 4.6% in 2012, and 3.1% in 2013. Several notable shifts occurred in 2013. By cutting government expenditures and expanding money supplies, the US and Canada moved against the trend in the rest of the world. France reversed course completely. Rather than reducing expenditures and money as it had in 2012, it expanded both. Germany reversed its fiscal policy, sharply expanding federal spending, while continuing to grow the money supply. South Korea shifted monetary policy into high gear, while maintaining a strongly expansionary fiscal policy. Japan, however, continued to pursue austere fiscal and monetary policies. Austere economic policies have significantly affected economic performance. The global budget deficit narrowed to roughly $2.7 trillion in 2012 and $2.1 trillion in 2013, or 3.8% and 2.5% of World GDP, respectively. But growth of the world economy slipped from 5.1% in 2010 and 3.7% in 2011, to just 3.1% in 2012, and 2.9% in 2013. Countries with expansionary fiscal and monetary policies achieved significantly higher rates of growth, higher growth of tax revenues, and greater success reducing the public debt burden than those countries that chose contractionary policies. In 2013, the 82 countries that followed a pro-growth approach achieved a median GDP growth rate of 4.7%, compared to 1.7% for the 28 countries with restrictive fiscal and monetary policies, a difference of 3 percentage points. Among the 82, China grew 7.7%, Philippines 6.8%, Malaysia 4.7%, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia 3.6%, Argentina 3.5%, South Korea 2.8%, and Russia 1.3%, while among the 28, Brazil grew 2.3%, Japan 2.0%, South Africa 2.0%, Netherlands -0.8%, Croatia -1.0%, Iran -1.5%, Portugal -1.8%, Greece -3.8%, and Cyprus -8.7%. Faster GDP growth and lower unemployment rates translated into increased tax revenues and a less cumbersome debt burden. Revenues for the 82 expansionary countries grew at a median rate of 10.7%, whereas tax revenues fell at a median rate of 6.8% for the 28 countries that chose austere economic policies. Budget balances improved for about three-quarters of the 28, but, for most, debt grew faster than GDP, and the median level of their public debt as a share of GDP increased 9.1 percentage points, to 59.2%. On the other hand, budget balances deteriorated for most of the 82 pro-growth countries, but GDP growth outpaced increases in debt, and the median level of public debt as a share of GDP increased just 1.9%, to 39.8%. The world recession has suppressed inflation rates - world inflation declined 1.0 percentage point in 2012 to about 4.1% and 0.2 percentage point to 3.9% in 2013. In 2013 the median inflation rate for the 82 pro-growth countries was 1.3 percentage points higher than that for the countries that followed more austere fiscal and monetary policies. Overall, the latter countries also improved their current account balances by shedding imports; as a result, current account balances deteriorated for most of the countries that pursued pro-growth policies. Slow growth of world income continued to hold import demand in check and crude oil prices fell. Consequently, the dollar value of world trade grew just 1.3% in 2013. Beyond the current global slowdown, the world faces several long standing economic challenges. The addition of 80 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, waste-disposal, epidemics, water-shortages, famine, over-fishing of oceans, deforestation, desertification, and depletion of non-renewable resources. The nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, services, funds, and technology. The introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, has created economic risks because the participating nations have varying income levels and growth rates, and hence, require a different mix of monetary and fiscal policies. Governments, especially in Western Europe, face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. Because of their own internal problems and priorities, the industrialized countries are unable to devote sufficient resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from an economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. The terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuated a growing risk to global prosperity - the diversion of resources away from capital investments to counter-terrorism programs. Despite these vexing problems, the