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Definitions

  • Economy > GDP: GDP at purchaser's prices is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Dollar figures for GDP are converted from domestic currencies using single year official exchange rates. For a few countries where the official exchange rate does not reflect the rate effectively applied to actual foreign exchange transactions, an alternative conversion factor is used.
  • Economy > GDP > Purchasing power parity per capita: This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The difference between the OER- and PPP-denominated GDP values for most of the weathly industrialized countries are generally much smaller. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • Economy > GDP per capita: GDP at purchaser's prices is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Dollar figures for GDP are converted from domestic currencies using single year official exchange rates. For a few countries where the official exchange rate does not reflect the rate effectively applied to actual foreign exchange transactions, an alternative conversion factor is used. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • Geography > Area > Comparative: The area of various small countries expressed in comparison to various areas within the United States of America.
  • Geography > Area > Total: Total area in square kilometers
  • Geography > Climate: A brief description of typical weather regimes throughout the year.
  • Geography > Land area > Sq. km: Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes."
  • Government > Constitution: The dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments to a nation's constitution
  • Government > Judicial branch: The name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
  • Government > Legal system: A brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
  • Government > Legislative branch: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
  • Government > Suffrage: The age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted
  • People > Birth rate: The average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age structure of the population.
  • People > Population: Population, total refers to the total population.
  • Religion > Religions: This entry includes a rank ordering of religions by adherents starting with the largest group and sometimes includes the percent of total population.
  • Education > Pupil-teacher ratio, primary: Pupil-teacher ratio, primary. Pupil-teacher ratio. Primary is the number of pupils enrolled in primary school divided by the number of primary school teachers.
  • Industry > Manufacturing output: Industry corresponds to ISIC divisions 10-45 and includes manufacturing (ISIC divisions 15-37). It comprises value added in mining, manufacturing (also reported as a separate subgroup), construction, electricity, water, and gas. Value added is the net output of a sector after adding up all outputs and subtracting intermediate inputs. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or depletion and degradation of natural resources. The origin of value added is determined by the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC), revision 3. Data are in constant 2000 U.S. dollars."
  • Government > Political parties and leaders: Significant political organizations and their leaders.
  • Economy > Economy > Overview: This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.
  • Government > Executive branch > Cabinet: Cabinet includes the official name for any body of high-ranking advisers roughly comparable to a U.S. Cabinet. Also notes the method for selection of members.
  • Economy > GDP > Per capita: This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The difference between the OER- and PPP-denominated GDP values for most of the weathly industrialized countries are generally much smaller. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
  • Energy > Electricity > Consumption > Per capita: Total electricity consumed annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
  • People > Death rate: The average annual number of deaths during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining fertility results in an aging population.
  • Geography > Natural resources: A country's mineral, petroleum, hydropower, and other resources of commercial importance.
  • Industry > Manufacturing, value added > Current US$ per capita: Manufacturing, value added (current US$). Manufacturing refers to industries belonging to ISIC divisions 15-37. Value added is the net output of a sector after adding up all outputs and subtracting intermediate inputs. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or depletion and degradation of natural resources. The origin of value added is determined by the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC), revision 3. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • Energy > Electricity > Consumption: Total electricity consumed annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
  • People > Population growth rate: The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative. The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen as threatening by neighboring countries.
  • Media > Telephones > Mobile cellular > Per capita: The total number of mobile cellular telephones in use. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Agriculture > Agricultural land > Sq. km: Agricultural land (sq. km). Agricultural land refers to the share of land area that is arable, under permanent crops, and under permanent pastures. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded. Land under permanent crops is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest, such as cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber. Permanent pasture is land used for five or more years for forage, including natural and cultivated crops.
  • Health > Life expectancy at birth, total > Years: Life expectancy at birth, total (years). Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.
  • Energy > Electric power consumption > KWh per capita: Electric power consumption (kWh per capita). Electric power consumption measures the production of power plants and combined heat and power plants less transmission, distribution, and transformation losses and own use by heat and power plants.
  • Military > War deaths: Battle-related deaths are deaths in battle-related conflicts between warring parties in the conflict dyad (two conflict units that are parties to a conflict). Typically, battle-related deaths occur in warfare involving the armed forces of the warring parties. This includes traditional battlefield fighting, guerrilla activities, and all kinds of bombardments of military units, cities, and villages, etc. The targets are usually the military itself and its installations or state institutions and state representatives, but there is often substantial collateral damage in the form of civilians being killed in crossfire, in indiscriminate bombings, etc. All deaths--military as well as civilian--incurred in such situations, are counted as battle-related deaths."
  • Agriculture > Arable land > Hectares per capita: Arable land (hectares per person). Arable land (hectares per person) includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.
  • Economy > Inflation rate > Consumer prices: This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's consumer prices.
  • Education > Pupil-teacher ratio, secondary: Pupil-teacher ratio, secondary. Pupil-teacher ratio. Secondary is the number of pupils enrolled in secondary school divided by the number of secondary school teachers.
  • Industry > Manufacturing, value added > Current US$: Manufacturing, value added (current US$). Manufacturing refers to industries belonging to ISIC divisions 15-37. Value added is the net output of a sector after adding up all outputs and subtracting intermediate inputs. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or depletion and degradation of natural resources. The origin of value added is determined by the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC), revision 3. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
  • Language > Languages: A rank ordering of languages starting with the largest and sometimes includes the percent of total population speaking that language.
  • Transport > Road density > Km of road per 100 sq. km of land area: Road density is the ratio of the length of the country's total road network to the country's land area. The road network includes all roads in the country: motorways, highways, main or national roads, secondary or regional roads, and other urban and rural roads."
