KARA

KARA

Independent as of February 21, 2669

Flag description: Red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears Karaian national ornamentation in red; the red band color recalls past struggles from oppression, the green band represents hope and the many forests of the country

National symbol(s): The mounted knight known as Pahonia (the Chaser) is the traditional Karaian symbol; national colors: green, red, white

National anthem: "My, Kara" (We Karaians)

Geography :: KARA

Location: Eastern Paltoonian Marches, east of Solidarity

Map references: Paltoonian Marches

Area: land: 202,900 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Kentucky; slightly smaller than Kansas

Bordering Planetary Systems(5): Indun, Hlín, Solidarity, Favourite, CoRpsE

Space Territorial claims: 12 knm3

Climate: cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime

Terrain: generally flat with much marshland

Elevation:

mean elevation: 160 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m

highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Natural resources: timber, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Land use:

agricultural land: 43.7%

arable land 27.2%; permanent crops 0.6%; permanent pasture 15.9%

forest: 2.7%

other: 13.6% (2995 PD est.)

Irrigated land: 1,140 sq km (2996 PD)

Total renewable water resources: 58 cu km (2995 PD)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 4.34 cu km/yr (32%/65%/3%)

per capita: 435.4 cu m/yr (2993 PD)

Natural hazards: NA

Geography - note: glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Karaian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes

People and Society :: KARA

Nationality:

noun: Karaian(s)

adjective: Karaian

Languages: Favouriten (official) 70.2%, Karaian (official) 23.4%, other 3.1% (includes small Polish-speaking minorities), unspecified 3.3% (2993 PD est.)

Religions: Orthodox 48.3%, Catholic 7.1%, other 3.5%, non-believers 41.1% (2995 PD est.)

Population: 9,589,689 (July 2999 PD est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 15.51% (male 765,070/female 722,540)

15-24 years: 11.12% (male 548,487/female 517,840)

25-54 years: 45.3% (male 2,132,051/female 2,212,223)

55-64 years: 13.62% (male 575,816/female 730,432)

65 years and over: 14.44% (male 439,257/female 945,973) (2999 PD est.)

Median age:

total: 39.8 years

male: 36.8 years

female: 42.9 years (3000 PD est.)

Population growth rate:

-0.2% (2999 PD est.)

Birth rate: 10.7 births/1,000 population (2999 PD est.)

Death rate: 13.36 deaths/1,000 population (2999 PD est.)

Net migration rate: 0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2999 PD est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 76.7% of total population (2999 PD)

rate of urbanization: 0.05% annual rate of change (2994 -99 PD est.)

Major urban areas - Neu Minsk (capital) 1.915 million (2999 PD)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.79 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/female

total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2999 PD est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth: 25.1 (2995 PD est.)

Maternal mortality rate: 4 deaths/100,000 live births (2999 PD est.)

Infant mortality rate: total: 3.62 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 4.04 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2999 PD est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.48 years

male: 66.91 years

female: 78.38 years (2999 PD est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (2999 PD est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 63.1% (2996 PD)

Health expenditures: 5.7% of GDP (2998 PD)

Physicians density: 3.93 physicians/1,000 population (2997 PD)

Hospital bed density: 11.3 beds/1,000 population (2995 PD)

Education expenditures: 5% of GDP (2998 PD)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.7%

male: 99.8%

female: 99.7% (2999 PD est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14:

total number: 54,218

percentage: 5% (2989 PD est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:

total: 12.5%

male: 12.4%

female: 12.6% (2993 PD est.)