world economy also shows great promise. Technology has made possible further advances in a wide range of fields, from agriculture, to medicine, alternative energy, metallurgy, and transportation. Improved global communications have greatly reduced the costs of international trade, helping the world gain from the international division of labor, raise living standards, and reduce income disparities among nations. Much of the resilience of the world economy in the aftermath of the financial crisis resulted from government and central bank leaders around the globe working in concert to stem the financial onslaught, knowing well the lessons of past economic failures." + "text": "The international financial crisis of 2008-09 led to the first downturn in global output since 1946 and presented the world with a major new challenge: determining what mix of fiscal and monetary policies to follow to restore growth and jobs, while keeping inflation and debt under control. Financial stabilization and stimulus programs that started in 2009-11, combined with lower tax revenues in 2009-10, required most countries to run large budget deficits. Treasuries issued new public debt - totaling $9.1 trillion since 2008 - to pay for the additional expenditures. To keep interest rates low, most central banks monetized that debt, injecting large sums of money into their economies - between December 2008 and December 2013 the global money supply increased by more than 35%. Governments are now faced with the difficult task of spurring current growth and employment without saddling their economies with so much debt that they sacrifice long-term growth and financial stability. When economic activity picks up, central banks will confront the difficult task of containing inflation without raising interest rates so high they snuff out further growth. ++ Fiscal and monetary data for 2013 are currently available for 180 countries, which together account for 98.5% of world GDP. Of the 180 countries, 82 pursued unequivocally expansionary policies, boosting government spending while also expanding their money supply relatively rapidly - faster than the world average of 3.1%; 28 followed restrictive fiscal and monetary policies, reducing government spending and holding money growth to less than the 3.1% average; and the remaining 70 followed a mix of counterbalancing fiscal and monetary policies, either reducing government spending while accelerating money growth, or boosting spending while curtailing money growth. ++ (For more information, see attached spreadsheet.) ++ In 2013, for many countries the drive for fiscal austerity that began in 2011 abated. While 5 out of 6 countries slowed spending in 2012, only 1 in 2 countries slowed spending in 2013. About 1 in 3 countries actually lowered the level of their expenditures. The global growth rate for government expenditures increased from 1.6% in 2012 to 5.1% in 2013, after falling from a 10.1% growth rate in 2011. On the other hand, nearly 2 out of 3 central banks tightened monetary policy in 2013, decelerating the rate of growth of their money supply, compared with only 1 out of 3 in 2012. Roughly 1 of 4 central banks actually withdrew money from circulation, an increase from 1 out of 7 in 2012. Growth of the global money supply, as measured by the narrowly defined M1, slowed from 8.7% in 2009 and 10.4% in 2010 to 5.2% in 2011, 4.6% in 2012, and 3.1% in 2013. Several notable shifts occurred in 2013. By cutting government expenditures and expanding money supplies, the US and Canada moved against the trend in the rest of the world. France reversed course completely. Rather than reducing expenditures and money as it had in 2012, it expanded both. Germany reversed its fiscal policy, sharply expanding federal spending, while continuing to grow the money supply. South Korea shifted monetary policy into high gear, while maintaining a strongly expansionary fiscal policy. Japan, however, continued to pursue austere fiscal and monetary policies. ++ Austere economic policies have significantly affected economic performance. The global budget deficit narrowed to roughly $2.7 trillion in 2012 and $2.1 trillion in 2013, or 3.8% and 2.5% of World GDP, respectively. But growth of the world economy slipped from 5.1% in 2010 and 3.7% in 2011, to just 3.1% in 2012, and 2.9% in 2013. ++ Countries with expansionary fiscal and monetary policies achieved significantly higher rates of growth, higher growth of tax revenues, and greater success reducing the public debt burden than those countries that chose contractionary policies. In 2013, the 82 countries that followed a pro-growth approach achieved a median GDP growth rate of 4.7%, compared to 1.7% for the 28 countries with restrictive fiscal and monetary policies, a difference of 3 percentage points. Among the 82, China grew 7.7%, Philippines 6.8%, Malaysia 4.7%, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia 3.6%, Argentina 3.5%, South Korea 2.8%, and Russia 1.3%, while among the 28, Brazil grew 2.3%, Japan 2.0%, South Africa 2.0%, Netherlands -0.8%, Croatia -1.0%, Iran -1.5%, Portugal -1.8%, Greece -3.8%, and Cyprus -8.7%. ++ Faster GDP growth and lower unemployment rates translated into increased tax revenues and a less cumbersome debt burden. Revenues for the 82 expansionary countries grew at a median rate of 10.7%, whereas tax revenues fell at a median rate of 6.8% for the 28 countries that chose austere economic policies. Budget balances improved for about three-quarters of the 28, but, for most, debt grew faster than GDP, and the median level of their public debt as a share of GDP increased 9.1 percentage points, to 59.2%. On the other hand, budget balances deteriorated for most of the 82 pro-growth countries, but GDP growth outpaced increases in debt, and the median level of public debt as a share of GDP increased just 1.9%, to 39.8%. ++ The world recession has suppressed inflation rates - world inflation declined 1.0 percentage point in 2012 to about 4.1% and 0.2 percentage point to 3.9% in 2013. In 2013 the median inflation rate for the 82 pro-growth countries was 1.3 percentage points higher than that for the countries that followed more austere fiscal and monetary policies. Overall, the latter countries also improved their current account balances by shedding imports; as a result, current account balances deteriorated for most of the countries that pursued pro-growth policies. Slow growth of world income continued to hold import demand in check and crude oil prices fell. Consequently, the dollar value of world trade grew just 1.3% in 2013. ++ Beyond the current global slowdown, the world faces several long standing economic challenges. The addition of 80 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, waste-disposal, epidemics, water-shortages, famine, over-fishing of oceans, deforestation, desertification, and depletion of non-renewable resources. The nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, services, funds, and technology. The introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, has created economic risks because the participating nations have varying income levels and growth rates, and hence, require a different mix of monetary and fiscal policies. Governments, especially in Western Europe, face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. Because of their own internal problems and priorities, the industrialized countries are unable to devote sufficient resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from an economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. The terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuated a growing risk to global prosperity - the diversion of resources away from capital investments to counter-terrorism programs. ++ Despite these vexing problems, the world economy also shows great promise. Technology has made possible further advances in a wide range of fields, from agriculture, to medicine, alternative energy, metallurgy, and transportation. Improved global communications have greatly reduced the costs of international trade, helping the world gain from the international division of labor, raise living standards, and reduce income disparities among nations. Much of the resilience of the world economy in the aftermath of the financial crisis resulted from government and central bank leaders around the globe working in concert to stem the financial onslaught, knowing well the lessons of past economic failures." }, "GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "text": "$127.8 trillion (2017 est.) / $123.3 trillion (2016 est.) / $119.5 trillion (2015 est.)", @@ -464,20 +458,20 @@ "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "text": "6.4% (2017 est.) / 3.7% (2016 est.)", "note": { - "text": "developed countries: 1.9% (2017 est.) 0.9% (2016 