  • Economy > Distribution of family income > Gini index: This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number of families arranged from the poorest to the ric
  • Education > Primary education, duration > Years: Primary education, duration (years). Duration of primary is the number of grades (years) in primary education.
  • Education > Secondary education, duration > Years: Secondary education, duration (years). Duration of secondary education is the number of grades (years) in secondary education (ISCED 2 & 3).
  • Energy > Electric power consumption > KWh: Electric power consumption (kWh). Electric power consumption measures the production of power plants and combined heat and power plants less transmission, distribution, and transformation losses and own use by heat and power plants.
  • Energy > Oil > Consumption > Per capita: This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Agriculture > Cereal yield > Kg per hectare: Cereal yield, measured as kilograms per hectare of harvested land, includes wheat, rice, maize, barley, oats, rye, millet, sorghum, buckwheat, and mixed grains. Production data on cereals relate to crops harvested for dry grain only. Cereal crops harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed, or silage and those used for grazing are excluded."
  • Geography > Terrain: A brief description of the topography
  • Health > Life expectancy at birth > Total population: The average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages. It can also be thought of as indicating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures.
  • Crime > Murders > Per 100,000 people: Intentional homicide rate is the estimate of intentional homicides in a country as a result of domestic disputes that end in a killing, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, inter-gang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. The term, intentional homicide, is broad, but it does not include all intentional killing. In particular, deaths arising from armed conflict are usually considered separately. The difference is usually described by the organisation of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas the killing in armed conflict is usually committed by more or less cohesive groups of up to several hundred members. Two main sources of data are presented: criminal justice (law enforcement) measures (this series), supplemented by data from national statistical agencies, and measures from public health sources (see other intentional homicide series). These various sources measure slightly different phenomena and are therefore unlikely to provide identical numbers."
  • Geography > Location: The country's regional location, neighboring countries, and adjacent bodies of water.
  • Labor > Labor force > By occupation: Component parts of the labor force by occupation.
  • Labor > Unemployment rate: The percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.
  • Education > Primary education, teachers per 1000: Primary education, teachers. Teaching staff in primary. Public and private. Full and part-time. All programmes. Total is the total number of teachers in public and private primary education institutions. Teachers are persons employed full time or part time in an official capacity to guide and direct the learning experience of pupils and students, irrespective of their qualifications or the delivery mechanism, i.e. face-to-face and/or at a distance. This definition excludes educational personnel who have no active teaching duties (e.g. headmasters, headmistresses or principals who do not teach) and persons who work occasionally or in a voluntary capacity in educational institutions. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • People > Death rate, crude > Per 1,000 people: Death rate, crude (per 1,000 people). Crude death rate indicates the number of deaths occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.
  • Economy > Tourist arrivals > Per capita: International inbound tourists (overnight visitors) are the number of tourists who travel to a country other than that in which they have their usual residence, but outside their usual environment, for a period not exceeding 12 months and whose main purpose in visiting is other than an activity remunerated from within the country visited. When data on number of tourists are not available, the number of visitors, which includes tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members, is shown instead. Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries. The data on inbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival." Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Geography > Coastline: The total length of the boundary between the land area (including islands) and the sea.
  • Labor > Labor force: The total labor force figure
  • Environment > Current issues: This entry lists the most pressing and important environmental problems. The following terms and abbreviations are used throughout the entry:
  • Energy > Oil > Consumption: This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
  • Health > Life expectancy at birth, female > Years: Life expectancy at birth, female (years). Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.
  • Energy > Oil > Production > Per capita: This entry is the total oil produced in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • People > Total fertility rate: The average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their child-bearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility rate is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential for population growth in the country. High rates will also place some limits on the labor force participation rates for women. Large numbers of children born to women indicate large family sizes that might limit the ability of the families to feed and educate their children.
  • Health > Life expectancy at birth, male > Years: Life expectancy at birth, male (years). Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.
  • Media > Telecoms > Mobile cellular subscriptions > Per 100 people: Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people). Mobile cellular telephone subscriptions are subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service using cellular technology, which provide access to the public switched telephone network. Post-paid and prepaid subscriptions are included.
  • Economy > GDP > Purchasing power parity: This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The difference between the OER- and PPP-denominated GDP values for most of the weathly industrialized countries are generally much smaller.
  • Government > Capital city > Name: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Government > Capital city > Geographic coordinates: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Environment > Climate change > CO2 emissions from electricity and heat production, total > Million metric tons: CO2 emissions from electricity and heat production, total (million metric tons). CO2 emissions from electricity and heat production is the sum of three IEA categories of CO2 emissions: (1) Main Activity Producer Electricity and Heat which contains the sum of emissions from main activity producer electricity generation, combined heat and power generation and heat plants. Main activity producers (formerly known as public utilities) are defined as those undertakings whose primary activity is to supply the public. They may be publicly or privately owned. This corresponds to IPCC Source/Sink Category 1 A 1 a. For the CO2 emissions from fuel combustion (summary) file, emissions from own on-site use of fuel in power plants (EPOWERPLT) are also included. (2) Unallocated Autoproducers which contains the emissions from the generation of electricity and/or heat by autoproducers. Autoproducers are defined as undertakings that generate electricity and/or heat, wholly or partly for their own use as an activity which supports their primary activity. They may be privately or publicly owned. In the 1996 IPCC Guidelines, these emissions would normally be distributed between industry, transport and "other" sectors. (3) Other Energy Industries contains emissions from fuel combusted in petroleum refineries, for the manufacture of solid fuels, coal mining, oil and gas extraction and other energy-producing industries. This corresponds to the IPCC Source/Sink Categories 1 A 1 b and 1 A 1 c. According to the 1996 IPCC Guidelines, emissions from coke inputs to blast furnaces can either be counted here or in the Industrial Processes source/sink category. Within detailed sectoral calculations, certain non-energy processes can be distinguished. In the reduction of iron in a blast furnace through the combustion of coke, the primary purpose of the coke oxidation is to produce pig iron and the emissions can be considered as an industrial process. Care must be taken not to double count these emissions in both Energy and Industrial Processes. In the IEA estimations, these emissions have been included in this category.
