YEMEN

Republic of Yemen Al-Jumhuriyah al-Yamaniyah CAPITAL: Sana (San‘a) FLAG: The national flag is a tricolor of red, white, and black horizontal stripes. ANTHEM: Al-Watani (Peace to the Land). MONETARY UNIT: The Yemeni riyal (YR) is a paper currency of 100 fils. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 fils and notes of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 riyals. YR1 = $0.00546 (or $1 = YR183.15) as of May 2003. WEIGHTS...

VIETNAM

Socialist Republic of Vietnam Cong Hoa Chu Nghia Viet Nam CAPITAL: Hanoi FLAG: The flag is red with a five-pointed gold star in the center. ANTHEM: Tien Quan Ça (Forward, Soldiers!). MONETARY UNIT: The dong (D) is a paper currency of 10 hao and 100 xu. There are coins of 1, 2, and 5 xu, and notes of 5 xu, 1, 2, and 5 hao, and 1, 2, 5, and 10 dong. D1 = $0.00007 (or $1 653= D 15,303) as of May 2003. WEIGHTS...

VANUATU

Republic of Vanuatu [French] République de Vanuatu [Bislama] Ripablik blong Vanuatu CAPITAL: Port-Vila FLAG: Red and green sections are divided horizontally by a gold stripe running within a black border and widening at the hoist into a black triangle on which is a pig’s tusk enclosing two crossed yellow mele leaves. ANTHEM: Yumi, Yumi, Yumi (We, We, We). MONETARY UNIT: As of 1 January 1981, the vatu...

UZBEKISTAN

Republic of Uzbekistan Uzbekiston Respublikasi CAPITAL: Tashkent (Toshkent) FLAG: Horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green separated by narrow red bands; white crescent moon and twelve stars on the blue band. ANTHEM: The national anthem begins “Serquyosh hur o‘lkam,” (“My country, sunny and free,”). MONETARY UNIT: The som (SOM) is the official currency, introduced when Uzbekistan left the...

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

United Arab Emirates Al-Imarat al-‘Arabiyah al-Muttahidah CAPITAL: Abu Dhabi (Abu Zaby) FLAG: The flag consists of a red vertical stripe at the hoist and three equal horizontal stripes of green, white, and black. ANTHEM: The National Anthem is an instrumental piece without words. MONETARY UNIT: The United Arab Emirates dirham (UD), introduced as the currency in May 1973, is divided into 100 fils....

TUVALU

CAPITAL: Funafuti FLAG: The national flag has the Union Jack in the upper quarter nearest the hoist; nine yellow stars on a light blue field are arranged in the same pattern as Tuvalu’s nine islands. ANTHEM: Tuvalu mo te Atua (Tuvalu for the Almighty). MONETARY UNIT: Both the Australian dollar (A$) and the Tuvaluan dollar (T$) of 100 cents are legal tender. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and...

TURKMENISTAN

CAPITAL: Ashgabat (Ashkhabad) FLAG: Green field with claret stripe of five carpet patterns; white crescent and five white stars symbolizing five major regions of Turkmenistan to the right of the stripe. In 1997, two crossed olive branches were added beneath the carpet patterns. ANTHEM: Independence Turkmenistan. MONETARY UNIT: Manat (MN), the unit of currency, was introduced by the government in November 1993....

TURKEY

Republic of Turkey Türkiye Cumhuriyeti CAPITAL: Ankara FLAG: The national flag consists of a white crescent (open toward the fly) and a white star on a red field. ANTHEM: Istiklâl Mars¸i (March of Independence). MONETARY UNIT: The Turkish lira (TL) is a paper currency of 100 kurus¸. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, and 100 liras, and notes of 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000, 250,000,...

TONGA

Kingdom of Tonga Pule’anga Tonga CAPITAL: Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu FLAG: The flag, adopted in 1862, is crimson with a cross of the same color mounted in a white square in the upper left corner. ANTHEM: Koe Fasi Oe Tu’i Oe Otu Tonga (Tongan National Anthem) begins “‘E ‘Otua Mafimafi Ko homau ‘Eiki Koe” (“O Almighty God above, Thou art our Lord and sure defense”). MONETARY UNIT: The Tongan pa’anga (T$)...