est.)developing countries: 8.8% (2017 est.) 3.7% (2016 est.)note: the above estimates are weighted averages; inflation in developed countries is 0% to 4% typically, in developing countries, 4% to 10% typically; national inflation rates vary widely in individual cases; inflation rates have declined for most countries for the last several years, held in check by increasing international competition from several low wage countries and by soft demand due to the world financial crisis" + "text": "developed countries: 1.9% (2017 est.) 0.9% (2016 est.) ++ developing countries: 8.8% (2017 est.) 3.7% (2016 est.) ++ note: the above estimates are weighted averages; inflation in developed countries is 0% to 4% typically, in developing countries, 4% to 10% typically; national inflation rates vary widely in individual cases; inflation rates have declined for most countries for the last several years, held in check by increasing international competition from several low wage countries and by soft demand due to the world financial crisis" } }, "Exports": { "text": "$17.31 trillion (2017 est.) / $15.82 trillion (2016 est.)" }, "Exports - commodities": { - "text": "the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services top ten - share of world trade: 14.8 electrical machinery, including computers; 14.4 mineral fuels, including oil, coal, gas, and refined products; 14.2 nuclear reactors, boilers, and parts; 8.9 cars, trucks, and buses; 3.5 scientific and precision instruments; 3.4 plastics; 2.7 iron and steel; 2.6 organic chemicals; 2.6 pharmaceutical products; 1.9 diamonds, pearls, and precious stones (2007 est.)" + "text": "the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services ++ top ten - share of world trade: 14.8 electrical machinery, including computers; 14.4 mineral fuels, including oil, coal, gas, and refined products; 14.2 nuclear reactors, boilers, and parts; 8.9 cars, trucks, and buses; 3.5 scientific and precision instruments; 3.4 plastics; 2.7 iron and steel; 2.6 organic chemicals; 2.6 pharmaceutical products; 1.9 diamonds, pearls, and precious stones (2007 est.)" }, "Imports": { "text": "$20.01 trillion (2018 est.) / $16.02 trillion (2017 est.)" }, "Imports - commodities": { - "text": "the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services top ten - share of world trade: see listing for exports" + "text": "the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services ++ top ten - share of world trade: see listing for exports" }, "Debt - external": { "text": "$76.56 trillion (31 December 2017 est.) / $75.09 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)", @@ -608,14 +602,14 @@ } }, "Communications - note": { - "text": "note 1: three major data centers - which provide colocation, telecommunications, cloud services, and content ecosystems - compete to be called the world's biggest in terms of physical space occupied:no. 1. - a data farm in Langfang, Hebei Province, China, identified as the Range International Information Group, claims to be the largest with 585,000 sq m (6.3 million sq ft),no. 2. - a data farm in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, known as the Switch SuperNAP data center, comes in second with over 325,000 sq m (3.5 million sq ft); it intends to expand to over 1.615 million sq m (17.4 million sq ft) by 2020,no. 3. - a data farm in Ashburn, Virginia, USA, referred to as the DFT Data Center, is a transit point for 70% of the world's Internet traffic; it includes 150,000 sq m (1.6 million sq ft) spread out over six separate buildings note 2: estimates are that by the end of 2019, 53.9% of the global population (4.1 billion people) were using the Internet" + "text": "note 1: three major data centers - which provide colocation, telecommunications, cloud services, and content ecosystems - compete to be called the world's biggest in terms of physical space occupied: no. 1. - a data farm in Langfang, Hebei Province, China, identified as the Range International Information Group, claims to be the largest with 585,000 sq m (6.3 million sq ft), ++ no. 2. - a data farm in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, known as the Switch SuperNAP data center, comes in second with over 325,000 sq m (3.5 million sq ft); it intends to expand to over 1.615 million sq m (17.4 million sq ft) by 2020, ++ no. 3. - a data farm in Ashburn, Virginia, USA, referred to as the DFT Data Center, is a