United States

§1. United States Introduction

Background:
  Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were
  recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the
  Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states
  were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North
  American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two
  most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War
  (1861-65) and the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in
  World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the
  world's most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady growth,
  low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

§2. United States Geography

Location:
  North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North
  Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Geographic coordinates:
  38 00 N, 97 00 W

Map references:
  North_America

Area:
  total: 9,631,418 km²
  land: 9,161,923 km²
  water: 469,495 km²
  note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Area - comparative:
  about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about
  half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly
  larger than China; almost two and a half times the size of the European
  Union

Land boundaries:
  total: 12,034 km
  border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico
    3,141 km
  note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and is part
    of Cuba; the base boundary is 29 km

Coastline:
  19,924 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: not specified

Climate:
  mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska,
  semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the
  Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are
  ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from
  the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains

Terrain:
  vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east;
  rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic
  topography in Hawaii

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
  highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m

Natural resources:
  coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron,
  mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas,
  timber

Land use:
  arable land: 18.01%
  permanent crops: 0.21%
  other: 81.78% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  214,000 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin;
  hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the
  midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west;
  flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the US is
  the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil
  fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; limited
  natural fresh water resources in much of the western part of the country
  require careful management; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
    Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
    Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification,
    Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine
    Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
    Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
    Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto
    Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

Geography - note:
  world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by
  population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point in North
  America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

§3. United States People

Population:
  298,444,215 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.4% (male 31,095,847/female 29,715,872)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 100,022,845/female 100,413,484)
  65 years and over: 12.5% (male 15,542,288/female 21,653,879) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 36.5 years
  male: 35.1 years
  female: 37.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.91% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.14 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  8.26 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.85 years
  male: 75.02 years
  female: 80.82 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.09 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  950,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  14,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: American(s)
  adjective: American

Ethnic groups:
  white 81.7%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native 1%,
  native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2% (2003 est.)
  note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census
    Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American descent
    (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican origin) living in
    the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.)

Religions:
  Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 1%, other
  10%, none 10% (2002 est.)

Languages:
  English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific
  island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

§4. United States Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: United States of America
  conventional short form: United States
  abbreviation: US or USA

Government type:
  Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Capital:
  Washington, DC

Administrative divisions:
  50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California,
  Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia,
  Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine,
  Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,
  Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York,
  North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode
  Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont,
  Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Dependent areas:
  American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston
  Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana
  Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island
  note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust
    Territory of the Pacific Islands; it
  entered into a political relationship with all four political units: the
    Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US
    (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed
    a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986);
    the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association
    with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of
    Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994)

Independence:
  4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution:
  17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Legal system:
  federal court system based on English common law; each state has its own
  unique legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana's) is based on English
  common law; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001);
    Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note - the
    president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January
    2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001); note -
    the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by a
    college of representatives who are elected directly from each state;
    president and vice president serve four-year terms; election last held 2
    November 2004 (next to be held 4 November 2008)
  election results: George W. BUSH reelected president; percent of popular
    vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 50.9%, John KERRY (Democratic
    Party) 48.1%, other 1.0%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, one-third are renewed
  every two years; 2 members are elected from each state by popular vote to
  serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members
  are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held on 7
    November 2006); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004
    (next to be held on 7 November 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
    Republican Party 55, Democratic Party 44, independent 1; House of
    Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
    Republican Party 231, Democratic Party 200, undecided 4

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for life on condition of
  good behavior by the president with confirmation by the Senate); United
  States Courts of Appeal; United States District Courts; State and County
  Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party [Howard DEAN]; Green Party [leader NA]; Libertarian Party
  [Steve DAMERELL]; Republican Party [Ken MEHLMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
  Australia Group, BIS, CBSS (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP,
  EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAFTA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD,
  OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SPC, UN, UN Security Council,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Flag description:
  13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white;
  there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small,
  white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six
  stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars
  represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;
  known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a number
  of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

§5. United States Economy

Economy - overview:
  The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the
  world, with a per capita GDP of $42,000. In this market-oriented economy,
  private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the
  federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly
  in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility
  than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand
  capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At
  the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home
  markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or
  near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and
  in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed
  since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains
  the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the
  bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at
  the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health
  insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the
  gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The
  response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 showed the
  remarkable resilience of the economy. The war in March-April 2003 between a
  US-led coalition and Iraq, and the subsequent occupation of Iraq, required
  major shifts in national resources to the military. The rise in GDP in 2004
  and 2005 was undergirded by substantial gains in labor productivity. The
  economy suffered from a sharp increase in energy prices in mid-2005, but by
  late in the year those prices dropped back to earlier levels. Hurricane
  Katrina caused extensive damage in the Gulf Coast region in August 2005,
  but had a small impact on overall GDP growth for the year. Long-term
  problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure, rapidly
  rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, sizable trade and
  budget deficits, and stagnation of family income in the lower economic
  groups.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $12.41 trillion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $12.47 trillion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $42,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 20.7%
  services: 78.3% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  149.3 million (includes unemployed) (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  farming, forestry, and fishing 0.7%, manufacturing, extraction,
  transportation, and crafts 22.9%, managerial, professional, and technical
  34.7%, sales and office 25.4%, other services 16.3%
  note: figures exclude the unemployed (2005)

Unemployment rate:
  5.1% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  12% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 1.8%
  highest 10%: 30.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  45 (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  16.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.119 trillion
  expenditures: $2.466 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Public debt:
  64.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry,
  dairy products; fish; forest products

Industries:
  leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and
  technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace,
  telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer
  goods, lumber, mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.2% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.892 trillion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  3.656 trillion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  23.97 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  30.39 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  7.61 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20.03 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  1.048 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
  13.15 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:
  22.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  539 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  633.6 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  24.19 billion m³ (2004)

Natural gas - imports:
  114.1 billion m³ (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  5.353 trillion m³ (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-829.1 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $927.5 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies
  (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor
  vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer
  goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0% (2003)

Exports - partners:
  Canada 23%, Mexico 13.6%, Japan 6.7%, UK 4.4%, China 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.727 trillion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%),
  capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle
  parts, office machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8%
  (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys) (2003)

Imports - partners:
  Canada 17%, China 13.8%, Mexico 10.3%, Japan 8.7%, Germany 5.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $86.94 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $8.837 trillion (30 June 2005 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $6.9 billion (1997)

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Exchange rates:
  British pounds per US dollar - 0.5500 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003),
  0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001); Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.2118
  (2005), 1.3010 (2004), 1.4011 (2003), 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001);
  Japanese yen per US dollar - 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003),
  125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001); euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054
  (2004), 0.8866 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001); Chinese yuan per US
  dollar - 8.1943 (2005), 8.2768 (2004), 8.2770 (2003), 8.2770 (2002), 8.2271
  (2001)

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

§6. United States Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  268 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  194,479,364 (2005)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: a large, technologically advanced, multipurpose
    communications system
  domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay,
    coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone
    traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone
    traffic throughout the country
  international: country code - 1; 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite
    earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5
    Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and
    Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4,789, FM 8,961, shortwave 19 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:
  2,218 (2006)

Internet country code:
  .us

Internet hosts:
  195,138,696 (2004)

Internet users:
  203,824,428 (2005)

§7. United States Transportation

Airports:
  14,893 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 5,120
  over 3,047 m: 191
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 223
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,402
  914 to 1,523 m: 2,355
  under 914 m: 949 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 9,773
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 156
  914 to 1,523 m: 1,736
  under 914 m: 7,873 (2005)

Heliports:
  153 (2005)

Pipelines:
  petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2003)

Railways:
  total: 227,736 km
  standard gauge: 227,736 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Roadways:
  total: 6,407,637 km
  paved: 4,164,964 km (including 74,950 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 2,242,673 km (2004)

Waterways:
  41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce)
  note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River
    of 3,058 km, shared with Canada (2004)

Merchant marine:
  total: 470 ships (1000 GRT or over) 10,698,467 GRT/13,466,359 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 7, bulk carrier 65, cargo 93, chemical tanker 20,
    container 82, passenger 19, passenger/cargo 56, petroleum tanker 76,
    refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 28, specialized tanker 1, vehicle
    carrier 20
  foreign-owned: 48 (Australia 2, Canada 6, Denmark 20, Greece 3, Malaysia 3,
    Netherlands 4, Norway 2, Sweden 4, Taiwan 1, UK 2, US 1)
  registered in other countries: 659 (Antigua and Barbuda 7, Australia 3, The
    Bahamas 121, Belize 2, Bermuda 26, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 6, Canada 2,
    Cayman Islands 42, China 1, Comoros 2, Cyprus 6, Finland 1, Gibraltar 2,
    Honduras 2, Hong Kong 19, Ireland 1, Isle of Man 3, Italy 15, North Korea
    4, Liberia 77, Luxembourg 3, Malta 4, Marshall Islands 131, Federated
    States of Micronesia 2, Netherlands 11, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway
    13, Panama 97, Peru 1, Philippines 4, Puerto Rico 2, Saint Vincent and
    the Grenadines 21, Singapore 6, Spain 6, Sweden 1, Tonga 1, Trinidad and
    Tobago 1, UK 6, US 1, Vanuatu 1, Venezuela 1, Wallis and Futuna 1,
    unknown 1) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Corpus Christi, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles,
  New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, Texas City
  note: 13 ports north of New Orleans (South Louisiana Ports) on the
    Mississippi River handle 290,000,000 tons of cargo annually

§8. United States Military

Military branches:
  Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard; note - Coast Guard
  administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security, but in
  wartime reports to the Department of the Navy

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 67,742,879
  females age 18-49: 67,070,144 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 54,609,050
  females age 18-49: 54,696,706 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 2,143,873
  females: 2,036,201 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $518.1 billion (FY04 est.) (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.06% (FY03 est.) (2005 est.)

§9. United States Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  prolonged drought, population growth, and outmoded practices and
  infrastructure in the border region strains water- sharing arrangements
  with Mexico; the US has stepped up efforts to stem nationals from Mexico,
  Central America, and other parts of the world from crossing illegally into
  the US from Mexico; illegal immigrants from the Caribbean, notably Haiti
  and the Dominican Republic, attempt to enter the US through Florida by sea;
  1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still awaits Russian
  Duma ratification; managed maritime boundary disputes with Canada at Dixon
  Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed
  Machias Seal Island and North Rock; US and Canada seek greater cooperation
  in monitoring people and commodities crossing the border; The Bahamas and
  US have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at
  Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US
  abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims
  US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in
  Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the
  claims of any other state; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): the US admitted 52,868 refugees during
    FY03/04 including: 13,331 (Somalia), 6,000 (Laos), 3,482 (Ukraine), 2,959
    (Cuba), 1,787 (Iran); note - 32,229 refugees had been admitted as of 30
    June 2005

Illicit drugs:
  world's largest consumer of cocaine, shipped from Colombia through Mexico
  and the Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and increasingly
  methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian
  heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants,
  hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering center


<Factbook 2006>
