Abbreviations: (see Appendix B for abbreviations for international organizations and groups and Appendix D for abbreviations for international environmental agreements)
avdp. — avoirdupois
c.i.f. — cost, insurance, and freight
CY—calendar year
DWT—deadweight ton
est. — estimate
Ex-Im—Export-Import Bank of the United States
f.o.b. — free on board
FRG—Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany); used for information dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91
FSU—former Soviet Union
FY—fiscal year
FYROM—The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
GDP—gross domestic product
GDR—German Democratic Republic (East Germany); used for information dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91
GNP—gross national product
GRT—gross register ton
GWP—gross world product
km—kilometer
kW—kilowatt
kWh—kilowatt hour
m—meter
NA—not available
NEGL—negligible
nm—nautical mile
NZ—New Zealand
ODA—official development assistance
OOF—other official flows
PDRY—People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]; used for information dated before 22 May 1990 or CY91
sq km—square kilometer
sq mi—square mile
UAE—United Arab Emirates
UK—United Kingdom
US—United States
USSR—Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union); used for information dated before 25 December 1991
YAR—Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen]; used for information dated before 22 May 1990 or CY91
Administrative divisions: The numbers, designatory terms, and first-order
administrative divisions are generally those approved by the US Board on
Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by
BGN are noted.
Area: Total area is the sum of all land and water areas delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines. Land area is the aggregate of all surfaces delimited by international boundaries and/or coastlines, excluding inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). Comparative areas are based on total area equivalents. Most entities are compared with the entire US or one of the 50 states. 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).
Birth rate: The average annual number of births during a year per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude birth rate.
Dates of information: In general, information available as of 1 January 1994 was used in the preparation of this edition. Population figures are estimates for 1 July 1994, with population growth rates estimated for calendar year 1994. Major political events have been updated through May 1994.
Death rate: The average annual number of deaths during a year per l,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate.
Digraphs: The digraph is a two-letter "country code" that precisely identifies every entity without overlap, duplication, or omission. AF, for example, is the digraph for Afghanistan. It is a standardized geopolitical data element promulgated in the Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS) 10–3 by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (US Department of Commerce) and maintained by the Office of the Geographer (US Department of State). The digraph is used to eliminate confusion and incompatibility in the collection, processing, and dissemination of area-specific data and is particularly useful for interchanging data between databases.
Diplomatic representation: The US Government has diplomatic relations with 183
nations, including 177 of the 184 UN members (excluded UN members are Bhutan,
Cuba, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Vietnam, and former Yugoslavia). In addition, the
US has diplomatic relations with 6 nations that are not in the UN - Holy See,
Kiribati, Nauru, Switzerland, Tonga, and Tuvalu.
Economic aid: This entry refers to bilateral commitments of official development assistance (ODA) and other official flows (OOF). ODA is defined as financial assistance which is concessional in character, has the main objective to promote economic development and welfare of LDCs. and contains a grant element of at least 25%. OOF transactions are also official government assistance, but with a main objective other than development and with a grant element less than 25%. OOF transactions include official export credits (such as Ex-Im Bank credits), official equity and portfolio investment, and debt reorganization by the official sector that does not meet concessional terms. Aid is considered to have been committed when agreements are initialed by the parties involved and constitute a formal declaration of intent.
Entities: Some of the nations, dependent areas, areas of special sovereignty, and governments included in this publication are not independent, and others are not officially recognized by the US Government. "Nation" refers to a people politically organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory. "Dependent area" refers to a broad category of political entities that are associated in some way with a nation. Names used for page headings are usually the short-form names as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names. There are 266 entities in The World Factbook that may be categorized as follows:
NATIONS
183—UN members (excluding both the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; membership status in the UN is still to be determined)
7—nations that are not members of the UN—Holy See, Kiribati, Nauru, Serbia and Montenegro, Switzerland, Tonga, Tuvalu
OTHER
1—Taiwan
DEPENDENT AREAS
6—Australia—Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island
2—Denmark—Faroe Islands, Greenland
16—France—Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Guiana,
French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,
Guadeloupe, Juan de Nova Island, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion,
Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna
2—Netherlands—Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
3—New Zealand—Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
3—Norway—Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard
1—Portugal—Macau
16—United Kingdom—Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British
Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar,