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Objectors to Biden Electors

2021-01-08T18:11:47Z

FabioZ:

In 2005, 31 [[Democrat]]s in the [[House]] and one Democrat in the Senate ([[Barbara Boxer]] from [[California]]) objected to or voted against the [[Ohio]] electors who voted for the reelection of President [[George W. Bush]].<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/electoral-college-some-republicans-plan-to-challenge-bidens-victory-heres-what-happened-when-democrats-challenged-bush/ar-BB1cgAcF</ref> In 2017, while multiple House Democrats objected to [[Vladimir Putin]] taking over U.S. elections, no Senator signed on to the [[Russia collusion hoax]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/no-trump-electoral-college-challenge-233294</ref>

If the election for president goes into the House, then pursuant to the [[Twelfth Amendment]] the voting is done on a state-by-state basis, where Republicans hold a 27-20 majority, with three state delegations evenly divided. See [[United_States_House_of_Representatives#State_Delegations_by_Party]].

Rep. Mo Brooks has stated that "dozens" of representatives may join his objections to the Biden Electors,<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/news/mo-brooks-dozens-of-house-republicans-may-object-to-electoral-college-results/</ref> and as of January some predict that more than 100 House Republicans would object. Here is the growing list of the courageous congressmen and senators who plan to object to the fraudulent certification of Biden Electors on January 6, 2021, in a Joint Session of [[Congress]]:

==House<ref>Brufke, Juliegrace (December 30, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/house/532149-here-are-the-republicans-planning-to-challenge-the-electoral-college-results Here are the Republicans planning to challenge the Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved December 30, 2020.</ref>==
# Rep. [[Mo Brooks]] (R–AL)
# Rep. [[Matt Gaetz]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Lauren Boebert]] (R–CO)
# Rep. [[Paul Gosar]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. [[Madison Cawthorn]] (R–NC)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/madison-cawthorn-vows-to-contest-presidential-election-result-help-primary-gop-holdouts/ar-BB1c9A4E</ref>
# Rep. [[Jim Jordan]] (R-OH)
# Rep. [[Jody Hice]] (R–GA)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-lawmakers-are-set-to-challenge-states-electoral-college-votes-in-a-last-ditch-attempt-to-overturn-trumps-election-defeat/ar-BB1c9hgK</ref>
# Rep. [[Barry Moore]] (R–AL)<ref>https://www.al.com/news/2020/12/barry-moore-to-support-mo-brooks-in-electoral-college-challenge.html</ref>
# Rep. [[Louie Gohmert]] (R–TX)<ref>https://nationalfile.com/louie-gohmert-sues-mike-pence-demands-vice-president-not-to-accept-electoral-votes-from-contested-states/</ref>
# Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R–GA)
# Rep. Burgess Owens (R–UT)
# Rep. [[Yvette Herrell]] (R–NM)
# Rep.Ronny Jackson (R–TX)<ref>https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/congressman-elect-ronny-jackson-plans-to-challenge-joe-bidens-electoral-college-victory/</ref>
# Rep. [[Bob Good]] (R–VA)
# Rep. Jerry Carl (R–AL)
# Rep. Andrew Clyde (R–GA)
# Rep. Ted Budd (R–NC)
# Rep. Brian Babin (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Jeff Duncan]] (R–SC)
# Rep. [[Lance Gooden]] (R–TX)
# Rep. Mark Green (R–TN)
# Rep. Ralph Norman (R–SC)
# Rep. Scott Perry (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Jeff Van Drew]] (R–NJ)
# Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R–TN)<ref>Bleau, Hannah (December 31, 2020). [https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/12/31/rep-elect-diana-harshbarger-will-object-electoral-college-votes/ Rep.-Elect Diana Harshbarger Will Object to Electoral College Votes]. ''Breitbart News Network''. Retrieved December 31, 2020.</ref>
# Rep. John Joyce (R–PA)
# Rep. Fred Keller (R–PA)
# Rep. Mike Kelly (R–PA)
# Rep. Dan Meuser (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Guy Reschenthaler]] (R–PA)
# Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R–PA)
# Rep. GT Thompson (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Andy Biggs]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. [[Byron Donalds]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Elise Stefanick]] (R-NY)<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/01/04/rep-stefanik-to-object-to-certifying-electoral-college-results/</ref>
# Rep. [[Chris Stewart]] (R-UT)<ref>https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart/status/1346156714798833665</ref>

==Senate<ref>Carney, Jourdain (January 2, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532366-11-senate-republicans-say-they-will-object-to-electoral-college-results-on 11 Senate Republicans say they will oppose Electoral College results Wednesday]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 2, 2021.</ref>==
# Sen. [[Josh Hawley]] (R–MO)<ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-josh-hawley-announces-he-will-object-to-electoral-votes-on-jan-6th/</ref>
# Sen. [[Tommy Tuberville]] (R–AL)
# Sen. [[Mike Braun]] (R–IN)
# Sen. [[Ted Cruz]] (R–TX)
# Sen. [[Ron Johnson]] (R–WI)
# Sen. [[James Lankford]] (R–OK)
# Sen. [[Marsha Blackburn]] (R–TN)
# Sen. [[Steve Daines]] (R–MT)
# Sen. [[John Neely Kennedy]] (R–LA)
# Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R–WY)
# Sen. Bill Hagerty (R–TN)
# Sen. [[Roger Marshall]] (R–KS)
# Sen. [[Kelly Loeffler]] (R–GA)<ref>Carney, Jordain (January 4, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532605-loeffler-to-challenge-electoral-college-results-wednesday Loeffler to challenge Electoral College results Wednesday]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref>

==Never Trump/[[neocon]]/establishment-leaning GOP Senators==
Several [[anti-Trump]]/[[establishment]] Republican Senators have indicated their opposition to objecting to Biden Electors:

#Sen. [[Shelley Moore Capito]] (R–WV)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Tom Cotton]] (R–AR),<ref>Bolton, Alexander (January 3, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532472-cotton-breaks-with-conservative-colleagues-who-will-oppose-electoral-vote Cotton breaks with conservative colleagues who will oppose electoral vote count]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref> who is misguided by [[neocons]] and even initially opposed the nomination of [[Brett Kavanaugh]] to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]
#Sen. [[Kevin Cramer]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results">Carney, Jordain (January 4, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532618-senate-gop-opposition-grows-to-objecting-to-electoral-college-results Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref>
#Sen. [[John Hoeven]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Lisa Murkowski]] (R–AK), a [[pro-abortion]] [[RINO]] who initially opposed Trump's nomination of [[Amy Coney Barrett]] to the Supreme Court, and then flip-flopped on the issue.
#Sen. [[Mitt Romney]] (R–UT), a pro-[[immigration]] hater of Trump who was the only Republican to side with [[Dems]] in the baseless [[impeachment and removal]] attempt.
#Sen. [[Ben Sasse]] (R–NE), a [[Never Trump]]er funded by the [[Koch brothers]] network of Trump haters.
#Sen. [[Pat Toomey]] (R–PA), a [[lame duck]] senator who is retiring in 2022 rather than running for reelection,<ref>Bolton, Alexander (October 5, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/519616-toomey-announces-retirement-at-end-of-2022 Toomey announces retirement at end of 2022]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 3, 2021.</ref> and who won in 2016 based only on Trump's coattails.

== House Members Mistakenly Wanting to Defer to States even if Fraud ==

Rep. [[Tom Massie]] (R-KY)
 Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA)
 Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)
 Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO),
 Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.)
 Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.)
 Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Election Fraud}}

[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2020]]
[[Category:United States Congress]]
[[Category:Patriots|*]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment|*]]

Objectors to Biden Electors

2021-01-08T18:11:07Z

FabioZ:

In 2005, 31 [[Democrat]]s in the [[House]] and one Democrat in the Senate ([[Barbara Boxer]] from [[California]]) objected to or voted against the [[Ohio]] electors who voted for the reelection of President [[George W. Bush]].<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/electoral-college-some-republicans-plan-to-challenge-bidens-victory-heres-what-happened-when-democrats-challenged-bush/ar-BB1cgAcF</ref> In 2017, while multiple House Democrats objected to [[Vladimir Putin]] taking over U.S. elections, no Senator signed on to the [[Russia collusion hoax]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/no-trump-electoral-college-challenge-233294</ref>

If the election for president goes into the House, then pursuant to the [[Twelfth Amendment]] the voting is done on a state-by-state basis, where Republicans hold a 27-20 majority, with three state delegations evenly divided. See [[United_States_House_of_Representatives#State_Delegations_by_Party]].

Rep. Mo Brooks has stated that "dozens" of representatives may join his objections to the Biden Electors,<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/news/mo-brooks-dozens-of-house-republicans-may-object-to-electoral-college-results/</ref> and as of January some predict that more than 100 House Republicans would object. Here is the growing list of the courageous congressmen and senators who plan to object to the fraudulent certification of Biden Electors on January 6, 2021, in a Joint Session of [[Congress]]:

==House<ref>Brufke, Juliegrace (December 30, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/house/532149-here-are-the-republicans-planning-to-challenge-the-electoral-college-results Here are the Republicans planning to challenge the Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved December 30, 2020.</ref>==
# Rep. [[Mo Brooks]] (R–AL)
# Rep. [[Matt Gaetz]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Lauren Boebert]] (R–CO)
# Rep. [[Paul Gosar]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. [[Madison Cawthorn]] (R–NC)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/madison-cawthorn-vows-to-contest-presidential-election-result-help-primary-gop-holdouts/ar-BB1c9A4E</ref>
# Rep. [[Jim Jordan]] (R-OH)
# Rep. [[Jody Hice]] (R–GA)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-lawmakers-are-set-to-challenge-states-electoral-college-votes-in-a-last-ditch-attempt-to-overturn-trumps-election-defeat/ar-BB1c9hgK</ref>
# Rep. [[Barry Moore]] (R–AL)<ref>https://www.al.com/news/2020/12/barry-moore-to-support-mo-brooks-in-electoral-college-challenge.html</ref>
# Rep. [[Louie Gohmert]] (R–TX)<ref>https://nationalfile.com/louie-gohmert-sues-mike-pence-demands-vice-president-not-to-accept-electoral-votes-from-contested-states/</ref>
# Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R–GA)
# Rep. Burgess Owens (R–UT)
# Rep. [[Yvette Herrell]] (R–NM)
# Rep.Ronny Jackson (R–TX)<ref>https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/congressman-elect-ronny-jackson-plans-to-challenge-joe-bidens-electoral-college-victory/</ref>
# Rep. [[Bob Good]] (R–VA)
# Rep. Jerry Carl (R–AL)
# Rep. Andrew Clyde (R–GA)
# Rep. Ted Budd (R–NC)
# Rep. Brian Babin (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Jeff Duncan]] (R–SC)
# Rep. [[Lance Gooden]] (R–TX)
# Rep. Mark Green (R–TN)
# Rep. Ralph Norman (R–SC)
# Rep. Scott Perry (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Jeff Van Drew]] (R–NJ)
# Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R–TN)<ref>Bleau, Hannah (December 31, 2020). [https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/12/31/rep-elect-diana-harshbarger-will-object-electoral-college-votes/ Rep.-Elect Diana Harshbarger Will Object to Electoral College Votes]. ''Breitbart News Network''. Retrieved December 31, 2020.</ref>
# Rep. John Joyce (R–PA)
# Rep. Fred Keller (R–PA)
# Rep. Mike Kelly (R–PA)
# Rep. Dan Meuser (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Guy Reschenthaler]] (R–PA)
# Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R–PA)
# Rep. GT Thompson (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Andy Biggs]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. [[Byron Donalds]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Elise Stefanick]] (R-NY)<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/01/04/rep-stefanik-to-object-to-certifying-electoral-college-results/</ref>
# Rep. [[Chris Stewart]] (R-UT)<ref>https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart/status/1346156714798833665</ref>

==Senate<ref>Carney, Jourdain (January 2, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532366-11-senate-republicans-say-they-will-object-to-electoral-college-results-on 11 Senate Republicans say they will oppose Electoral College results Wednesday]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 2, 2021.</ref>==
# Sen. [[Marsha Blackburn]] (R–TN)
# Sen. [[Mike Braun]] (R–IN)
# Sen. [[Ted Cruz]] (R–TX)
# Sen. [[Steve Daines]] (R–MT)
# Sen. Bill Hagerty (R–TN)
# Sen. [[Josh Hawley]] (R–MO)<ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-josh-hawley-announces-he-will-object-to-electoral-votes-on-jan-6th/</ref>
# Sen. [[Ron Johnson]] (R–WI)
# Sen. [[John Neely Kennedy]] (R–LA)
# Sen. [[James Lankford]] (R–OK)
# Sen. [[Kelly Loeffler]] (R–GA)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carney |first1=Jordain |title=Loeffler to challenge Electoral College results Wednesday |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532605-loeffler-to-challenge-electoral-college-results-wednesday |website=The Hill |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref>
# Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R–WY)
# Sen. [[Roger Marshall]] (R–KS)
# Sen. [[Tommy Tuberville]] (R–AL)

==Never Trump/[[neocon]]/establishment-leaning GOP Senators==
Several [[anti-Trump]]/[[establishment]] Republican Senators have indicated their opposition to objecting to Biden Electors:

#Sen. [[Shelley Moore Capito]] (R–WV)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Tom Cotton]] (R–AR),<ref>Bolton, Alexander (January 3, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532472-cotton-breaks-with-conservative-colleagues-who-will-oppose-electoral-vote Cotton breaks with conservative colleagues who will oppose electoral vote count]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref> who is misguided by [[neocons]] and even initially opposed the nomination of [[Brett Kavanaugh]] to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]
#Sen. [[Kevin Cramer]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results">Carney, Jordain (January 4, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532618-senate-gop-opposition-grows-to-objecting-to-electoral-college-results Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref>
#Sen. [[John Hoeven]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Lisa Murkowski]] (R–AK), a [[pro-abortion]] [[RINO]] who initially opposed Trump's nomination of [[Amy Coney Barrett]] to the Supreme Court, and then flip-flopped on the issue.
#Sen. [[Mitt Romney]] (R–UT), a pro-[[immigration]] hater of Trump who was the only Republican to side with [[Dems]] in the baseless [[impeachment and removal]] attempt.
#Sen. [[Ben Sasse]] (R–NE), a [[Never Trump]]er funded by the [[Koch brothers]] network of Trump haters.
#Sen. [[Pat Toomey]] (R–PA), a [[lame duck]] senator who is retiring in 2022 rather than running for reelection,<ref>Bolton, Alexander (October 5, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/519616-toomey-announces-retirement-at-end-of-2022 Toomey announces retirement at end of 2022]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 3, 2021.</ref> and who won in 2016 based only on Trump's coattails.

== House Members Mistakenly Wanting to Defer to States even if Fraud ==

Rep. [[Tom Massie]] (R-KY)
 Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA)
 Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)
 Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO),
 Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.)
 Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.)
 Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Election Fraud}}

[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2020]]
[[Category:United States Congress]]
[[Category:Patriots|*]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment|*]]

Objectors to Biden Electors

2021-01-08T18:10:57Z

FabioZ:

In 2005, 31 [[Democrat]]s in the [[House]] and one Democrat in the Senate ([[Barbara Boxer]] from [[California]]) objected to or voted against the [[Ohio]] electors who voted for the reelection of President [[George W. Bush]].<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/electoral-college-some-republicans-plan-to-challenge-bidens-victory-heres-what-happened-when-democrats-challenged-bush/ar-BB1cgAcF</ref> In 2017, while multiple House Democrats objected to [[Vladimir Putin]] taking over U.S. elections, no Senator signed on to the [[Russia collusion hoax]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/no-trump-electoral-college-challenge-233294</ref>

If the election for president goes into the House, then pursuant to the [[Twelfth Amendment]] the voting is done on a state-by-state basis, where Republicans hold a 27-20 majority, with three state delegations evenly divided. See [[United_States_House_of_Representatives#State_Delegations_by_Party]].

Rep. Mo Brooks has stated that "dozens" of representatives may join his objections to the Biden Electors,<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/news/mo-brooks-dozens-of-house-republicans-may-object-to-electoral-college-results/</ref> and as of January some predict that more than 100 House Republicans would object. Here is the growing list of the courageous congressmen and senators who plan to object to the fraudulent certification of Biden Electors on January 6, 2021, in a Joint Session of [[Congress]]:

==House<ref>Brufke, Juliegrace (December 30, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/house/532149-here-are-the-republicans-planning-to-challenge-the-electoral-college-results Here are the Republicans planning to challenge the Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved December 30, 2020.</ref>==
# Rep. [[Mo Brooks]] (R–AL)
# Rep. [[Matt Gaetz]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Lauren Boebert]] (R–CO)
# Rep. [[Paul Gosar]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. [[Madison Cawthorn]] (R–NC)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/madison-cawthorn-vows-to-contest-presidential-election-result-help-primary-gop-holdouts/ar-BB1c9A4E</ref>
# Rep. [[Jim Jordan]] (R-OH)
# Rep. [[Jody Hice]] (R–GA)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-lawmakers-are-set-to-challenge-states-electoral-college-votes-in-a-last-ditch-attempt-to-overturn-trumps-election-defeat/ar-BB1c9hgK</ref>
# Rep. [[Barry Moore]] (R–AL)<ref>https://www.al.com/news/2020/12/barry-moore-to-support-mo-brooks-in-electoral-college-challenge.html</ref>
# Rep. [[Louie Gohmert]] (R–TX)<ref>https://nationalfile.com/louie-gohmert-sues-mike-pence-demands-vice-president-not-to-accept-electoral-votes-from-contested-states/</ref>
# Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R–GA)
# Rep. Burgess Owens (R–UT)
# Rep. [[Yvette Herrell]] (R–NM)
# Rep. Ronny Jackson (R–TX)<ref>https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/congressman-elect-ronny-jackson-plans-to-challenge-joe-bidens-electoral-college-victory/</ref>
# Rep. [[Bob Good]] (R–VA)
# Rep. Jerry Carl (R–AL)
# Rep. Andrew Clyde (R–GA)
# Rep. Ted Budd (R–NC)
# Rep. Brian Babin (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Jeff Duncan]] (R–SC)
# Rep. [[Lance Gooden]] (R–TX)
# Rep. Mark Green (R–TN)
# Rep. Ralph Norman (R–SC)
# Rep. Scott Perry (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Jeff Van Drew]] (R–NJ)
# Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R–TN)<ref>Bleau, Hannah (December 31, 2020). [https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/12/31/rep-elect-diana-harshbarger-will-object-electoral-college-votes/ Rep.-Elect Diana Harshbarger Will Object to Electoral College Votes]. ''Breitbart News Network''. Retrieved December 31, 2020.</ref>
# Rep. John Joyce (R–PA)
# Rep. Fred Keller (R–PA)
# Rep. Mike Kelly (R–PA)
# Rep. Dan Meuser (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Guy Reschenthaler]] (R–PA)
# Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R–PA)
# Rep. GT Thompson (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Andy Biggs]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. [[Byron Donalds]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Elise Stefanick]] (R-NY)<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/01/04/rep-stefanik-to-object-to-certifying-electoral-college-results/</ref>
# Rep. [[Chris Stewart]] (R-UT)<ref>https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart/status/1346156714798833665</ref>

==Senate<ref>Carney, Jourdain (January 2, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532366-11-senate-republicans-say-they-will-object-to-electoral-college-results-on 11 Senate Republicans say they will oppose Electoral College results Wednesday]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 2, 2021.</ref>==
# Sen. [[Marsha Blackburn]] (R–TN)
# Sen. [[Mike Braun]] (R–IN)
# Sen. [[Ted Cruz]] (R–TX)
# Sen. [[Steve Daines]] (R–MT)
# Sen. Bill Hagerty (R–TN)
# Sen. [[Josh Hawley]] (R–MO)<ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-josh-hawley-announces-he-will-object-to-electoral-votes-on-jan-6th/</ref>
# Sen. [[Ron Johnson]] (R–WI)
# Sen. [[John Neely Kennedy]] (R–LA)
# Sen. [[James Lankford]] (R–OK)
# Sen. [[Kelly Loeffler]] (R–GA)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carney |first1=Jordain |title=Loeffler to challenge Electoral College results Wednesday |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532605-loeffler-to-challenge-electoral-college-results-wednesday |website=The Hill |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref>
# Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R–WY)
# Sen. [[Roger Marshall]] (R–KS)
# Sen. [[Tommy Tuberville]] (R–AL)

==Never Trump/[[neocon]]/establishment-leaning GOP Senators==
Several [[anti-Trump]]/[[establishment]] Republican Senators have indicated their opposition to objecting to Biden Electors:

#Sen. [[Shelley Moore Capito]] (R–WV)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Tom Cotton]] (R–AR),<ref>Bolton, Alexander (January 3, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532472-cotton-breaks-with-conservative-colleagues-who-will-oppose-electoral-vote Cotton breaks with conservative colleagues who will oppose electoral vote count]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref> who is misguided by [[neocons]] and even initially opposed the nomination of [[Brett Kavanaugh]] to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]
#Sen. [[Kevin Cramer]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results">Carney, Jordain (January 4, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532618-senate-gop-opposition-grows-to-objecting-to-electoral-college-results Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref>
#Sen. [[John Hoeven]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Lisa Murkowski]] (R–AK), a [[pro-abortion]] [[RINO]] who initially opposed Trump's nomination of [[Amy Coney Barrett]] to the Supreme Court, and then flip-flopped on the issue.
#Sen. [[Mitt Romney]] (R–UT), a pro-[[immigration]] hater of Trump who was the only Republican to side with [[Dems]] in the baseless [[impeachment and removal]] attempt.
#Sen. [[Ben Sasse]] (R–NE), a [[Never Trump]]er funded by the [[Koch brothers]] network of Trump haters.
#Sen. [[Pat Toomey]] (R–PA), a [[lame duck]] senator who is retiring in 2022 rather than running for reelection,<ref>Bolton, Alexander (October 5, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/519616-toomey-announces-retirement-at-end-of-2022 Toomey announces retirement at end of 2022]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 3, 2021.</ref> and who won in 2016 based only on Trump's coattails.

== House Members Mistakenly Wanting to Defer to States even if Fraud ==

Rep. [[Tom Massie]] (R-KY)
 Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA)
 Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)
 Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO),
 Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.)
 Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.)
 Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Election Fraud}}

[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2020]]
[[Category:United States Congress]]
[[Category:Patriots|*]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment|*]]

Objectors to Biden Electors

2021-01-08T18:10:25Z

FabioZ:

In 2005, 31 [[Democrat]]s in the [[House]] and one Democrat in the Senate ([[Barbara Boxer]] from [[California]]) objected to or voted against the [[Ohio]] electors who voted for the reelection of President [[George W. Bush]].<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/electoral-college-some-republicans-plan-to-challenge-bidens-victory-heres-what-happened-when-democrats-challenged-bush/ar-BB1cgAcF</ref> In 2017, while multiple House Democrats objected to [[Vladimir Putin]] taking over U.S. elections, no Senator signed on to the [[Russia collusion hoax]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/no-trump-electoral-college-challenge-233294</ref>

If the election for president goes into the House, then pursuant to the [[Twelfth Amendment]] the voting is done on a state-by-state basis, where Republicans hold a 27-20 majority, with three state delegations evenly divided. See [[United_States_House_of_Representatives#State_Delegations_by_Party]].

Rep. Mo Brooks has stated that "dozens" of representatives may join his objections to the Biden Electors,<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/news/mo-brooks-dozens-of-house-republicans-may-object-to-electoral-college-results/</ref> and as of January some predict that more than 100 House Republicans would object. Here is the growing list of the courageous congressmen and senators who plan to object to the fraudulent certification of Biden Electors on January 6, 2021, in a Joint Session of [[Congress]]:

==House<ref>Brufke, Juliegrace (December 30, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/house/532149-here-are-the-republicans-planning-to-challenge-the-electoral-college-results Here are the Republicans planning to challenge the Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved December 30, 2020.</ref>==
# Rep. Brian Babin (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Andy Biggs]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. [[Lauren Boebert]] (R–CO)
# Rep. [[Mo Brooks]] (R–AL)
# Rep. Ted Budd (R–NC)
# Rep. Jerry Carl (R–AL)
# Rep. [[Madison Cawthorn]] (R–NC)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/madison-cawthorn-vows-to-contest-presidential-election-result-help-primary-gop-holdouts/ar-BB1c9A4E</ref>
# Rep. Andrew Clyde (R–GA)
# Rep. [[Byron Donalds]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Jeff Duncan]] (R–SC)
# Rep. [[Matt Gaetz]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Louie Gohmert]] (R–TX)<ref>https://nationalfile.com/louie-gohmert-sues-mike-pence-demands-vice-president-not-to-accept-electoral-votes-from-contested-states/</ref>
# Rep. [[Bob Good]] (R–VA)
# Rep. [[Lance Gooden]] (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Paul Gosar]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. Mark Green (R–TN)
# Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R–GA)
# Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R–TN)<ref>Bleau, Hannah (December 31, 2020). [https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/12/31/rep-elect-diana-harshbarger-will-object-electoral-college-votes/ Rep.-Elect Diana Harshbarger Will Object to Electoral College Votes]. ''Breitbart News Network''. Retrieved December 31, 2020.</ref>
# Rep. [[Yvette Herrell]] (R–NM)
# Rep. [[Jody Hice]] (R–GA)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-lawmakers-are-set-to-challenge-states-electoral-college-votes-in-a-last-ditch-attempt-to-overturn-trumps-election-defeat/ar-BB1c9hgK</ref>
# Rep. Ronny Jackson (R–TX)<ref>https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/congressman-elect-ronny-jackson-plans-to-challenge-joe-bidens-electoral-college-victory/</ref>
# Rep. [[Jim Jordan]] (R-OH)
# Rep. John Joyce (R–PA)
# Rep. Fred Keller (R–PA)
# Rep. Mike Kelly (R–PA)
# Rep. Dan Meuser (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Barry Moore]] (R–AL)<ref>https://www.al.com/news/2020/12/barry-moore-to-support-mo-brooks-in-electoral-college-challenge.html</ref>
# Rep. Ralph Norman (R–SC)
# Rep. Burgess Owens (R–UT)
# Rep. Scott Perry (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Guy Reschenthaler]] (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Elise Stefanick]] (R-NY)<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/01/04/rep-stefanik-to-object-to-certifying-electoral-college-results/</ref>
# Rep. [[Chris Stewart]] (R-UT)<ref>https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart/status/1346156714798833665</ref>
# Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R–PA)
# Rep. GT Thompson (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Jeff Van Drew]] (R–NJ)

==Senate<ref>Carney, Jourdain (January 2, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532366-11-senate-republicans-say-they-will-object-to-electoral-college-results-on 11 Senate Republicans say they will oppose Electoral College results Wednesday]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 2, 2021.</ref>==
# Sen. [[Marsha Blackburn]] (R–TN)
# Sen. [[Mike Braun]] (R–IN)
# Sen. [[Ted Cruz]] (R–TX)
# Sen. [[Steve Daines]] (R–MT)
# Sen. Bill Hagerty (R–TN)
# Sen. [[Josh Hawley]] (R–MO)<ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-josh-hawley-announces-he-will-object-to-electoral-votes-on-jan-6th/</ref>
# Sen. [[Ron Johnson]] (R–WI)
# Sen. [[John Neely Kennedy]] (R–LA)
# Sen. [[James Lankford]] (R–OK)
# Sen. [[Kelly Loeffler]] (R–GA)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carney |first1=Jordain |title=Loeffler to challenge Electoral College results Wednesday |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532605-loeffler-to-challenge-electoral-college-results-wednesday |website=The Hill |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref>
# Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R–WY)
# Sen. [[Roger Marshall]] (R–KS)
# Sen. [[Tommy Tuberville]] (R–AL)

==Never Trump/[[neocon]]/establishment-leaning GOP Senators==
Several [[anti-Trump]]/[[establishment]] Republican Senators have indicated their opposition to objecting to Biden Electors:

#Sen. [[Shelley Moore Capito]] (R–WV)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Tom Cotton]] (R–AR),<ref>Bolton, Alexander (January 3, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532472-cotton-breaks-with-conservative-colleagues-who-will-oppose-electoral-vote Cotton breaks with conservative colleagues who will oppose electoral vote count]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref> who is misguided by [[neocons]] and even initially opposed the nomination of [[Brett Kavanaugh]] to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]
#Sen. [[Kevin Cramer]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results">Carney, Jordain (January 4, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532618-senate-gop-opposition-grows-to-objecting-to-electoral-college-results Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref>
#Sen. [[John Hoeven]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Lisa Murkowski]] (R–AK), a [[pro-abortion]] [[RINO]] who initially opposed Trump's nomination of [[Amy Coney Barrett]] to the Supreme Court, and then flip-flopped on the issue.
#Sen. [[Mitt Romney]] (R–UT), a pro-[[immigration]] hater of Trump who was the only Republican to side with [[Dems]] in the baseless [[impeachment and removal]] attempt.
#Sen. [[Ben Sasse]] (R–NE), a [[Never Trump]]er funded by the [[Koch brothers]] network of Trump haters.
#Sen. [[Pat Toomey]] (R–PA), a [[lame duck]] senator who is retiring in 2022 rather than running for reelection,<ref>Bolton, Alexander (October 5, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/519616-toomey-announces-retirement-at-end-of-2022 Toomey announces retirement at end of 2022]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 3, 2021.</ref> and who won in 2016 based only on Trump's coattails.

== House Members Mistakenly Wanting to Defer to States even if Fraud ==

Rep. [[Tom Massie]] (R-KY)
 Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA)
 Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)
 Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO),
 Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.)
 Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.)
 Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Election Fraud}}

[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2020]]
[[Category:United States Congress]]
[[Category:Patriots|*]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment|*]]

Objectors to Biden Electors

2021-01-08T18:09:55Z

FabioZ:

In 2005, 31 [[Democrat]]s in the [[House]] and one Democrat in the Senate ([[Barbara Boxer]] from [[California]]) objected to or voted against the [[Ohio]] electors who voted for the reelection of President [[George W. Bush]].<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/electoral-college-some-republicans-plan-to-challenge-bidens-victory-heres-what-happened-when-democrats-challenged-bush/ar-BB1cgAcF</ref> In 2017, while multiple House Democrats objected to [[Vladimir Putin]] taking over U.S. elections, no Senator signed on to the [[Russia collusion hoax]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/no-trump-electoral-college-challenge-233294</ref>

If the election for president goes into the House, then pursuant to the [[Twelfth Amendment]] the voting is done on a state-by-state basis, where Republicans hold a 27-20 majority, with three state delegations evenly divided. See [[United_States_House_of_Representatives#State_Delegations_by_Party]].

Rep. Mo Brooks has stated that "dozens" of representatives may join his objections to the Biden Electors,<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/news/mo-brooks-dozens-of-house-republicans-may-object-to-electoral-college-results/</ref> and as of January some predict that more than 100 House Republicans would object. Here is the growing list of the courageous congressmen and senators who plan to object to the fraudulent certification of Biden Electors on January 6, 2021, in a Joint Session of [[Congress]]:

==House<ref>Brufke, Juliegrace (December 30, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/house/532149-here-are-the-republicans-planning-to-challenge-the-electoral-college-results Here are the Republicans planning to challenge the Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved December 30, 2020.</ref>==
# Rep. Brian Babin (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Andy Biggs]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. [[Lauren Boebert]] (R–CO)
# Rep. [[Mo Brooks]] (R–AL)
# Rep. Ted Budd (R–NC)
# Rep. Jerry Carl (R–AL)
# Rep. [[Madison Cawthorn]] (R–NC)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/madison-cawthorn-vows-to-contest-presidential-election-result-help-primary-gop-holdouts/ar-BB1c9A4E</ref>
# Rep. Andrew Clyde (R–GA)
# Rep. [[Byron Donalds]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Jeff Duncan]] (R–SC)
# Rep. [[Matt Gaetz]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Louie Gohmert]] (R–TX)<ref>https://nationalfile.com/louie-gohmert-sues-mike-pence-demands-vice-president-not-to-accept-electoral-votes-from-contested-states/</ref>
# Rep. [[Bob Good]] (R–VA)
# Rep. [[Lance Gooden]] (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Paul Gosar]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. Mark Green (R–TN)
# Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R–GA)
# Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R–TN)<ref>Bleau, Hannah (December 31, 2020). [https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/12/31/rep-elect-diana-harshbarger-will-object-electoral-college-votes/ Rep.-Elect Diana Harshbarger Will Object to Electoral College Votes]. ''Breitbart News Network''. Retrieved December 31, 2020.</ref>
# Rep. [[Yvette Herrell]] (R–NM)
# Rep. [[Jody Hice]] (R–GA)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-lawmakers-are-set-to-challenge-states-electoral-college-votes-in-a-last-ditch-attempt-to-overturn-trumps-election-defeat/ar-BB1c9hgK</ref>
# Rep. Ronny Jackson (R–TX)<ref>https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/congressman-elect-ronny-jackson-plans-to-challenge-joe-bidens-electoral-college-victory/</ref>
# Rep. [[Jim Jordan]] (R-OH)
# Rep. John Joyce (R–PA)
# Rep. Fred Keller (R–PA)
# Rep. Mike Kelly (R–PA)
# Rep. Dan Meuser (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Barry Moore]] (R–AL)<ref>https://www.al.com/news/2020/12/barry-moore-to-support-mo-brooks-in-electoral-college-challenge.html</ref>
# Rep. Ralph Norman (R–SC)
# Rep. Burgess Owens (R–UT)
# Rep. Scott Perry (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Guy Reschenthaler]] (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Elise Stefanick]] (R-NY)<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/01/04/rep-stefanik-to-object-to-certifying-electoral-college-results/</ref>
# Rep. [[Chris Stewart]] (R-UT)<ref>https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart/status/1346156714798833665</ref>
# Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R–PA)
# Rep. GT Thompson (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Jeff Van Drew]] (R–NJ)

==Senate<ref>Carney, Jourdain (January 2, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532366-11-senate-republicans-say-they-will-object-to-electoral-college-results-on 11 Senate Republicans say they will oppose Electoral College results Wednesday]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 2, 2021.</ref>==
# Sen. [[Marsha Blackburn]] (R–TN)
# Sen. [[Mike Braun]] (R–IN)
# Sen. [[Ted Cruz]] (R–TX)
# Sen. [[Steve Daines]] (R–MT)
# Sen. Bill Hagerty (R–TN)
# Sen. [[Josh Hawley]] (R–MO)<ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-josh-hawley-announces-he-will-object-to-electoral-votes-on-jan-6th/</ref>
# Sen. [[Ron Johnson]] (R–WI)
# Sen. [[John Neely Kennedy]] (R–LA)
# Sen. [[James Lankford]] (R–OK)
# Sen. [[Kelly Loeffler]] (R–GA)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carney |first1=Jordain |title=Loeffler to challenge Electoral College results Wednesday |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532605-loeffler-to-challenge-electoral-college-results-wednesday |website=The Hill |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref>
# Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R–WY)
# Sen. [[Roger Marshall]] (R–KS)
# Sen. [[Tommy Tuberville]] (R–AL)

==Never Trump/[[neocon]]/establishment-leaning GOP Senators==
Several [[anti-Trump]]/[[establishment]] Republican Senators have indicated their opposition to objecting to Biden Electors:

#Sen. [[Shelley Moore Capito]] (R–WV)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Tom Cotton]] (R–AR),<ref>Bolton, Alexander (January 3, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532472-cotton-breaks-with-conservative-colleagues-who-will-oppose-electoral-vote Cotton breaks with conservative colleagues who will oppose electoral vote count]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref> who is misguided by [[neocons]] and even initially opposed the nomination of [[Brett Kavanaugh]] to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]
#Sen. [[Kevin Cramer]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results">Carney, Jordain (January 4, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532618-senate-gop-opposition-grows-to-objecting-to-electoral-college-results Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref>
#Sen. [[John Hoeven]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Lisa Murkowski]] (R–AK), a [[pro-abortion]] [[RINO]] who initially opposed Trump's nomination of [[Amy Coney Barrett]] to the Supreme Court, and then flip-flopped on the issue.
#Sen. [[Mitt Romney]] (R–UT), a pro-[[immigration]] hater of Trump who was the only Republican to side with [[Dems]] in the baseless [[impeachment and removal]] attempt.
#Sen. [[Ben Sasse]] (R–NE), a [[Never Trump]]er funded by the [[Koch brothers]] network of Trump haters.
#Sen. [[Pat Toomey]] (R–PA), a [[lame duck]] senator who is retiring in 2022 rather than running for reelection,<ref>Bolton, Alexander (October 5, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/519616-toomey-announces-retirement-at-end-of-2022 Toomey announces retirement at end of 2022]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 3, 2021.</ref> and who won in 2016 based only on Trump's coattails.

== House Members Mistakenly Wanting to Defer to States even if Fraud ==

*Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.)
*Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO),
*Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.)
*Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).
*Rep. Tom Massie (R-KY)
*Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA)
*Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Election Fraud}}

[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2020]]
[[Category:United States Congress]]
[[Category:Patriots|*]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment|*]]

Objectors to Biden Electors

2021-01-08T18:09:16Z

FabioZ:

In 2005, 31 [[Democrat]]s in the [[House]] and one Democrat in the Senate ([[Barbara Boxer]] from [[California]]) objected to or voted against the [[Ohio]] electors who voted for the reelection of President [[George W. Bush]].<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/electoral-college-some-republicans-plan-to-challenge-bidens-victory-heres-what-happened-when-democrats-challenged-bush/ar-BB1cgAcF</ref> In 2017, while multiple House Democrats objected to [[Vladimir Putin]] taking over U.S. elections, no Senator signed on to the [[Russia collusion hoax]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/no-trump-electoral-college-challenge-233294</ref>

If the election for president goes into the House, then pursuant to the [[Twelfth Amendment]] the voting is done on a state-by-state basis, where Republicans hold a 27-20 majority, with three state delegations evenly divided. See [[United_States_House_of_Representatives#State_Delegations_by_Party]].

Rep. Mo Brooks has stated that "dozens" of representatives may join his objections to the Biden Electors,<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/news/mo-brooks-dozens-of-house-republicans-may-object-to-electoral-college-results/</ref> and as of January some predict that more than 100 House Republicans would object. Here is the growing list of the courageous congressmen and senators who plan to object to the fraudulent certification of Biden Electors on January 6, 2021, in a Joint Session of [[Congress]]:

==House<ref>Brufke, Juliegrace (December 30, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/house/532149-here-are-the-republicans-planning-to-challenge-the-electoral-college-results Here are the Republicans planning to challenge the Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved December 30, 2020.</ref>==
# Rep. Brian Babin (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Andy Biggs]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. [[Lauren Boebert]] (R–CO)
# Rep. [[Mo Brooks]] (R–AL)
# Rep. Ted Budd (R–NC)
# Rep. Jerry Carl (R–AL)
# Rep. [[Madison Cawthorn]] (R–NC)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/madison-cawthorn-vows-to-contest-presidential-election-result-help-primary-gop-holdouts/ar-BB1c9A4E</ref>
# Rep. Andrew Clyde (R–GA)
# Rep. [[Byron Donalds]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Jeff Duncan]] (R–SC)
# Rep. [[Matt Gaetz]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Louie Gohmert]] (R–TX)<ref>https://nationalfile.com/louie-gohmert-sues-mike-pence-demands-vice-president-not-to-accept-electoral-votes-from-contested-states/</ref>
# Rep. [[Bob Good]] (R–VA)
# Rep. [[Lance Gooden]] (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Paul Gosar]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. Mark Green (R–TN)
# Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R–GA)
# Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R–TN)<ref>Bleau, Hannah (December 31, 2020). [https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/12/31/rep-elect-diana-harshbarger-will-object-electoral-college-votes/ Rep.-Elect Diana Harshbarger Will Object to Electoral College Votes]. ''Breitbart News Network''. Retrieved December 31, 2020.</ref>
# Rep. [[Yvette Herrell]] (R–NM)
# Rep. [[Jody Hice]] (R–GA)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-lawmakers-are-set-to-challenge-states-electoral-college-votes-in-a-last-ditch-attempt-to-overturn-trumps-election-defeat/ar-BB1c9hgK</ref>
# Rep. Ronny Jackson (R–TX)<ref>https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/congressman-elect-ronny-jackson-plans-to-challenge-joe-bidens-electoral-college-victory/</ref>
# Rep. [[Jim Jordan]] (R-OH)
# Rep. John Joyce (R–PA)
# Rep. Fred Keller (R–PA)
# Rep. Mike Kelly (R–PA)
# Rep. Dan Meuser (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Barry Moore]] (R–AL)<ref>https://www.al.com/news/2020/12/barry-moore-to-support-mo-brooks-in-electoral-college-challenge.html</ref>
# Rep. Ralph Norman (R–SC)
# Rep. Burgess Owens (R–UT)
# Rep. Scott Perry (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Guy Reschenthaler]] (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Elise Stefanick]] (R-NY)<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/01/04/rep-stefanik-to-object-to-certifying-electoral-college-results/</ref>
# Rep. [[Chris Stewart]] (R-UT)<ref>https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart/status/1346156714798833665</ref>
# Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R–PA)
# Rep. GT Thompson (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Jeff Van Drew]] (R–NJ)

==Senate<ref>Carney, Jourdain (January 2, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532366-11-senate-republicans-say-they-will-object-to-electoral-college-results-on 11 Senate Republicans say they will oppose Electoral College results Wednesday]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 2, 2021.</ref>==
# Sen. [[Marsha Blackburn]] (R–TN)
# Sen. [[Mike Braun]] (R–IN)
# Sen. [[Ted Cruz]] (R–TX)
# Sen. [[Steve Daines]] (R–MT)
# Sen. Bill Hagerty (R–TN)
# Sen. [[Josh Hawley]] (R–MO)<ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-josh-hawley-announces-he-will-object-to-electoral-votes-on-jan-6th/</ref>
# Sen. [[Ron Johnson]] (R–WI)
# Sen. [[John Neely Kennedy]] (R–LA)
# Sen. [[James Lankford]] (R–OK)
# Sen. [[Kelly Loeffler]] (R–GA)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carney |first1=Jordain |title=Loeffler to challenge Electoral College results Wednesday |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532605-loeffler-to-challenge-electoral-college-results-wednesday |website=The Hill |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref>
# Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R–WY)
# Sen. [[Roger Marshall]] (R–KS)
# Sen. [[Tommy Tuberville]] (R–AL)

==Never Trump/[[neocon]]/establishment-leaning GOP Senators==
Several [[anti-Trump]]/[[establishment]] Republican Senators have indicated their opposition to objecting to Biden Electors:

#Sen. [[Shelley Moore Capito]] (R–WV)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Tom Cotton]] (R–AR),<ref>Bolton, Alexander (January 3, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532472-cotton-breaks-with-conservative-colleagues-who-will-oppose-electoral-vote Cotton breaks with conservative colleagues who will oppose electoral vote count]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref> who is misguided by [[neocons]] and even initially opposed the nomination of [[Brett Kavanaugh]] to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]
#Sen. [[Kevin Cramer]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results">Carney, Jordain (January 4, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532618-senate-gop-opposition-grows-to-objecting-to-electoral-college-results Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref>
#Sen. [[John Hoeven]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Lisa Murkowski]] (R–AK), a [[pro-abortion]] [[RINO]] who initially opposed Trump's nomination of [[Amy Coney Barrett]] to the Supreme Court, and then flip-flopped on the issue.
#Sen. [[Mitt Romney]] (R–UT), a pro-[[immigration]] hater of Trump who was the only Republican to side with [[Dems]] in the baseless [[impeachment and removal]] attempt.
#Sen. [[Ben Sasse]] (R–NE), a [[Never Trump]]er funded by the [[Koch brothers]] network of Trump haters.
#Sen. [[Pat Toomey]] (R–PA), a [[lame duck]] senator who is retiring in 2022 rather than running for reelection,<ref>Bolton, Alexander (October 5, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/519616-toomey-announces-retirement-at-end-of-2022 Toomey announces retirement at end of 2022]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 3, 2021.</ref> and who won in 2016 based only on Trump's coattails.

== House Members Mistakenly Wanting to Defer to States even if Fraud ==

#Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.)
#Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO),
#Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.)
#Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).
#Rep. Tom Massie (R-KY)
#Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA)
#Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Election Fraud}}

[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2020]]
[[Category:United States Congress]]
[[Category:Patriots|*]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment|*]]

Objectors to Biden Electors

2021-01-08T18:08:58Z

FabioZ:

In 2005, 31 [[Democrat]]s in the [[House]] and one Democrat in the Senate ([[Barbara Boxer]] from [[California]]) objected to or voted against the [[Ohio]] electors who voted for the reelection of President [[George W. Bush]].<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/electoral-college-some-republicans-plan-to-challenge-bidens-victory-heres-what-happened-when-democrats-challenged-bush/ar-BB1cgAcF</ref> In 2017, while multiple House Democrats objected to [[Vladimir Putin]] taking over U.S. elections, no Senator signed on to the [[Russia collusion hoax]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/no-trump-electoral-college-challenge-233294</ref>

If the election for president goes into the House, then pursuant to the [[Twelfth Amendment]] the voting is done on a state-by-state basis, where Republicans hold a 27-20 majority, with three state delegations evenly divided. See [[United_States_House_of_Representatives#State_Delegations_by_Party]].

Rep. Mo Brooks has stated that "dozens" of representatives may join his objections to the Biden Electors,<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/news/mo-brooks-dozens-of-house-republicans-may-object-to-electoral-college-results/</ref> and as of January some predict that more than 100 House Republicans would object. Here is the growing list of the courageous congressmen and senators who plan to object to the fraudulent certification of Biden Electors on January 6, 2021, in a Joint Session of [[Congress]]:

==House<ref>Brufke, Juliegrace (December 30, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/house/532149-here-are-the-republicans-planning-to-challenge-the-electoral-college-results Here are the Republicans planning to challenge the Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved December 30, 2020.</ref>==
# Rep. Brian Babin (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Andy Biggs]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. [[Lauren Boebert]] (R–CO)
# Rep. [[Mo Brooks]] (R–AL)
# Rep. Ted Budd (R–NC)
# Rep. Jerry Carl (R–AL)
# Rep. [[Madison Cawthorn]] (R–NC)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/madison-cawthorn-vows-to-contest-presidential-election-result-help-primary-gop-holdouts/ar-BB1c9A4E</ref>
# Rep. Andrew Clyde (R–GA)
# Rep. [[Byron Donalds]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Jeff Duncan]] (R–SC)
# Rep. [[Matt Gaetz]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Louie Gohmert]] (R–TX)<ref>https://nationalfile.com/louie-gohmert-sues-mike-pence-demands-vice-president-not-to-accept-electoral-votes-from-contested-states/</ref>
# Rep. [[Bob Good]] (R–VA)
# Rep. [[Lance Gooden]] (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Paul Gosar]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. Mark Green (R–TN)
# Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R–GA)
# Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R–TN)<ref>Bleau, Hannah (December 31, 2020). [https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/12/31/rep-elect-diana-harshbarger-will-object-electoral-college-votes/ Rep.-Elect Diana Harshbarger Will Object to Electoral College Votes]. ''Breitbart News Network''. Retrieved December 31, 2020.</ref>
# Rep. [[Yvette Herrell]] (R–NM)
# Rep. [[Jody Hice]] (R–GA)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-lawmakers-are-set-to-challenge-states-electoral-college-votes-in-a-last-ditch-attempt-to-overturn-trumps-election-defeat/ar-BB1c9hgK</ref>
# Rep. Ronny Jackson (R–TX)<ref>https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/congressman-elect-ronny-jackson-plans-to-challenge-joe-bidens-electoral-college-victory/</ref>
# Rep. [[Jim Jordan]] (R-OH)
# Rep. John Joyce (R–PA)
# Rep. Fred Keller (R–PA)
# Rep. Mike Kelly (R–PA)
# Rep. Dan Meuser (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Barry Moore]] (R–AL)<ref>https://www.al.com/news/2020/12/barry-moore-to-support-mo-brooks-in-electoral-college-challenge.html</ref>
# Rep. Ralph Norman (R–SC)
# Rep. Burgess Owens (R–UT)
# Rep. Scott Perry (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Guy Reschenthaler]] (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Elise Stefanick]] (R-NY)<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/01/04/rep-stefanik-to-object-to-certifying-electoral-college-results/</ref>
# Rep. [[Chris Stewart]] (R-UT)<ref>https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart/status/1346156714798833665</ref>
# Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R–PA)
# Rep. GT Thompson (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Jeff Van Drew]] (R–NJ)

==Senate<ref>Carney, Jourdain (January 2, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532366-11-senate-republicans-say-they-will-object-to-electoral-college-results-on 11 Senate Republicans say they will oppose Electoral College results Wednesday]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 2, 2021.</ref>==
# Sen. [[Marsha Blackburn]] (R–TN) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. [[Mike Braun]] (R–IN) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. [[Ted Cruz]] (R–TX)
# Sen. [[Steve Daines]] (R–MT) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. Bill Hagerty (R–TN) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. [[Josh Hawley]] (R–MO)<ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-josh-hawley-announces-he-will-object-to-electoral-votes-on-jan-6th/</ref>
# Sen. [[Ron Johnson]] (R–WI) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. [[John Neely Kennedy]] (R–LA)
# Sen. [[James Lankford]] (R–OK) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. [[Kelly Loeffler]] (R–GA)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carney |first1=Jordain |title=Loeffler to challenge Electoral College results Wednesday |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532605-loeffler-to-challenge-electoral-college-results-wednesday |website=The Hill |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref> – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R–WY) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. [[Roger Marshall]] (R–KS)
# Sen. [[Tommy Tuberville]] (R–AL)

==Never Trump/[[neocon]]/establishment-leaning GOP Senators==
Several [[anti-Trump]]/[[establishment]] Republican Senators have indicated their opposition to objecting to Biden Electors:

#Sen. [[Shelley Moore Capito]] (R–WV)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Tom Cotton]] (R–AR),<ref>Bolton, Alexander (January 3, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532472-cotton-breaks-with-conservative-colleagues-who-will-oppose-electoral-vote Cotton breaks with conservative colleagues who will oppose electoral vote count]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref> who is misguided by [[neocons]] and even initially opposed the nomination of [[Brett Kavanaugh]] to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]
#Sen. [[Kevin Cramer]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results">Carney, Jordain (January 4, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532618-senate-gop-opposition-grows-to-objecting-to-electoral-college-results Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref>
#Sen. [[John Hoeven]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Lisa Murkowski]] (R–AK), a [[pro-abortion]] [[RINO]] who initially opposed Trump's nomination of [[Amy Coney Barrett]] to the Supreme Court, and then flip-flopped on the issue.
#Sen. [[Mitt Romney]] (R–UT), a pro-[[immigration]] hater of Trump who was the only Republican to side with [[Dems]] in the baseless [[impeachment and removal]] attempt.
#Sen. [[Ben Sasse]] (R–NE), a [[Never Trump]]er funded by the [[Koch brothers]] network of Trump haters.
#Sen. [[Pat Toomey]] (R–PA), a [[lame duck]] senator who is retiring in 2022 rather than running for reelection,<ref>Bolton, Alexander (October 5, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/519616-toomey-announces-retirement-at-end-of-2022 Toomey announces retirement at end of 2022]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 3, 2021.</ref> and who won in 2016 based only on Trump's coattails.

