s crude death rate. The death rate, while only a
rough indicator of the mortality situation in a country,
accurately indicates the current mortality impact on
population growth. This indicator is significantly affected
by age distribution, and most countries will eventually show
a rise in the overall death rate, in spite of continued
decline in mortality at all ages, as declining fertility
results in an aging population.

Debt--external: This entry gives the total amount of public
foreign financial obligations.

Dependency status: This entry describes the formal
relationship between a particular nonindependent entity and
an independent state.

Dependent areas: This entry contains an alphabetical listing
of all nonindependent entities associated in some way with a
particular independent state.

Diplomatic representation: The US Government has diplomatic
relations with 184 independent states, including 178 of the
185 UN members (excluded UN members are Bhutan, Cuba, Iran,
Iraq, North Korea, former Yugoslavia, and the US itself). In
addition, the US has diplomatic relations with 6 independent
states that are not in the UN--Holy See, Kiribati, Nauru,
Switzerland, Tonga, and Tuvalu.

Diplomatic representation from the US: This entry includes
the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address,
telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations,
consulate general locations, and consulate locations.

Diplomatic representation in the US: This entry includes the
chief of the foreign mission, chancery address, telephone
number, FAX number, consulate general locations, consulate
locations, honorary consulate general locations, and
honorary consulate locations.

Disputes--international: This entry includes a wide variety
of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary
disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another.
Information regarding disputes over international
terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the
US Department of State. References to other situations
involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as
resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist
issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute
official acceptance or recognition by the US Government.

Economic aid--donor: This entry refers to net official
development assistance (ODA) from OECD nations to developing
countries and multilateral organizations. ODA is defined as
financial