rate 3.3% (1989)

Electricity: 776,550,000 kW capacity; 2,958,300 million kWh produced,
11,920 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified;
petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals,
electronics, food processing, consumer goods, fishing, lumber, mining

Agriculture: accounts for 2% of GNP and 2.8% of labor force;
favorable climate and soils support a wide variety of crops and livestock
production; world's second-largest producer and number-one exporter of
grain; surplus food producer; fish catch of 5.7 million metric tons
(1987)

Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for domestic
consumption with 1987 production estimated at 3,500 metric tons
or about 25% of the available marijuana; ongoing eradication program
aimed at small plots and greenhouses has not reduced production

Aid: donor--commitments, including Ex-Im (FY80-88), $90.5 billion

Currency: United States dollar (plural--dollars);
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: British pounds (L) per US$--0.6055 (January
1990), 0.6099 (1989), 0.5614 (1988), 0.6102 (1987), 0.6817 (1986),
0.7714 (1985);

Canadian dollars (Can$) per US$--1.1885 (February 1990),
1.2307 (1988), 1.3260 (1987), 1.3895 (1986);

French francs (F) per US$--5.695 (February 1990), 5.9569 (1988),
6.0107 (1987), 6.9261 (1986), 8.9852 (1985);

Italian lire (Lit) per US$--1,244.8 (February 1990),
1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987), 1,490.8 (1986), 1,909.4 (1985);

Japanese yen (Y) per US$--145.55 (February 1990), 128.15 (1988),
144.64 (1987), 168.52 (1986), 238.54 (1985);

FRG deutsche marks (DM) per US$--1.6775 (February 1990),
1.7562 (1988), 1.7974 (1987), 2.1715 (1986), 2.9440 (1985)

Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September

- Communications
Railroads: 270,312 km

Highways: 6,365,590 km, including 88,641 km expressways

Inland waterways: 41,009 km of navigable inland channels, exclusive
of the Great Lakes (est.)

Pipelines: 275,800 km petroleum, 305,300 km natural gas (1985)

Ports: Anchorage, Baltimore, Beaumont, Boston, Charleston, Cleveland,
Duluth, Freeport, Galveston, Hampton Roads, Honolulu, Houston, Jacksonville,
Long Beach, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Mobile, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia,
Portland (Oregon), Richmond (California), San Francisco, Savannah, Seattle,
Tampa, Wilmington

Merchant marine: 373 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling NA
GRT/NA DWT); includes 2 pa