== House Members Mistakenly Wanting to Defer to States even if Fraud ==

#Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.)
#Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO),
#Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.)
#Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).
#Rep. Tom Massie (R-KY)
#Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA)
#Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Election Fraud}}

[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2020]]
[[Category:United States Congress]]
[[Category:Patriots|*]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment|*]]

Objectors to Biden Electors

2021-01-08T18:08:46Z

FabioZ:

In 2005, 31 [[Democrat]]s in the [[House]] and one Democrat in the Senate ([[Barbara Boxer]] from [[California]]) objected to or voted against the [[Ohio]] electors who voted for the reelection of President [[George W. Bush]].<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/electoral-college-some-republicans-plan-to-challenge-bidens-victory-heres-what-happened-when-democrats-challenged-bush/ar-BB1cgAcF</ref> In 2017, while multiple House Democrats objected to [[Vladimir Putin]] taking over U.S. elections, no Senator signed on to the [[Russia collusion hoax]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/no-trump-electoral-college-challenge-233294</ref>

If the election for president goes into the House, then pursuant to the [[Twelfth Amendment]] the voting is done on a state-by-state basis, where Republicans hold a 27-20 majority, with three state delegations evenly divided. See [[United_States_House_of_Representatives#State_Delegations_by_Party]].

Rep. Mo Brooks has stated that "dozens" of representatives may join his objections to the Biden Electors,<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/news/mo-brooks-dozens-of-house-republicans-may-object-to-electoral-college-results/</ref> and as of January some predict that more than 100 House Republicans would object. Here is the growing list of the courageous congressmen and senators who plan to object to the fraudulent certification of Biden Electors on January 6, 2021, in a Joint Session of [[Congress]]:

==House<ref>Brufke, Juliegrace (December 30, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/house/532149-here-are-the-republicans-planning-to-challenge-the-electoral-college-results Here are the Republicans planning to challenge the Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved December 30, 2020.</ref>==
# Rep. Brian Babin (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Andy Biggs]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. [[Lauren Boebert]] (R–CO)
# Rep. [[Mo Brooks]] (R–AL)
# Rep. Ted Budd (R–NC)
# Rep. Jerry Carl (R–AL)
# Rep. [[Madison Cawthorn]] (R–NC)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/madison-cawthorn-vows-to-contest-presidential-election-result-help-primary-gop-holdouts/ar-BB1c9A4E</ref>
# Rep. Andrew Clyde (R–GA)
# Rep. [[Byron Donalds]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Jeff Duncan]] (R–SC)
# Rep. [[Matt Gaetz]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Louie Gohmert]] (R–TX)<ref>https://nationalfile.com/louie-gohmert-sues-mike-pence-demands-vice-president-not-to-accept-electoral-votes-from-contested-states/</ref>
# Rep. [[Bob Good]] (R–VA)
# Rep. [[Lance Gooden]] (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Paul Gosar]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. Mark Green (R–TN)
# Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R–GA)
# Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R–TN)<ref>Bleau, Hannah (December 31, 2020). [https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/12/31/rep-elect-diana-harshbarger-will-object-electoral-college-votes/ Rep.-Elect Diana Harshbarger Will Object to Electoral College Votes]. ''Breitbart News Network''. Retrieved December 31, 2020.</ref>
# Rep. [[Yvette Herrell]] (R–NM)
# Rep. [[Jody Hice]] (R–GA)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-lawmakers-are-set-to-challenge-states-electoral-college-votes-in-a-last-ditch-attempt-to-overturn-trumps-election-defeat/ar-BB1c9hgK</ref>
# Rep. Ronny Jackson (R–TX)<ref>https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/congressman-elect-ronny-jackson-plans-to-challenge-joe-bidens-electoral-college-victory/</ref>
# Rep. [[Jim Jordan]] (R-OH)
# Rep. John Joyce (R–PA)
# Rep. Fred Keller (R–PA) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. Mike Kelly (R–PA)
# Rep. Dan Meuser (R–PA) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. [[Barry Moore]] (R–AL)<ref>https://www.al.com/news/2020/12/barry-moore-to-support-mo-brooks-in-electoral-college-challenge.html</ref>
# Rep. Ralph Norman (R–SC)
# Rep. Burgess Owens (R–UT) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. Scott Perry (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Guy Reschenthaler]] (R–PA)
# Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R–PA) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. [[Elise Stefanick]] (R-NY)<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/01/04/rep-stefanik-to-object-to-certifying-electoral-college-results/</ref> – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. [[Chris Stewart]] (R-UT)<ref>https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart/status/1346156714798833665</ref> – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. GT Thompson (R–PA) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. [[Jeff Van Drew]] (R–NJ)

==Senate<ref>Carney, Jourdain (January 2, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532366-11-senate-republicans-say-they-will-object-to-electoral-college-results-on 11 Senate Republicans say they will oppose Electoral College results Wednesday]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 2, 2021.</ref>==
# Sen. [[Marsha Blackburn]] (R–TN) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. [[Mike Braun]] (R–IN) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. [[Ted Cruz]] (R–TX)
# Sen. [[Steve Daines]] (R–MT) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. Bill Hagerty (R–TN) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. [[Josh Hawley]] (R–MO)<ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-josh-hawley-announces-he-will-object-to-electoral-votes-on-jan-6th/</ref>
# Sen. [[Ron Johnson]] (R–WI) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. [[John Neely Kennedy]] (R–LA)
# Sen. [[James Lankford]] (R–OK) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. [[Kelly Loeffler]] (R–GA)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carney |first1=Jordain |title=Loeffler to challenge Electoral College results Wednesday |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532605-loeffler-to-challenge-electoral-college-results-wednesday |website=The Hill |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref> – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R–WY) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral vote.
# Sen. [[Roger Marshall]] (R–KS)
# Sen. [[Tommy Tuberville]] (R–AL)

==Never Trump/[[neocon]]/establishment-leaning GOP Senators==
Several [[anti-Trump]]/[[establishment]] Republican Senators have indicated their opposition to objecting to Biden Electors:

#Sen. [[Shelley Moore Capito]] (R–WV)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Tom Cotton]] (R–AR),<ref>Bolton, Alexander (January 3, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532472-cotton-breaks-with-conservative-colleagues-who-will-oppose-electoral-vote Cotton breaks with conservative colleagues who will oppose electoral vote count]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref> who is misguided by [[neocons]] and even initially opposed the nomination of [[Brett Kavanaugh]] to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]
#Sen. [[Kevin Cramer]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results">Carney, Jordain (January 4, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532618-senate-gop-opposition-grows-to-objecting-to-electoral-college-results Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref>
#Sen. [[John Hoeven]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Lisa Murkowski]] (R–AK), a [[pro-abortion]] [[RINO]] who initially opposed Trump's nomination of [[Amy Coney Barrett]] to the Supreme Court, and then flip-flopped on the issue.
#Sen. [[Mitt Romney]] (R–UT), a pro-[[immigration]] hater of Trump who was the only Republican to side with [[Dems]] in the baseless [[impeachment and removal]] attempt.
#Sen. [[Ben Sasse]] (R–NE), a [[Never Trump]]er funded by the [[Koch brothers]] network of Trump haters.
#Sen. [[Pat Toomey]] (R–PA), a [[lame duck]] senator who is retiring in 2022 rather than running for reelection,<ref>Bolton, Alexander (October 5, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/519616-toomey-announces-retirement-at-end-of-2022 Toomey announces retirement at end of 2022]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 3, 2021.</ref> and who won in 2016 based only on Trump's coattails.

== House Members Mistakenly Wanting to Defer to States even if Fraud ==

#Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.)
#Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO),
#Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.)
#Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).
#Rep. Tom Massie (R-KY)
#Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA)
#Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Election Fraud}}

[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2020]]
[[Category:United States Congress]]
[[Category:Patriots|*]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment|*]]

Objectors to Biden Electors

2021-01-08T18:08:21Z

FabioZ:

In 2005, 31 [[Democrat]]s in the [[House]] and one Democrat in the Senate ([[Barbara Boxer]] from [[California]]) objected to or voted against the [[Ohio]] electors who voted for the reelection of President [[George W. Bush]].<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/electoral-college-some-republicans-plan-to-challenge-bidens-victory-heres-what-happened-when-democrats-challenged-bush/ar-BB1cgAcF</ref> In 2017, while multiple House Democrats objected to [[Vladimir Putin]] taking over U.S. elections, no Senator signed on to the [[Russia collusion hoax]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/no-trump-electoral-college-challenge-233294</ref>

If the election for president goes into the House, then pursuant to the [[Twelfth Amendment]] the voting is done on a state-by-state basis, where Republicans hold a 27-20 majority, with three state delegations evenly divided. See [[United_States_House_of_Representatives#State_Delegations_by_Party]].

Rep. Mo Brooks has stated that "dozens" of representatives may join his objections to the Biden Electors,<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/news/mo-brooks-dozens-of-house-republicans-may-object-to-electoral-college-results/</ref> and as of January some predict that more than 100 House Republicans would object. Here is the growing list of the courageous congressmen and senators who plan to object to the fraudulent certification of Biden Electors on January 6, 2021, in a Joint Session of [[Congress]]:

==House<ref>Brufke, Juliegrace (December 30, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/house/532149-here-are-the-republicans-planning-to-challenge-the-electoral-college-results Here are the Republicans planning to challenge the Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved December 30, 2020.</ref>==
# Rep. Brian Babin (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Andy Biggs]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. [[Lauren Boebert]] (R–CO)
# Rep. [[Mo Brooks]] (R–AL)
# Rep. Ted Budd (R–NC)
# Rep. Jerry Carl (R–AL)
# Rep. [[Madison Cawthorn]] (R–NC)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/madison-cawthorn-vows-to-contest-presidential-election-result-help-primary-gop-holdouts/ar-BB1c9A4E</ref>
# Rep. Andrew Clyde (R–GA)
# Rep. [[Byron Donalds]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Jeff Duncan]] (R–SC)
# Rep. [[Matt Gaetz]] (R–FL)
# Rep. [[Louie Gohmert]] (R–TX)<ref>https://nationalfile.com/louie-gohmert-sues-mike-pence-demands-vice-president-not-to-accept-electoral-votes-from-contested-states/</ref>
# Rep. [[Bob Good]] (R–VA)
# Rep. [[Lance Gooden]] (R–TX)
# Rep. [[Paul Gosar]] (R–AZ)
# Rep. Mark Green (R–TN)
# Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R–GA)
# Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R–TN)<ref>Bleau, Hannah (December 31, 2020). [https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/12/31/rep-elect-diana-harshbarger-will-object-electoral-college-votes/ Rep.-Elect Diana Harshbarger Will Object to Electoral College Votes]. ''Breitbart News Network''. Retrieved December 31, 2020.</ref>
# Rep. [[Yvette Herrell]] (R–NM)
# Rep. [[Jody Hice]] (R–GA)<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-lawmakers-are-set-to-challenge-states-electoral-college-votes-in-a-last-ditch-attempt-to-overturn-trumps-election-defeat/ar-BB1c9hgK</ref>
# Rep. Ronny Jackson (R–TX)<ref>https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/local-news/congressman-elect-ronny-jackson-plans-to-challenge-joe-bidens-electoral-college-victory/</ref>
# Rep. [[Jim Jordan]] (R-OH)
# Rep. John Joyce (R–PA)
# Rep. Fred Keller (R–PA) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. Mike Kelly (R–PA)
# Rep. Dan Meuser (R–PA) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. [[Barry Moore]] (R–AL)<ref>https://www.al.com/news/2020/12/barry-moore-to-support-mo-brooks-in-electoral-college-challenge.html</ref>
# Rep. Ralph Norman (R–SC)
# Rep. Burgess Owens (R–UT) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. Scott Perry (R–PA)
# Rep. [[Guy Reschenthaler]] (R–PA)
# Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R–PA) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. [[Elise Stefanick]] (R-NY)<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/01/04/rep-stefanik-to-object-to-certifying-electoral-college-results/</ref> – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. [[Chris Stewart]] (R-UT)<ref>https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart/status/1346156714798833665</ref> – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. GT Thompson (R–PA) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Rep. [[Jeff Van Drew]] (R–NJ)

==Senate<ref>Carney, Jourdain (January 2, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532366-11-senate-republicans-say-they-will-object-to-electoral-college-results-on 11 Senate Republicans say they will oppose Electoral College results Wednesday]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 2, 2021.</ref>==
# Sen. [[Marsha Blackburn]] (R–TN) – Voted Nay on objections to Arizona and Pennsylvania electoral votes.
# Sen. [[Mike Braun]] (R–IN) – Voted Nay on objections to Arizona and Pennsylvania electoral votes.
# Sen. [[Ted Cruz]] (R–TX)
# Sen. [[Steve Daines]] (R–MT) – Voted Nay on objections to Arizona and Pennsylvania electoral votes.
# Sen. Bill Hagerty (R–TN) – Voted Nay on objections to Arizona and Pennsylvania electoral votes.
# Sen. [[Josh Hawley]] (R–MO)<ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-josh-hawley-announces-he-will-object-to-electoral-votes-on-jan-6th/</ref>
# Sen. [[Ron Johnson]] (R–WI) – Voted Nay on objections to Arizona and Pennsylvania electoral votes.
# Sen. [[John Neely Kennedy]] (R–LA) – Voted Nay on objection Pennsylvania electoral votes.
# Sen. [[James Lankford]] (R–OK) – Voted Nay on objections to Arizona and Pennsylvania electoral votes.
# Sen. [[Kelly Loeffler]] (R–GA)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carney |first1=Jordain |title=Loeffler to challenge Electoral College results Wednesday |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532605-loeffler-to-challenge-electoral-college-results-wednesday |website=The Hill |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref> – Voted Nay on objections to Arizona and Pennsylvania electoral votes.
# Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R–WY) – Voted Nay on objection to Arizona electoral votes.
# Sen. [[Roger Marshall]] (R–KS)
# Sen. [[Tommy Tuberville]] (R–AL)

==Never Trump/[[neocon]]/establishment-leaning GOP Senators==
Several [[anti-Trump]]/[[establishment]] Republican Senators have indicated their opposition to objecting to Biden Electors:

#Sen. [[Shelley Moore Capito]] (R–WV)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Tom Cotton]] (R–AR),<ref>Bolton, Alexander (January 3, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532472-cotton-breaks-with-conservative-colleagues-who-will-oppose-electoral-vote Cotton breaks with conservative colleagues who will oppose electoral vote count]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref> who is misguided by [[neocons]] and even initially opposed the nomination of [[Brett Kavanaugh]] to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]
#Sen. [[Kevin Cramer]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results">Carney, Jordain (January 4, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/532618-senate-gop-opposition-grows-to-objecting-to-electoral-college-results Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 4, 2021.</ref>
#Sen. [[John Hoeven]] (R–ND)<ref name="Senate GOP opposition grows to objecting to Electoral College results"/>
#Sen. [[Lisa Murkowski]] (R–AK), a [[pro-abortion]] [[RINO]] who initially opposed Trump's nomination of [[Amy Coney Barrett]] to the Supreme Court, and then flip-flopped on the issue.
#Sen. [[Mitt Romney]] (R–UT), a pro-[[immigration]] hater of Trump who was the only Republican to side with [[Dems]] in the baseless [[impeachment and removal]] attempt.
#Sen. [[Ben Sasse]] (R–NE), a [[Never Trump]]er funded by the [[Koch brothers]] network of Trump haters.
#Sen. [[Pat Toomey]] (R–PA), a [[lame duck]] senator who is retiring in 2022 rather than running for reelection,<ref>Bolton, Alexander (October 5, 2020). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/519616-toomey-announces-retirement-at-end-of-2022 Toomey announces retirement at end of 2022]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 3, 2021.</ref> and who won in 2016 based only on Trump's coattails.