  • Government > International organization participation: This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
  • Media > Internet > Users per 1000: This entry gives the number of users within a country that access the Internet. Statistics vary from country to country and may include users who access the Internet at least several times a week to those who access it only once within a period of several months. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • People > Age structure > 0-14 years: The distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sex and age group (0-14 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over). The age structure of a population affects a nation's key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older populations (high percentage ages 65 and over) need to invest more in the health sector. The age structure can also be used to help predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment can lead to unrest.
  • Transport > Airports: Total number of airports. Runways must be useable, but may be unpaved. May not have facilities for refuelling, maintenance, or air traffic control.
  • Geography > Area > Comparative to US places: This entry provides an area comparison based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states based on area measurements (1990 revised) provided by the US Bureau of the Census. The smaller entities are compared with Washington, DC (178 sq km, 69 sq mi) or The Mall in Washington, DC (0.59 sq km, 0.23 sq mi, 146 acres).
  • Energy > Electricity production > KWh: Electricity production (kWh). Electricity production is measured at the terminals of all alternator sets in a station. In addition to hydropower, coal, oil, gas, and nuclear power generation, it covers generation by geothermal, solar, wind, and tide and wave energy, as well as that from combustible renewables and waste. Production includes the output of electricity plants that are designed to produce electricity only as well as that of combined heat and power plants.
  • Energy > Energy use > Kg of oil equivalent per capita: Energy use (kg of oil equivalent per capita). Energy use refers to use of primary energy before transformation to other end-use fuels, which is equal to indigenous production plus imports and stock changes, minus exports and fuels supplied to ships and aircraft engaged in international transport.
  • People > Age structure > 65 years and over: The distribution of the population according to age. Information is included by sex and age group (0-14 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over). The age structure of a population affects a nation's key socioeconomic issues. Countries with young populations (high percentage under age 15) need to invest more in schools, while countries with older populations (high percentage ages 65 and over) need to invest more in the health sector. The age structure can also be used to help predict potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment can lead to unrest."
  • Economy > GDP > Composition by sector > Industry: The gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods produced by the industrial sector within a nation in a given year. GDP dollar estimates in the Factbook are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations. See the CIA World Factbook for more information.
  • Media > Internet > Fixed broadband Internet subscribers per 1000: Fixed broadband Internet subscribers. Fixed broadband Internet subscribers are the number of broadband subscribers with a digital subscriber line, cable modem, or other high-speed technology. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • Crime > Murders > WHO: Intentional homicide rate is the estimate of intentional homicides in a country as a result of domestic disputes that end in a killing, interpersonal violence, violent conflicts over land resources, inter-gang violence over turf or control, and predatory violence and killing by armed groups. The term, intentional homicide, is broad, but it does not include all intentional killing. In particular, deaths arising from armed conflict are usually considered separately. The difference is usually described by the organisation of the killing. Individuals or small groups usually commit homicide, whereas the killing in armed conflict is usually committed by more or less cohesive groups of up to several hundred members. Two main sources of data are presented: criminal justice (law enforcement) measures (this series), supplemented by data from national statistical agencies, and measures from public health sources (see other intentional homicide series). These various sources measure slightly different phenomena and are therefore unlikely to provide identical numbers."
  • Agriculture > Agriculture, value added > Current US$: Agriculture, value added (current US$), including forestry, hunting, and fishing, as well as cultivation of crops and livestock production. Value added is the net output of a sector after adding up all outputs and subtracting intermediate inputs. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or depletion and degradation of natural resources.
  • Transport > Waterways: The total length and individual names of navigable rivers, canals, and other inland bodies of water.
  • Labor > Labor force, total: Labor force, total. Total labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who meet the International Labour Organization definition of the economically active population: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes both the employed and the unemployed. While national practices vary in the treatment of such groups as the armed forces and seasonal or part-time workers, in general the labor force includes the armed forces, the unemployed, and first-time job-seekers, but excludes homemakers and other unpaid caregivers and workers in the informal sector.
  • Health > Infant mortality rate > Total: This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year; included is the total death rate, and deaths by sex, male and female. This rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country.
  • Geography > Elevation extremes > Highest point: Highest point above sea level
  • Agriculture > Products: Major agricultural crops and products
  • Media > Internet > Internet users > Per 100 people: Internet users (per 100 people). Internet users are people with access to the worldwide network.
  • Energy > Electricity > Consumption per capita: Total electricity consumed annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • Energy > Gasoline > Pump price for gasoline > US$ per liter: Pump price for gasoline (US$ per liter). Fuel prices refer to the pump prices of the most widely sold grade of gasoline. Prices have been converted from the local currency to U.S. dollars.
  • Geography > Total area > Sq. km: Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways."
  • Energy > Electricity > Production: The annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
  • Transport > Highways > Total > Per capita: total length of the highway system Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Industry > CO2 emissions from manufacturing industries and construction > Million metric tons: CO2 emissions from manufacturing industries and construction (million metric tons). CO2 emissions from manufacturing industries and construction contains the emissions from combustion of fuels in industry. The IPCC Source/Sink Category 1 A 2 includes these emissions. However, in the 1996 IPCC Guidelines, the IPCC category also includes emissions from industry autoproducers that generate electricity and/or heat. The IEA data are not collected in a way that allows the energy consumption to be split by specific end-use and therefore, autoproducers are shown as a separate item (Unallocated Autoproducers). Manufacturing industries and construction also includes emissions from coke inputs into blast furnaces, which may be reported either in the transformation sector, the industry sector or the separate IPCC Source/Sink Category 2, Industrial Processes.
