| -World Factbook Database- |
The World Factbook Database consists of information gathered entirely from the United States Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook. This annual report details the vital statistics of countries in the world and are arranged into these categories: Geography, People, Government, Economy, Communications, Transportation, Military and Transnational Issues.
This database is copied directly from the World Factbook, as it is in the public domain.
| Contents |
|---|
| China · Hong Kong · Japan · Korea, North · Korea, South · Macau · Mongolia · Taiwan |
| INDEX |
| China | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Contents |
||
| Introduction | ||
| Background | For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight. | |
| Back to Top | China | Introduction |
| Geography | ||
| Location | Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam | |
| Geographic coordinates | 35 00 N, 105 00 E | |
| Map references | Asia | |
| Area |
|
|
| Area- comparative | slightly smaller than the US | |
| Land boundaries |
|
|
| Coastline | 14,500 km | |
| Maritime claims |
|
|
| Climate | extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north | |
| Terrain | mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east | |
| Elevation extremes |
|
|
| Natural resources | coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest) | |
| Land use |
|
|
| Natural hazards | frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence | |
| Environment - current issues | air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages, particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in endangered species | |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | |
| Geography - note | world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US); Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak | |
| Back to Top | China | Geography |
| People | ||
| Population | 1,313,973,713 (July 2006 est.) | |
| Age structure |
|
|
| Median age |
|
|
| Population growth rate | 0.59% (2006 est.) | |
| Birth rate | 13.25 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | |
| Death rate | 6.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | |
| Net migration rate | -0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | |
| Sex ratio |
|
|
| Infant mortality rate |
|
|
| Life expectancy at birth |
|
|
| Total fertility rate | 1.73 children born/woman (2006 est.) | |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.1% (2003 est.) | |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 840,000 (2003 est.) | |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 44,000 (2003 est.) | |
| Nationality |
|
|
| Ethnic groups | Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1% | |
| Religions |
|
|
| Languages | Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages | |
| Literacy |
|
|
| Back to Top | China | People |
| Government | ||
| Country name |
|
|
| Government type | Communist state | |
| Capital | Beijing | |
| Administrative Divisions | 23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities
(shi, singular and plural)
|
|
| Independence |
|
|
| National holiday | Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, 1 October (1949) | |
| Constitution | most recent promulgation 4 December 1982 | |
| Legal system | based on civil law system; derived from Soviet and continental civil code legal principles; legislature retains power to interpret statutes; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | |
| Executive branch |
|
|
| Legislative branch | unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (2,985 seats; members elected by municipal,
regional, and provincial people's congresses to serve five-year terms)
|
|
| Judicial branch |
|
|
| Political parties and leaders |
|
|
| Political pressure groups and leaders | no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the government has identified the Falungong spiritual movement and the China Democracy Party as subversive groups | |
| International organization participation | AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BCIE, BIS, CDB, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC | |
| Diplomatic representation in the US |
|
|
| Diplomatic representation from the US |
|
|
| Flag description | red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner | |
| Back to Top | China | Government |
| Economy | ||
| Economy - overview | China's economy during the last quarter century has changed from a centrally planned system that was largely closed to international trade to a more market-oriented economy that has a rapidly growing private sector and is a major player in the global economy. Reforms started in the late 1970s with the phasing out of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, the foundation of a diversified banking system, the development of stock markets, the rapid growth of the non-state sector, and the opening to foreign trade and investment. China has generally implemented reforms in a gradualist or piecemeal fashion. The process continues with key moves in 2005 including the sale of equity in China's largest state banks to foreign investors and refinements in foreign exchange and bond markets. The restructuring of the economy and resulting efficiency gains have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, China in 2005 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still lower middle-income and 150 million Chinese fall below international poverty lines. Economic development has generally been more rapid in coastal provinces than in the interior, and there are large disparities in per capital income between regions. The government has struggled to: (a) sustain adequate job growth for tens of millions of workers laid off from state-owned