to be held
March NA);
results--Alliance for Germany--CDU 40.9%, DSU 6.3%, DA 0.9%;
SPD 21.8; BFD 5.3%; SPD 21.8%; PDS 16.3%;
Alliance '90 2.9%; DBD 2.2%; GP 2.0%; NDPD 0.4%; others 1.0%;
seats--(400 total, including 66 from East Berlin) Alliance for
Germany--CDU 164, DSU 25, DA 4; SPD 87; BFD 21; PDS 65; Alliance '90
12, DBD 9; GP 8; NDPD 2; others 3

Communists: 500,000 to 700,000 party members (1990)

Member of: CEMA, IAEA, IBEC, ICES, ILO, IMO, IPU, ITU, UN, UNESCO,
UPU, Warsaw Pact, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Dr. Gerhard HERDER; Chancery at
1717 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036; telephone (202) 232-3134;
US--Ambassador Richard C. BARKLEY; Embassy at 1080 Berlin, Neustaedtische
Kirchstrasse 4-5, East Berlin (mailing address is Box E, APO New York 09742);
telephone p37o (2) 220-2741

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and yellow with
the coat of arms centered; the coat of arms contains, in yellow, a hammer and
compass encircled by a wreath of grain with a black, red, and gold ribbon at the
bottom; similar to the flag of the FRG which does not have a coat of arms

- Economy
Overview: The GDR is moving rapidly away from its centrally planned
economy. As the 1990s begin, economic integration with West Germany
appears inevitable, beginning with the establishment of a common
currency. The opening of the border with the FRG in late 1989 and the
continuing emigration of hundreds of thousands of skilled workers had
brought growth to a standstill by yearend 1989. Features of the old
economic regime that will quickly change: (a) the collectivization
of 95% of East German farms; (b) state ownership of nearly all
transportation facilities, industrial plants, foreign trade
organizations, and financial institutions; (c) the 65% share in trade
of the USSR and other CEMA countries; and (d) the detailed control over
economic details exercised by Party and state. Once integrated into
the thriving West German economy, the area will have to stem the
outflow of workers and renovate the obsolescent industrial base. After an
initial readjustment period, living standards and quality of output will
steadily rise toward West German levels.

GNP: $159.5 billion, per capita $9,679; real growth rate 1.2%
(1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $123.5 billion; expenditures $123.2 billion, including
capital expen