THAILAND

Kingdom of Thailand Prates Thai CAPITAL: Bangkok (Krung Thep) FLAG: The national flag, adopted in 1917, consists of five horizontal stripes. The outermost are red (symbolizing the Thai people); those adjacent are white (symbolizing Buddhism); the blue center stripe (representing the monarchy) is twice as high as each of the other four. ANTHEM: There are three national anthems: Pleng Sansen Phra Barami...

TAJIKISTAN

Republic of Tajikistan Jumhurii Tojikistan CAPITAL: Dushanbe FLAG: The flag consists of a broad white horizontal stripe in the center, with a red stripe at the top and a green stripe at the bottom. The national emblem is centered in the white stripe. ANTHEM: The flag consists of a broad white horizontal stripe in the center, with a red stripe at the top and a green stripe at the bottom. The national...

TAIWAN

Republic of China Chung Hwa Min Kuo CAPITAL: T’aipei FLAG: The flag is red with a 12-pointed white sun on the blue upper left quadrant. The 12 points of the sun represent the 12 two-hour periods of the day in Chinese tradition, and symbolize progress. The colors red, white, and blue represent the Three Principles of the people (San Min Chu I) of Sun Yat-sen, father of the Republic of China, and symbolize...

SYRIA

Syrian Arab Republic Al-Jumhuriyah al-‘Arabiyah as-Suriyah CAPITAL: Damascus (Dimashq) FLAG: The national flag is a horizontal tricolor of red, white, and black stripes; in the white center stripe are two green five-pointed stars. ANTHEM: An-Nashid as-Suri (The Syrian National Anthem) begins “Protectors of the nation, peace be upon you.” MONETARY UNIT: The Syrian pound (S£) is a paper currency of...

SRILANKA

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Prajathanthrika Samajavadi Janarajaya CAPITAL: Colombo FLAG: The national flag contains, at the hoist, vertical stripes of green and saffron (orange-yellow) and, to the right, a maroon rectangle with yellow bo leaves in the corners and a yellow lion symbol in the center. The entire flag is bordered in yellow, and a narrow yellow vertical area separates...

SOLOMON ISLANDS

CAPITAL: Honiara FLAG: The flag consists of two triangles, the upper one blue, the lower one green, separated by a diagonal gold stripe; on the blue triangle are five white five-pointed stars. ANTHEM: God Save the Queen. MONETARY UNIT: The Solomon Islands dollar (SI$), a paper currency of 100 cents, was introduced in 1977, replacing the Australian dollar, and became the sole legal tender in 1978....

SINGAPORE

Republic of Singapore CAPITAL: Singapore FLAG: The flag consists of a red stripe at the top and a white stripe on the bottom. On the red stripe, at the hoist, are a white crescent opening to the fly and five white stars. ANTHEM: Long Live Singapore. MONETARY UNIT: The Singapore dollar (S$) of 100 cents is a freely convertible currency. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents and 1 dollar and...

SA'UDI ARABIA

Kingdom of Sa‘udi Arabia Al-Mamlakah al-‘Arabiyah as-Sa‘udiyah CAPITAL: Riyadh (Ar-Riyad) FLAG: The national flag bears in white on a green field the inscription, in Arabic, “There is no god but Allah, and Mohammad is the messenger of Allah.” There is a long white sword beneath the inscription; the sword handle is toward the fly. ANTHEM: The National Anthem is a short instrumental selection. MONETARY...

SAMOA

Independent State of Samoa Malo Sa‘oloto Tuto‘atasi o Samoa i Sisifo CAPITAL: Apia FLAG: The upper left quarter of the flag is blue and bears five white, five-rayed stars representing the Southern Cross; the remainder of the flag is red. ANTHEM: The Flag of Freedom. MONETARY UNIT: The Samoan tala (S) is a paper currency of 100 sene. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 sene and 1 tala, and notes...

QATAR

State of Qatar Dawlat Qatar CAPITAL: Doha (Ad-Dawhah) FLAG: Maroon with white serrated border at the hoist. ANTHEM: Qatar National Anthem. MONETARY UNIT: The Qatar riyal (QR) of 100 dirhams was introduced on 13 May 1973. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 dirhams, and notes of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 riyals. QR1 = $0.2747 (or $1 = QR3.64) as of January 2003. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric...