enterprises, migrants, and new entrants to the work force; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) contain environmental damage and social strife related to the economy's rapid transformation. From 100 to 150 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time, low-paying jobs. One demographic consequence of the "one child" policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Another long-term threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. China has benefited from a huge expansion in computer Internet use, with more than 100 million users at the end of 2005. Foreign investment remains a strong element in China's remarkable expansion in world trade and has been an important factor in the growth of urban jobs. In July 2005, China revalued its currency by 2.1% against the US dollar and moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. Reports of shortages of electric power in the summer of 2005 in southern China receded by September-October and did not have a substantial impact on China's economy. More power generating capacity is scheduled to come on line in 2006 as large scale investments are completed. Thirteen years in construction at a cost of $24 billion, the immense Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze River will be essentially completed in 2006 and will revolutionize electrification and flood control in the area. The Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party in October 2005 approved the draft 11th Five-Year Plan and the National People's Congress is expected to give final approval in March 2006. The plan calls for a 20% reduction in energy consumption per unit of GDP by 2010 and an estimated 45% increase in GDP by 2010. The plan states that conserving resources and protecting the environment are basic goals, but it lacks details on the policies and reforms necessary to achieve these goals. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $8.859 trillion (2005 est.) | |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $2.225 trillion (2005 est.) | |
| GDP - real growth rate | 9.9% (official data) (2005 est.) | |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $6,800 (2005 est.) | |
| GDP - composition by sector |
|
|
| Labor force | 791.4 million (2005 est.) | |
| Labor force - by occupation |
|
|
| Unemployment rate | 9% official registered unemployment in urban areas in 2004; substantial unemployment and underemployment in rural areas; an official Chinese journal estimated overall unemployment (including rural areas) for 2003 at 20% (2005 est.) | |
| Population below poverty line | 10% (2001 est.) | |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share |
|
|
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 44 (2002) | |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.8% (2005 est.) | |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 44.4% of GDP (2005 est.) | |
| Budget |
|
|
| Public debt | 24.4% of GDP (2005 est.) | |
| Agriculture - products | rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, apples, cotton, oilseed; pork; fish | |
| Industries | mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals, coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products, including footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing; transportation equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and locomotives, ships, and aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch vehicles, satellites | |
| Industrial production growth rate | 29.5% (2005 est.) | |
| Electricity - production | 2.19 trillion kWh (2004) | |
| Electricity - production by source |
|
|
| Electricity - consumption | 2.17 trillion kWh (2004) | |
| Electricity - exports | 10.6 billion kWh (2003) | |
| Electricity - imports | 1.546 billion kWh (2003) | |
| Oil - production | 3.504 million bbl/day (2004) | |
| Oil - consumption | 6.391 million bbl/day (2004) | |
| Oil - exports | 340,300 bbl/day (2004) | |
| Oil - imports | 3.226 million bbl/day (2004) | |
| Oil - proved reserves | 18.26 billion bbl (2004) | |
| Natural gas - production | 35.02 billion cu m (2003) | |
| Natural gas - consumption | 33.44 billion cu m (2003 est.) | |
| Natural gas - exports | 2.79 billion cu m (2004) | |
| Natural gas - imports | 0 cu m (2004) | |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 2.53 trillion cu m (2004) | |
| Current account balance | $160.8 billion (2005 est.) | |
| Exports | $752.2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) | |
| Exports - commodities | machinery and equipment, plastics, optical and medical equipment, iron and steel | |
| Exports - partners | US 21.4%, Hong Kong 16.3%, Japan 11%, South Korea 4.6%, Germany 4.3% (2005) | |
| Imports | $631.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) | |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, oil and mineral fuels, plastics, optical and medical equipment, organic chemicals, iron and steel | |
| Imports - partners | Japan 15.2%, South Korea 11.6%, Taiwan 11.2%, US 7.4%, Germany 4.6% (2005) | |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $825.6 billion (2005 est.) | |
| Debt - external | $252.8 billion (2005 est.) | |
| Economic aid - recipient | $NA | |
| Currency (code) | yuan (CNY); note - also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB) | |
| Currency code | CNY | |
| Exchange rates | yuan per US dollar - 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004), 8.277 (2003), 8.277 (2002), 8.2771 (2001) | |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | |
| Back to Top | China | Economy |
| Communications | ||
| Telephones - main lines in use | 311.756 million (2004) | |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 334.824 million (2004) | |
| Telephone system |
|
|
| Radio broadcast stations |
