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@Bassas da India
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Geography

Location: Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique
Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique

Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 39 50 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 0.2 sq km
land: 0.2 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: about one-third the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 35.2 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical

Terrain: a volcanic rock 2.4 m high

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m

Natural resources: none

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100% (all rock)

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: maritime hazard since it is usually under water
during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic
cyclones

Environment--current issues: NA

Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

People

Population: uninhabited

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bassas da India

Data code: BS

Dependency status: possession of France; administered by a high
commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion

Legal system: NA

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (possession of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (possession of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

Economy

Economy--overview: no economic activity

Transportation

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military

Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: claimed by Madagascar

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@Belarus
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Introduction

Background: For centuries Byelorussia has been fought over,
devastated, and partitioned among Russia, Poland, Lithuania, and, in
World Wars I and II, Germany. After seven decades as a Soviet
republic, the newly named Belarus declared its independence in
August 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to
Russia than any of the other former