  • Transport > Motor vehicles > Per 1,000 people: Motor vehicles include cars, buses, and freight vehicles but do not include two-wheelers. Population refers to midyear population in the year for which data are available."
  • Industry > Manufacturing growth: Annual growth rate for manufacturing value added based on constant local currency. Aggregates are based on constant 2000 U.S. dollars. Manufacturing refers to industries belonging to ISIC divisions 15-37. Value added is the net output of a sector after adding up all outputs and subtracting intermediate inputs. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or depletion and degradation of natural resources. The origin of value added is determined by the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC), revision 3."
  • Geography > Land boundaries > Border countries: Length of land boundaries by border country
  • Transport > Passenger cars > Per 1,000 people: Passenger cars refer to road motor vehicles, other than two-wheelers, intended for the carriage of passengers and designed to seat no more than nine people (including the driver)."
  • Media > Radio broadcast stations: The total number of AM, FM, and shortwave broadcast stations.
  • People > Sex ratio > Total population: The number of males for each female one of five age groups - at birth, under 15 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over, and for the total population. Sex ratio at birth has recently emerged as an indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For instance, high sex ratios at birth in some Asian countries are now attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and fertility patterns. Eventually it could cause unrest among young adult males who are unable to find partners.
  • Industry > Growth: Annual growth rate for industrial value added based on constant local currency. Aggregates are based on constant 2000 U.S. dollars. Industry corresponds to ISIC divisions 10-45 and includes manufacturing (ISIC divisions 15-37). It comprises value added in mining, manufacturing (also reported as a separate subgroup), construction, electricity, water, and gas. Value added is the net output of a sector after adding up all outputs and subtracting intermediate inputs. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or depletion and degradation of natural resources. The origin of value added is determined by the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC), revision 3."
  • Government > Executive branch > Elections: Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election
  • People > Sex ratio > At birth: The number of males for each female one of five age groups - at birth, under 15 years, 15-64 years, 65 years and over, and for the total population. Sex ratio at birth has recently emerged as an indicator of certain kinds of sex discrimination in some countries. For instance, high sex ratios at birth in some Asian countries are now attributed to sex-selective abortion and infanticide due to a strong preference for sons. This will affect future marriage patterns and fertility patterns. Eventually it could cause unrest among young adult males who are unable to find partners.
  • Environment > Adjusted net national income > Constant 2000 US$: Adjusted net national income (constant 2000 US$). Adjusted net national income is GNI minus consumption of fixed capital and natural resources depletion.
  • Media > Daily newspapers > Per 1,000 people: Daily newspapers refer to those published at least four times a week and calculated as average circulation (or copies printed) per 1,000 people."
  • Economy > Tourist arrivals: International inbound tourists (overnight visitors) are the number of tourists who travel to a country other than that in which they have their usual residence, but outside their usual environment, for a period not exceeding 12 months and whose main purpose in visiting is other than an activity remunerated from within the country visited. When data on number of tourists are not available, the number of visitors, which includes tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members, is shown instead. Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries. The data on inbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival."
  • Industry > Industry, value added > Current US$: Industry, value added (current US$). Industry corresponds to ISIC divisions 10-45 and includes manufacturing (ISIC divisions 15-37). It comprises value added in mining, manufacturing (also reported as a separate subgroup), construction, electricity, water, and gas. Value added is the net output of a sector after adding up all outputs and subtracting intermediate inputs. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or depletion and degradation of natural resources. The origin of value added is determined by the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC), revision 3. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
  • Economy > Inbound tourism income > Current US$: International tourism receipts are expenditures by international inbound visitors, including payments to national carriers for international transport. These receipts include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except when these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include receipts for passenger transport items. Data are in current U.S. dollars."
  • Economy > Tax > Tax rates: Revenue is cash receipts from taxes, social contributions, and other revenues such as fines, fees, rent, and income from property or sales. Grants are also considered as revenue but are excluded here."
  • Geography > Irrigated land: The number of square kilometers of land area that is artificially supplied with water.
  • Labor > GNI > Current US$: GNI (current US$). GNI (formerly GNP) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
  • Military > Armed forces personnel > Total: Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if the training, organisation, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces."
  • Media > Internet > Users > Per capita: This entry gives the number of users within a country that access the Internet. Statistics vary from country to country and may include users who access the Internet at least several times a week to those who access it only once within a period of several months. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Economy > GDP per person: GDP per capita is gross domestic product divided by midyear population. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
  • Energy > Electricity production from renewable sources > KWh: Electricity production from renewable sources (kWh). Electricity production from renewable sources includes hydropower, geothermal, solar, tides, wind, biomass, and biofuels.
  • Media > Telecoms > Telephone lines per 1000: Telephone lines. Telephone lines are fixed telephone lines that connect a subscriber's terminal equipment to the public switched telephone network and that have a port on a telephone exchange. Integrated services digital network channels ands fixed wireless subscribers are included. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • Geography > Natural hazards: Potential natural disasters.
  • Labor > Employment rate > Adults: Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Ages 15 and older are generally considered the working-age population.
  • Government > Flag description: A written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
  • Education > Secondary education, pupils: Secondary education, pupils. Enrolment in total secondary. Public and private. All programmes. Total is the total number of students enrolled at public and private secondary education institutions.
  • Media > Telephones > Main lines in use > Per capita: The total number of main telephone lines in use. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Economy > GDP > Composition by sector > Services: The gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final services produced within a nation in a given year. GDP dollar estimates in the Factbook are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations. See the CIA World Factbook for more information.
  • Media > Internet users > Per 100 people: Internet users are people with access to the worldwide network.
  • Energy > Electricity > Production > Per capita: The annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
STAT European Union United States HISTORY
Economy > GDP $16.63 trillion
Ranked 1st. 6% more than United States
$15.68 trillion
Ranked 2nd.