|
|
| Radios | 417 million (1997) | |
| Television broadcast stations | 3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television, 31 are provincial TV stations, and nearly 3,000 are local city stations) (1997) | |
| Televisions | 400 million (1997) | |
| Internet country code | .cn | |
| Internet hosts | 187,508 (2005) | |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 3 (2000) | |
| Internet users | 111 million (2005) | |
| Back to Top | China | Communications |
| Transportation | ||
| Airports | 489 (2005) | |
| Airports - with paved runways |
|
|
| Airports - with unpaved runways |
|
|
| Heliports | 30 (2005) | |
| Pipelines |
|
|
| Railways |
|
|
| Roadways |
|
|
| Waterways | 123,964 km (2003) | |
| Merchant marine |
|
|
| Ports and terminals | Dalian, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai | |
| Back to Top | China | Transportation |
| Military | ||
| Military branches |
|
|
| Military service age and obligation |
|
|
| Manpower available for military service |
|
|
| Manpower fit for military service |
|
|
| Manpower reaching military service age annually |
|
|
| Military expenditures - total ($US) | $81.48 billion (2005 est.) | |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP ($US) | 4.3% (2005 est.) | |
| Back to Top | China | Military |
| Transnational Issues | ||
| Disputes - international | in 2005, China and India began drafting principles to resolve all aspects of their extensive boundary and territorial disputes together with a security and foreign policy dialogue to consolidate discussions related to the boundary, regional nuclear proliferation, and other matters; recent talks and confidence-building measures have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, site of the world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; about 90,000 ethnic Tibetan exiles reside primarily in India as well as Nepal and Bhutan; China asserts sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in the Spratlys but is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Vietnam and China continue to expand construction of facilities in the Spratlys and in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord on marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; China occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; China and Taiwan have become more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared equidistance line in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting; certain islands in the Yalu and Tumen rivers are in an uncontested dispute with North Korea and a section of boundary around Mount Paektu is considered indefinite; China seeks to stem illegal migration of tens of thousands of North Koreans; China and Russia prepare to demarcate the boundary agreed to in October 2004 between the long-disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri; demarcation of the China-Vietnam boundary proceeds slowly and although the maritime boundary delimitation and fisheries agreements were ratified in June 2004, implementation has been delayed; environmentalists in Burma and Thailand remain concerned about China's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province | |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 299,287 (Vietnam) estimated 30,000-50,000 (North Korea) (2005) | |
| Illicit drugs | major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for chemical precursors and methamphetamine | |
| Back to Top | China | Transnational Issues |
| Hong Kong | ||
| Contents | ||
| Introduction | ||
| Background | Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. | |
| Back to Top | Hong Kong | Introduction |
| Geography | ||
| Location | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China | |
| Geographic coordinates | 22 15 N, 114 10 E | |
| Map references | Southeast Asia | |
| Area |
|
|
| Area - comparative | six times the size of Washington, DC | |
| Land boundaries |
|
|
| Coastline | 733 km | |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm | |
| Climate | subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall | |
| Terrain | hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north | |
| Elevation extremes |
|
|
| Natural resources | outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar | |
| Land use |
|
|
| Irrigated land | 20 sq km (1998 est.) | |
| Natural hazards | occasional typhoons | |
| Environment - current issues | air and water pollution from rapid urbanization | |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Marine Dumping (associate member) | |
| Geography - note | more than 200 islands | |
| Back to Top | Hong Kong | Geography |
| People | ||
| Population | 6,940,432 (July 2006 est.) | |
| Age structure |
|
|
| Median age |
|
|
| Population growth rate | 0.59% (2006 est.) | |
| Birth rate | 7.29 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | |
| Death rate | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | |
| Net migration rate | 4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | |
| Sex ratio |
|
|
| Infant mortality rate |
|
|
| Life expectancy at birth |
|
|
| Total fertility rate | 0.95 children born/woman (2006 est.) | |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.1% (2003 est.) | |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 2,600 (2003 est.) | |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | less than 200 (2003 est.) | |
| Nationality |
|
|
| Ethnic groups |
|
|
| Religions |
|
|
| Languages |
both are official |
|
| Literacy |
|
|
| Back to Top | Hong Kong | People |
| Government | ||
| Country name |
|
|
| Dependency status | special administrative region of China | |
| Government type | limited democracy | |
| Administrative divisions | none (special administrative region of China) | |
