el, and a large internal Palestinian population, despite several
wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentary
elections and gradual political liberalization; in 1994 he signed a
formal peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son
of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his
father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his
power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan
acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to
participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. After a
two-year delay, parliamentary and municipal elections took place in
the summer of 2003. The Prime Minister and government appointed in
April 2005 declared they would build upon the previous government's
achievements to respect political and human rights and improve
living standards.

Juan de Nova Island
Named after a famous 15th century Spanish
navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession
since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate.
Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological
station.

Kazakhstan
Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes
who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united
as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th
century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the
1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens
were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.
This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other
deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled
non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many
of these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a
cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the
country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;
achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and
mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states
and other foreign powers.

Kenya
Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA
led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when President
Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession.
The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when
the