Exchange rates: Fijian dollars (F$) per US$1 - 1.9654 (January 2000),
1.9696 (1999), 1.9868 (1998), 1.4437 (1997), 1.4033 (1996), 1.4063
(1995)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Fiji:Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 65,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,300 (1998)

Telephone system: modern local, interisland, and international
(wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone,
telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications
center
domestic: NA
international: access to important cable links between US and Canada
as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 500,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: NA

Televisions: 21,000 (1997)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999)

@Fiji:Transportation

Railways:
total: 597 km; note - belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar
Corporation
narrow gauge: 597 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)

Highways:
total: 3,440 km
paved: 1,692 km
unpaved: 1,748 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 203 km; 122 km navigable by motorized craft and
200-metric-ton barges

Ports and harbors: Labasa, Lautoka, Levuka, Savusavu, Suva

Merchant marine:
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,870 GRT/14,787 DWT
ships by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1,
roll-on/roll-off 1, specialized tanker 1 (1999 est.)

Airports: 25 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 17 (1999 est.)

@Fiji:Military

Military branches: Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF; includes
ground and naval forces)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 223,496 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 123,051 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 9,426 (2000 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $24 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (FY98)

@Fiji:Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

______________________________________________________________________

FINLAND

@Finland:Introduction

Background: Ruled by Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and by
Russia fr