| Independence | none (special administrative region of China) | |
| National holiday |
note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day |
|
| Constitution | Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution" | |
| Legal system | based on English common law | |
| Suffrage | direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies | |
| Executive branch |
|
|
| Legislative branch |
|
|
| Judicial branch | Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region | |
| Political parties and leaders |
|
|
| Political pressure groups and leaders |
|
|
| International organization participation | APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO | |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (special administrative region of China) | |
| Diplomatic representation from the US |
|
|
| Flag description | red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center | |
| Back to Top | Hong Kong | Government |
| Economy - overview | Hong Kong has a free market, entrepot economy, highly dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. Gross imports and exports (i.e., including reexports to and from third countries) each exceed GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive trade and investment ties with China. Hong Kong has been further integrating its economy with China because China's growing openness to the world economy has made manufacturing in China much more cost effective. Hong Kong's reexport business to and from China is a major driver of growth. Per capita GDP is comparable to that of the four big economies of Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2005, but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past eight years because of the Asian financial crisis in 1997-1998 and the global downturn in 2001-2002. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 also battered Hong Kong's economy, a solid rise in exports, a boom in tourism from the mainland because of China's easing of travel restrictions, and a return of consumer confidence resulted in the resumption of strong growth from late 2003 through 2005. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $227.3 billion (2005 est.) | |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $172.6 billion (2005 est.) | |
| GDP - real growth rate | 7.3% (2005 est.) | |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $32,900 (2005 est.) | |
| GDP - composition by sector |
|
|
| Labor force | 3.61 million (October 2005) | |
| Labor force - by occupation |
note: above data exclude public sector (2005 est.) |
|
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% (2005 est.) | |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share |
|
|
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 43.4 (1996) | |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.9% (2005 est.) | |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 20.8% of GDP (2005 est.) | |
| Budget |
|
|
| Public debt | 1.8% of GDP (2005 est.) | |
| Agriculture - products | fresh vegetables; poultry, pork; fish | |
| Industries | textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks | |
| Industrial production growth rate | -0.6% (2005 est.) | |
| Electricity - production | 37.3 billion kWh (2004) | |
| Electricity - production by source |
|
|
| Electricity - consumption | 39.22 billion kWh (2004) | |
| Electricity - exports | 3.086 billion kWh (2004) | |
| Electricity - imports | 9.84 billion kWh (2004) | |
| Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2003 est.) | |
| Oil - consumption | 293,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) | |
| Oil - exports | NA bbl/day | |
| Oil - imports | NA bbl/day | |
| Natural gas - production | NA cu m | |
| Natural gas - consumption | 692.2 million cu m (2003 est.) | |
| Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2004 est.) | |
| Natural gas - imports | 71.15 million cu m (2004 est.) | |
| Current account balance | $19.7 billion (2005 est.) | |
| Exports | $286.3 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2005 est.) | |
| Exports - commodities | electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material | |
| Exports - partners |
|
|
| Imports | $291.6 billion (2005 est.) | |
| Imports - commodities | raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported) | |
| Imports - partners |
|
|
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $124.3 billion (2005 est.) | |
| Debt - external | $72.04 billion (2005 est.) | |
| Currency (code) | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | |
| Currency code | HKD | |
| Exchange rates | Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.7773 (2005), 7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003), 7.7989 (2002), 7.7988 (2001) | |
| Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | |
| Back to Top | Hong Kong | Economy |
| Communications | ||
| Telephones - main lines in use | 3,763,300 (2004) | |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 8.214 million (2004) | |
| Telephone system |
|
|
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004) | |
| Radios | 4.45 million (1997) | |
| Television broadcast stations | 55 low power stations note: two TV networks, each one broadcasting on two channels (2006) |
|
| Televisions | 1.84 million (1997) | |
| Internet country code | .hk | |
| Internet hosts | 859,926 (2005) | |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 17 (2000) | |
| Internet users | 4,878,713 (2005) | |
| Back to Top | Hong Kong | Communications |
| Transportation | ||
| Airports: | 3 (2005) | |
| Airports - with paved runways |
|
|
| Heliports | 3 (2005) | |
| Roadways |
|
|
| Merchant marine |
|
|
| Ports and terminals | Hong Kong | |
| Back to Top | Hong Kong | Transportation |
| Military | ||
| Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military Region | |
| Military service age and obligation | 18 years of age (2004) | |
| Manpower available for military service |
|
|
| Manpower fit for military service |
|
|
| Manpower reaching military service age annually |
|
|
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA | |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of China | |
| Back to Top | Hong Kong | Military |
| Transnational Issues | ||
| Disputes - international | none | |
| Illicit drugs | makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people | |
| Back to Top | Hong Kong | Transnational Issues |
| Japan | ||
| Contents | ||
| Introduction | ||
| Background: | In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the Treaty of Kanagawa with the US in 1854, Japan opened its ports and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1931-32 Japan occupied Manchuria, and in 1937 it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 - triggering America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major economic power, both in Asia and globally. In 2005, Japan began a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. | |
| Back to Top | Japan | Introduction |
| Geography | ||
| Location: | Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula | |
| Geographic coordinates: | 36 00 N, 138 00 E | |
| Map references: | Asia | |
| Area: |
|
|
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than California | |
| Land boundaries: | 0 km | |
| Coastline: | 29,751 km | |
| Maritime claims: |
|
|
| Climate: | varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north | |
| Terrain: | mostly rugged and mountainous | |
| Elevation extremes: |
|
|
| Natural resources: | negligible mineral resources, fish | |
| Land use: |
|
|
| Irrigated land: | 25,920 sq km (2003) | |
| Natural hazards: | many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons | |
| Environment - current issues: | 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 | |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling | |
| Geography - note: | strategic location in northeast Asia | |
| Back to Top | Japan | Geography |
| People | ||
| Population: | 127,463,611 (July 2006 est.) | |
| Age structure: |
|
|
| Median age: |
|
|
| Population growth rate: | 0.02% (2006 est.) | |
| Birth rate: | 9.37 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | |
| Death rate: | 9.16 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | |
| Sex ratio: |
|
|
| Infant mortality rate: |
|
|
| Life expectancy at birth: |
|
|
| Total fertility rate: | 1.4 children born/woman (2006 est.) | |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.1% (2003 est.) | |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 12,000 (2003 est.) | |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 500 (2003 est.) | |
| Nationality: |
|
|
| Ethnic groups: | Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241, Brazilian 182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914)
note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil (2004) |
|
| Religions: | observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%) | |
| Languages: | Japanese | |
| Literacy: |
|
|
| Back to Top | Japan | People |
| Government | ||
| Country name: |
|
|
| Government type: | constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government | |
| Capital: | Tokyo | |
| Administrative divisions: | 47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gunma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi | |
| Independence: | 660 B.C. (traditional founding by Emperor JIMMU) | |
| National holiday: | Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933) | |
| Constitution: | 3 May 1947 | |
| Legal system: | modeled after European civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations | |
| Suffrage: | 20 years of age; universal | |
| Executive branch: |
|
|
| Legislative branch: |
|
|
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the cabinet) | |
| Political parties and leaders: | Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Ichiro OZAWA]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo SHII]; Komeito [Takenori KANZAKI]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Junichiro KOIZUMI]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Mizuho FUKUSHIMA] | |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA | |
| International organization participation: | AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAIA, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC | |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
|
|
| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
|
|
| Flag description: | white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in the center | |
| Back to Top | Japan | Government |
| Economy | ||
| Economy - overview: | Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most technologically powerful economy in the world after the US and the third-largest economy in the world after the US and China, measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. One notable characteristic of the economy is how manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors work together in closely-knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding. Japan's industrial sector is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The tiny agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 60% of its food on a caloric basis. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades, overall real economic growth had been spectacular - a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the after effects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets and to force a restructuring of the economy. From 2000 to 2003, government efforts to revive economic growth met with little success and were further hampered by the slowing of the US, European, and Asian economies. In 2004 and 2005, growth improved and the lingering fears of deflation in prices and economic activity lessened. Japan's huge government debt, which totals 170% of GDP, and the aging of the population are two major long-run problems. Some fear that a rise in taxes could endanger the current economic recovery. Internal conflict over the proper way to reform the financial system will continue as Japan Post's banking, insurance, and delivery services undergo privatization between 2007 and 2017. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $4.018 trillion (2005 est.) | |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $4.664 trillion (2005 est.) | |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 2.7% (2005 est.) | |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $31,500 (2005 est.) | |
| GDP - composition by sector: |
|
|
| Labor force: | 66.4 million (2005 est.) | |
| Labor force - by occupation: |
|
|
| Unemployment rate: | 4.4% (2005 est.) | |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% | |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
|
|
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 37.9 (2000) | |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | -0.3% (2005 est.) | |
| Investment (gross fixed): | 23.2% of GDP (2005 est.) | |
| Budget: |
|
|
| Public debt: | 158% of GDP (2005 est.) | |
| Agriculture - products: | rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit; pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs; fish | |
| Industries: | among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods | |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 1.5% (2005 est.) | |
| Electricity - production: | 1.017 trillion kWh (2003) | |
| Electricity - production by source: |
|
|
| Electricity - consumption: | 946.3 billion kWh (2003) | |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2003) | |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2003) | |
| Oil - production: | 120,700 bbl/day (2003 est.) | |
| Oil - consumption: | 5.578 million bbl/day (2003 est.) | |
| Oil - exports: | 93,360 bbl/day (2001) | |
| Oil - imports: | 5.449 million bbl/day (2001) | |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 29.29 million bbl (1 January 2002) | |
| Natural gas - production: | 2.814 billion cu m (2003 est.) | |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 86.51 billion cu m (2003 est.) | |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2001 est.) | |
| Natural gas - imports: | 77.73 billion cu m (2001 est.) | |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 39.64 billion cu m (1 January 2002) | |
| Current account balance: | $165.6 billion (2005 est.) | |
| Exports: | $550.5 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) | |
| Exports - commodities: | transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals | |
| Exports - partners: | US 22.9%, China 13.4%, South Korea 7.8%, Taiwan 7.3%, Hong Kong 6.1% (2005) | |
| Imports: | $451.1 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) | |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, raw materials (2001) | |
| Imports - partners: | China 21%, US 12.7%, Saudi Arabia 5.5%, UAE 4.9%, South Korea 4.7%, Australia 4.4%, Indonesia 4% (2005) | |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $835.5 billion (2005 est.) | |
| Debt - external: | $1.545 trillion (31 December 2004) | |
| Economic aid - donor: | ODA, $8.9 billion (2004) | |
| Currency (code): | yen (JPY) | |
| Currency code: | JPY | |
| Exchange rates: | yen per US dollar - 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003), 125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001) | |
| Fiscal year: | 1 April - 31 March | |
| Back to Top | Japan | Economy |
| Communications | ||
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 58.788 million (2004) | |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 91,473,900 (2004) | |
| Telephone system: |
|
|
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave 21 (2001) | |
| Radios: | 120.5 million (1997) | |
| Television broadcast stations: | 211 plus 7,341 repeaters
note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999) |
|
| Televisions: | 86.5 million (1997) | |
| Internet country code: | .jp | |
| Internet hosts: | 21,304,292 (2005) | |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 73 (2000) | |
| Internet users: | 86.3 million (2005) | |
| Back to Top | Japan | Communications |
| Transportation | ||
| Airports: | 173 (2005) | |
| Airports - with paved runways: |
|
|
| Airports - with unpaved runways: |
|
|
| Heliports: | 15 (2005) | |
| Pipelines: | gas 2,719 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 60 km (2004) | |
| Railways: |
|
|
| Roadways: |
|
|
| Waterways: | 1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2006) | |
| Merchant marine: |
|
|
| Ports and terminals: | Chiba, Kawasaki, Kiire, Kisarazu, Kobe, Mizushima, Nagoya, Osaka, Tokyo, Yohohama | |
| Back to Top | Japan | Transportation |
| Military | ||
| Military branches: | Japanese Defense Agency (JDA): Ground Self-Defense Force (Rikujou Jietai, GSDF), Maritime Self-Defense Force (Kaijou Jietai, MSDF), Air Self-Defense Force (Koukuu Jietai, ASDF) (2006) | |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) | |
| Manpower available for military service: |
|
|
| Manpower fit for military service: |
|
|
| Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
|
|
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $44.31 billion (2005 est.) | |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1% (2005 est.) | |
| Back to Top | Japan | Military |
| Transnational Issues | ||