== House Members Mistakenly Wanting to Defer to States even if Fraud ==

#Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.)
#Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO),
#Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.)
#Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).
#Rep. Tom Massie (R-KY)
#Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA)
#Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Election Fraud}}

[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2020]]
[[Category:United States Congress]]
[[Category:Patriots|*]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment|*]]

Louie Gohmert

2021-01-08T18:07:23Z

FabioZ:

{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Louis Buller “Louie” Gohmert
| image=Louie Gohmert official photo.jpg
| office=[[U.S. Representative]] for [[Texas]]' 1st Congressional District
| term_start=January 3, 2005
| predecessor=Max Sandlin
| office2=[[Judge]] of the Texas 7th Judicial District Court for Smith County
| term_start2=1993
| term_end2=2002
| birth_date=August 18, 1953
| birth_place=Pittsburg, Camp County [[Texas]]
| party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]
| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]
| spouse=Kathy Gohmert
| children=Three children
| alma_mater=[[Texas A&M University]] 
[[Baylor University]] Law School
| occupation=[[Lawyer]] [[Judge]] [[Politician]] 
[[United States Army]] Judge Advocate General's Corps (1978-1982)
| residence=Tyler, Smith County, Texas
| allegiance=[[United States]]
| rank=[[Captain]]
| branch=[[United States Army]]
| unit=Army Judge Advocate General's Corps
| serviceyears=1978 – 1982
| awards=Meritorious Service Medal
}}

'''Louis Buller Gohmert, Jr.''', known as '''Louie Gohmert''' (born August 18, 1953), has served since January 2005 as the [[U.S. Representative]] for [[Texas]]' 1st congressional district, which covers a large portion of East Texas. A former state court district judge for Smith County (1993-2002), the [[Republican Party|Republican]] Gohmert is among the most [[conservative]] members of [[Congress]].

On January 6, 2015, Gohmert failed in his bid to unseat then U.S. House Speaker [[John Boehner]] of [[Ohio]], a favorite of [[establishment]] Republicans who repeatedly opposed conservative bills.

An active [[Southern Baptist]], Gohmert resides in the county seat of [[Tyler, Texas|Tyler]]. He filed a lawsuit there in federal court on December 28, 2020, to declare the [[Electoral Count Act]] unconstitutional amid widespread irregularities and fraud in the [[United States presidential election, 2020]].

==Early life and education==
Gohmert was born in Pittsburg, Texas to Mary Sue and Louis Buller Gohmert. He was raised in Mount Pleasant, where in 1971 he graduated from the local high school.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/G000552|title=The U.S. Congress Votes Data Base: Louie Gohmert (R-TX)|publisher=washingtonpost.com}}</ref>

He enrolled in [[Texas A&M University]], receiving a [[United States Army]] scholarship and earning a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in [[history]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/candidates/22273|title=Louie B. Gohmert (R)|publisher=washingtonpost.com|date=June 30, 2004}}</ref> Gohmert commanded a cadet brigade in the Corps of Cadets and served as class president.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120803134354/https://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/2010/memberdistrict/188/|title=NationalJournalAlmanac Texas District 1 Rep. Louie Gohmert (R)|publisher=nationaljournal.com|date=April 8, 2013}}</ref>

==Elections==
In the March 6, 2018, Republican primary, Gohmert defeated two rivals with 88.3 percent of the ballots cast. In the November 6 general election, he faces for the fourth time African-American [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Shirley J. McKellar, a leftist part of the "Turn Texas Blue" movement.

On March 24, 2018, a columnist for ''The San Antonio Express-News'' called Gohmert "infamous for kooky conspiracy theories, including his claim in 2010 that pregnant undocumented women were crossing the border to give birth to 'terror babies' with U.S. citizenship."<ref name=chasnoff>Brian Chasnoff, "Rickhoff channels Gohmert in county race", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', March 24, 2018, p. A2.</ref> The comment came in reference to the Bexar County judge's race between incumbent Democrat Nelson Wolff and Republican challenger [[Tom Rickhoff]]. The column notes that Rickhoff, like Gohmert, often uses flow charts to bolster his arguments. Richoff, however, made clear that he is no admirer of Gohmert: "I don't ever want to hear his name."<ref name=chasnoff/>

==Legislation==
Gohmert aroused leftist hostility in March 2018, when he proposed that a national observance called "National Border Control Day" be established on March 31, the birthday of the late farm labor organizer [[Cesar Chavez|César Chavez]]. U.S. Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham, a [[New Mexico]] Democratic liberal, called Gohmert's proposal "shameful. For Rep. Gohmert to twist and warp the legacy of César Chávez is offensive, shameful and beyond the pale of normal logic." Gohmert said that his resolution was based on Chavez's "passionate fight to gain better working environments for thousands of workers laboring in harsh conditions on farms for low wages. He also staunchly believed in sovereignty of the United States border.” Gohmert cited a 1979 speech to the Washington Press Club in which Chavez demanded border enforcement and the removal of [[illegal aliens]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/latino/379533-hispanic-caucus-lashes-out-at-gohmert-over-cesar-chavez-comments|title=Hispanic Caucus lashes out at Gohmert over César Chavez comments|publisher=''Thehill.com|date=March 21, 2018|author=Rafael Bernal|accessdate=April 2, 2018}}</ref>

At the end of 2018, Gohmert advanced legislation which would repeal [[section 230]] of the [[Communications Act of 1934]]. This section of the act produces "safe harbor" protections for social media giants from legal action.<ref>[https://bigleaguepolitics.com/louie-louie-gohmert-introduces-bill-to-stop-bias-by-social-media-giants/ LOUIE LOUIE: Gohmert Introduces Bill to Stop Bias By Social Media Giants]</ref><ref>[https://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398676 Gohmert Introduces Bill That Removes Liability Protections for Social Media Companies That Use Algorithms to Hide, Promote, or Filter User Content]</ref>

In late July 2020, Rep. Gohmert introduced a resolution to ban the [[Democratic Party]] for having supported slavery, stunning House Democrats who wanted to remove [[Confederate]] monuments.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/07/23/louie-gohmert-urges-house-to-ban-democratic-party-for-supporting-slavery/# Louie Gohmert Urges House to Ban Democratic Party for Supporting Slavery]</ref>

==Possible Libel from NY Magazine Contributor Olivia Nuzzi==
On January 1st, 2021 NU Magazine contributor Olivia Nuzzi was reported to have called Rep. Gohmert, who has masters and [[Juris Doctor]] degree in law, a "moron".<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/01/01/ny-mags-nuzzi-gop-establishment-frustrated-with-hawley-hes-not-some-moron-like-louie-gohmert/ NY Mag’s Nuzzi: GOP Establishment Frustrated with Hawley — ‘He’s Not Some Moron Like Louie Gohmert’]</ref> According to WikiBiography, there is no reference of Ms. Muzzi graduating college, she reportedly worked on convicted politician [[Anthony Weiner]]'s campaign for Mayor of [[NYC]] and was not well thought of by her manager.<ref>[https://wikibiography.in/olivia-nuzzi-wiki-career-education-family-and-details/ Olivia Nuzzi: Wiki, Career, Education, Family and Details.]</ref>

==See also==
*[[DMCA 512]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gohmert, Louie}}
[[Category:Texas]]
[[Category:United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category:United States Veterans]]
[[Category:Lawyers]]
[[Category:Judges]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Pro-Life]]
[[Category:Patriots]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment]]
{{conservatism}}
[[Category:Southern Baptists]]
[[Category:United States Army]]
[[Category:Southern Baptists]]
[[Category:Eagle Scouts]]
[[Category:110th United States Congress]]
[[Category:111th United States Congress]]
[[Category:112th United States Congress]]
[[Category:113th United States Congress]]
[[Category:114th United States Congress]]
[[Category:115th United States Congress]]
[[Category:116th United States Congress]]

Louie Gohmert

2021-01-08T18:07:00Z

FabioZ:

{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Louis Buller “Louie” Gohmert
| image=Louie Gohmert official photo.jpg
| office=[[U.S. Representative]] for [[Texas]]' 1st Congressional District
| term_start=January 3, 2005
| predecessor=Max Sandlin
| office2=[[Judge]] of the Texas 7th Judicial District Court for Smith County
| term_start2=1993
| term_end2=2002
| birth_date=August 18, 1953
| birth_place=Pittsburg, Camp County [[Texas]]
| party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]
| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]
| spouse=Kathy Gohmert
| children=Three children
| alma_mater=[[Texas A&M University]] 
[[Baylor University]] Law School
| occupation=[[Lawyer]] [[Judge]] [[Politician]] 
[[United States Army]] Judge Advocate General's Corps (1978-1982)
| residence=Tyler, Smith County, Texas
| allegiance=[[United States]]
| rank=[[Captain]]
| branch=[[United States Army]]
| unit=Army Judge Advocate General's Corps
| serviceyears=1978 – 1982
| awards=Meritorious Service Medal
}}

'''Louis Buller Gohmert, Jr.''', known as '''Louie Gohmert''' (born August 18, 1953), has served since January 2005 as the [[U.S. Representative]] for [[Texas]]' 1st congressional district, which covers a large portion of East Texas. A former state court district judge for Smith County (1993-2002), the [[Republican Party|Republican]] Gohmert is among the most [[conservative]] members of [[Congress]].

On January 6, 2015, Gohmert failed in his bid to unseat then U.S. House Speaker [[John Boehner]] of [[Ohio]], a favorite of [[establishment]] Republicans who repeatedly opposed conservative bills.

An active [[Southern Baptist]], Gohmert resides in the county seat of [[Tyler, Texas|Tyler]]. He filed a lawsuit there in federal court on December 28, 2020, to declare the [[Electoral Count Act]] unconstitutional amid widespread irregularities and fraud in the [[United States presidential election, 2020]].

==Early life and education==
Gohmert was born in Pittsburg, Texas to Mary Sue and Louis Buller Gohmert. He was raised in Mount Pleasant, where in 1971 he graduated from the local high school.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/G000552|title=The U.S. Congress Votes Data Base: Louie Gohmert (R-TX)|publisher=washingtonpost.com}}</ref>

He enrolled in [[Texas A&M University]], receiving a [[United States Army]] scholarship and earning a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in [[history]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/candidates/22273|title=Louie B. Gohmert (R)|publisher=washingtonpost.com|date=June 30, 2004}}</ref> Gohmert commanded a cadet brigade in the Corps of Cadets and served as class president.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120803134354/https://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/2010/memberdistrict/188/|title=NationalJournalAlmanac Texas District 1 Rep. Louie Gohmert (R)|publisher=nationaljournal.com|date=April 8, 2013}}</ref>

==Elections==
In the March 6, 2018, Republican primary, Gohmert defeated two rivals with 88.3 percent of the ballots cast. In the November 6 general election, he faces for the fourth time African-American [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Shirley J. McKellar, a leftist part of the "Turn Texas Blue" movement.

On March 24, 2018, a columnist for ''The San Antonio Express-News'' called Gohmert "infamous for kooky conspiracy theories, including his claim in 2010 that pregnant undocumented women were crossing the border to give birth to 'terror babies' with U.S. citizenship."<ref name=chasnoff>Brian Chasnoff, "Rickhoff channels Gohmert in county race", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', March 24, 2018, p. A2.</ref> The comment came in reference to the Bexar County judge's race between incumbent Democrat Nelson Wolff and Republican challenger [[Tom Rickhoff]]. The column notes that Rickhoff, like Gohmert, often uses flow charts to bolster his arguments. Richoff, however, made clear that he is no admirer of Gohmert: "I don't ever want to hear his name."<ref name=chasnoff/>

==Legislation==
Gohmert aroused leftist hostility in March 2018, when he proposed that a national observance called "National Border Control Day" be established on March 31, the birthday of the late farm labor organizer [[Cesar Chavez|César Chavez]]. U.S. Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham, a [[New Mexico]] Democratic liberal, called Gohmert's proposal "shameful. For Rep. Gohmert to twist and warp the legacy of César Chávez is offensive, shameful and beyond the pale of normal logic." Gohmert said that his resolution was based on Chavez's "passionate fight to gain better working environments for thousands of workers laboring in harsh conditions on farms for low wages. He also staunchly believed in sovereignty of the United States border.” Gohmert cited a 1979 speech to the Washington Press Club in which Chavez demanded border enforcement and the removal of [[illegal aliens]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/latino/379533-hispanic-caucus-lashes-out-at-gohmert-over-cesar-chavez-comments|title=Hispanic Caucus lashes out at Gohmert over César Chavez comments|publisher=''Thehill.com|date=March 21, 2018|author=Rafael Bernal|accessdate=April 2, 2018}}</ref>

At the end of 2018, Gohmert advanced legislation which would repeal [[section 230]] of the [[Communications Act of 1934]]. This section of the act produces "safe harbor" protections for social media giants from legal action.<ref>[https://bigleaguepolitics.com/louie-louie-gohmert-introduces-bill-to-stop-bias-by-social-media-giants/ LOUIE LOUIE: Gohmert Introduces Bill to Stop Bias By Social Media Giants]</ref><ref>[https://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398676 Gohmert Introduces Bill That Removes Liability Protections for Social Media Companies That Use Algorithms to Hide, Promote, or Filter User Content]</ref>

In late July 2020, Rep. Gohmert introduced a resolution to ban the [[Democratic Party]] for having supported slavery, stunning House Democrats who wanted to remove [[Confederate]] monuments.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/07/23/louie-gohmert-urges-house-to-ban-democratic-party-for-supporting-slavery/# Louie Gohmert Urges House to Ban Democratic Party for Supporting Slavery]</ref>

==Possible Libel from ''New York'' Magazine Correspondent Olivia Nuzzi==
On January 1, 2021, ''New York'' magazine correspondent Olivia Nuzzi was reported to have said that "a Republican official" called Rep. Gohmert, who has a [[Juris Doctor]] degree, a "moron".<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/01/01/ny-mags-nuzzi-gop-establishment-frustrated-with-hawley-hes-not-some-moron-like-louie-gohmert/ NY Mag’s Nuzzi: GOP Establishment Frustrated with Hawley — ‘He’s Not Some Moron Like Louie Gohmert’]</ref> There is no reference at WikiBiography of Muzzi having graduated college. She reportedly worked on convicted politician [[Anthony Weiner]]'s campaign for mayor of [[New York City]] and was not well thought of by her manager.<ref>[https://wikibiography.in/olivia-nuzzi-wiki-career-education-family-and-details/ Olivia Nuzzi: Wiki, Career, Education, Family and Details.]</ref>

==See also==
*[[DMCA 512]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gohmert, Louie}}
[[Category:Texas]]
[[Category:United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category:United States Veterans]]
[[Category:Lawyers]]
[[Category:Judges]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Pro-Life]]
[[Category:Patriots]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment]]
{{conservatism}}
[[Category:Southern Baptists]]
[[Category:United States Army]]
[[Category:Southern Baptists]]
[[Category:Eagle Scouts]]
[[Category:110th United States Congress]]
[[Category:111th United States Congress]]
[[Category:112th United States Congress]]
[[Category:113th United States Congress]]
[[Category:114th United States Congress]]
[[Category:115th United States Congress]]
[[Category:116th United States Congress]]

Louie Gohmert

2021-01-08T18:06:49Z

FabioZ:

{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Louis Buller “Louie” Gohmert
| image=Louie Gohmert official photo.jpg
| office=[[U.S. Representative]] for [[Texas]]' 1st Congressional District
| term_start=January 3, 2005
| predecessor=Max Sandlin
| office2=[[Judge]] of the Texas 7th Judicial District Court for Smith County
| term_start2=1993
| term_end2=2002
| birth_date=August 18, 1953
| birth_place=Pittsburg, Camp County [[Texas]]
| party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]
| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]
| spouse=Kathy Gohmert
| children=Three children
| alma_mater=[[Texas A&M University]] 
[[Baylor University]] Law School
| occupation=[[Lawyer]] [[Judge]] [[Politician]] 
[[United States Army]] Judge Advocate General's Corps (1978-1982)
| residence=Tyler, Smith County, Texas
| allegiance=[[United States]]
| rank=[[Captain]]
| branch=[[United States Army]]
| unit=Army Judge Advocate General's Corps
| serviceyears=1978 – 1982
| awards=Meritorious Service Medal
}}

'''Louis Buller Gohmert, Jr.''', known as '''Louie Gohmert''' (born August 18, 1953), has served since January 2005 as the [[U.S. Representative]] for [[Texas]]' 1st congressional district, which covers a large portion of East Texas. A former state court district judge for Smith County (1993-2002), the [[Republican Party|Republican]] Gohmert is among the most [[conservative]] members of [[Congress]].

