ional components of the IMF program.
A markedly high population growth rate and internal political
dissension complicate the government's task. Plans include a
diversification of the economy, encouragement of tourism, and more
efficient use of scarce water resources.

Zambia
Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform,
Zambia's economic growth remains below the 5% to 7% necessary to
reduce poverty significantly. Privatization of government-owned
copper mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses
generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for
copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth.
Copper output increased in 2003 and is expected to increase again in
2004, due to higher copper prices. The maize harvest doubled in
2003, helping boost GDP by 4.0%. Cooperation continues with
international bodies on programs to reduce poverty, including a new
lending arrangement with the IMF expected in the second quarter,
2004. A tighter monetary policy will help cut inflation, but Zambia
still has a serious problem with fiscal discipline.

Zimbabwe
The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of
difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable
fiscal deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and
bare shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, for example, drained hundreds of millions of
dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has been
suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals.
Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 383% in 2003,
and is expected to reach 700% in 2004. The government's land reform
program, characterized by chaos and violence, has badly damaged the
commercial farming sector, the traditional source of exports and
foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs.

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@2117 Pipelines (km)

Afghanistan
gas 387 km (2004)

Albania
gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2004)

Algeria
condensate 1,344 km; gas 85,946 km; liquid petroleum gas
2,213 km; oil 6,496 km (2004)

Angola
gas 214 km; liquid natural gas 14 km; liquid petroleum gas 30
km; oil 837 km; refined products 56 km (2004)

Argentina
gas 27,166 km; liquid petroleum