Economy > GDP > Purchasing power parity per capita $29,405.51
Ranked 28th.
$47,587.30
Ranked 7th. 62% more than European Union

Economy > GDP per capita $32,676.48
Ranked 25th.
$49,965.27
Ranked 10th. 53% more than European Union

Geography > Area > Comparative less than one-half the size of the US about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union
Geography > Area > Total 4.32 million sq km
Ranked 13th.
9.83 million sq km
Ranked 4th. 2 times more than European Union

Geography > Climate cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
Geography > Land area > Sq. km 4.18 million sq km
Ranked 7th.
9.16 million sq km
Ranked 3rd. 2 times more than European Union

Government > Constitution none previous 1781 (Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union); latest drafted July - September 1787, submitted to the Congress of the Confederation 20 September 1787, submitted for states' ratification 28 September 1787, ratification completed by nine sta
Government > Judicial branch Court of Justice of the European Union (ensures that the treaties are interpreted and applied uniformly throughout the EU, resolves disputed issues among the EU institutions, issues opinions on questions of EU law referred by member state courts) - 27 judges (one from each member state) appointed for a six-year term; note - the court can sit in chambers, in a "Grand Chamber" of 13 judges, or as the full court; General Court (a court below the Court of Justice) - 27 judges appointed for a six-year term Supreme Court (nine justices; nominated by the president and confirmed with the advice and consent of the Senate; appointed to serve for life); United States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County Courts
Government > Legal system unique supranational law system in which, according to an interpretive declaration of member-state governments appended to the Treaty of Lisbon, "the Treaties and the law adopted by the Union on the basis of the Treaties have primacy over the law of Member States" under conditions laid down in the case law of the Court of Justice; key principles of EU law include fundamental rights as guaranteed by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and as resulting from constitutional traditions common to the EU's states common law system based on English common law at the federal level; state legal systems based on common law except Louisiana, which is based on Napoleonic civil code; judicial review of legislative acts
Government > Legislative branch two legislative bodies consisting of the Council of the European Union (27 member-state ministers having 345 votes; the number of votes is roughly proportional to member-states' population) and the European Parliament (736 seats; seats allocated among member states in proportion to population; members elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term); note - the Council is the main decision-making body of the EU, although the Commission proposes most EU legislative acts bicameral Congress consists of the Senate
Government > Suffrage voting for the European Parliament is permitted in each member state at 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
People > Birth rate 9.83 births/1,000 population
Ranked 1st.
13.66 births/1,000 population
Ranked 147th. 39% more than European Union

People > Population 509.04 million
Ranked 3rd. 61% more than United States
316.67 million
Ranked 3rd.

Religion > Religions Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4%
Education > Pupil-teacher ratio, primary 13.16
Ranked 104th.
14.29
Ranked 98th. 9% more than European Union

Industry > Manufacturing output 2.09 trillion
Ranked 1st.
2.31 trillion
Ranked 2nd. 10% more than European Union

Government > Political parties and leaders Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left or GUE/NGL [Lothar BISKY]; Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group or EFD [Nigel FARAGE and Francesco SPERONI]; European Conservatives and Reformists Group or ECR [Michael KAMINSKI]; Group of Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA [Rebecca HARMS and Daniel COHN-BENDIT]; Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE [Guy VERHOFSTADT]; Group of the European People's Party or EPP [Joseph DAUL]; Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament or S&D [Martin SCHULZ] Democratic Party [Debbie Wasserman SCHULTZ]<br />Green Party<br />Libertarian Party [Mark HINKLE]<br />Republican Party [Reince PRIEBUS]
Economy > Economy > Overview Internally, the EU is attempting to lower trade barriers, adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster Europe's trade position and its political and economic power. Because of the great differences in per capita income among member states (from $7,000 to $69,000) and historic national animosities, the EU faces difficulties in devising and enforcing common policies. For example, since 2003 Germany and France have flouted the member states' treaty obligation to prevent their national budgets from running more than a 3% deficit. In 2004 and 2007, the EU admitted 10 and two countries, respectively, that are, in general, less advanced technologically and economically than the other 15. Eleven established EU member states introduced the euro as their common currency on 1 January 1999 (Greece did so two years later), but the UK, Sweden, and Denmark chose not to participate. Of the 12 most recent member states, only Slovenia (1 January 2007) and Cyprus and Malta (1 January 2008) have adopted the euro; the remaining nine are legally required to adopt the currency upon meeting EU's fiscal and monetary convergence criteria. The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $49,800. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. Since 1996, dividends and capital gains have grown faster than wages or any other category of after-tax income. Imported oil accounts for nearly 55% of US consumption. Crude oil prices doubled between 2001 and 2006, the year home prices peaked; higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets and many individuals fell behind in their mortgage payments. Oil prices climbed another 50% between 2006 and 2008, and bank foreclosures more than doubled in the same period. Besides dampening the housing market, soaring oil prices caused a drop in the value of the dollar and a deterioration in the US merchandise trade deficit, which peaked at $840 billion in 2008. The sub-prime mortgage crisis, falling home prices, investment bank failures, tight credit, and the global economic downturn pushed the United States into a recession by mid-2008. GDP contracted until the third quarter of 2009, making this the deepest and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize financial markets, in October 2008 the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the government by early 2011. In January 2009 the US Congress passed and President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover. In 2010 and 2011, the federal budget deficit reached nearly 9% of GDP. In 2012 the federal government reduced the growth of spending and the deficit shrank to 7.6% of GDP. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan required major shifts in national resources from civilian to military purposes and contributed to the growth of the budget deficit and public debt. Through 2011, the direct costs of the wars totaled nearly $900 billion, according to US government figures. US revenues from taxes and other sources are lower, as a percentage of GDP, than those of most other countries. In March 2010, President OBAMA signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a health insurance reform that was designed to extend coverage to an additional 32 million American citizens by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished. Total spending on health care - public plus private - rose from 9.0% of GDP in 1980 to 17.9% in 2010. In July 2010, the president signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a law designed to promote financial stability by protecting consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are "too big to fail," and improving accountability and transparency in the financial system - in particular, by requiring certain financial derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government regulation and oversight. In December 2012, the Federal Reserve Board announced plans to purchase $85 billion per month of mortgage-backed and Treasury securities in an effort to hold down long-term interest rates, and to keep short term rates near zero until unemployment drops to 6.5% from the December rate of 7.8%, or until inflation rises above 2.5%. Long-term problems include stagnation of wages for lower-income families, inadequate investment in deteriorating infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, energy shortages, and sizable current account and budget deficits - including significant budget shortages for state governments.
Government > Executive branch > Cabinet European Commission (composed of 27 members, one from each member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy areas) Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
Economy > GDP > Per capita $29,423.40 per capita
Ranked 29th.
$45,759.46 per capita
Ranked 8th. 56% more than European Union

