Coral Sea Islands
Background
Scattered over more than three-quarters of a million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.
Location
Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia
Geographic co ordinates
18 00 S, 152 00 E
Map references
Oceania
Area
Total: less than 3 sq km ; land: less than 3 sq km ; water: 0 sq km ; note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most
Climate
Tropical
Terrain
Sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)
Natural resources
NEGL
Natural hazards
Occasional tropical cyclones
Country name
Conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory ; conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands
Flag
Ports and terminals
None; offshore anchorage only
Costa Rica
Background
Although explored by the Spanish early in the 16th century, initial attempts at colonizing Costa Rica proved unsuccessful due to a combination of factors, including: disease from mosquito-infested swamps, brutal heat, resistance by natives, and pirate raids. It was not until 1563 that a permanent settlement of Cartago was established in the cooler, fertile central highlands. The area remained a colony for some two and a half centuries. In 1821, Costa Rica became one of several Central American provinces that jointly declared their independence from Spain. Two years later it joined the United Provinces of Central America, but this federation disintegrated in 1838, at which time Costa Rica proclaimed its sovereignty and independence. Since the late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred the country's democratic development. Although it still maintains a large agricultural sector, Costa Rica has expanded its economy to include strong technology and tourism industries. The standard of living is relatively high. Land ownership is widespread.
Location
Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama
Geographic co-ordinates
10 00 N, 84 00 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
Total: 51,100 sq km ; land: 50,660 sq km ; water: 440 sq km ; note: includes Isla del Coco
Area- comparative
Slightly smaller than West Virginia
Climate
Tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands
Terrain
Coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes
Natural Hazards
Occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active volcanoes
Nationality
Noun: Costa Rican(s) ; adjective: Costa Rican
Languages
Spanish (official), English
Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica ; conventional short form: Costa Rica ; local long form: Republica de Costa Rica ; local short form: Costa Rica
Capital
Name: San Jose ; geographic coordinates: 9 56 N, 84 05 W ; time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative division
7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose
National holiday
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Flag
Industries
Microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products
Currency code
Costa Rican colon (CRC)
Internet code
.cr
Ports and terminals
Caldera, Puerto Limon
Cote d'Ivoire
Background
Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical 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 blatantly rigged elections held in late 2000 and declared himself the winner. Popular protest forced him to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent GBAGBO into power. Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel forces claimed the northern half of the country, and in January 2003 were granted ministerial positions in a unity government under the auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and rebel forces resumed implementation of the peace accord in December 2003 after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the civil war, such as land reform and grounds for citizenship, remain unresolved. The central government has yet to exert control over the northern regions and tensions remain high between GBAGBO and opposition leaders. Several thousand French and West African troops remain in Cote d'Ivoire to maintain peace and facilitate the disarmament, demobilization, and rehabilitation process.
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
Geographic co-ordinates
8 00 N, 5 00 W
Map references
Africa
Area
Total: 322,460 sq km ; land: 318,000 sq km ; water: 4,460 sq km
Area- comparative
Slightly larger than New Mexico
Climate
Tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)
Terrain
Mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest
Natural resources
Petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower
Natural Hazards
Coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy season torrential flooding is possible
Nationality
Noun: Ivoirian(s) ; adjective: Ivoirian
Languages
French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken
Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire ; conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire ; local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire ; local short form: Cote d'Ivoire ; former: Ivory Coast
Capital
Name: Yamoussoukro ; geographic coordinates: 5 19 N, 4 02 W ; time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) ; note: although Yamoussoukro has been the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its Embassy in Abidjan
Administrative division
19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele, Dix-Huit Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes, Marahoue, Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes, Sud-Bandama, Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan
National holiday
Independence Day, 7 August (1960)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Flag
Industries
Foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity, ship construction and repair
Currency code
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF)
Internet code
.ci
Ports and terminals
Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro
Croatia
Background
The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998
Location
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia
Geographic co-ordinates
45 10 N, 15 30 E
Map references
Europe
Area
Total: 56,542 sq km ; land: 56,414 sq km ; water: 128 sq km
Area- comparative
Slightly smaller than West Virginia
Climate
Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast
Terrain
Geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands
Natural resources
Oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower
Natural Hazards
Destructive earthquakes
Nationality
Noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s) ; adjective: Croatian
Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Croatia ; conventional short form: Croatia ; local long form: Republika Hrvatska ; local short form: Hrvatska ; former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist
Capital
Name: Zagreb ; geographic coordinates: 45 48 N, 15 58 E ; time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) ; daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative division
20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad - singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija, Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija, Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija, Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija, Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija, Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija, Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*, Zagrebacka Zupanija
National holiday
Independence Day, 8 October (1991); note - 25 June 1991 is the day the Croatian Parliament voted for independence; following a three-month moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the Yugoslav crisis peacefully, Parliament adopted a decision on 8 October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)
Flag
Industries
Chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal, electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper, wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding, petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages, tourism
Currency code
Kuna (HRK)
Internet code
.hr
Ports and terminals
Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Vukovar (on Danube)
Cuba
Background
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, marked initially by neglect, became increasingly repressive, provoking an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. It was US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 2,810 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in fiscal year 2006.
