The 2003 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

$1.2 million (1999)

      Exports - commodities:

       turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

      Exports - partners:

       mostly US

      Imports:

       $457.4 million (1999)

      Imports - commodities:

       foodstuffs, manufactured goods

      Imports - partners:

       US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan

      Debt - external:

       $70 million (1996)

      Economic aid - recipient:

       $NA

      Currency:

       Caymanian dollar (KYD)

      Currency code:

       KYD

      Exchange rates:

       Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3

       November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

      Fiscal year:

       1 April - 31 March

      Communications Cayman Islands

      Telephones - main lines in use:

       19,000 (1995)

      Telephones - mobile cellular:

       2,534 (1995)

      Telephone system:

       general assessment: NA

       domestic: NA

       international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station -

       1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

      Radio broadcast stations:

       AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

      Radios:

       36,000 (1997)

      Television broadcast stations:

       1 with cable system

      Televisions:

       7,000 (1997)

      Internet country code:

       .ky

      Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

       16 (2000)

      Internet users:

       NA

      Transportation Cayman Islands

      Railways: 0 km

      Highways: total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2000)

      Waterways:

       none

      Ports and harbors:

       Cayman Brac, George Town

      Merchant marine:

       total: 123 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,402,058 GRT/3,792,094 DWT

       ships by type: bulk 22, cargo 5, chemical tanker 31, container 2,

       liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 21, refrigerated cargo 35, roll

       on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1

       note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

       convenience: Bahrain 2, China 1, Germany 4, Greece 27, Hong Kong 3,

       Italy 2, Japan 1, Norway 14, Sweden 13, United Kingdom 15, United

       States 35 (2002 est.)

      Airports:

       3 (2002)

      Airports - with paved runways:

       total: 2

       1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)

      Airports - with unpaved runways:

       total: 1

       914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

      Military Cayman Islands

      Military branches:

       no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police

       Force (RCIPF)

      Military - note:

       defense is the responsibility of the UK

      Transnational Issues Cayman Islands

      Disputes - international:

       none

      Illicit drugs:

       offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the

       US and Europe

      This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

      ======================================================================

      @Central African Republic

      Introduction Central African Republic

      Background:

       The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African

       Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades

       of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was

       established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. In March 2003 a

       military coup deposed the civilian government of President

       Ange-Felix PATASSE and has since established a new government.

      Geography Central African Republic

      Location:

       Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

      Geographic coordinates:

       7 00 N, 21 00 E

      Map references:

       Africa

      Area:

       total: 622,984 sq km

       water: 0 sq km

       land: 622,984 sq km

      Area - comparative:

       slightly smaller than Texas

      Land boundaries:

       total: 5,203 km

       border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic

       Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan

       1,165 km

      Coastline:

       0 km (landlocked)

      Maritime claims:

       none (landlocked)

      Climate:

       tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers

      Terrain:

       vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in

       northeast and southwest

      Elevation extremes:

       lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m

       highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

      Natural resources:

       diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

      Land use: arable land: 3.1% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.76% (1998 est.)

      Irrigated land:

       NA sq km

      Natural hazards:

       hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are

       common

      Environment - current issues:

       tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished its reputation as

       one of the last great wildlife refuges;