On January 6, 2015, Gohmert failed in his bid to unseat then U.S. House Speaker [[John Boehner]] of [[Ohio]], a favorite of [[establishment]] Republicans who repeatedly opposed conservative bills.

An active [[Southern Baptist]], Gohmert resides in the Smith County seat of [[Tyler, Texas|Tyler]]. He filed a lawsuit there in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on December 28, 2020, to declare the [[Electoral Count Act]] unconstitutional amid widespread irregularities and fraud in the [[United States presidential election, 2020]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kens5.com/article/news/nation-world/pence-sued-by-louie-gohmert-to-overturn-election-results/507-5610b6bf-5671-4560-ac98-e2d601c0b824|title="GOP congressman sues Pence in effort to try and overturn Biden win"|publisher=''kens5.com''|date=December 28, 2020|author=TEGNA|accessdate=January 2, 2021}}</ref> The suit was dismissed by the judge on January 1, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/judge-dismisses-effort-to-derail-count-of-electors-votes-11609559351|title="Judge Dismisses Effort to Derail Count of Electors' Votes"|publisher=''wsj.com''|date=January 1, 2021|author=Jess Bravin|accessdate=January 2, 2021}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Gohmert was born in Pittsburg, Texas to Mary Sue and Louis Buller Gohmert. He was raised in Mount Pleasant, where in 1971 he graduated from the local high school.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/G000552|title=The U.S. Congress Votes Data Base: Louie Gohmert (R-TX)|publisher=washingtonpost.com}}</ref>

He enrolled in [[Texas A&M University]], receiving a [[United States Army]] scholarship and earning a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in [[history]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/candidates/22273|title=Louie B. Gohmert (R)|publisher=washingtonpost.com|date=June 30, 2004}}</ref> Gohmert commanded a cadet brigade in the Corps of Cadets and served as class president.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120803134354/https://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/2010/memberdistrict/188/|title=NationalJournalAlmanac Texas District 1 Rep. Louie Gohmert (R)|publisher=nationaljournal.com|date=April 8, 2013}}</ref>

==Elections==
In the March 6, 2018, Republican primary, Gohmert defeated two rivals with 88.3 percent of the ballots cast. In the November 6 general election, he faces for the fourth time African-American [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Shirley J. McKellar, a leftist part of the "Turn Texas Blue" movement.

On March 24, 2018, a columnist for ''The San Antonio Express-News'' called Gohmert "infamous for kooky conspiracy theories, including his claim in 2010 that pregnant undocumented women were crossing the border to give birth to 'terror babies' with U.S. citizenship."<ref name=chasnoff>Brian Chasnoff, "Rickhoff channels Gohmert in county race", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', March 24, 2018, p. A2.</ref> The comment came in reference to the Bexar County judge's race between incumbent Democrat Nelson Wolff and Republican challenger [[Tom Rickhoff]]. The column notes that Rickhoff, like Gohmert, often uses flow charts to bolster his arguments. Richoff, however, made clear that he is no admirer of Gohmert: "I don't ever want to hear his name."<ref name=chasnoff/>

==Legislation==
Gohmert aroused leftist hostility in March 2018, when he proposed that a national observance called "National Border Control Day" be established on March 31, the birthday of the late farm labor organizer [[Cesar Chavez|César Chavez]]. U.S. Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham, a [[New Mexico]] Democratic liberal, called Gohmert's proposal "shameful. For Rep. Gohmert to twist and warp the legacy of César Chávez is offensive, shameful and beyond the pale of normal logic." Gohmert said that his resolution was based on Chavez's "passionate fight to gain better working environments for thousands of workers laboring in harsh conditions on farms for low wages. He also staunchly believed in sovereignty of the United States border.” Gohmert cited a 1979 speech to the Washington Press Club in which Chavez demanded border enforcement and the removal of [[illegal aliens]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/latino/379533-hispanic-caucus-lashes-out-at-gohmert-over-cesar-chavez-comments|title=Hispanic Caucus lashes out at Gohmert over César Chavez comments|publisher=''Thehill.com|date=March 21, 2018|author=Rafael Bernal|accessdate=April 2, 2018}}</ref>

At the end of 2018, Gohmert advanced legislation which would repeal [[section 230]] of the [[Communications Act of 1934]]. This section of the act produces "safe harbor" protections for social media giants from legal action.<ref>[https://bigleaguepolitics.com/louie-louie-gohmert-introduces-bill-to-stop-bias-by-social-media-giants/ LOUIE LOUIE: Gohmert Introduces Bill to Stop Bias By Social Media Giants]</ref><ref>[https://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398676 Gohmert Introduces Bill That Removes Liability Protections for Social Media Companies That Use Algorithms to Hide, Promote, or Filter User Content]</ref>

In late July 2020, Rep. Gohmert introduced a resolution to ban the [[Democratic Party]] for having supported slavery, stunning House Democrats who wanted to remove [[Confederate]] monuments.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/07/23/louie-gohmert-urges-house-to-ban-democratic-party-for-supporting-slavery/# Louie Gohmert Urges House to Ban Democratic Party for Supporting Slavery]</ref>

==Possible Libel from ''New York'' Magazine Correspondent Olivia Nuzzi==
On January 1, 2021, ''New York'' magazine correspondent Olivia Nuzzi was reported to have said that "a Republican official" called Rep. Gohmert, who has a [[Juris Doctor]] degree, a "moron".<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/01/01/ny-mags-nuzzi-gop-establishment-frustrated-with-hawley-hes-not-some-moron-like-louie-gohmert/ NY Mag’s Nuzzi: GOP Establishment Frustrated with Hawley — ‘He’s Not Some Moron Like Louie Gohmert’]</ref> There is no reference at WikiBiography of Muzzi having graduated college. She reportedly worked on convicted politician [[Anthony Weiner]]'s campaign for mayor of [[New York City]] and was not well thought of by her manager.<ref>[https://wikibiography.in/olivia-nuzzi-wiki-career-education-family-and-details/ Olivia Nuzzi: Wiki, Career, Education, Family and Details.]</ref>

==See also==
*[[DMCA 512]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gohmert, Louie}}
[[Category:Texas]]
[[Category:United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category:United States Veterans]]
[[Category:Lawyers]]
[[Category:Judges]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Pro-Life]]
[[Category:Patriots]]
[[Category:Anti-establishment]]
{{conservatism}}
[[Category:Southern Baptists]]
[[Category:United States Army]]
[[Category:Southern Baptists]]
[[Category:Eagle Scouts]]
[[Category:110th United States Congress]]
[[Category:111th United States Congress]]
[[Category:112th United States Congress]]
[[Category:113th United States Congress]]
[[Category:114th United States Congress]]
[[Category:115th United States Congress]]
[[Category:116th United States Congress]]

Louie Gohmert

2021-01-08T18:06:36Z

FabioZ:

{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Louis Buller “Louie” Gohmert
| image=Louie Gohmert official photo.jpg
| office=[[U.S. Representative]] for [[Texas]]' 1st Congressional District
| term_start=January 3, 2005
| predecessor=Max Sandlin
| office2=[[Judge]] of the Texas 7th Judicial District Court for Smith County
| term_start2=1993
| term_end2=2002
| birth_date=August 18, 1953
| birth_place=Pittsburg, Camp County [[Texas]]
| party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]
| religion=[[Southern Baptist]]
| spouse=Kathy Gohmert
| children=Three children
| alma_mater=[[Texas A&M University]] 
[[Baylor University]] Law School
| occupation=[[Lawyer]] [[Judge]] [[Politician]] 
[[United States Army]] Judge Advocate General's Corps (1978-1982)
| residence=Tyler, Smith County, Texas
| allegiance=[[United States]]
| rank=[[Captain]]
| branch=[[United States Army]]
| unit=Army Judge Advocate General's Corps
| serviceyears=1978 – 1982
| awards=Meritorious Service Medal
}}

'''Louis Buller Gohmert, Jr.''', known as '''Louie Gohmert''' (born August 18, 1953), has served since January 2005 as the [[U.S. Representative]] for [[Texas]]' 1st congressional district, which covers a large portion of East Texas. A former state court district judge for Smith County (1993-2002), the [[Republican Party|Republican]] Gohmert is among the most [[conservative]] members of [[Congress]].

On January 6, 2015, Gohmert failed in his bid to unseat then U.S. House Speaker [[John Boehner]] of [[Ohio]], a favorite of [[establishment]] Republicans who repeatedly opposed conservative bills.

An active [[Southern Baptist]], Gohmert resides in the Smith County seat of [[Tyler, Texas|Tyler]]. He filed a lawsuit there in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on December 28, 2020, to declare the [[Electoral Count Act]] unconstitutional amid widespread irregularities and fraud in the [[United States presidential election, 2020]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kens5.com/article/news/nation-world/pence-sued-by-louie-gohmert-to-overturn-election-results/507-5610b6bf-5671-4560-ac98-e2d601c0b824|title="GOP congressman sues Pence in effort to try and overturn Biden win"|publisher=''kens5.com''|date=December 28, 2020|author=TEGNA|accessdate=January 2, 2021}}</ref> The suit was dismissed by the judge on January 1, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/judge-dismisses-effort-to-derail-count-of-electors-votes-11609559351|title="Judge Dismisses Effort to Derail Count of Electors' Votes"|publisher=''wsj.com''|date=January 1, 2021|author=Jess Bravin|accessdate=January 2, 2021}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Gohmert was born in Pittsburg, Texas to Mary Sue and Louis Buller Gohmert. He was raised in Mount Pleasant, where in 1971 he graduated from the local high school.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/G000552|title=The U.S. Congress Votes Data Base: Louie Gohmert (R-TX)|publisher=washingtonpost.com}}</ref>

He enrolled in [[Texas A&M University]], receiving a [[United States Army]] scholarship and earning a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in [[history]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/candidates/22273|title=Louie B. Gohmert (R)|publisher=washingtonpost.com|date=June 30, 2004}}</ref> Gohmert commanded a cadet brigade in the Corps of Cadets and served as class president.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120803134354/https://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/2010/memberdistrict/188/|title=NationalJournalAlmanac Texas District 1 Rep. Louie Gohmert (R)|publisher=nationaljournal.com|date=April 8, 2013}}</ref>

==Elections==
In the March 6, 2018, Republican primary, Gohmert defeated two rivals with 88.3 percent of the ballots cast. In the November 6 general election, he faces for the fourth time African-American [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Shirley J. McKellar, a leftist part of the "Turn Texas Blue" movement.

On March 24, 2018, a columnist for ''The San Antonio Express-News'' called Gohmert "infamous for kooky conspiracy theories, including his claim in 2010 that pregnant undocumented women were crossing the border to give birth to 'terror babies' with U.S. citizenship."<ref name=chasnoff>Brian Chasnoff, "Rickhoff channels Gohmert in county race", ''The San Antonio Express-News'', March 24, 2018, p. A2.</ref> The comment came in reference to the Bexar County judge's race between incumbent Democrat Nelson Wolff and Republican challenger [[Tom Rickhoff]]. The column notes that Rickhoff, like Gohmert, often uses flow charts to bolster his arguments. Richoff, however, made clear that he is no admirer of Gohmert: "I don't ever want to hear his name."<ref name=chasnoff/>

==Legislation==
Gohmert aroused leftist hostility in March 2018, when he proposed that a national observance called "National Border Control Day" be established on March 31, the birthday of the late farm labor organizer [[Cesar Chavez|César Chavez]]. U.S. Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham, a [[New Mexico]] Democratic liberal, called Gohmert's proposal "shameful. For Rep. Gohmert to twist and warp the legacy of César Chávez is offensive, shameful and beyond the pale of normal logic." Gohmert said that his resolution was based on Chavez's "passionate fight to gain better working environments for thousands of workers laboring in harsh conditions on farms for low wages. He also staunchly believed in sovereignty of the United States border.” Gohmert cited a 1979 speech to the Washington Press Club in which Chavez demanded border enforcement and the removal of [[illegal aliens]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/latino/379533-hispanic-caucus-lashes-out-at-gohmert-over-cesar-chavez-comments|title=Hispanic Caucus lashes out at Gohmert over César Chavez comments|publisher=''Thehill.com|date=March 21, 2018|author=Rafael Bernal|accessdate=April 2, 2018}}</ref>

At the end of 2018, Gohmert advanced legislation which would repeal [[section 230]] of the [[Communications Act of 1934]]. This section of the act produces "safe harbor" protections for social media giants from legal action.<ref>[https://bigleaguepolitics.com/louie-louie-gohmert-introduces-bill-to-stop-bias-by-social-media-giants/ LOUIE LOUIE: Gohmert Introduces Bill to Stop Bias By Social Media Giants]</ref><ref>[https://gohmert.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398676 Gohmert Introduces Bill That Removes Liability Protections for Social Media Companies That Use Algorithms to Hide, Promote, or Filter User Content]</ref>

In late July 2020, Rep. Gohmert introduced a resolution to ban the [[Democratic Party]] for having supported slavery, stunning House Democrats who wanted to remove [[Confederate]] monuments.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/07/23/louie-gohmert-urges-house-to-ban-democratic-party-for-supporting-slavery/# Louie Gohmert Urges House to Ban Democratic Party for Supporting Slavery]</ref>

==Possible Libel from ''New York'' Magazine Correspondent Olivia Nuzzi==
On January 1, 2021, ''New York'' magazine correspondent Olivia Nuzzi was reported to have said that "a Republican official" called Rep. Gohmert, who has a [[Juris Doctor]] degree, a "moron."<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/01/01/ny-mags-nuzzi-gop-establishment-frustrated-with-hawley-hes-not-some-moron-like-louie-gohmert/ NY Mag’s Nuzzi: GOP Establishment Frustrated with Hawley — ‘He’s Not Some Moron Like Louie Gohmert’]</ref> There is no reference at WikiBiography of Muzzi having graduated college. She reportedly worked on convicted politician [[Anthony Weiner]]'s campaign for mayor of [[New York City]] and was not well thought of by her manager.<ref>[https://wikibiography.in/olivia-nuzzi-wiki-career-education-family-and-details/ Olivia Nuzzi: Wiki, Career, Education, Family and Details.]</ref>

==See also==
*[[DMCA 512]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gohmert, Louie}}
[[Category:Texas]]
[[Category:United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category:United States Veterans]]
[[Category:Lawyers]]
[[Category:Judges]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Pro-Life]]
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{{conservatism}}
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Coronavirus

2021-01-08T18:05:37Z

FabioZ:

<center>''Coronavirus deaths correlate with lack of access to [[hydroxychloroquine]] [https://twitter.com/zev_dr/status/1304375091850022912?s=20]''</center>
<center>''See also [[Coronavirus Survival Guide]]''.</center>
[[File:COVID19 virus.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Electron microscope scan of cultured coronavirus cells, recovered from an American patient in February 2020, and identified as SARS-CoV-2 / 2019-nCoV, the coronavirus strain which had its origin in Wuhan, China, November 2019 ''(NIAID)''.]]
'''Coronavirus''' is a family of several viruses. SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease [[Covid-19]] or the '''Wuhan coronavirus''' as [[CNN]] refers to it,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eZtCq1aj2g</ref> also known as the '''[[CCP]] Virus''' by ''[[The Washington Post]]''<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/dont-blame-china-for-the-coronavirus--blame-the-chinese-communist-party/2020/03/19/343153ac-6a12-11ea-abef-020f086a3fab_story.html</ref> and ''[[The Epoch Times]]'', is a particular potentially deadly strain that first was reported to appear in the city of [[Wuhan, China]] in late November and early December 2019. The Chinese Communist regime intentionally made no public warnings about a potential widespread pandemic until January 23, 2020, made no advance preparations to deal with a major health crisis, and arrested doctors who posted on [[social media]] warning of a large scale outbreak. While the leftist regime closed all domestic flights from Wuhan within China, it allowed thousands of international flights to depart, seeding the virus globally. First cases in the US were recorded back in January, but the real impact was seen in March when thousands of cases started being reported daily, now known to be seeded in turn by a great deal from New York via Europe (you can view historical interactive statistics [https://coronavirus-stats.live/county/united-states/ here]).

