The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 392,656 (2004 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$3.3 billion (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
3.4% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Colombia
Disputes - international:
Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against
Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary
involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the
Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;
maritime boundary dispute with Venezuela in the Gulf of Venezuela;
Colombian drug activities penetrate Peruvian border area; the
continuing civil disorder in Colombia has created a serious refugee
crisis in neighboring states, especially Ecuador
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 2,730,000 - 3,100,000 (conflict between government and FARC;
drug wars) (2004)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's
leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2002 was 144,450
hectares, a 15% decline since 2001); potential production of opium
between 2001 and 2002 declined by 25% to 91 metric tons; potential
production of heroin declined to 11.3 metric tons; the world's
largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier of
about 90% of the cocaine to the US market and the great majority of
cocaine to other international drug markets; important supplier of
heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program; a
significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either
laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso
exchange
This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005
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@Comoros
Introduction Comoros
Background:
Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since
gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of
Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In
1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve
the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the
2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new
constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of
2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a
new union president was sworn in on 26 May 2002.
Geography Comoros
Location:
Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the
Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern
Madagascar and northern Mozambique
Geographic coordinates:
12 10 S, 44 15 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 2,170 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 2,170 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
340 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Terrain:
volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 35.87%
permanent crops: 23.32%
other: 40.81% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le
Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano
Environment - current issues:
soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on
slopes without proper terracing; deforestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
People Comoros
Population:
651,901 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 42.8% (male 140,083; female 139,245)
15–64 years: 54.2% (male 174,216; female 179,050)
65 years and over: 3% (male 9,136; female 10,171) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.6 years
male: 18.3 years
female: 18.9 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.94% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
38 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 77.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 68.28 deaths/1,000 live