PHILIPPINES

Republic of the Philippines Republika ng Pilipinas CAPITAL: Manila FLAG: The national flag consists of a white equilateral triangle at the hoist, with a blue stripe extending from its upper side and a red stripe extending from its lower side. Inside each angle of the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star, and in its center is a yellow sun with eight rays. ANTHEM: Bayang Magiliw (Nation Beloved). MONETARY...

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Independent State of Papua New Guinea CAPITAL: Port Moresby FLAG: The flag is a rectangle, divided diagonally. The upper segment is scarlet with a yellow bird of paradise; the lower segment is black with five white stars representing the Southern Cross. ANTHEM: O, Arise All You Sons. MONETARY UNIT: The kina (K) of 100 toea is linked with the Australian dollar. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and...

PALAU

Republic of Palau Belau CAPITAL: Koror, Koror Island FLAG: The flag, adopted 1 January 1981, is light blue, with a yellow disc set slightly off center toward the hoist. ANTHEM: Belau er Kid. MONETARY UNIT: The US dollar is the official medium of exchange. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: British units are used, as modified by US usage. HOLIDAYS: New Year’s Day, 1 January; Youth Day, 15 March; Senior Citizens...

PAKISTAN

Islamic Republic of Pakistan Islami Jamhooria Pakistan CAPITAL: Isla¯ma¯ba¯d FLAG: The national flag is dark green, with a white vertical stripe at the hoist and a white crescent and five-pointed star in the center. ANTHEM: The opening lines of the national anthem, sung in Urdu, are “Blessed be the sacred land, Happy be the bounteous realm, Symbol of high resolve, land of Pakistan, Blessed be thou...

OMAN

Sultanate of Oman Saltanat ‘Uman CAPITAL: Muscat (Masqat) FLAG: The flag is red with a broad stripe of white at the upper fly and green at the lower fly. In the upper left corner, white crossed swords overlay a ceremonial dagger. ANTHEM: Nashid as-Salaam as-Sutani (Sultan’s National Anthem). MONETARY UNIT: The Omani riyal (RO), established in November 1972, is a paper currency of 1,000 baizas. There...

NEW ZEALAND

CAPITAL: Wellington FLAG: The flag has two main features: the red, white, and blue Union Jack in the upper left quarter and the four-star Southern Cross in the right half. On the blue state flag the stars are red outlined in white. On the red national flag, used by individuals or commercial institutions at sea, the stars are white. ANTHEM: God Save the Queen and God Defend New Zealand have had equal...

NEPAL

Kingdom of Nepal Nepal Adhirajya CAPITAL: Ka¯thma¯ndu FLAG: The national flag consists of two red adjoining triangles, outlined in blue and merging at the center; the points are at the fly. On the upper triangle, in white, is a symbolic representation of the moon; on the lower triangle, that of the sun. ANTHEM: The national anthem begins “May His Majesty, solemn and supremely valiant, be prosperous forever.” MONETARY...

NAURU

Republic of Nauru Naoero CAPITAL: There is no formal capital. The seat of government is in the district of Yaren. FLAG: The flag has a blue background divided horizontally by a narrow gold band, symbolizing the equator. Below the band is a white 12-pointed star, representing the island’s 12 traditional tribes. ANTHEM: Nauru Ubwema (Nauru, Our Homeland). MONETARY UNIT: The Australian dollar (A$) of...

MYANMAR

Union of Myanmar Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw CAPITAL: Yangon (formerly Rangoon) FLAG: The national flag is red with a blue canton, within which 14 white stars encircle a rice stalk and an industrial wheel. ANTHEM: Kaba Makye (Our Free Homeland). MONETARY UNIT: The kyat (K) is a paper currency of 100 pyas. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 pyas and 1 kyat, and notes of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 100...

MONGOLIA

Mongol Uls CAPITAL: Ulaanbaatar FLAG: The national flag, adopted in 1946, contains a light blue vertical stripe between two red stripes; in gold, on the stripe nearest the hoist, is the soyombo, Mongolia’s independence emblem. ANTHEM: Bügd Nayramdah mongol ard ulsyn töriin duulal (State Anthem of the Mongolian People’s Republic). MONETARY UNIT: The tugrik (T) of 100 mongos. There are coins of 1, 2,...

MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF

Federated States of Micronesia CAPITAL: Palikir, Pohnpei Island FLAG: Adopted in 1978, the flag is light blue, bearing four five-pointed stars arranged in a diamond in the center. ANTHEM: Patriots of Micronesia MONETARY UNIT: The US dollar is the official medium of exchange. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: British units are used, as modified by US usage. HOLIDAYS: New Year’s Day, 1 January; Federated States...

MARSHALL ISLANDS

Republic of the Marshall Islands CAPITAL: Majuro, Majuro Atoll FLAG: The flag, adopted in 1979, is blue, with two diagonal strips of orange over white; in the canton is a white star with 4 large rays and 20 shorter ones. ANTHEM: Ij iokwe lok aelon eo ao ijo iaar lotak ie (I Love My Island, Where I Was Born). MONETARY UNIT: The US dollar is the official medium of exchange. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: British...

MALDIVES

Republic of Maldives Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa CAPITAL: Malé FLAG: The national flag consists of a white crescent at the center of a green field which, in turn, is at the center of a red field. ANTHEM: Gavmii mi erkuverikan matii tibegen kuriime salaam (In National Unity Do We Salute Our Nation). MONETARY UNIT: The Maldivian rupee, or rufiyaa (MR), is a paper currency of 100 laris. There are notes...

MALAYSIA

CAPITAL: Kuala Lumpur FLAG: The national flag consists of 14 alternating horizontal stripes, of which 7 are red and 7 white; a gold 14-pointed star and crescent appear on a blue field in the upper left corner. ANTHEM: Negara Ku (My Country). MONETARY UNIT: The Malaysian ringgit (M$), or dollar, is divided into 100 sen, or cents. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 50 sens and 1 ringgit, and notes...

LEBANON

Republic of Lebanon Al-Jumhuriyah al-Lubnaniyah CAPITAL: Beirut (Bayrut) FLAG: The national flag, introduced in 1943, consists of two horizontal red stripes separated by a white stripe which is twice as wide; at the center, in green and brown, is a cedar tree. ANTHEM: Kulluna lil watan lil‘ula lil‘alam (All of Us for the Country, Glory, Flag). MONETARY UNIT: The Lebanese pound, or livre libanaise...

LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

Laos Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao CAPITAL: Vientiane (Viangchan) FLAG: The national flag, officially adopted in 1975, is the former flag of the Pathet Lao, consisting of three horizontal stripes of red, dark blue, and red, with a white disk, representing the full moon, at the center. ANTHEM: Pheng Sat Lao (Hymn of the Lao People). MONETARY UNIT: The new kip (K) is a paper currency of 100...

KYRGYZSTAN

Kyrgyz Republic Kyrgyz Respublikasy CAPITAL: Bishkek FLAG: Red field with a yellow sun in the center; in the center of the sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized representation of the vent in a Kyrgyz yurt. ANTHEM: Kyrgyz National Anthem. MONETARY UNIT: The som was established in May 1993; som1 = $0.0228 (or $1 = som43.85) as of May 2003. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric...

KUWAIT

State of Kuwait Dawlat al-Kuwayt CAPITAL: Kuwait (Al-Kuwayt) FLAG: The flag, adopted in 1961, is a rectangle divided equally into green, white, and red horizontal stripes, with a black trapezoid whose longer base is against the staff and is equal to the breadth of the flag, and whose shorter base is equal to the breadth of the white stripe. ANTHEM: National Anthem, melody only; no words. MONETARY...

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF (ROK)

Republic of Korea Taehan Min-guk CAPITAL: Seoul FLAG: The flag, called the T’aegukki, shows, on a white field, a central circle divided into two parts, red on top and deep blue below, in the shape of Chinese yin and yang symbols. Broken and unbroken black bars in each of the four corners are variously arranged in sets of three, representing divination diagrams. ANTHEM: Aegukka (The Song of Patriotism),...

KOREA, DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF (DPRK)

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Choson Minjujuui Inmin Konghwa-guk CAPITAL: P’yongyang FLAG: A wide horizontal red stripe is bordered on top and bottom by narrow blue stripes, separated from the red by thin white stripes. The left half of the red stripe contains a red five-pointed star on a circular white field. ANTHEM: The Song of General Kim Il Sung. MONETARY UNIT: The won (W) of 100 ch’on...

KIRIBATI

Republic of Kiribati CAPITAL: Tarawa FLAG: Above a blue and white heraldic representation of Pacific waters, a golden sun rises against a red background, with a golden frigate bird at the top. ANTHEM: Troika kain Kiribati (Stand Kiribati). MONETARY UNIT: The Australian dollar is the national currency. A$1 = US$0.6173 (or US$1 = A$1.62) as of May 2003. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: Kiribati is in transition...

KAZAKHSTAN

Republic of Kazakhstan Kazakstan Respublikasy CAPITAL: Astana (as of December 1997; formerly Almaty) FLAG: Light blue with a yellow sun and soaring eagle in the center and a yellow vertical ornamentation in the hoist. ANTHEM: National Anthem of Kazakhstan. MONETARY UNIT: The tenge (T), issued in 15 November 1993, is the national currency, replacing the ruble (R). There is a coin, the tyin. One hundred...

JORDAN

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Al-Mamlaka al-Urdunniyya al-Hashimiyya CAPITAL: ‘Amman FLAG: The national flag is a tricolor of black, white, and green horizontal stripes with a seven-pointed white star on a red triangle at the hoist. ANTHEM: As-Salam al-Maliki (Long Live the King). MONETARY UNIT: The Jordanian dinar (JD) is a paper currency of 1,000 fils. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50,...

JAPAN

Nippon CAPITAL: Tokyo FLAG: The Sun-flag (Hi-no-Maru) consists of a red circle on a white background. ANTHEM: (de facto) Kimigayo (The Reign of Our Emperor), with words dating back to the ninth century. MONETARY UNIT: The yen (¥) of 100 sen is issued in coins of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 yen, and notes of 500, 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yen. ¥1 = $0.0083(or $1 = ¥120) as of May 2003. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES:...

ISRAEL

State of Israel [Arabic] Dawlat Israel [Hebrew] Medinat Yisrael CAPITAL: Jerusalem (Yerushalayim, Al-Quds) FLAG: The flag, which was adopted at the First Zionist Congress in 1897, consists of a blue six-pointed Shield of David (Magen David) centered between two blue horizontal stripes on a white field. ANTHEM: Hatikvah (The Hope). MONETARY UNIT: The new Israeli shekel (NIS), a paper currency of 100...

IRAQ

Republic of Iraq Al-Jumhuriyah al-‘Iraqiyah CAPITAL: Baghdad FLAG: The national flag is a tricolor of red, white, and black horizontal stripes, with three five-pointed stars in green in the center of the white stripe. In 1991 the phrase Allahu Akbar (“God is Great”) in green Arabic script was added between the stars. ANTHEM: Al-Salaam al-Jumhuri (Salute of the Republic). MONETARY UNIT: The Iraqi dinar...

IRAN

Islamic Republic of Iran Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran CAPITAL: Tehran FLAG: The national flag is a tricolor of green, white, and red horizontal stripes, the top and bottom stripes having the Arabic inscription Allah Akbar (“God Is Great”) written along the edge nearest the white stripe. In the center, in red, is the coat of arms, consisting of a stylized representation of the word Allah. ANTHEM: The...

INDONESIA

Republic of Indonesia Republik Indonesia CAPITAL: Jakarta FLAG: The national flag, adopted in 1949, consists of a red horizontal stripe above a white stripe. ANTHEM: Indonesia Raya (Great Indonesia). MONETARY UNIT: The rupiah (RP) consists of 100 sen. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 rupiahs, and notes of 100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 rupiahs. RP1 = $0.0001149 (or $1 = RP8,700)...

FIJI

Republic of Fiji CAPITAL: Suva FLAG: The national flag of Fiji consists of the red, white, and blue Union Jack in the upper left corner of a light blue field, with the Fiji shield in the lower right corner. ANTHEM: God Bless Fiji. MONETARY UNIT: The Fiji dollar (F$) of 100 cents is the national currency. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents, and notes of 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 Fiji dollars....

EAST TIMOR

CAPITAL: Dili FLAG: The national flag is rectangular. Two isosceles triangles, the bases of which form the left edge and overlap each other. One triangle is black and its height is equal to one-third of the length overlapped to the yellow triangle, whose height is equal to half the length of the flag. A white fivepointed star, signifying “the light that guides,” is centered on the black triangle....