Early treatment of this disease by [[hydroxychloroquine]] has been reportedly successful in dozens of studies<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2052297520300615</ref> and numerous individual situations. India, for example, uses hydroxychloroquine as prophylaxis<ref>https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/AdvisoryontheuseofHydroxychloroquinasprophylaxisforSARSCoV2infection.pdf</ref> and has one of the smallest mortality rates per million residents of any country.<ref>https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/</ref> In the United States, [[liberal]] government officials have impeded its widespread use to minimize potential credit to [[Trump]] in an election year, resulting in a skyrocketing mortality rate higher than in many comparable, but much poorer, countries.
[[File:LiveLeak-dot-com-covid1 1598829254.jpg|right|350px|thumb|In August 2020 the Center for Disease Control revised its figures to report only 6% of the 154,000 previously reported deaths could be exclusively attributed to [[Covid-19]]. The remainder 94% were overwhelmingly elderly with other complications.<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2020/08/covid-only-deaths-super-low.html/</ref>]]

==General term==
A '''coronavirus''' is any of several viruses affecting either animals or humans, and named for the crown-like spikes on the surface of the viral cell. Coronaviruses affect the upper respiratory tract, causing infections ranging from mild to severe, such as bronchitis and pneumonia. Several strains, such as MERS, SARS-CoV-1, and SARS-CoV-2 (which causes the disease COVID-19, and was identified in a late-2019 outbreak in Wuhan, China), have been confirmed to be fatal.

==Description==
[[File:NPR coronavirus.PNG|right|300px|thumb|An [[NPR]] report on American evacuees from China failed to notice the woman on the left didn't pinch the strip on her mask, and the man on the right had the mask upside down, rendering these "preventative measures" useless.]]
Coronaviruses are positive RNA viruses with a diameter of approximately 80-160 nm. The name itself derives from the visual image of individual virus cells as seen by an electron microscope; these cells have a spiky appearance similar to the corona of the sun. This aspect is represented by the glycoprotein that crosses the viral envelope, reaching the protein "coat", called protein S, with hemagglutination and melting properties. The virus structure is more or less typical of coated viruses, therefore it has a helicoidal symmetry nucleocapsid and a pericapsid consisting of a double phospholipid layer of cellular origin; between these two layers, there is a protein coat consisting of the M protein (matrix or matrix). In the nucleocapsid is found the genome consisting of an ssRNA + (a single RNA strand with positive polarity) of 27-30 kilobases which codes for 7 viral proteins and is associated with the protein N.

Coronaviruses attach to the cell membrane of the target cells thanks to their S proteins that interact with the aminopeptidase N of the membrane; some coronaviruses can bind neuraminic N-acetyl acid thanks to the expression of E3 glycoprotein. It is not clear whether cell penetration is performed by fusion of the pericapsid with the plasma membrane or by endocytosis. Inside the cytoplasm of the cell, the coronavirus releases its positive single-stranded RNA which attaches itself to the ribosomes where it is translated. The translation involves the production of an RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (L protein) which transcribes a single negative-stranded RNA from which it is then possible to obtain new positive-stranded RNAs of the coronavirus as well as the seven proteins that it encodes. Protein N is associated with each new positive RNA strand while pericapside proteins are integrated into the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum. A translocator transfers the new nucleocapsides into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum, subsequently from these gemstone vesicles which constitute the new virions that can be released by exocytosis.

Coronaviruses are believed to cause a significant percentage of all common colds in adults and children. The most common symptoms are fever and acute adenoiditis with higher incidence during the winter and early spring. In many cases coronaviruses can cause pneumonia, direct viral pneumonia, or secondary bacterial pneumonia; they can also lead to the development of bronchitis, direct viral bronchitis, or secondary bacterial bronchitis. The human coronavirus discovered in 2003, SARS-CoV, causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), has unique pathogenesis because it causes upper and lowers respiratory tract infections.

As of January 2020, the following seven coronavirus strains are known to infect humans:
*Human Coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E)
*Human Coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43)
*Human Coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63)
*Human Coronavirus HKU1 (HCoV-HKU1)
*Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)
*Middle Eastern Coronavirus Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV), also known as Novel Coronavirus 2012 (2012-nCoV) and Human Coronavirus Erasmus Medical Center / 2012 HCoV-EMC / 2012
*Coronavirus 2019-nCoV (2019-nCoV), also known as Wuhan or Novel Coronavirus 2019.

The Wuhan coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is an example of a deadly disease arising in animals deemed to be "unclean" by the [[Mosaic Law]] for human consumption, such as bats, snakes, cats, and camels.<ref>"Nevertheless, among those that chew the cud or part the hoof, you shall not eat these: The camel, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you." Leviticus 11:4 ([[ESV]])</ref> In addition, in developing countries in which basic needs - including hygiene - are poor, income is scarce, or are run by corrupt and/or atheistic cultures and governments, there is often a history of poverty and famine; their societies, in turn, would develop a culture reflecting a wider variety of foods eaten (see: [[Atheism and economics]]). Where people consume such animals in poorly regulated food markets with poor health systems (see: [[Atheist hospitals in China]] and [[Atheism and medicine]] and [[Atheist hospitals]]) - especially if the food item is improperly prepared and cooked - a coronavirus can take hold in the human population and then spread rapidly to other people.

The airborne virus can survive on infected surfaces, such as a doorknob or cash, for several hours and even up to 5 days.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/chinese-officials-warns-of-aerosol-infection-as-coronavirus-spreads_3231971.html</ref>

==Global pandemic==
[[File:Mao corona.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Chinese Communists suppressed news of the outbreak for two months, arrested doctors who posted on social media about it, and did not advise the people of Wuhan until after the virus spread throughout the world.]]
:{{Main article|CCP global pandemic}}

=== Atheistic, Chinese Communist Party and the COVID-19 pandemic ===

''See also:'' [[Atheism and the Wuhan coronavirus epidemic]]

The [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP) mandates its members be [[atheists]] (see: [[China and atheism]] and [[Atheism and communism]] and [[militant atheism]] and [[State atheism]]).<ref>[https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/asia/item/19567-china-s-communist-party-reaffirms-marxism-maoism-atheism China’s Communist Party Reaffirms Marxism, Maoism, Atheism], New American, 2014</ref><ref>[http://www.ibtimes.com/senior-chinese-religious-advisor-calls-promotion-atheism-society-2363850 Senior Chinese Religious Advisor Calls For Promotion Of Atheism In Society], ''International Business Times''</ref>

The CCP tried to cover up the emergence of the COVID-19 which prevented the pandemic being contained in its early stages.<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/china-trolling-world-and-avoiding-blame/608332/ China Is Avoiding Blame by Trolling the World], The Atlantic</ref>

China allowed thousands of COVID-19 infected people leave China during the early stage of the pandemic when the world was not aware of it.<ref>[https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/04/coronavirus-pandemic-china-confronting-chinese-communist-party/ To Confront China After Coronavirus, We Must See the Bigger Picture], National Review</ref>

''The Atlantic'' reported concerning the role of the CCP to allow the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic to spread in China and globally during its early stages:
{{Cquote|China has a history of mishandling outbreaks, including SARS in 2002 and 2003. But Chinese leaders’ negligence in December and January—for well over a month after the first outbreak in Wuhan—far surpasses those bungled responses. The end of last year was the time for authorities to act, and, as Nicholas D. Kristof of The New York Times has noted, “act decisively they did—not against the virus, but against whistle-blowers who were trying to call attention to the public health threat.”

This is what allowed the virus to spread across the globe. Because the Chinese Communist Party was pretending that there was little to be concerned about, Wuhan was a porous purveyor of the virus. The government only instituted a lockdown in Wuhan on January 23—seven weeks after the virus first appeared. As events in Italy, the United States, Spain, and France have shown, quite a lot can happen in a week, much less seven. By then, mayor Zhou Xianwang admitted that more than 5 million people had already left Wuhan.<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/china-trolling-world-and-avoiding-blame/608332/ China Is Avoiding Blame by Trolling the World], The Atlantic</ref>}}

=== Early stage of the global pandemic and various organizations ===

Approximately six weeks before the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic in early December 2019 in Wuhan (China), an exercise was organized by the Davos World Economic Forum in cooperation with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The exercise was held in [[New York City]] on 18 October 2019, for the specific purpose of mapping the response of transnational corporations and governments to a coronavirus epidemic.<ref>[https://www.voltairenet.org/article209126.html?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=59e20589189a4ef51e1c790a502c38dca2d37001-1582567175-0-AVunZ5W4TxylXaPL1c5ZSk-m7WveKOAu-ZhEuSPLUU12pMVSa0Ee_7y2wZLldc86g38I0X2OPFXUjQeSc6zzQ1pUxu_kQ8WiC3BW_tdzH0QrGU302w8xRqgsaaFmnWfdfim6VYYfo4VN_MfL9qX3JKGZmCYhKu8mlNaYe2OABUc3DOGK2a_2V_zgkRfT3O0PjmSsKl5WZf2G5DXeFWNcDR_LwJP4FzpiBjsGS4-d5DpygDcoIGMHUmo5Z6AdhWz7Dn7oi80qGOKwuT0sy2U1rpevae6wV-104xkyPPWysx2s]</ref>

The pandemic spread as a result of human-to-human transmission beginning in Wuhan. As it metastasized, the World Health Organization (WHO) parroted the Chinese Communist Party line that the Wuhan virus could not be passed from one human to another, and that it was “racist” to refer to the virus by its place of origin.<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2020/03/26/5-major-paradigm-shifts-the-wuhan-flu-crisis-has-revealed-americans-need/</ref> The [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP) has bought off the WHO in their propaganda offensive.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwFTZawOc9k</ref>

While the CCP propaganda boasted of its aid to 82 countries outside China,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkdPPzmGbcU</ref> reports emerged of defective coronavirus test kits that China distributed to Italy, Spain, Ukraine<ref>https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2020/03/27/add-ukraine-to-the-list-of-countries-that-received-the-piece-of-crap-covid-19-tests-from-china/</ref> and throughout Europe.<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/chinese-distributed-faulty-coronavirus-test-kits-throughout-europe-reports-indicate/</ref> More than one thousand Spanish healthcare workers had to go into isolation after a batch of face masks from China turned out to be defective.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2020/04/23/defective-masks-from-china-send-more-than-1000-spanish-healthcare-workers-into-isolation-912395</ref>

Microsoft founder [[Bill Gates]] claimed that the Covid-19 outbreak in [[Africa]] could cause "10 million deaths," hours before [[Egypt]]'s ministry of health confirmed its first case.<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/02/15/coronovirus-bill-gates-warns-10-million-deaths-virus-spreads/</ref> Gates pushed heavily for universal [[vaccination]]s, which he is invested heavily in, complete with a digital yellow badge<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OACVmzCqKNo</ref> so governments can identify non-vaccinated individuals.<ref>https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/17/bill-gates-says-this-is-the-best-investment-he-has-ever-made.html</ref> Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., son of the late Senator, Attorney General, and Democrat presidential candidate ripped the curtain back on Gates "Mass Vaxx" program:
{{quotebox|"Gates took control of India ‘s National Advisory Board (NAB) and mandated 50 polio vaccines (up from 5) to every child before age 5. Indian doctors blame the Gates campaign for a devastating vaccine-strain polio epidemic that paralyzed 496,000 children between 2000 and 2017. In 2017, the Indian Government dialed back Gates’ vaccine regimen and evicted Gates and his cronies from the NAB. Polio paralysis rates dropped precipitously. In 2017, the World Health Organization reluctantly admitted that the global polio explosion is predominantly vaccine strain, meaning it is coming from Gates’ Vaccine Program. The most frightening epidemics in [[Congo]], the [[Philippines]], and [[Afghanistan]] are all linked to Gates’ vaccines. By 2018, 1/4 of global polio cases were from Gates’ vaccines."<ref>https://republicbroadcasting.org/news/rfk-jr-rips-the-curtain-back-on-bill-mass-vax-gates/</ref>}}
[[Harvard University]] epidemiology professor Marc Lipsitch predicted that within a year, 40% to 70% of the world's population would get the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease that it causes. With a world population of 7.5 billion, that means 3 to 5 billion people globally would get the novel coronavirus, and COVID-19 would kill up to 60 to 100 million people.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2020/02/youre-likely-get-coronavirus/163290/?oref=d1-in-article</ref>

[[Youtube]] de-monetized channels covering the coronavirus outbreak in [[Hong Kong]] and elsewhere. Japan closed all public schools. The Marxist regime's malevolent actions have led to a [[decoupling]] of international trade arrangements.

==Infection rate==

[[File:Coronavirus Infected and recoveries minus China & Italy May 20.jpg|right|371px|thumb|Note: "infected" represents number of infected on the date indicated who had sought medical attention.]]
The infection rate for Wuhan coronavirus was estimated to be as high as 83%, with a mortality rate of 15%. Hence out of every 1000 people exposed to the virus, 120 would die. A non-peer reviewed study from China claims one person can infect four others<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmrm0mk5928&feature=youtu.be</ref> (reproduction rate or RO<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUrURyXXmTw</ref>) and possibly as many as 14.<ref>Sars expert Zhong Nanshan said in a press conference on January 21 that a super-spreader had infected 14 medical staff in a hospital in Wuhan. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3048518/coronavirus-case-load-and-death-toll-china-rise-epicentre-hubei-province</ref> [[Hydroxychloroquine]] has been approved by the [[Food and Drug Administration]] for advanced clinical trials with stricken victims.

Later studies found antibodies in large numbers of the population, showing they had contracted the disease without showing any or showing very moderate symptoms. The virus was shown, overall, to have the same fatality rate and transmission rates of many forms of flu. However the duration of the contraction, symptomatic or not, has been shown to be able to last around sixty or seventy days. Also, the disease process takes place by being potentially devastating to the lungs, deleterious to those who survive the disease as well as those who succumb to it.

French researchers found a lower rate of infection among [[nicotine]] users than in the general population.<ref>https://reason.com/2020/04/24/can-nicotine-treat-covid-19-french-researchers-think-so/</ref>

===Transmission===
The Hong Kong specialists wrote,
{{quotebox|75,815 individuals (95% CrI 37,304- 130,330) had been infected in Greater Wuhan as of Jan 25, 2020. We also estimated that [[Chongqing]], Beijing, [[Shanghai]], [[Guangzhou]], and Shenzhen, had imported 461 (227–805), 113 (57–193), 98 (49–168), 111 (56–191), and 80 (40–139) infections from Wuhan, respectively. 
Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen were the mainland Chinese cities that together accounted for 53% of all outbound international air travel from China and 69% of international air travel outside [[Asia]], whereas Chongqing is a large metropolis that has a population of 32 million and very high ground traffic volumes with Wuhan. Substantial epidemic take-off in these cities would thus contribute to the spread of 2019-nCoV within and outside mainland China.<ref>https://www.theautomaticearth.com/2020/02/the-big-lockdown/</ref>}}

There were about 2,300 departing international air flights from the infected area to [[New York City]], [[San Francisco]], [[London]], [[Tokyo]], [[Rome]], [[Istanbul]], [[Dubai]], [[Paris]], [[Sydney]], [[Bali]], [[Bangkok]], [[Moscow]], [[Osaka]] [[Japan]], [[Seoul]], and [[Singapore]]
before the CCP ruling class alerted the public of the spread of the virus.

Half of all transmissible infections occur in the 24 day incubation period while a carrier shows no symptoms.<ref>https://blogaoedic.com/coronavirus-epidemic-update-15-underreporting-prevention-24-day-incubation-covid19/</ref> ''The Guardian'' reported up to 60% of the population of planet [[Earth]] could become infected.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/11/coronavirus-expert-warns-infection-could-reach-60-of-worlds-population</ref>

The virus has been found in fecal matter, meaning fumes leaking from sewage systems may spread transmission.<ref>https://www.newsweek.com/coronavirus-spread-contagious-everything-know-1486934</ref>

===Herd immunity===
There has never been a successful [[vaccine]] for any coronavirus in all of human history, and the task of trying to develop one for COVID-19 has become exceedingly more difficult now that scientists have discovered that there are 30 different strains of the virus. The outbreak will rip through the population, and nothing that politicians can do will be able to stop that from happening.<ref>http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/the-facts-that-prove-that-almost-everyone-is-wrong-about-this-coronavirus-pandemic</ref>

Mitigation efforts and flattening the curve are intended to prevent overwhelming medical facilities and frontline healthcare workers Immunological compromised individuals - the elderly, obese, diabetics and people with heart conditions for example, are most vulnerable and at risk. Otherwise healthy individuals who become infected will develop antibodies and resistance to the illness.