transit point for 70% of the world's Internet traffic; it includes 150,000 sq m (1.6 million sq ft) spread out over six separate buildings ++ note 2: estimates are that by the end of 2019, 53.9% of the global population (4.1 billion people) were using the Internet" } }, "Transportation": { "Airports": { "text": "41,820 (2016)", "note": { - "text": "top ten by passengers: Atlanta (ATL) - 103,902,992; Beijing (PEK) - 95,786,442; Dubai (DXB) - 88,242,099; Tokyo (HND) - 85,408,975; Los Angeles (LAX) - 84,557,968; Chicago (ORD) - 79,828,183; London (LHR) - 78,014,598; Hong Kong (HKG) 72,664,075; Shanghai (PVG) 70,001,237; Paris (CDG) - 69,471,442 (2017) top ten by cargo (metric tons): Hong Kong (HKG) - 5,049,898; Memphis, TN (MEM) - 4,336,752; Shanghai (PVG) - 3,824,280; Incheon (ICN) - 2,921,691; Anchorage, AK (ANC) - 2,713,230; Dubai (DXB) - 2,654,494; Louisville, KY (SDF) - 2,602,695; Tokyo (NRT) - 2,336,427; Taipei (TPE) - 2,269,585; Paris (CDG) - 2,195,229 (2017)" + "text": "top ten by passengers: Atlanta (ATL) - 103,902,992; Beijing (PEK) - 95,786,442; Dubai (DXB) - 88,242,099; Tokyo (HND) - 85,408,975; Los Angeles (LAX) - 84,557,968; Chicago (ORD) - 79,828,183; London (LHR) - 78,014,598; Hong Kong (HKG) 72,664,075; Shanghai (PVG) 70,001,237; Paris (CDG) - 69,471,442 (2017) ++ top ten by cargo (metric tons): Hong Kong (HKG) - 5,049,898; Memphis, TN (MEM) - 4,336,752; Shanghai (PVG) - 3,824,280; Incheon (ICN) - 2,921,691; Anchorage, AK (ANC) - 2,713,230; Dubai (DXB) - 2,654,494; Louisville, KY (SDF) - 2,602,695; Tokyo (NRT) - 2,336,427; Taipei (TPE) - 2,269,585; Paris (CDG) - 2,195,229 (2017)" } }, "Heliports": { @@ -634,7 +628,7 @@ "Waterways": { "text": "2,293,412 km (2017)", "note": { - "text": "top ten longest rivers: Nile (Africa) 6,693 km; Amazon (South America) 6,436 km; Mississippi-Missouri (North America) 6,238 km; Yenisey-Angara (Asia) 5,981 km; Ob-Irtysh (Asia) 5,569 km; Yangtze (Asia) 5,525 km; Yellow (Asia) 4,671 km; Amur (Asia) 4,352 km; Lena (Asia) 4,345 km; Congo (Africa) 4,344 km note: rivers are not necessarily navigable along the entire length; if measured by volume, the Amazon is the largest river in the world, responsible for about 20% of the Earth's freshwater entering the ocean top ten largest natural lakes (by surface area): Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan) 372,960 sq km; Lake Superior (Canada, United States) 82,414 sq km; Lake Victoria (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) 69,490 sq km; Lake Huron (Canada, United States) 59,596 sq km; Lake Michigan (United States) 57,441 sq km; Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia) 32,890 sq km; Great Bear Lake (Canada) 31,800 sq km; Lake Baikal (Russia) 31,494 sq km; Lake Nyasa (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania) 30,044 sq km; Great Slave Lake (Canada) 28,400 sq km note 1: the areas of the lakes are subject to seasonal variation; only the Caspian Sea is saline, the rest are fresh water note 2: Lakes Huron and Michigan are technically a single lake because the flow of water between the Straits of Mackinac that connects the two lakes keeps their water levels at near-equilibrium; combined, Lake Huron-Michigan is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the worldnote 3: the deepest lake in the world (1,620 m), and also the largest freshwater lake by volume (23,600 cu km), is Lake Baikal in Russia." + "text": "top ten longest rivers: Nile (Africa) 6,693 km; Amazon (South America) 6,436 km; Mississippi-Missouri (North America) 6,238 km; Yenisey-Angara (Asia) 5,981 km; Ob-Irtysh (Asia) 5,569 km; Yangtze (Asia) 5,525 km; Yellow (Asia) 4,671 km; Amur (Asia) 4,352 km; Lena (Asia) 4,345 km; Congo (Africa) 4,344 km note: rivers are not necessarily navigable along the entire length; if measured by volume, the Amazon is the largest river in the world, responsible for about 20% of the Earth's freshwater entering the ocean ++ top ten largest natural lakes (by surface area): Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan) 372,960 sq km; Lake Superior (Canada, United States) 82,414 sq km; Lake Victoria (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) 69,490 sq km; Lake Huron (Canada, United States) 59,596 sq km; Lake Michigan (United States) 57,441 sq km; Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia) 32,890 sq km; Great Bear Lake (Canada) 31,800 sq km; Lake Baikal (Russia) 31,494 sq km; Lake Nyasa (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania) 30,044 sq km; Great Slave Lake (Canada) 28,400 sq km ++ note 1: the areas of the lakes are subject to seasonal variation; only the Caspian Sea is saline, the rest are fresh water ++ note 2: Lakes Huron and Michigan are technically a single lake because the flow of water between the Straits of Mackinac that connects the two lakes keeps their water levels at near-equilibrium; combined, Lake Huron-Michigan is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world ++ note 3: the deepest lake in the world (1,620 m), and also the largest freshwater lake by volume (23,600 cu km), is Lake Baikal in Russia." } }, "Merchant marine": { @@ -647,7 +641,7 @@ }, "Ports and terminals": { "note": { - "text": "top twenty container ports as measured by Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) throughput: Shanghai (China) - 40,233,000; Singapore (Singapore) - 33,666,000; Shenzhen (China) - 25,208,000; Ningbo (China) - 24,607,000; Hong Kong (China) - 20,770,000; Busan (South Korea) - 20,493,000; Guangzhou (China) - 18,858,000; Qingdao (China) - 18,262,000; Dubai (UAE) - 15,368,000; - Tianjin (China) - 15,040,000; Rotterdam (Netherlands) - 13,734,000; Port Kelang (Malaysia) - 11,978,000; Antwerp (Belgium) - 10,450,000; Xiamen (China) - 10,380,000; Kaohsiung (Taiwan) - 10,271,000; Dalian (China) - 9,707,000; Los Angeles (US) - 9,343,000; Hamburg (Germany) - 8,860,000; Tanjung Pelepas (Malaysia) - 8,260,000; Laem Chabang (Thailand) - 7,227,000 (2017)note - it was estimated that in 2017 60% of global sea-borne trade by value moved by container" + "text": "top twenty container ports as measured by Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) throughput: Shanghai (China) - 40,233,000; Singapore (Singapore) - 33,666,000; Shenzhen (China) - 25,208,000; Ningbo (China) - 24,607,000; Hong Kong (China) - 20,770,000; Busan (South Korea) - 20,493,000; Guangzhou (China) - 18,858,000; Qingdao (China) - 18,262,000; Dubai (UAE) - 15,368,000; - Tianjin (China) - 15,040,000; Rotterdam (Netherlands) - 13,734,000; Port Kelang (Malaysia) - 11,978,000; Antwerp (Belgium) - 10,450,000; Xiamen (China) - 10,380,000; Kaohsiung (Taiwan) - 10,271,000; Dalian (China) - 9,707,000; Los Angeles (US) - 9,343,000; Hamburg (Germany) - 8,860,000; Tanjung Pelepas (Malaysia) - 8,260,000; Laem Chabang (Thailand) - 7,227,000 (2017) ++ note - it was estimated that in 2017 60% of global sea-borne trade by value moved by container" } } }, @@ -656,7 +650,7 @@ "text": "2.14% of GDP (2018) / 2.16% of GDP (2017) / 2.2% of GDP (2016) / 2.25% of GDP (2015) / 2.24% of GDP (2014)" }, "Maritime threats": { - "text": "The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reports that 2018 saw an increase in global pirate activities; in 2018, pirates attacked a total of 201 ships worldwide including boarding 143 ships, hijacking six ships, and firing on 18; this activity is an increase from 180 incidents in 2017; in 2018, the number of hostages increased to 141, however, the number of seafarers kidnapped for ransom increased to 83 compared with 75 in 2017, with nearly all taken off West Africa Operation Ocean Shield, the NATO naval task force established in 2009 to combat Somali piracy, concluded its operations in December 2016 as a result of the drop in reported incidents over the last few years; the EU naval mission, Operation ATALANTA, continues its operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean through 2020; naval units from Japan, India, and China also operate in conjunction with EU forces; China has established a logistical base in Djibouti to support its deployed naval units in the Horn of Africa The Horn of Africa continued to see pirate activities with three incidents in 2018, a slight decrease over 2017; the decrease in successful pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa since the peak in 2007 was due, in part, to anti-piracy operations by international naval forces, the hardening of vessels, and the increased use of armed security teams aboard merchant ships; despite these preventative measures, the assessed risk remains high West African piracy more than doubled in 2018 to become the most dangerous area in the world with 85 attacks in 2018 compared to 33 in 2017; Nigerian pirates are very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore and boarding 29 ships in 2018; attacks in South Asian waters