age annually:
males: 67,181 (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $105 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.9% (FY98)

@El Salvador:Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: the Honduras-El Salvador Border Protocol
ratified by Honduras in May 1999 established a framework for a
long-delayed border demarcation, which is currently underway; with
respect to the maritime boundary in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ
referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed
Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution among
El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua likely would be required

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for cocaine; marijuana produced for
local consumption; domestic drug abuse on the rise

______________________________________________________________________

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

@Equatorial Guinea:Introduction

Background: Composed of a mainland portion and five inhabited islands,
Equatorial Guinea has been ruled by ruthless leaders who have badly
mismanaged the economy since independence from 190 years of Spanish
rule in 1968. Although nominally a constitutional democracy since
1991, the 1996 presidential and 1999 legislative elections were widely
seen as being flawed.

@Equatorial Guinea:Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between
Cameroon and Gabon

Geographic coordinates: 2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 28,051 sq km
land: 28,051 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Coastline: 296 km

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

Climate: tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain: coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Natural resources: oil, petroleum, timber, small unexploited deposits
of gold, manganese, uranium

Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 46%
other: 41% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: violent windstorms, flash floods

Environment - current issues: tap water is not potable;
desertification

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of
the