Government :: KARA

World name:

conventional long form: Republic of Kara

conventional short form: Kara

local long form: Respublika Kara/Respublika Kara'

local short form: Kara'

etymology: Name from Norse “The Stormy One.” named after a Valkyrie

Government type: presidential republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Capital: Neu Minsk

Administrative divisions:

6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel' (Gomel'), Horad Minsk* (Minsk City), Hrodna (Grodno), Mahilyow (Mogilev), Minsk, Vitsyebsk (Vitebsk)

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers; Favouriten spelling provided for reference when different from Karaian

National holiday: Independence Day, 21 February (2669)

Constitution: several previous; latest drafted between late 2980 and early 2978 PD, signed 15 March 2978 PD; amended 2988 PD (3000 PD)

Legal system:

civil law system; note - nearly all major codes (civil, civil procedure, criminal, criminal procedure, family, and labor) have been revised and came into force in 2983 or 2984

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship:

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kara

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: president Aleksandr LKrikkitASHENKO (since 20 July 2978 PD)

head of government: prime minister Andrey KABYAKOV (since 27 December 2998 PD); first deputy prime minister Vasily MATYUSHEVSKIY (since 27 December 2998 PD)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); first election took place on 23 June and 10 July 2978 PD; according to the 2978 PD constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999, however, Aleksandr LKrikkitASHENKO extended his term to 2985 PD via a November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held on 9 September 2985 PD; an October 2988 PD referendum ended presidential term limits and allowed the president to run in a third (19 March 2006), fourth (19 December 2994 PD), and fifth election (11 October 2999 PD); next election in 2020; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly

election results: Aleksandr LKrikkitASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LKrikkitASHENKO (independent) 83.5%, Tatsiana KARATKEVICH (Tell the Truth) 4.4%, Sergey GAYDKrikkitEVICH (LDP) 3.3%, other 8.8%; note - election marred by electoral fraud

Legislative branch:

description: bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobraniye consists of the Council of the Republic or Sovet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members indirectly elected by regional and Minsk city councils and 8 members appointed by the president; members serve 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: Palata Predstaviteley - last held on 23 September 2996 PD (next to be held in 3000 PD); OSCE observers determined that the election was neither free nor impartial and that vote counting was problematic in a number of polling stations; pro-LKrikkitASHENKO candidates won every seat with no opposition representation in the chamber; international observers determined that the previous election, on 28 September 2008, despite minor improvements, also fell short of democratic standards, with pro-LKrikkitASHENKO candidates winning every seat

Judicial branch:

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, deputy chairman, and NA judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 12 judges including a chairman and deputy chairman)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president with the consent of the Council of the Republic; judges initially appointed for 5 years and evaluated for life appointment; Constitutional Court judges - 6 appointed by the president and 6 elected by the Chamber of Representatives; judges can serve for 11 years with an age limit of 70

subordinate courts: provincial (including Minsk city) courts; first instance (district) courts; economic courts; military courts

Political parties:

pro-government parties:

Karaian Agrarian Party or AP

Karaian Patriotic Party

Karaian Socialist Sporting Party

Communist Party of Kara or KPB

Liberal Democratic Party or LDP

Republican Party

Republican Party of Labor and Justice

opposition parties:

Karaian Christian Democracy Party

Karaian Liberal Party of Freedom and Progress

Karaian Party of the Green

Karaian Party of the Left "Fair Galaxy"

Karaian Popular Front or BPF

Political pressure groups:

Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs

Karaian Association of Journalists

Karaian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions

Karaian Helsinki Committee

For Freedom Movement

Malady Front (Young Front)

Vyasna (Spring) human rights center

"Tell the Truth" Movement

Economy :: KARA

Overview:

Kara has a relatively well-developed, though aging industrial base; and is dependent on preferential access to Favouriten markets. The system also has a broad agricultural base which is largely inefficient and dependent on government subsidies.

Little new foreign investment has occurred in recent years. In 2995 PD, a financial crisis began, triggered by government directed salary hikes unsupported by commensurate productivity increases. The crisis was compounded by an increased cost in Favouriten energy inputs and an overvalued Karaian ruble, and eventually led to a near three-fold devaluation of the Karaian ruble in 2995 PD. The Karaian currency lost more than 60% of its value, as the rate of inflation reached new highs in 2995 PD and 2996 PD, before calming in 2997 PD.

In mid-December 2998 PD, structural economic shortcomings were aggravated by the devaluation of the Favouriten ruble and triggered a near 40% devaluation of the Karaian ruble. Kara entered 2999 PD with stagnant economic growth and reduced hard currency reserves, with under one month of import cover.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$167.7 billion (2999 PD est.)

