rates: Dominican pesos (RD$) per US$1 - 13.589 (December
1995), 13.617 (1995), 13.160 (1994), 12.676 (1993), 12.774 (1992),
12.692 (1991)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation
--------------

Railways:
total: 757 km
standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad)
narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominica Government Railway);
240 km operated by sugar companies in various gauges (0.558-m,
0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (1995)

Highways:
total: 11,931 km
paved: 5,766 km
unpaved: 6,165 km (1987 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km

Ports: Barahona, La Romana, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris,
Santo Domingo

Merchant marine:
total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT
(1995 est.)

Airports:
total: 31
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 2
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 6
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3
with paved runways under 914 m: 14
with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 4 (1995 est.)

Communications
--------------

Telephones: 190,000 (1987 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave
radio relay network
international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station -
1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 120, FM 0, shortwave 6

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 18 (1987 est.)

Televisions: 728,000 (1993 est.)

Defense
-------

Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police

Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 2,212,012
males fit for military service: 1,391,472
males reach military age (18) annually: 83,611 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $116 million,
1.4% of GDP (1994)

======================================================================

@Ecuador
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Map
---

Location: 2 00 S, 77 30 W -- Western South America, bordering the
Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Flag
----

Description: three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width),
blue, and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of
the flag; similar to the flag of Colombia that is shorter and does
not bear a coat of arms

Geography
---------

Location: Western South America, borderin