remain at low levels with 12 attacks off Bangladesh in 2018, up from 11 in 2017; Peru reported four incidents in 2018, up from two in 2017; attacks in Vietnam rose from two in 2017 to four in 2018; the majority of global attacks against shipping have occurred in the offshore waters of five countries - Nigeria, Indonesia, Philippines, Venezuela, and Bangladesh. (2018)" + "text": "The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reports that 2018 saw an increase in global pirate activities; in 2018, pirates attacked a total of 201 ships worldwide including boarding 143 ships, hijacking six ships, and firing on 18; this activity is an increase from 180 incidents in 2017; in 2018, the number of hostages increased to 141, however, the number of seafarers kidnapped for ransom increased to 83 compared with 75 in 2017, with nearly all taken off West Africa ++ Operation Ocean Shield, the NATO naval task force established in 2009 to combat Somali piracy, concluded its operations in December 2016 as a result of the drop in reported incidents over the last few years; the EU naval mission, Operation ATALANTA, continues its operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean through 2020; naval units from Japan, India, and China also operate in conjunction with EU forces; China has established a logistical base in Djibouti to support its deployed naval units in the Horn of Africa ++ The Horn of Africa continued to see pirate activities with three incidents in 2018, a slight decrease over 2017; the decrease in successful pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa since the peak in 2007 was due, in part, to anti-piracy operations by international naval forces, the hardening of vessels, and the increased use of armed security teams aboard merchant ships; despite these preventative measures, the assessed risk remains high ++ West African piracy more than doubled in 2018 to become the most dangerous area in the world with 85 attacks in 2018 compared to 33 in 2017; Nigerian pirates are very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore and boarding 29 ships in 2018; attacks in South Asian waters remain at low levels with 12 attacks off Bangladesh in 2018, up from 11 in 2017; Peru reported four incidents in 2018, up from two in 2017; attacks in Vietnam rose from two in 2017 to four in 2018; the majority of global attacks against shipping have occurred in the offshore waters of five countries - Nigeria, Indonesia, Philippines, Venezuela, and Bangladesh. (2018)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { @@ -682,7 +676,7 @@ } }, "Illicit drugs": { - "text": "cocaine: worldwide coca leaf cultivation in 2013 likely amounted to 165,000 hectares, assuming a stable crop in Bolivia; Colombia produced slightly less than half of the worldwide crop, followed by Peru and Bolivia; potential pure cocaine production increased 7% to 640 metric tons in 2013; Colombia conducts an aggressive coca eradication campaign, Peru has increased its eradication efforts, but remains hesitant to eradicate coca in key growing areas; opiates: worldwide illicit opium poppy cultivation increased in 2013, with potential opium production reaching 6,800 metric tons; Afghanistan is world's primary opium producer, accounting for 82% of the global supply; Southeast Asia was responsible for 12% of global opium; Pakistan produced 3% of global opium; Latin America produced 4% of global opium, and most was refined into heroin destined for the US market (2015)" + "text": "cocaine: worldwide coca leaf cultivation in 2013 likely amounted to 165,000 hectares, assuming a stable crop in Bolivia; Colombia produced slightly less than half of the worldwide crop, followed by Peru and Bolivia; potential pure cocaine production increased 7% to 640 metric tons in 2013; Colombia conducts an aggressive coca eradication campaign, Peru has increased its eradication efforts, but remains hesitant to eradicate coca in key growing areas; ++ opiates: worldwide illicit opium poppy cultivation increased in 2013, with potential opium production reaching 6,800 metric tons; Afghanistan is world's primary opium producer, accounting for 82% of the global supply; Southeast Asia was responsible for 12% of global opium; Pakistan produced 3% of global opium; Latin America produced 4% of global opium, and most was refined into heroin destined for the US market (2015)" } } } \ No newline at end of file