CYPRUS

Republic of Cyprus Kypriaki Dimokratia CAPITAL: Nicosia FLAG: The national flag consists of the map of Cyprus in gold set above two green olive branches on a white field. ANTHEM: Ethnikos Hymnos (National Hymn), beginning “Se gnorizo apo tin kopsi” (“I recognize you by the keenness of your spade”). MONETARY UNIT: The Cyprus pound (C£) is a paper currency of 100 cents. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10,...

CHINA

People’s Republic of China Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo CAPITAL: Beijing (Peking) FLAG: The flag is red with five gold stars in the upper left quadrant; one large star is near the hoist and four smaller ones are arranged in an arc to the right. ANTHEM: March of the Volunteers. MONETARY UNIT: The renminbi, or “people’s money,” denominated in yuan (Y), is equivalent to 10 jiao or 100 fen. There are coins...

CAMBODIA

Kingdom of Cambodia Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea CAPITAL: Phnom Penh FLAG: The flag has a red center field with a white silhouette of the temple complex at Angkor Wat. The center field is bordered top and bottom by blue bands. ANTHEM: Nokoreach, beginning “Heaven protects our King.” MONETARY UNIT: The new riel (CR) is a paper currency of 100 sen. CR1 = $0.0002534 (or $1 = CR3,946.00) as of May 2003. WEIGHTS...

BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

Nation of Brunei, Abode of Peace Negara Brunei Darussalam CAPITAL: Bandar Seri Begawan FLAG: On a yellow field extend two diagonal stripes of white and black, with the state emblem centered in red. ANTHEM: National Anthem, beginning Ya Allah lanjutkan usia (“God bless His Highness with a long life”). MONETARY UNIT: The Brunei dollar (B$, or ringgit) of 100 cents is valued at par with, and is interchangeable...

BHUTAN

Kingdom of Bhutan Druk-Yul CAPITAL: Thimphu (Tashi Chho Dzong) FLAG: The flag is divided diagonally into an orange-yellow field above and a crimson field below. In the center is a wingless white Chinese dragon. ANTHEM: Gyelpo Tenjur, beginning “In the Thunder Dragon Kingdom, adorned with sandalwood.” MONETARY UNIT: The ngultrum (N) is a paper currency of 100 chetrum. There are coins of 5, 10, 25, and...

BANGLADESH

People’s Republic of Bangladesh Gana-Prajatantri Bangladesh CAPITAL: Dhaka (formerly Dacca) FLAG: The national flag is a red circle against a dark-green background. ANTHEM: Amar Sonar Bangla (My Golden Bengal). MONETARY UNIT: The taka (T) of 100 poisha is a paper currency set on a par with the Indian rupee. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, and 50 poisha, and notes of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 taka....

BAHRAIN

State of Bahrain Dawlat al-Bahrayn CAPITAL: Manama (Al-Manamah) FLAG: Red with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side. ANTHEM: Music without words. MONETARY UNIT: The Bahrain dinar (BD) is divided into 1,000 fils. There are coins of 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 fils and notes of 500 fils and 1, 5, 10, and 20 dinars. BD1 = $2.6596 (or $1 = BD0.376) as of January 2003. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES:...

AZERBAIJAN

Azerbaijan Republic Azarbaichan Respublikasy CAPITAL: Baku FLAG: Three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in the red band. ANTHEM: Azerbaijan National Anthem, composed by Uzeyir Hajibeyov. MONETARY UNIT: The manat, consisting of 100 gopik, was introduced in 1992 and remains tied to the Russian ruble with widely fluctuating...

AUSTRALIA (a short story)

Commonwealth of Australia CAPITAL: Canberra FLAG: The flag has three main features: the red, white, and blue Union Jack in the upper left quarter, indicating Australia’s membership in the Commonwealth of Nations; the white five-star Southern Cross in the right half; and the white seven-pointed federal star below the Union Jack. The flag has a blue background. Of the five stars of the Southern Cross,...

AFGHANISTAN (a short story)

Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan Dowlat-e Eslami-ye Afghanestan CAPITAL: Kabul FLAG: Three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and green, with a white emblem centered on the red band; the emblem features a temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left and right and by a bold Islamic inscription above. ANTHEM: Esllahte Arzi (Land Reform), beginning “So long as there is...

