Singapore-Constitutional Framework
Background | | Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.
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Location | | Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
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Area(sq km) | | total: 697 sq km land: 687 sq km water: 10 sq km
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Geographic coordinates | | 1 22 N, 103 48 E
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Land boundaries(km) | | 0 km
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Coastline(km) | | 193 km
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Climate | | tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon (December to March) and Southwestern monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms
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Elevation extremes(m) | | lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
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Natural resources | | fish, deepwater ports
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Land use(%) | | arable land: 1.47% permanent crops: 1.47% other: 97.06% (2005)
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Irrigated land(sq km) | | NA
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Total renewable water resources(cu km) | | 0.6 cu km (1975)
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Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) | | total: 0.19 cu km/yr (45%/51%/4%) per capita: 44 cu m/yr (1975)
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Natural hazards | | NA
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Environment - current issues | | industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
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Environment - international agreements | | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note | | focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
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Population | | 4,657,542 (July 2009 est.)
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Age structure(%) | | 0-14 years: 14.4% (male 348,382/female 324,050) 15-64 years: 76.7% (male 1,737,972/female 1,833,415) 65 years and over: 8.9% (male 184,393/female 229,330) (2009 est.)
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Median age(years) | | total: 39 years male: 38.5 years female: 39.4 years (2009 est.)
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Population growth rate(%) | | 0.998% (2009 est.)
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Birth rate(births/1,000 population) | | 8.82 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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Death rate(deaths/1,000 population) | | 4.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
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Net migration rate(migrant(s)/1,000 population) | | 5.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
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Urbanization(%) | | urban population: 100% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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Sex ratio(male(s)/female) | | at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
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Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births) | | total: 2.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 2.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth(years) | | total population: 81.98 years male: 79.37 years female: 84.78 years (2009 est.)
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Total fertility rate(children born/woman) | | 1.09 children born/woman (2009 est.)
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Nationality | | noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore
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Ethnic groups(%) | | Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census)
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Religions(%) | | Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)
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Languages(%) | | Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census)
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Country name | | conventional long form: Republic of Singapore conventional short form: Singapore local long form: Republic of Singapore local short form: Singapore
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Government type | | parliamentary republic
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Capital | | name: Singapore geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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Administrative divisions | | none
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Constitution | | 3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on pre-independence State of Singapore Constitution)
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Legal system | | based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage | | 21 years of age; universal and compulsory
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Executive branch | | chief of state: President S R NATHAN (since 1 September 1999) note: uses S R NATHAN but his full name and the one used in formal communications is Sellapan RAMANATHAN head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004); Senior Minister Shunmugam JAYAKUMAR (since 1 April 2009); Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister TEO Chee Huan (since 1 April 2009) and Deputy Prime Minister WONG Kan Seng (since 1 September 2005) cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; appointed on 17 August 2005 (next election to be held by August 2011); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president election results: Sellapan Rama (S R) NATHAN appointed president in August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified three other would-be candidates; scheduled election not held
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Legislative branch | | unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; up to three losing opposition candidates who came closest to winning seats may be appointed as "nonconstituency" members elections: last held on 6 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 66.6%, WP 16.3%, SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1
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Judicial branch | | Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals
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Political pressure groups and leaders | | none
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International organization participation | | ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIT, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Flag description | | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle
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Economy - overview | | Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer electronics, information technology products, pharmaceuticals, and on a growing service sector. Real GDP growth averaged 7% between 2004 and 2007, but dropped to 1.1% in 2008 as a result of the global financial crisis. The economy contracted in the last three quarters of 2008. Prime Minister LEE and other senior officials have dampened expectations for a quick rebound in 2009. Over the longer term, the government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to global demand cycles especially for information technology products. It has attracted major investments in pharmaceuticals and medical technology production and will continue efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.
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GDP (purchasing power parity) | | $237.9 billion (2008 est.) $235.3 billion (2007 est.) $218.3 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP (official exchange rate) | | $181.9 billion (2008 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate(%) | | 1.1% (2008 est.) 7.8% (2007 est.) 8.4% (2006 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP) | | $51,600 (2008 est.) $51,700 (2007 est.) $48,600 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars
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GDP - composition by sector(%) | | agriculture: 0% industry: 27.8% services: 72.2% (2008 est.)
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Labor force | | 2.94 million (2008 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation(%) | | agriculture 0%, industry 22.6%, services 77.4% (2007)
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Unemployment rate(%) | | 2.2% (2008 est.) 2.1% (2007 est.)
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Population below poverty line(%) | | NA%
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Household income or consumption by percentage share(%) | | lowest 10%: 4.4% highest 10%: 23.2% (2008)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index | | 48.1 (2008)
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Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP) | | 28.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
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Budget | | revenues: $29.25 billion expenditures: $26.48 billion (2008 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%) | | 6.5% (2008 est.) 2.1% (2007 est.)
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Stock of money | | $52.57 billion (31 December 2008) $44.4 billion (31 December 2007)
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Stock of quasi money | | $179 billion (31 December 2008) $162.2 billion (31 December 2007)
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Stock of domestic credit | | $143.6 billion (31 December 2008) $129.2 billion (31 December 2007)
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Market value of publicly traded shares | | $268.6 billion (31 December 2008) $353.5 billion (31 December 2007) $276.3 billion (31 December 2006)
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Economic aid - recipient | | $0 (2007)
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Public debt(% of GDP) | | 99.2% of GDP (2008 est.) 102.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
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Agriculture - products | | orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs; fish, ornamental fish
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Industries | | electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, life sciences, entrepot trade
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Industrial production growth rate(%) | | -0.8% (2008 est.)
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Current account balance | | $25.78 billion (2008 est.) $39.11 billion (2007 est.)
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Exports | | $342.7 billion (2008 est.) $303.1 billion (2007 est.)
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Exports - commodities(%) | | machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, mineral fuels
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Exports - partners(%) | | Malaysia 12.1%, Indonesia 10.5%, Hong Kong 10.3%, China 9.2%, US 7.1%, Japan 4.9%, Australia 4.1% (2008)
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Imports | | $309.6 billion (2008 est.) $254 billion (2007 est.)
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Imports - commodities(%) | | machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs, consumer goods
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Imports - partners(%) | | Malaysia 11.9%, US 11.8%, China 10.5%, Japan 8.1%, South Korea 5.6%, Indonesia 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.6% (2008)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | | $174.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) $163 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Debt - external | | $25.52 billion (31 December 2008 est.) $25.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home | | $250.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) $232.8 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad | | $173.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.) $169.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
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Exchange rates | | Singapore dollars (SGD) per US dollar - 1.415 (2008 est.), 1.507 (2007), 1.5889 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004)
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Currency (code) | | Singapore dollar (SGD)
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Telephones - main lines in use | | 1.857 million (2008)
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Telephones - mobile cellular | | 6.375 million (2008)
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Telephone system | | general assessment: excellent service domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless service in February 2005; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is nearly 175 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 65; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations -4; supplemented by VSAT coverage (2008)
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Internet country code | | .sg
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Internet users | | 3.37 million (2008)
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Airports | | 8 (2009)
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Pipelines(km) | | gas 106 km (2008)
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Roadways(km) | | total: 3,297 km paved: 3,297 km (includes 150 km of expressways) (2007)
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Ports and terminals | | Singapore
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Military branches | | Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense) (2009)
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Military service age and obligation(years of age) | | 18-21 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 2-year conscript service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers) (2008)
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Manpower available for military service | | males age 16-49: 1,277,862 (2008 est.)
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Manpower fit for military service | | males age 16-49: 1,033,961 females age 16-49: 1,104,952 (2009 est.)
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Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually | | male: 27,715 female: 26,290 (2009 est.)
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Military expenditures(% of GDP) | | 4.9% of GDP (2005 est.)
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Disputes - international | | disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings as a consequence of the Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait
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Electricity - production(kWh) | | 38.67 billion kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity - production by source(%) | | fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
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Electricity - consumption(kWh) | | 36.6 billion kWh (2007 est.)
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Electricity - exports(kWh) | | 0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Electricity - imports(kWh) | | 0 kWh (2008 est.)
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Oil - production(bbl/day) | | 8,553 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil - consumption(bbl/day) | | 896,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
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Oil - exports(bbl/day) | | 1.289 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil - imports(bbl/day) | | 2.109 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
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Oil - proved reserves(bbl) | | 0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
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Natural gas - production(cu m) | | 0 cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption(cu m) | | 8.27 billion cu m (2008 est.)
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Natural gas - exports(cu m) | | 0 cu m (2008)
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Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m) | | 0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%) | | 0.2% (2007 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | | 4,200 (2007 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths | | fewer than 200 (2007 est.)
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Literacy(%) | | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 96.6% female: 88.6% (2000 census)
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Education expenditures(% of GDP) | | 3.7% of GDP (2001)
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