Part 754

Flag ----

Description: red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist side

Geography ---------

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates: 11 00 N, 61 00 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total area: 5,130 sq km land area: 5,130 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 362 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Terrain: mostly plains with some hills and low mountains lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Land use: arable land: 14% permanent crops: 17% meadows and pastures: 2% forest and woodland: 44% other: 23%

Irrigated land: 220 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion natural hazards: outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity

People ------

Population: 1,272,385 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 193,134; female 186,649) 15-64 years: 64% (male 413,426; female 404,175) 65 years and over: 6% (male 33,791; female 41,210) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.08% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 16.25 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 6.9 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female all ages: 1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 18.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.3 years male: 67.91 years female: 72.77 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.99 children born/woman (1996 est.)