Energy > Electricity > Consumption > Per capita 5,827.59 kWh per capita
Ranked 28th.
12,747.49 kWh per capita
Ranked 3rd. 2 times more than European Union

People > Death rate 10.33 deaths/1,000 population
Ranked 1st. 23% more than United States
8.39 deaths/1,000 population
Ranked 88th.

Geography > Natural resources iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber
Industry > Manufacturing, value added > Current US$ per capita $4,483.21
Ranked 15th.
$5,778.47
Ranked 6th. 29% more than European Union

Energy > Electricity > Consumption 2.86 trillion kWh
Ranked 2nd.
3.89 trillion kWh
Ranked 1st. 36% more than European Union

People > Population growth rate 0.098%
Ranked 1st.
0.9%
Ranked 124th. 9 times more than European Union

Media > Telephones > Mobile cellular > Per capita 1,019.8 per 1,000 people
Ranked 15th. 20% more than United States
846.78 per 1,000 people
Ranked 59th.

Agriculture > Agricultural land > Sq. km 1.88 million sq. km
Ranked 7th.
4.11 million sq. km
Ranked 2nd. 2 times more than European Union

Health > Life expectancy at birth, total > Years 80.18
Ranked 29th. 2% more than United States
78.64
Ranked 40th.

Energy > Electric power consumption > KWh per capita 6,094.05
Ranked 33th.
13,246.04
Ranked 9th. 2 times more than European Union

Military > War deaths 0.0
Ranked 102nd.
0.0
Ranked 73th.

Agriculture > Arable land > Hectares per capita 0.213
Ranked 71st.
0.514
Ranked 14th. 2 times more than European Union

Economy > Inflation rate > Consumer prices 1.8%
Ranked 121st.
2.1%
Ranked 160th. 17% more than European Union

Education > Pupil-teacher ratio, secondary 11.29
Ranked 73th.
14.49
Ranked 56th. 28% more than European Union

Industry > Manufacturing, value added > Current US$ $2.27 trillion
Ranked 1st. 26% more than United States
$1.80 trillion
Ranked 1st.

Language > Languages Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, Gaelic, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7%; <i>note:</i> Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii
Transport > Road density > Km of road per 100 sq. km of land area 121.79
Ranked 19th. 79% more than United States
68
Ranked 27th.

Economy > Distribution of family income > Gini index 30.4
Ranked 15th.
45
Ranked 9th. 48% more than European Union

Education > Primary education, duration > Years 6
Ranked 70th. The same as United States
6
Ranked 53th.

Education > Secondary education, duration > Years 6.5
Ranked 84th. 8% more than United States
6
Ranked 102nd.

Energy > Electric power consumption > KWh 3.09 trillion
Ranked 3rd.
4.13 trillion
Ranked 2nd. 33% more than European Union

Energy > Oil > Consumption > Per capita 27.68 bbl/day per 1,000 peopl
Ranked 3rd.
68.67 bbl/day per 1,000 peopl
Ranked 7th. 2 times more than European Union

Agriculture > Cereal yield > Kg per hectare 5,257.12
Ranked 22nd.
6,624.4
Ranked 11th. 26% more than European Union

Geography > Terrain fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in the central and southern areas vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
Health > Life expectancy at birth > Total population 78.82 years
Ranked 1st. 1% more than United States
78.37 years
Ranked 47th.

Crime > Murders > Per 100,000 people 1.71
Ranked 101st.
5.9
Ranked 63th. 3 times more than European Union
Geography > Location Europe between the North Atlantic Ocean in the west and Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine to the east North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
Labor > Labor force > By occupation agriculture 4.5%, industry 27.4%, services 66.9%; <i>note:</i> the remainder is in miscellaneous public and private sector industries and services farming, forestry, and fishing 0.7%, manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts 22.9%, managerial, professional, and technical 34.9%, sales and office 25%, other services 16.5%; <i>note:</i> figures exclude the unemployed
Labor > Unemployment rate 9.5%
Ranked 32nd.
9.7%
Ranked 31st. 2% more than European Union

Education > Primary education, teachers per 1000 4.16
Ranked 78th.
5.49
Ranked 49th. 32% more than European Union

People > Death rate, crude > Per 1,000 people 9.61
Ranked 53th. 19% more than United States
8.07
Ranked 88th.

