Economy of the Czech Republic and Geography of Antarctica: Difference between pages
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<b> |
<b>Location:</b> |
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continent mostly south of the [[Antarctic Circle]] |
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Political and financial crises in 1997 shattered the Czech Republic's image as one of the most stable and prosperous of post-Communist states. Delays in enterprise restructuring and failure to develop a well-functioning capital market played major roles in Czech economic troubles, which culminated in a currency crisis in May. The currency was forced out of its fluctuation band as investors worried that the current account deficit, which reached nearly 8% of GDP in 1996, would become unsustainable. After expending $3 billion in vain to support the currency, the central bank let it float. The growing current account imbalance reflected a surge in domestic demand and poor export performance, as wage increases outpaced productivity. The government was forced to introduce two austerity packages later in the spring which cut government spending by 2.5% of GDP. Growth dropped to 0.3% in 1997, -2.3% in 1998, and -0.5% in 1999. The basic transition problem continues to be too much direct and indirect government influence on the privatized economy. The government established a restructuring agency in 1999 and launched a revitalization program - to spur the sale of firms to foreign companies. Key priorities include accelerating legislative convergence with EU norms, restructuring enterprises, and privatizing banks and utilities. The economy, fueled by increased export growth and investment, is expected to recover in 2000. |
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<p><b> |
<p><b>Geographic coordinates:</b> |
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90 00 S, 0 00 E |
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purchasing power parity - $120.8 billion (1999 est.) |
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<p><b> |
<p><b>Map references:</b> |
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Antarctic Region |
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-0.5% (1999 est.) |
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<p><b> |
<p><b>Area:</b> |
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purchasing power parity - $11,700 (1999 est.) |
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<p><b>GDP - composition by sector:</b> |
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<br><i> |
<br><i>land:</i> |
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14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km ice-covered) (est.) |
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<br><i> |
<br><i>note:</i> |
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fifth-largest continent, following [[Asia]], [[Africa]], [[North America]], and [[South America]], but larger than [[Australia]] and the subcontinent of [[Europe]] |
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42% |
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< |
<p><b>Land boundaries:</b> |
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0 km |
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53% (1999 est.) |
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<p><b>Population below poverty line:</b> |
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see entry on International disputes |
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NA% |
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<p><b>Household income or consumption by percentage share:</b> |
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17,968 km |
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<br><i>lowest 10%:</i> |
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4.6% |
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none, but see the Disputes - international entry |
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<br><i>highest 10%:</i> |
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severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing |
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<p><b>Inflation rate (consumer prices):</b> |
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2.5% (1999 est.) |
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about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to 5,140 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern [[Victoria Land]], [[Wilkes Land]], the [[Antarctic Peninsula]] area, and parts of [[Ross Island]] on [[McMurdo Sound]]; [[glacier]]s form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent |
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5.203 million (1999 est.) |
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< |
<br><i>lowest point:</i> |
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Southern Ocean 0 m |
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industry 32%, agriculture 5.6%, construction 8.7%, transport and communications 6.9%, services 46.8% (1997 est.) |
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< |
<br><i>highest point:</i> |
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[[Vinson Massif]] 5,140 m |
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9% (1999 est.) |
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<p><b> |
<p><b>Natural resources:</b> |
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none presently exploited; [[iron]] ore, [[chromium]], [[copper]], [[gold]], [[nickel]], [[platinum]] and other minerals, and [[coal]] and [[hydrocarbons]] have been found in small, uncommercial quantities |
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<br><i>revenues:</i> |
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$16.4 billion |
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<br><i> |
<br><i>arable land:</i> |
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$17.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999) |
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< |
<br><i>permanent crops:</i> |
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0% |
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fuels, ferrous metallurgy, machinery and equipment, coal, motor vehicles, glass, armaments |
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<p><b>Industrial production growth rate:</b> |
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0% |
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-4% (1999 est.) |
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< |
<br><i>forests and woodland:</i> |
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0% |
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61.466 billion kWh (1998) |
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<p><b>Electricity - production by source:</b> |
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<br><i>fossil fuel:</i> |
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75.54% |
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2.55% |
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20.37% |
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<br><i>other:</i> |
<br><i>other:</i> |
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100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) |
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1.54% (1998) |
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<p><b> |
<p><b>Irrigated land:</b> |
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54.733 billion kWh (1998) |
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<p><b> |
<p><b>Natural hazards:</b> |
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katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on [[Deception Island]] and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak |
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10.8 billion kWh (1998) |
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<p><b> |
<p><b>Environment - current issues:</b> |
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in 1998, [[NASA]] satellite data showed that the antarctic [[ozone hole]] was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light coming through the hole damages the [[DNA]] of icefish, an antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm one-celled antarctic marine plants |
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8.37 billion kWh (1998) |
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<p><b> |
<p><b>Geography - note:</b> |
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the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the [[South Pole]] than is received at the [[Equator]] in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable |
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grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products |
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$26.9 billion (f.o.b., 1999) |
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<p><b>Exports - commodities:</b> |
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machinery and transport equipment 41%, other manufactured goods 40%, chemicals 8%, raw materials and fuel 7% (1998) |
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<p><b>Exports - partners:</b> |
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Germany 42%, Slovakia 8%, Austria 6%, Poland 6%, France 4% (1999) |
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$29 billion (f.o.b., 1999) |
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<p><b>Imports - commodities:</b> |
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machinery and transport equipment 39%, other manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 12%, raw materials and fuels 10%, food 5% (1998) |
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<p><b>Imports - partners:</b> |
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Germany 34%, Slovakia 6%, Russia 6%, Austria 6%, France 5% (1999) |
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<p><b>Debt - external:</b> |
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$24.3 billion (1999 est.) |
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<p><b>Economic aid - recipient:</b> |
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1 koruna (Kc) = 100 haleru |
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koruny (Kcs) per US$1 - 35.630 (December 1999), 34.569 (1999), 32.281 (1998), 31.698 (1997), 27.145 (1996), 26.541 (1995) |
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calendar year |
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:''See also :'' [[ |
:''See also :'' [[Antarctica]] |
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Revision as of 02:12, 29 January 2002
Location: continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle
Geographic coordinates: 90 00 S, 0 00 E
Map references: Antarctic Region
Area:
total:
14 million sq km
land:
14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km ice-covered) (est.)
note:
fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the subcontinent of Europe
Land boundaries:
0 km
note:
see entry on International disputes
Coastline: 17,968 km
Maritime claims: none, but see the Disputes - international entry
Climate: severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing
Terrain: about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to 5,140 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Southern Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Vinson Massif 5,140 m
Natural resources: none presently exploited; iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small, uncommercial quantities
Land use:
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
0%
other:
100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak
Environment - current issues: in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the antarctic ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light coming through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm one-celled antarctic marine plants
Geography - note: the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly uninhabitable
- See also : Antarctica