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