MALI Population: 6,553,000 (January 1980), average annual growth rate 2.7% (current) Nationality: noun-Malian(s); adjective-Malian Ethnic divisions: 99% native African including tribes of both Berber and Negro descent Religion: 90% Muslim, 9% animist, 1% Christian Language: French official; several African languages, of which Mande group most widespread Literacy: under 5% Labor force: 2.8 million Organized labor: Union National des Travailleurs Maliens (UNTM) is umbrella organization over thirteen national unions GOVERNMENT Legal name: Republic of Mali Type: republic; military regime in power since November 1968; fulfilled its plans in June 1979 for a phased return to civilian rule Capital: Bamako Political subdivisions: 6 administrative regions; 42 administrative districts (cercles), arrondissements, villages; all subordinate to central government Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; constitution adopted 1974, comes into full effect in 1979; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Section of Court of State; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Independence Day, 22 September Branches: executive authority exercised by Military Committee of National Liberation (MCNL) composed of 11 army officers; under MCNL functional cabinet composed of civilians and army officers; judiciary Government leaders: Brig. Gen. Moussa Traore, President of MCNL, Chief of State, and head of government Suffrage: universal over age 21 Political parties and leaders: Democratic Union of Malian People (UDPM), is the sole political party under civilian leadership Elections: constitutional elections took place June 1979 Communists: a few Communists and some sympathizers Member of: AFDB, APC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, ILO, IMF, ITU, Niger River Commission, NAM, OAU, OMVS (Organization for the Development of the Senegal River Valley), U.N., UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO ECONOMY GDP: $839.1 million (1978), $130 per capita; annual real growth rate 5.8% (1973-76) Agriculture: main crops-millet, sorghum, rice, corn, peanuts; cash crops-peanuts, cotton, and livestock Fishing: catch 7,500 tons (1977) Major industries: small local consumer goods and processing Electric power: 42,000 kW capacity (1977); 105 million kWh produced (1977), 20 kWh per capita Exports: estimated $94 million (f.o.b., 1978); livestock, peanuts, dried fish, cotton, and skins Imports: $195.1 million (c.i.f., 1978); textiles, vehicles, petroleum products, machinery, and sugar Major trade partners: mostly with franc zone and Western Europe; also with U.S.S.R., China Budget: (1978) expenditures $123.4 million; capital expenditures $7.3 million; revenues $113.5 million Monetary conversion rate: 491.34 Mali francs=US$1, 1977 Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Railroads: 642 km meter gage (1.00 m) Highways: approximately 15,699 km total; 1,669 km bituminous, 3,670 km gravel and improved earth, 10,360 km unimproved earth Inland waterways: 1,815 km navigable Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft Airfields: 42 total, 37 usable; 7 with permanent-surface runways; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: domestic system poor and provides only minimal service; radio relay, wire, and radiocommunications stations in use; expansion of radio relay in progress; 5,000 telephones (under 0.1 per 100 popl.); 2 AM, no FM, and no TV stations; 2 antennas for Atlantic and Indian Ocean INTELSAT, one satellite station connects to Algerian system MALI/MALTA Capital: Valletta Political subdivisions: 2 main populated islands, Malta and Gozo, divided into 13 electoral districts (divisions) Legal system: based on English common law; constitution adopted 1961, came into force 1964; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Branches: executive, consisting of Prime Minister and cabinet; legislative, comprising 65-member House of Representatives; independent judiciary National holiday: Republic Day, 13 December Government leader: Prime Minister Dominic Mintoff Suffrage: universal over age 18; registration required Elections: at the discretion of the Prime Minister, but must be held before the expiration of a 5-year electoral mandate; last election September 1976 Political parties and leaders: Nationalist Party, Edward Fenech Adami; Malta Labor Party, Dom Mintoff Voting strength (1976 election): Labor, 34 seats (51.54%); Nationalist, 31 seats (48.43%) Communists: less than 100 (est.) Member of: Commonwealth, Council of Europe, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ILO, IMCO, IMF, ITU, NAM, U.N., UNESCO, UPU, WHO ECONOMY GNP: $764 million (1978), $2,290 per capita; 68% private consumption, 22% gross investment; 16% government consumption, -6% net foreign sector; in 1978 real GNP growth was 11% (1978 prelim.); 12.5% (1971-76 average) Agriculture: overall, 20% self-sufficient; adequate supplies of vegetables, poultry, milk and pork products; shortages in beef, grain, animal fodder, and fruits at various seasons; main