inhabited except for a small meteorological
staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and
a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.

Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the
late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred
its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural
country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology
and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land
ownership is widespread.

Cote d'Ivoire
Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the
development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment
made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical
African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. On 25
December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's
history - overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan
BEDIE. Junta leader Robert GUEI held elections in late 2000, but
excluded prominent opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA, blatantly
rigged the polling results, and declared himself winner. Popular
protest forced GUEI to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent
GBAGBO into power. Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the
military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel
forces claimed the northern half of the country and in January 2003
were granted ministerial positions in a unity government under the
auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and
rebel forces resumed implementation of the peace accord in December
2003 after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the
civil war, such as land reform and grounds for nationality remain
unresolved. The central government has yet to exert control over the
northern regions and tensions remain high between GBAGBO and rebel
leaders. Several thousand French and West African troops remain in
Cote d'Ivoire to maintain peace and facilitate the disarmament,
demobilization, and rehabilitation process.

Croatia
The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the
Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as
Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal
independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO.
Although Croatia declared