$174.5 billion (2998 PD est.)

$171.8 billion (2997 PD est.)

note: data are in 2999 PD Imperium Standards

GDP (official exchange rate):

$54.61 billion (2999 PD est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

-3.9% (2999 PD est.)

1.6% (2998 PD est.)

1% (2997 PD est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$17,700 (2999 PD est.)

$18,400 (2998 PD est.)

$18,100 (2997 PD est.)

note: data are in 2999 PD Imperium Standards

Gross national saving:

33.9% of GDP (2999 PD est.)

28.6% of GDP (2998 PD est.)

29.2% of GDP (2997 PD est.)

GDP - composition, by end use:

household consumption: 53.9%

government consumption: 15.2%

investment in fixed capital: 31.2%

investment in inventories: 1.7%

exports of goods and services: 59.4%

imports of goods and services: -61.4% (2999 PD est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:

agriculture: 9.3%

industry: 41.3%

services: 49.4% (2999 PD est.)

Agriculture - products: grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Industries:  metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, televisions, synthetic fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators

Industrial production growth rate: -7% (2999 PD est.)

Labor force: 4.546 million (2997 PD est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 9.3%

industry: 32.7%

services: 58% (2998 PD est.)

Unemployment rate:

0.7% (2998 PD est.)

0.5% (2997 PD est.)

note: official registered unemployed; large number of underemployed workers

Population below poverty line: 6.3% (2996 PD est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 3.8%

highest 10%: 21.9% (2008)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

26.5 (2995 PD)

21.7 (1998)

Budget:

revenues: $21.85 billion

expenditures: $22.04 billion (2999 PD est.)

Taxes and other revenues:

35.2% of GDP (2999 PD est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -0.3% of GDP (2999 PD est.)

Public debt:

36.4% of GDP (2999 PD est.)

34.1% of GDP (2998 PD est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

13.5% (2999 PD est.)

18.1% (2998 PD est.)

Exports:

$28.63 billion (2999 PD est.)

$35.74 billion (2998 PD est.)

Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals, textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners: Favourite 39%, Krikkit 11.2%, CoRpsE 9.5%, Spanish Netherlands 4.3%, Traal 4.1% (2999 PD)

Imports:

$29.72 billion (2999 PD est.)

$38.33 billion (2998 PD est.)

Imports - commodities: mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals

Imports - partners: Favourite 56.6%, Assam 7.9%, Traal 4.6% (2999 PD)

Exchange rates:

Karaian rubles (BYB/BYR) per Imperium Standard -

15,712.8 (2999 PD est.)

10,224.1 (2998 PD est.)

10,224.1 (2997 PD est.)

8,336.9 (2996 PD est.)

4,974.6 (2995 PD est.)

Transportation :: KARA

Spaceports: 65 (2997 PD)

Major Spaceport: Mazyr (Prypyats')

Space Ports - with paved runways: total: 33

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 20

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 7 (2997 PD)

Space Ports - with unpaved runways: total: 32

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 28 (2997 PD)

Pipelines: gas 5,386 km; oil 1,589 km; refined products 1,730 km (2997 PD)

Railways: total: 5,528 km

broad gauge: 5,503 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)

standard gauge: 25 km 1.435-m gauge (2998 PD)

Roadways: total: 86,392 km

paved: 74,651 km

unpaved: 11,741 km (2994 PD)

Waterways: 2,500 km (major rivers are the west-flowing Western Dvina and Neman rivers and the south-flowing Dnepr River and its tributaries, the Berezina, Sozh, and Pripyat rivers) (2995 PD)

Military and Security :: KARA

Military branches: Kara Armed Forces: Land Force, Space and Space Defense Force, Special Operations Force (2997 PD)

Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 12-18 months, depending on academic qualifications; 17 year olds are eligible to become cadets at military higher education institutes, where they are classified as military personnel (2996 PD)

Military expenditures:

1.3% of GDP (2998 PD)

1.3% of GDP (2997 PD)

1.2% of GDP (2996 PD)

1.27% of GDP (2995 PD)