Economy > Tourist arrivals > Per capita 755.65 per 1,000 people
Ranked 39th. 4 times more than United States
190.7 per 1,000 people
Ranked 91st.

Geography > Coastline 65,992.9 km
Ranked 5th. 3 times more than United States
19,924 km
Ranked 9th.

Labor > Labor force 225.4 million
Ranked 3rd. 46% more than United States
154.9 million
Ranked 4th.

Environment > Current issues NA air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification
Energy > Oil > Consumption 13.63 million bbl/day
Ranked 2nd.
18.69 million bbl/day
Ranked 1st. 37% more than European Union

Health > Life expectancy at birth, female > Years 83.09
Ranked 27th. 2% more than United States
81.1
Ranked 43th.

Energy > Oil > Production > Per capita 4.8 bbl/day per 1,000 peopl
Ranked 3rd.
28.08 bbl/day per 1,000 peopl
Ranked 29th. 6 times more than European Union

People > Total fertility rate 1.51 children born/woman
Ranked 1st.
2.06 children born/woman
Ranked 116th. 36% more than European Union

Health > Life expectancy at birth, male > Years 77.42
Ranked 34th. 1% more than United States
76.3
Ranked 42nd.

Media > Telecoms > Mobile cellular subscriptions > Per 100 people 125.5
Ranked 45th. 28% more than United States
98.17
Ranked 111th.

Economy > GDP > Purchasing power parity $14.90 trillion
Ranked 1st.
$16.24 trillion
Ranked 1st. 9% more than European Union

Government > Capital city > Name Brussels (Belgium), Strasbourg (France), Luxembourg Washington, DC
Government > Capital city > Geographic coordinates (Brussels) 50 50 N, 4 20 E 38 53 N, 77 02 W
Environment > Climate change > CO2 emissions from electricity and heat production, total > Million metric tons 1,495.27
Ranked 3rd.
2,478.03
Ranked 2nd. 66% more than European Union

Government > International organization participation ARF (dialogue member), ASEAN (dialogue member), Australian Group, BIS, CBSS, CERN, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-8, G-10, G-20, IDA, IEA, LAIA (observer), NSG (observer), OAS (observer), OECD, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), UN (observer), UNRWA (observer), WCO, WTO, ZC (observer) ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, EAPC, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNSC (permanent), UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Media > Internet > Users per 1000 494.84
Ranked 23th.
697.1
Ranked 8th. 41% more than European Union

People > Age structure > 0-14 years 15.44%
Ranked 3rd.
20%
Ranked 156th. 30% more than European Union

Transport > Airports 3,383
Ranked 3rd.
13,513
Ranked 1st. 4 times more than European Union

Geography > Area > Comparative to US places less than one-half the size of the US about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union
Energy > Electricity production > KWh 3.26 trillion
Ranked 3rd.
4.28 trillion
Ranked 1st. 31% more than European Union

Energy > Energy use > Kg of oil equivalent per capita 3,322.82
Ranked 20th.
6,793.09
Ranked 4th. 2 times more than European Union

People > Age structure > 65 years and over 17.33%
Ranked 1st. 25% more than United States
13.9%
Ranked 51st.

Economy > GDP > Composition by sector > Industry 25%
Ranked 85th. 31% more than United States
19.1%
Ranked 160th.

Media > Internet > Fixed broadband Internet subscribers per 1000 270.75
Ranked 24th.
281.99
Ranked 22nd. 4% more than European Union

Crime > Murders > WHO 1.96
Ranked 130th.
5.6
Ranked 88th. 3 times more than European Union
Agriculture > Agriculture, value added > Current US$ $252.49 billion
Ranked 3rd. 45% more than United States
$173.80 billion
Ranked 3rd.

Transport > Waterways 52,332 km
Ranked 3rd. 28% more than United States
41,009 km
Ranked 2nd.

Labor > Labor force, total 250.03 million
Ranked 3rd. 58% more than United States
158.69 million
Ranked 4th.

Health > Infant mortality rate > Total 5.61 deaths/1,000 live births
Ranked 1st.
6.06 deaths/1,000 live births
Ranked 171st. 8% more than European Union

Geography > Elevation extremes > Highest point Mont Blanc 4,807 m; note - situated on the border between France and Italy Mount McKinley (Denali) 6,194 m (highest point in North America)
Agriculture > Products wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes; dairy products, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry; fish wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products
Media > Internet > Internet users > Per 100 people 75.28
Ranked 34th.
81.03
Ranked 26th. 8% more than European Union

Energy > Electricity > Consumption per capita 5,700.06 kWh
Ranked 26th.
12,736.19 kWh
Ranked 3rd. 2 times more than European Union

Energy > Gasoline > Pump price for gasoline > US$ per liter $1.92
Ranked 27th. 97% more than United States
$0.97
Ranked 137th.

Geography > Total area > Sq. km 4.33 million
Ranked 7th.
9.63 million
Ranked 3rd. 2 times more than European Union

Energy > Electricity > Production 3.06 trillion kWh
Ranked 3rd.
4.1 trillion kWh
Ranked 2nd. 34% more than European Union

Transport > Highways > Total > Per capita 10.14 km per 1,000 people
Ranked 5th.
22.22 km per 1,000 people
Ranked 2nd. 2 times more than European Union

Industry > CO2 emissions from manufacturing industries and construction > Million metric tons 550.61
Ranked 3rd.
597.86
Ranked 2nd. 9% more than European Union

Transport > Motor vehicles > Per 1,000 people 551.9
Ranked 22nd.
819.79
Ranked 3rd. 49% more than European Union

Industry > Manufacturing growth -14.3
Ranked 98th. 4 times more than United States
-3.55
Ranked 112th.