Location
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida
Geographic co-ordinates
21 30 N, 80 00 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
Total: 110,860 sq km ; land: 110,860 sq km ; water: 0 sq km
Area- comparative
Slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Climate
Tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)
Terrain
Mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast
Natural resources
Cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land
Natural Hazards
The east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common
Nationality
Noun: Cuban(s) ; adjective: Cuban
Languages
Spanish
Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Cuba ; conventional short form: Cuba ; local long form: Republica de Cuba ; local short form: Cuba
Capital
Name: Havana ; geographic coordinates: 23 08 N, 82 22 W ; time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) ; daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative division
14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara
National holiday
Triumph of the Revolution, 1 January (1959)
Suffrage
16 years of age; universal
Flag
Industries
Sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals
Currency code
CUP (nonconvertible Cuban peso) and CUC (convertible Cuban peso)
Internet code
.cu
Ports and terminals
Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas
Cyprus
Background
A former British colony, Cyprus became independent in 1960 following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey. The latest two-year round of UN-brokered talks - between the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reach an agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the Greek Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004 referendum. The entire island entered the EU on 1 May 2004, although the EU acquis - the body of common rights and obligations - applies only to the areas under direct Republic of Cyprus control, and is suspended in the areas administered by Turkish Cypriots. At present, every Cypriot carrying a Cyprus passport has the status of a European citizen; however, EU laws do not apply to north Cyprus. Nicosia continues to oppose EU efforts to establish direct trade and economic links to north Cyprus as a way of encouraging the Turkish Cypriot community to continue to support reunification.
Location
Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey
Geographic co-ordinates
35 00 N, 33 00 E
Map references
Middle East
Area
Total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus) ; land: 9,240 sq km ; water: 10 sq km
Area- comparative
About 0.6 times the size of Connecticut
Climate
Temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters
Terrain
Central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but significant plains along southern coast
Natural resources
Copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment
Natural Hazards
Moderate earthquake activity; droughts
Nationality
Noun: Cypriot(s) ; adjective: Cypriot
Languages
Greek, Turkish, English
Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus ; conventional short form: Cyprus ; local long form: Kypriaki Dimokratia/Kibris Cumhuriyeti ; local short form: Kypros/Kibris ; note: the Turkish Cypriot community (north Cyprus) refers to itself as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)
Capital
Name: Nicosia (Lefkosia) ; geographic coordinates: 35 10 N, 33 22 E ; time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) ; daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative division
6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts of Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca
National holiday
Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Flag
Industries
Tourism, food and beverage processing, cement and gypsum production, ship repair and refurbishment, textiles, light chemicals, metal products, wood, paper, stone, and clay products
Currency code
Republic of Cyprus: Cypriot pound (CYP)
Internet code
.cy
Ports and terminals
Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos
Czech Republic
Background
Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.
Location
Central Europe, southeast of Germany
Geographic co-ordinates
49 45 N, 15 30 E
Map references
Europe
Area
Total: 78,866 sq km ; land: 77,276 sq km ; water: 1,590 sq km
Area- comparative
Slightly smaller than South Carolina
Climate
Temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters
Terrain
Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very hilly country
Natural Hazards
Flooding
Nationality
Noun: Czech(s) ; adjective: Czech
Country name
Conventional long form: Czech Republic ; conventional short form: Czech Republic ; local long form: Ceska Republika ; local short form: Cesko
Capital
Name: Prague ; geographic coordinates: 40 55 N, 21 00 E ; time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) ; daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative division
13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj, Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha (Prague)*, Stredocesky Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj
National holiday
Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Flag
Industries
Metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, armaments
Currency code
Czech koruna (CZK)
Internet code
.cz
Ports and terminals
Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem