Part 173

Imports: $600 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: intermediate manufactures, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, petroleum products partners: France, Italy, other EU countries, US, Japan, Thailand

External debt: $5 billion (1993)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation --------------

Railways: total: 795 km (1995 est.) narrow gauge: 795 km 1.067-m gauge (includes 285 km that are privately owned)

Highways: total: 12,745 km paved: 1,236 km unpaved: 11,509 km (1992 est.)

Waterways: the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) Rivers provide 1,120 km of commercially navigable water transport; other rivers are used for local traffic only

Pipelines: crude oil 25 km

Ports: Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

Merchant marine: total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,218 GRT/4,100 DWT (1995 est.)

Airports: total: 34 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 9 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 7 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 14 (1995 est.)

Communications --------------

Telephones: 18,000 (1983 est.)

Telephone system: services adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 4 (1987 est.)

Televisions: 8,500 (1993 est.)

Defense -------

Branches: Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force, National Police

Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 582,103 males fit for military service: 296,602 males reach military age (20) annually: 25,247 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $110 million, 3.8% of GDP (1993)

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@Cook Islands ------------

(free association with New Zealand)