Geography > Land boundaries > Border countries Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein 34.9 km, Macedonia 394 km, Moldova 450 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia 945 km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 446 km, Ukraine 1,257 km Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,141 km
Transport > Passenger cars > Per 1,000 people 486.97
Ranked 14th. 8% more than United States
450.67
Ranked 23th.

Media > Radio broadcast stations AM 930, FM 13,655, shortwave 71 (1998); note - sum of individual country radio broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide station (Euroradio) AM 4,789, FM 8,961, shortwave 19
People > Sex ratio > Total population 0.92 male(s)/female
Ranked 1st.
0.97 male(s)/female
Ranked 143th. 5% more than European Union

Industry > Growth -10.9
Ranked 106th. 4 times more than United States
-2.89
Ranked 126th.

Government > Executive branch > Elections the president of the European Commission is designated by member governments and is confirmed by the European Parliament; working from member state recommendations, the Commission president then assembles a "college" of Commission members; the European Parliament confirms the entire Commission for a five-year term; the last confirmation process was held 18 November 2004 (next to be held in 2009) president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each state; president and vice president serve four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 6 November 2012 (next to be held on 8 November 2016)
People > Sex ratio > At birth 1.06 male(s)/female
Ranked 1st. 1% more than United States
1.05 male(s)/female
Ranked 94th.

Environment > Adjusted net national income > Constant 2000 US$ $12.44 trillion
Ranked 1st. 12% more than United States
$11.13 trillion
Ranked 2nd.
Media > Daily newspapers > Per 1,000 people 203.43
Ranked 17th. 5% more than United States
193.19
Ranked 18th.

Economy > Tourist arrivals 371.04 million
Ranked 1st. 6 times more than United States
57.94 million
Ranked 3rd.

Industry > Industry, value added > Current US$ $3.63 trillion
Ranked 1st. 29% more than United States
$2.81 trillion
Ranked 2nd.

Economy > Inbound tourism income > Current US$ $463.27 billion
Ranked 1st. 3 times more than United States
$166.53 billion
Ranked 2nd.

Economy > Tax > Tax rates 35.43
Ranked 28th. 2 times more than United States
15.91
Ranked 3rd.

Geography > Irrigated land 131,250 sq km
Ranked 5th.
230,000 sq km
Ranked 3rd. 75% more than European Union

Labor > GNI > Current US$ $16.69 trillion
Ranked 1st. 1% more than United States
$16.51 trillion
Ranked 2nd.

Military > Armed forces personnel > Total 2.4 million
Ranked 3rd. 56% more than United States
1.54 million
Ranked 4th.

Media > Internet > Users > Per capita 507.56 per 1,000 people
Ranked 24th.
695.68 per 1,000 people
Ranked 9th. 37% more than European Union

Economy > GDP per person 32,838.17
Ranked 24th.
45,989.18
Ranked 9th. 40% more than European Union

Energy > Electricity production from renewable sources > KWh 675.83 billion
Ranked 2nd. 30% more than United States
518.77 billion
Ranked 1st.

Media > Telecoms > Telephone lines per 1000 449.05
Ranked 24th. 1% more than United States
442.8
Ranked 25th.

Geography > Natural hazards flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development
Labor > Employment rate > Adults 50.43
Ranked 128th.
59.2
Ranked 74th. 17% more than European Union

Government > Flag description a blue field with 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged in a circle in the center; blue represents the sky of the Western world, the stars are the peoples of Europe in a circle, a symbol of unity; the number of stars is fixed 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; the blue stands for loyalty, devotion, truth, justice, and friendship; red symbolizes courage, zeal, and fervency, while white denotes purity and rectitude of conduct; commonly referred to by its nickname of Old Glory
Economy > Central bank discount rate 1.75%
Ranked 85th. 4 times more than United States
0.5%
Ranked 122nd.

Education > Secondary education, pupils 41.54 million
Ranked 3rd. 72% more than United States
24.21 million
Ranked 4th.

Media > Telephones > Main lines in use > Per capita 520.84 per 1,000 people
Ranked 20th.
541.94 per 1,000 people
Ranked 9th. 4% more than European Union

Economy > GDP > Composition by sector > Services 73.2%
Ranked 17th.
79.7%
Ranked 15th. 9% more than European Union

Media > Internet users > Per 100 people 61.79
Ranked 29th.
75.77
Ranked 11th. 23% more than European Union

Energy > Electricity > Production > Per capita 6,231.32 kWh per capita
Ranked 38th.
13,527.54 kWh per capita
Ranked 3rd. 2 times more than European Union

SOURCES: World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files.; CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; Food and Agriculture Organisation, electronic files and web site.; World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files.; World Bank national accounts data. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Food and Agriculture Organization; Derived from male and female life expectancy at birth from sources such as: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; International Energy Agency; Uppsala Conflict Data Program, http://www.pcr.uu.se/research/ucdp/.; Food and Agriculture Organization; World Bank national accounts data; International Road Federation, World Road Statistics and electronic files, except where noted.; UN Office on Drugs and Crime, UN Survey of Crime Trends, at http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/IHS-rates-05012009.pdf.; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; World Tourism Organisation, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates.; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; CIA World Factbook, 28 July 2005; International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; World Health Organisation.; World Bank national accounts data

United Nations Statistics Division
; International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database.; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 25 March 2010.; German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).; International Road Federation, World Road Statistics and data files.; The Changing Wealth of Nations: Measuring Sustainable Development in the New Millennium; United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics.; International Monetary Fund, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, and World Bank and OECD GDP estimates.; International Institute for Strategic Studies, The Military Balance.; IEA; International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; International Labour Organisation, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database.

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