| Disputes - international: | the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril Islands," 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; Japan and South Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do) occupied by South Korea since 1954; China and Taiwan dispute both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting | |
| Back to Top | Japan | Transnational Issues |
| Korea, North | ||
| Contents | ||
| Introduction | ||
| Background: | An independent kingdom for much of its long history, Korea was occupied by Japan 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 domination. 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-so'ng, adopted a policy of ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against excessive Soviet or Communist Chinese 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's son, the current ruler 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. After decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the DPRK since the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its population while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile development, as well as its nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons programs and massive conventional armed forces, are of major concern to the international community. In December 2002, following revelations that the DPRK was pursuing a nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in violation of a 1994 agreement with the US to freeze and ultimately dismantle its existing plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In January 2003, it declared its withdrawal from the international Non-Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it had completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract weapons-grade plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent." Since August 2003, North Korea has participated in the Six-Party Talks with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the US designed to resolve the stalemate over its nuclear programs. The fourth round of Six-Party Talks were held in Beijing during July-September 2005. All parties agreed to a Joint Statement of Principles in which, among other things, the six parties unanimously reaffirmed the goal of verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner. In the Joint Statement, the DPRK committed to "abandoning all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs and returning, at an early date, to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to IAEA safeguards." The Joint Statement also commits the US and other parties to certain actions as the DPRK denuclearizes. The US offered a security assurance, specifying that it had no nuclear weapons on ROK territory and no intention to attack or invade the DPRK with nuclear or other weapons. The US and DPRK will take steps to normalize relations, subject to the DPRK's implementing its denuclearization pledge and resolving other longstanding concerns. While the Joint Statement provides a vision of the end-point of the Six-Party process, much work lies ahead to implement the elements of the agreement. | |
| Back to Top | Korea, North | Introduction |
| Geography | ||
| Location: | Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea | |
| Geographic coordinates: | 40 00 N, 127 00 E | |
| Map references: | Asia | |
| Area: |
|
|
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Mississippi | |
| Land boundaries: |
|
|
| Coastline: | 2,495 km | |
| Maritime claims: |
|
|
| Climate: | temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer | |
| Terrain: | mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east | |
| Elevation extremes: |
|
|
| Natural resources: | coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower | |
| Land use: |
|
|
| Irrigated land: | 14,600 sq km (2003) | |
| Natural hazards: | late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional typhoons during the early fall | |
| Environment - current issues: | water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation | |
| Environment - international agreements: | party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
|
| Geography - note: | strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated | |
| Back to Top | Korea, North | Geography |
| People | ||
| Population: | 23,113,019 (July 2006 est.) | |
| Age structure: |
|
|
| Median age: |
|
|
| Population growth rate: | 0.84% (2006 est.) | |
| Birth rate: | 15.54 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | |
| Death rate: | 7.13 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | |
| Sex ratio: |
|
|
| Infant mortality rate: |
|
|
| Life expectancy at birth: |
|
|
| Total fertility rate: | 2.1 children born/woman (2006 est.) | |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA | |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA | |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA | |
| Nationality: |
|
|
| Ethnic groups: | racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese | |
| Religions: | traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom |
|
| Languages: | Korean | |
| Literacy: |
|
|
| Back to Top | Korea, North | People |
| Government | ||
| Country name: |
|
|
| Government type: | Communist state one-man dictatorship | |
| Capital: | Pyongyang | |
| Administrative divisions: | 9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities (si, singular and plural) provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong), Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae), Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon), P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan), Yanggang-do (Yanggang) municipalites: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin), Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang) |
|