DEPENDANCIES IN INDIA

Andaman and Nicobar Islands The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are two groups of islands in the Indian Ocean, extending approximately 970 km (600 mi) N–S and lying about 640 km (400 mi) W of both the Tenasserim coast of Myanmar and peninsular Thailand. Their total area is 8,293 sq km (3,202 sq mi); their population was estimated to exceed 188,000 in the mid-1990s. These islands together form a union territory...

FAMOUS INDIANS OF INDIA

Siddartha Gautama was (624–544 BC according to Sinhalese tradition; 563?–483? BC according to most modern scholars) later known as the Buddha (“the enlightened one”). Born in what is now Nepal, he spent much of his life in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, propounding the philosophical doctrines that were later to become Buddhism. Contemporary with the Buddha was Vardhamana (599?–527 BC), also known...

TOURISM, TRAVEL AND RECREATION IN INDIA

The national Department of Tourism maintains tourist information offices at home and abroad. It has constructed many facilities for viewing wildlife in forest regions (by minibus, boat, or elephant) and operates tourist lodges in wildlife sanctuaries. The principal tourist attractions are India’s distinctive music, dance, theater, festivals, and cuisines; the great cities of Calcutta, Mumbai (formerly...

ORGANIZATIONS IN INDIA

Cultural activities, especially traditional arts and crafts, are promoted throughout India by the National Academy of Fine Arts; the National Academy of Music, Dance, and Drama; the National Center for the Performing Arts; and the National Academy of Letters. Other state organizations for the furthering of cultural activities include the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Indian Council...

MEDIA IN INDIA

All postal and telegraph and most telephone services are owned and operated by the government. International telephone services, both radio and cable, are available between India and all major countries of the world. In 2000, there were 27.7 million telephone lines and 2.93 million cellular phones in use. All-India Radio (AIR), government-owned, operates short- and medium-wave transmission through...

LIBRARIES AND MUSEUM IN INDIA

The National Library in Calcutta, with over 221 million volumes, is, by far, the largest in the country, and possibly the world. Some of the other leading libraries are the New Delhi Public Library (1.4 million volumes), the Central Secretariat Library in New Delhi (700,000 volumes), and the libraries of some of the larger universities. The Khuda Baksh Oriental Library in Patna, with a collection...

EDUCATION IN INDIA

According to 2000 UNESCO estimates, 44.2% of India’s population was illiterate (males, 31.4%; females, 57.9%). This figure represents a slow decline from the 59.2% illiteracy rate reported in 1981. In 1986, the National Education Policy (NPE) was adopted in order to bring about major reforms in the system, primarily universalization of primary education. In 1988, a national literacy mission was launched,...

HOUSING IN INDIA

Though pogress has been made toward improving the generally primitive housing in which most Indians live, there are still some deficits in housing supply and access to basic utilities. A number of subsidized, low-cost housing schemes have been launched by the government, but the goal of providing a house for every homeless family cannot be met because of the prohibitive cost. The sixth five-year plan...

HEALTH IN INDIA

Great improvements have taken place in public health since independence, but the general health picture remains far from satisfactory. The government is paying increasing attention to integrated health, maternity, and child care in rural areas. An increasing number of community health workers and doctors are being sent to rural health centers. Primary health care is provided to the rural population...

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA

India’s governments have established an extensive social welfare system. Programs for children include supplementary nutrition for expectant mothers and for children under seven years of age, immunization and health programs, vacation camps for lowincome families, and training for adolescents. There are also services for the blind, deaf, mentally retarded, and orthopedically handicapped. Programs...

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA

Under a series of five-year plans through 2000, the government became a participant in many industrial fields and increased its regulation of existing private commerce and industry. Long the owner-operator of most railway facilities, all radio broadcasting, post, and telegraph facilities, arms and ammunition factories, and river development programs, the government reserved for itself the right to...

FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN INDIA

Until recently, foreign investment remained closely regulated. Rules and incentives directed the flow of foreign capital mainly toward consumer industries and light engineering, with major capital-intensive projects reserved for the public sector. Under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act of 1973, which went into effect on 1 January 1974, all branches of foreign companies in which nonresident interest...