The 2002 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

NA

      Currency: real (BRL)

      Currency code: BRL

      Exchange rates: reals per US dollar - 2.378 (January 2002), 2.358 (2001), 1.830 (2000), 1.815 (1999), 1.161 (1998), 1.078 (1997) note: from October 1994 through 14 January 1999, the official rate was determined by a managed float; since 15 January 1999, the official rate floats independently with respect to the US dollar

      Fiscal year: calendar year

      Communications Brazil

      Telephones - main lines in use: 17.039 million (1997)

      Telephones - mobile cellular: 4.4 million (1997)

      Telephone system: general assessment: good working system domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations international: 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station

      Radio broadcast stations: AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations) (1999)

      Radios: 71 million (1997)

      Television broadcast stations: 138 (1997)

      Televisions: 36.5 million (1997)

      Internet country code: .br

      Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2000)

      Internet users: 11.94 million (2001)

      Transportation Brazil

      Railways: total: broad gauge: 5,679 km 1.600-m gauge (1,199 km electrified) narrow gauge: 24,666 km 1.000-m gauge (930 km electrified) dual gauge: 336 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge note: in addition to the interurban routes itemized above, Brazil has 247.8 km of suburban railway consisting of 170.8 km of 1.600-m gauge (75 km electrified) and 77 km of 1.000-m gauge (1999 est.)

      Highways: total: 1.98 million km paved: 184,140 km unpaved: 1,795,860 km (1996)

      Waterways: 50,000 km

      Pipelines: crude oil 2,980 km; petroleum products 4,762 km; natural gas 4,246 km (1998)

      Ports and harbors: Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus,

       Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador,

       Santos, Vitoria

      Merchant marine: total: 165 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,662,570 GRT/5,875,933 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Chile 2, Germany 6, Greece 1, Monaco 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 32, cargo 25, chemical tanker 5, combination ore/oil 9, container 12, liquefied gas 11, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 54, roll on/roll off 10, short-sea passenger 1

      Airports: 3,365 (2001)

      Airports - with paved runways: total: 627 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 153 914 to 1,523 m: 407 under 914 m: 40 (2001)

      Airports - with unpaved runways: 1,316 under 914 m: Military Brazil

      Military branches: Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes naval air and marines), Brazilian Air Force, Federal Police (paramilitary)

      Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)

      Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 48,859,610 (2002 est.)

      Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 32,743,504 (2002 est.)

      Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,762,740 (2002 est.)

      Military expenditures - dollar figure: $13.408 billion (FY99)

      Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY99)

      Transnational Issues Brazil

      Disputes - international: uncontested dispute with Uruguay over islands in the Rio Quarai (Rio Cuareim) and the Arroio Invernada (Arroyo de la Invernada)

      Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis; minor coca cultivation in the Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment country for Colombian and Peruvian cocaine headed for the US and Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine

      This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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      Bassas da India

      Introduction

      Bassas da India

      Background: This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was placed under the administration of a commissioner residing in Reunion in 1968.

      Geography Bassas da India

      Location: Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique

      Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 39 50 E

      Map references: Africa

      Area: total: 0.2 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 0.2 sq km

      Area - comparative: about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington,

       DC

      Land boundaries: 0 km

      Coastline: 35.2 km

      Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

      Climate: tropical

      Terrain: volcanic rock

      Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m

      Natural resources: none

      Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all rock) (1998 est.)

      Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)

      Natural hazards: maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones

      Environment - current issues: NA

      Geography - note: the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano

      People Bassas da India

      Population: uninhabited (July 2002 est.)

      Population growth rate: NA

      Government Bassas da India

      Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:

       Bassas da India

      Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

      Legal system: the laws of France, where applicable, apply

      Flag description: the flag of France is used

      Economy Bassas da India

      Economy - overview: no economic activity

      Transportation Bassas da India

      Waterways: none

      Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

      Military Bassas da India

      Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

      Transnational Issues Bassas da India

      Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

      This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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