products-potatoes, cauliflowers, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers, hogs, poultry, eggs; 2,680 calories per day per capita Major industries: ship repair yard, clothing, building industry, food manufacturing, textiles, tourism Shortages: most consumer and industrial needs (fuels and raw materials) must be imported Electric power: 120,000 kW capacity (1978); 460 million kWh produced (1978), 1,380 kWh per capita Exports: $345 million (f.o.b., 1978); clothing, textiles, ships, printed matter Imports: $668 million (c.i.f., 1978) Major trade partners: 70% EC-nine (24% U.K., 20% West Germany, 13% Italy); 6% est. U.S. (1978) Budget: (1978/79) projects $283 million in expenditures. $220 million in revenues Monetary conversion rate: 1 Maltese pound = US$2.60 (average 1978) Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March COMMUNICATIONS Highways: 1,271 km total; 1,159 km paved (asphalt), 77 km crushed stone or gravel, 35 km improved and unimproved earth Ports: 1 major (Valletta), 2 minor MALTA/MARTINIQUE Civil air: 8 major transport aircraft (including 3 leased in) Airfields: 4 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runway 2,440-3,659 m, 1 with runway 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: modern automatic telecom system centered in Valletta; 67,250 telephones (21.8 per 100 popl.); 1 TV, 5 AM, and 4 FM stations; 1 coaxial submarine cable DEFENSE FORCES Religion: 95% Roman Catholic, 5% Hindu and pagan African Language: French, Creole patois Literacy: over 70% Labor force: 100,000; 23% agriculture, 20% public services, 11% construction and public works, 10% commerce and banking, 10% services, 9% industry, 17% other Organized labor: 11% of labor force GOVERNMENT Legal name: Department of Martinique Type: overseas department of France; represented by 3 deputies in the French National Assembly and 2 Senators in the Senate; incumbent deputies Aime Cesaire, Camille Petit, and Victor Sable reelected to National Assembly, 12 March 1978 Capital: Fort-de-France Political subdivisions: 2 arrondissements; 34 communes, each with a locally elected municipal council Legal system: French legal system; highest court is a court of appeal based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique Branches: executive, Prefect appointed by Paris; legislative, popularly elected council of 36 members and a Regional Council including all members of the local general council and the locally elected deputies and senators to the French parliament; judicial, under jurisdiction of French judicial system Government leader: Prefect Raymond Heim left post 14 April 1979; no replacement named as of end-May 1979 Suffrage: universal over age 18 Elections: General Council elections normally are held every five years; last General Council election took place in March 1978 Political parties and leaders: Rassemblement Pour la Republique (RPR), Emile Maurice; Progressive Party of Martinique (PPM), Aime Cesaire; Communist Party of Martinique (PCM), Armand Nicolas; Democratic Union of Martinique (UDM), Leon-Laurent Valere; Socialist Party, leader unknown; Federation of the Left, leader unknown Voting strength: RPR, 2 seats in French National Assembly; PPM, 1 seat (1973 election) Communists: 1,000 estimated Other political or pressure groups: Proletarian Action Group (GAP), Socialist Revolution Group (GRS) ECONOMY GNP: $1,169 million (1977 at current prices), $3,570 per capita Agriculture: bananas, sugarcane, and pineapples Major industries: agricultural processing, particularly sugar milling and rum distillation; cement, oil refining and tourism MARTINIQUE MAURITANIA Electric power: 95,500 kW capacity (1977); 150 million kWh produced (1977), 460 kWh per capita Exports: $128.1 million (f.o.b., 1977); bananas, refined petroleum products, rum, sugar, pineapples Imports: $426.5 million (c.i.f., 1977); foodstuffs, clothing and other consumer goods, raw materials and supplies, and petroleum Aid: economic-bilateral commitments including Ex-Im (1970-77) from Western (non-U.S.) countries, $1.7 billion; no military aid Major trading partners: exports-82% France, 9% Italy, 9% other; imports-70% France, 6% United States, 3% Netherlands Antilles, 3% Netherlands, 18% other (1968) Monetary conversion rate: 4.75 French francs= US$1 (1976) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Railroads: none Highways: 1,606 km total; 1,200 km paved, 400 km gravel and earth Ports: 1 major (Fort-de-France), 5 minor Airfields: 3 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runway; 1 with runway 2,440-3,659 m Telecommunications: domestic facilities inadequate; 38,500 telephones (12.2 per 100 popl.); inter-island VHF and UHF radio links; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station; 1 AM, 1 FM, and 5 TV stations DEFENSE FORCES Military manpower: males 15-49, included in France WATER Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 70 nm (fishing, 200 nm) Coastline: 754 km PEOPLE Population: 1,574,000 (January 1980), average annual growth rate 2.0% (current) Nationality: noun-Mauritanian(s); adjective-Mauri tanian Ethnic divisions: 30% Moor, 30% Black, 40% mix Moor/Black Religion: nearly 100% Muslim Language: Arabic is the national language, French is the working language for government and commerce Literacy: about 10% Labor force: about 95,000 wage earners (1979); remainder of population in farming and herding; considerable unemployment Organized labor: 30,000 union members claimed by single union, Mauritanian Workers' Union GOVERNMENT Legal name: Islamic Republic of Mauritania Type: republic; military seized power in bloodless coup 10 July 1978 Capital: Nouakchott Political subdivisions: 12 regions and a capital district NOTE: Mauritania acquired administrative control of the southern third of Western (formerly Spanish) Sahara under a 1975 agreement with Morocco and Spain. Following an August 1979 peace agreement with Polisario insurgents fighting for control of the Western Sahara, Mauritania withdrew from the province and renounced all territorial claims. Legal system: based on French and Islamic law; military constitution April 1979 National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November Branches: executive, Military Committee for National Salvation rules by decree; National Assembly and judiciary suspended pending restoration of civilian rule Government leader: Chief of State and Head of Government, Mohamed Khouma Ould Haidalla Suffrage: universal for adults Elections: in abeyance; last election October 1975 Political parties and leaders: suspended Communists: no Communist Party, but there is a scattering of Maoist sympathizers Member of: AFDB, AIOEC, Arab League, CEAO, CIPEC (associate), EAMA, EIB (associate), FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, ILO, IMCO, IMF, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAU, OMVS (Organization for the Development of the Senegal River Valley), U.N., UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO January 1980 MAURITANIA/MAURITIUS ECONOMY GDP: about $324.7 million (1978 prov.), $210 per capita, average annual increase in current prices about 2% (1971-78) Agriculture: most Mauritanians are nomads or subsistence farmers; main products-livestock, small grains, dates; cash crops-gum arabic; livestock Fishing: catch, 34,170 metric tons; exports, 29,891 metric tons (1975) Major industries: mining of iron ore and copper, fishing Electric power: 70,000 kW capacity (1977); 100 million kWh produced (1977), 70 kWh per capita Exports: $140 million (f.o.b., 1978 prov.); iron ore, fish, copper Imports: $325 million (f.o.b., 1978 prov.); foodstuffs, capital goods Major trade partners: (trade figures not complete because Mauritania has a form of customs union with Senegal and much local trade unreported) France and other EC members, U.K., and U.S. are main overseas partners Budget: 1978 prov. $232 million expenditures, $32.5 million grants, $136.4 million revenue Monetary conversion rate: 46.7 Ouguiyas=US$1 as of 1978 Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Railroads: 650 km standard gage (1.435 m), single track, privately owned Highways: 6,090 km total; 558 km paved; 607 km gravel, crushed stone, or otherwise improved; 4,925 km unimproved Inland waterways: 800 km Ports: 1 major (Nouadhibou), 2 minor Civil air: 5 major transport aircraft Airfields: 30 total, 30 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 13 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: fair system of cable and open-wire lines, a minor radio-relay link, and radiocommunications stations; 3,000 telephones (0.2 per 100 popl.); 2 AM,$no FM or TV stations Population: 943,000 (January 1980), average annual growth rate 1.4% (7-71 to 7-78) Nationality: noun-Mauritian(s); adjective-Mauritian Ethnic divisions: 67% Indians, 29% Creoles, 3.5% Chinese, 0.5% English and French Religion: 51% Hindu, 33% Christian (mostly Catholic with a few Anglican Protestants), 16% Muslim Language: English official language; Hindi, Chinese, French Creole Literacy: estimated 60% for those over 21, and 90% for those of school age Labor force: 175,000; 50% agriculture, 6% industry; 20% government services; 14% are unemployed, underemployed, or self-employed, 10% other Organized labor: about 35% of labor force GOVERNMENT Legal name: Mauritius Type: independent state since 1968, recognizing Elizabeth II as Chief of State Capital: Port Louis Political subdivisions: 5 organized municipalities and various island dependencies Legal system: based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas; constitution adopted 6 March 1968 National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March Branches: executive power exercised by Prime Minister and 21-man Council of Ministers; unicameral legislature (National Assembly) with 62 members elected by direct suffrage, 8 specially elected Government leader: Prime Minister Dr. Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Suffrage: universal over age 18 Elections: legislative elections held in December 1976; municipal elections held in 1977 129 |