In April 2020 preliminary results from New York's first coronavirus [[antibody]] study show nearly 14 percent tested positive, meaning they had the virus at some point and recovered. That equates to 2.7 million infections statewide — more than 10 times the state's confirmed cases.<ref>https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/new-york-virus-deaths-top-15k-cuomo-expected-to-detail-plan-to-fight-nursing-home-outbreaks/2386556/</ref> Herd immunity is developing in New York state.<ref>https://www.jhsph.edu/covid-19/articles/achieving-herd-immunity-with-covid19.html</ref> The study is based on 3,000 random samples from 40 locations in 19 counties. While the preliminary data suggests much more widespread infection, it means New York's mortality rate is much lower than previously thought.

Studies in [[prison]]s showed rates of [[asymptomatic carrier]]s as high as 96%,<ref>https://hotair.com/archives/allahpundit/2020/04/26/study-infected-prison-inmates-four-states-finds-96-asymptomatic/</ref> meaning that herd immunity developed rapidly.

===Impact of warmer weather===
In warmer weather, viruses die more quickly in the air and thus do not spread as easily. This is a main reason why the flu is seasonal. Another reason is that during warmer weather people are not in close quarters indoors as much, where germs spread easily.

It is expected that warmer weather will help limit the spread of COVID-19 in the United States.<ref>https://www.denverpost.com/2020/03/09/colorado-climate-slow-spread-coronavirus/</ref> [[DHS]] studies show the virus has an 18-hour half-life when exposed to sunlight and [[humidity]].<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-dhs-official-coronavirus-dies-fastest-in-sunlight-heat-humidity</ref> However, [[liberal]]s downplay this issue because it undermines their agenda against the imaginary man-made [[global warming]].

===Preexisting conditions and medical complications===
[[Image:Biol 01 img0018.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Human Immunodeficiency Virus]] attacking T4 [[lymphocyte]]s]]
:{{See also|Homosexuality, coronavirus infections and medical complications|Homosexuality and health}}
Elderly patients and individuals with preexisting health conditions more frequently develop severe symptoms from coronavirus infections.<ref name="businessinsider.com">[https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-rates-preexisting-conditions-heart-disease-cancer-2020-2 Coronavirus patients with heart disease have a 10% death rate. Here's the death rate for patients with various underlying health problems], Business Insider</ref><ref name="jpost.com">[https://www.jpost.com/health-science/are-you-more-likely-to-die-from-coronavirus-if-you-are-obese-625699 Are you more likely to die from coronavirus if you are obese?], ''Jerusalem Post''</ref> Some of the more common preexisting medical conditions of coronavirus infection patients include: [[obesity]], heart disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, high blood pressure and cancer.<ref name="businessinsider.com"/><ref name="jpost.com"/>

Concerning homosexuality, coronavirus infections and medical complications, according to Cincinnati.com which is part of the ''USA Today'' network:
{{Cquote|Over 100 different national organizations,including Whitman-Walker Health and SAGE, have signed a letter created by the LGBT Cancer Network to bring attention to several factors that could mean the [[LGBTQ]] community is at a greater risk of complications from [[COVID-19]], including:

*LGBTQ people smoke at rates 50% higher than the general population, which could be detrimental if a respiratory illness like COVID-19 is contracted.

*Higher rates of [[HIV]] and [[cancer]] in the LGBTQ community means that a greater number of people may have compromised immune systems, which leaves them more vulnerable to COVID-19 infections.<ref>[https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/18/lgbtq-coronavirus-community-vulnerable-covid-19-pandemic/2863813001/ LGBTQ community may be 'particularly vulnerable' to coronavirus pandemic. Here's why.]</ref>}}

===Fatality rate===
[[File:Cdc-numbers-covid--600x180.jpg|right|350px|thumb|In August 2020 the United States Center for Disease Control reported only 6% of deaths previously reported as fatalities could be attributed exclusively to covid.<ref>https://www.wcvb.com/article/new-cdc-report-shows-94-of-us-covid-deaths-had-contributing-conditions-heres-what-that-means/33854593</ref>]]
By May 2020, when the misleading data from the technocratic and [[Marxist]] scientific experts of China were finally removed from global scientific data bases, it was established that [[Sweden]] had one death per 4,900 people, the United States one death per 6,400, the [[UK]] one per 3,300, [[France]] one per 3,000, [[Italy]] one per 2,450 people, and [[Spain]] one per 2,100 people. 80% of fatalities in all these countries are people over age 60 or people with compromised immune systems. This data is based on the number of people tested. In New York, groundzero for the coronavirus attack in the United States, about 20% of the population had been infected, with half that number showing no symptoms ([[asymptomatic]]).

Since by far most carriers are asymptomatic, mitigation efforts such as lockdowns, social distancing, hand washing, masks, etc. are aimed not at preventing one from catching the virus, but rather more importantly not breathing the virus onto others, social distancing, masks, handwashing etc. must remain in place after lockdowns are ended. And lockdowns can be reimposed at anytime in counties and states if mitigation efforts are not practiced and pockets of outbreaks occur for the remainder of 2020 and into 2021.

Ultimately, herd immunity will develop over years. Protecting the most vulnerable - elderly and people with preexisting conditions such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, etc. - is the goal of continued mitigation efforts. Asymptomatic carriers - generally the young and healthy are the most dangerous in society because they tend to be [[stupid]] as well, with no regard for the rights of their fellow citizens (witness the polling data on the popularity of [[socialism]] among people under age 35). Not wearing a mask in public is a sign of blatant disrespect for the health and safety of other people.

Fatalities will not stop with the end of lockdowns. The danger of the virus is far from past, with asymptotic carriers - people with the infection showing no sign of the illness and without masks - being the most reckless, careless, and dangerous in [[society]]. Testing for the virus is meaningless, being that an uninfected person can become infected five minutes after testing negative at a testing site. Only people - young communists, liberals, progressives, and socialists included - showing concern for the welfare of their fellow citizens by wearing a mask and observing social distancing guidelines - can defeat the spread of the virus over the next two years as herd immunity develops.

==United States==
[[File:LiveLeak-dot-com-covid2 1598829254.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Despite the panic, fewer than 10,000 Americans by August 2020 died of covid, despite the 180,000 earlier reported.<ref>https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=kJNVC_1598829286</ref>]]
:{{See also|CCP virus in the United States}}
In August 2020 the [[CDC]] updated it's [[COVID-19]] numbers with drastic results. The CDC admitted that only 6% of all the 153,504 deaths recorded actually died from Covid. That's 9,210 deaths. The other 94% had 2 to 3 other serious illnesses and the overwhelming majority were of very advanced age; 90% in nursing homes.<ref>https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid_weekly/index.htm?fbclid=IwAR2-muRM3tB3uBdbTrmKwH1NdaBx6PpZo2kxotNwkUXlnbZXCwSRP2OmqsI</ref>

Incidents and outbreaks were expected to occur in the United States throughout 2020 and into 2021. Due to [[globalization]] and globalized supply chains, shortages of crucial medicines, medical devices and equipment were already occurring in the first month of the reported outbreak. Social isolation is the only known method of combating the spread of infection. Persons with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible. Frequent handwashing is recommended. The first known death in America was recorded on February 29, 2020.

Traffic at the Long Beach harbor where Chinese goods are imported for distribution to American markets was down 40% the first month. The mayor of [[San Francisco]] declared a state of emergency on February 26, 2020.<ref>https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/484602-san-francisco-declares-state-of-emergency-over-coronavirus</ref>

As the pandemic spread to the United States and criticism of the CCP grew, China again threatened to leverage its dominant position in the production of essential medical supplies to cut off Americans from vital equipment.

Without mitigation efforts, U.S. [[GDP]] could shrink one third and as many as 47 million people become [[unemployed]], surpassing [[Great Depression]] era levels experts say. Upwards of 2 million people could succumb to the virus if mitigation efforts are ignored.

The pandemic is expected to remain in the United States for at least two years until 60% of the population becomes infected and herd immunity develops. A vaccine, which in fact is the virus itself, must be massed produced and tested for age, body weight, pre-existing conditions, etc.

===CDC projections===

The CDC modeled four scenarios of the spread of the disease in a presentation in February 2020. The worst case was 1.7 million deaths. The best was 200,000. Other infectious disease experts weren't as optimistic:

:Dr. Lawler recently presented his own “best guess” projections to American hospital and health system executives at a private webinar convened by the American Hospital Association. He estimated that some 96 million people in the United States would be infected. Five out of every hundred would need hospitalization, which would mean close to five million hospital admissions, nearly two million of those patients requiring intensive care and about half of those needing the support of ventilators.

:Dr. Lawler’s calculations suggested 480,000 deaths, which he said was conservative. By contrast, about 20,000 to 50,000 people have died from flu-related illnesses this season, according to the C.D.C. Unlike with seasonal influenza, the entire population is thought to be susceptible to the new coronavirus.<ref>http://archive.is/QzLH5</ref>
[[File:Projected deaths.PNG |right|300px|thumb|Projected deaths. ''Source:'' www.healthdata.org/<ref>http://www.healthdata.org/sites/default/files/files/research_articles/2020/COVID-forecasting-03252020_4.pdf</ref>]]
'''IHME projections - [[Gates Foundation]]'''

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) also posted projections based on the latest numbers. They're expecting 86,000+ deaths in the next four months, with the U.S. to reach 10,000 sometime around April 5–6, 20,000 within a week after that, and 50,000 around April 24–25. If they're correct, we'll start the month on Wednesday with a bit less than 5,000 people dead of COVID-19 and end it with nearly 60,000 deceased. In a worst-case scenario, we could be approaching 100,000 dead — in one month.

Deaths will begin to slow in May thanks to the social distancing practices being followed now (and maybe because of warmer weather) but if the projection were correct, Americans were poised to see roughly as many of their fellow citizens die of this illness in four to five weeks as died in the [[Vietnam War]], [[Iraq War]], and [[Afghan War]] combined.<ref>https://hotair.com/archives/allahpundit/2020/03/30/birx-100-200000-dead-best-case-scenario-almost-perfect-social-distancing/</ref>

===Response===

In the United States, fake news panic-mongers expected a top-down command-and-control response with [[big government]] dictating testing and standards. Rather than duplicate the effort under a federal bureaucracy that was unprepared, ill-equipped and would take months or years to service a nation of 327 million people, the [[Trump administration]] moved quickly to engage existing [[private sector]] laboratories, medical personnel, and suppliers to confront the crisis.

The [[Center for Disease Control]] under the [[Obama administration]] had focused on [[gun control]], racism, [[social justice]], and [[obesity]] as public health concerns, and ignored preparation for a widescale pandemic in the era of global travel and global trade.<ref>https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2020/03/cdc-was-fighting-racism-and-obesity-instead-daniel-greenfield/</ref>

In response to the [[Wuhan coronavirus]] [[epidemic]], a [[bipartisan]] group of United States Senators had fashioned an emergency relief spending bill as the U.S. [[economy]] nose-dived with layoffs, shutdowns, and state-wide lockdowns to prevent spread of the deadly disease. [[Democrat]] [[Speaker Nancy Pelosi]] nixed the entire emergency relief package which would have given families on lockdown at home emergency cash assistance and allocated immediate funding for doctors, hospitals, and medical staff to fight the deadly virus which was claiming over 100 lives daily.<ref>https://nypost.com/2020/03/23/us-coronavirus-deaths-exceed-100-for-first-time-in-a-single-day/</ref> Pelosi demanded elements of the [[Green New Deal]] be included, such as airline carbon emission restrictions, tax credits for windmills and solar panels, expanded [[ballot harvesting]] and ballot box stuffing, and a plethora of other [[social justice warrior]] schemes targeted at destroying American [[capitalism]].

====FDA approval of hydroxychloroquine ====

''See also:'' [[Vladimir Zelenko]] and [[Vladimir Zelenko's coronavirus treatment]]

Zev [[Vladimir Zelenko]], M.D. is a [[New York State]] doctor who has treated over 1,450 coronavirus patients using [[hydroxychloroquine]], azithromycin and zinc sulfate with 99.9% success rate (2 deaths).<ref>[https://techstartups.com/2020/04/21/dr-vladimir-zelenko-now-treated-1450-coronavirus-patients-2-deaths-using-hydroxychloroquine-99-99-success-rate-latest-video-interview/ Dr. Vladimir Zelenko has now treated over 1,450 coronavirus patients (2 deaths) using hydroxychloroquine with 99.99% success rate (latest video interview)], Techstartups.com</ref>

With his first 350 coronavirus patients in March 2020, Zelenko had a 100% success using hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin and zinc.<ref>Multiple references:
*WND Staff (March 24, 2020). [https://www.wnd.com/2020/03/doctor-treated-350-coronavirus-patients-100-success/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=wnd-breaking&utm_campaign=breaking&utm_content=breaking "Doctor: I treated 350 coronavirus patients with 100% success"]. ''WorldNetDaily'' website.
*TechStartups team (March 25, 2020). [https://techstartups.com/2020/03/25/doctor-vladimir-zelenko-treated-350-coronavirus-patients-100-success-using-hydroxychloroquine-sulfate/ "Doctor Vladimir Zelenko: I treated 350 coronavirus patients with 100% success using Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate"]. ''TechStartups'' website.
*Feldman, Ari and Chernikoff, Helen (March 26, 2020). [https://forward.com/news/national/442511/trump-coronavirus-fda/ "A Jewish doctor’s off-label virus treatment is now being used in multiple states"]. ''Forward'' website/News/National News.</ref> There were no hospitalizations, intubations or deaths among Zelenko's first 350 patients.<ref name="Dr">WND Staff (March 24, 2020). [https://www.wnd.com/2020/03/doctor-treated-350-coronavirus-patients-100-success/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=wnd-breaking&utm_campaign=breaking&utm_content=breaking "Doctor: I treated 350 coronavirus patients with 100% success"]. ''WorldNetDaily'' website.</ref> On March 27, 2020, Zelenko indicated that he treated 699 patients with no deaths or intubations, whereas the national average in the United States is 1.5% of coronavirus patients dying.<ref name="IU">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaSHM1TK5tM "Important update regarding my treatment regimen"] (March 27, 2020). YouTube video, 3:05, posted by Dr Vladimir Zelenko M.D.</ref> As of March 27, 2020, four patients of Dr. Zelenko have been hospitalized with [[pneumonia]], and none of them required respirators.<ref name="IU"/>

Dr. Vladimir Zelenko's treatment resulted in various patients' shortness of breath issues being resolved in as early as 4 hours and on average 12 hours.<ref>[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/03/stunning-ny-doctor-vladimir-zelenko-finds-100-success-rate-in-350-patients-using-hydroxychloroquine-with-z-paks-video/ STUNNING! NY Doctor Vladimir Zelenko Finds 100% Success Rate in 350 Patients Using Hydroxychloroquine with Zinc (VIDEO)], Gatewaypundit.com</ref>

Dr. Zelenko's coronavirus treatment is now being used in multiple states.<ref>[https://forward.com/news/national/442511/trump-coronavirus-fda/ A Jewish doctor’s off-label virus treatment is now being used in multiple states] by Ari Feldman and Helen Chernikoff</ref> On March 27, 2020, Zelenko indicated that his protocols were recently on their way to [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] (the Prime Minister of [[Israel]]).<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaSHM1TK5tM Vladimir Zelenko: Important March 27, 2020 update regarding my coronavirus treatment regimen]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeaPHoTbWLc My statement to the Israeli health ministry] by Vladimir Zelenko</ref>

On May 30, 2020, the ''Grand Rapids Herald-Review'' stated:
{{Cquote|Dr. Vladimir Zelenko serves as a Primary Care Physician in suburban New York City—the epicenter of this outbreak. “I knew that the virus would hit our area hard due to our population density—we have 32,000 people living in one square mile. So I did my own research looking at what had been done in other countries that experienced the virus before us as well as looking at treatments developed for the SARS outbreak in 2003 (another coronavirus). I developed my own protocol of a three drug cocktail: HCL, Azithromycin, and Zinc. In the last few weeks I have seen 1,450 patients with COVID symptoms. I divided my patients into two groups: high risk and low risk. The low risk patients (under age 60 and healthy) statistically get better without treatment, so I sent them home to rest and get over the virus. I gave my drug cocktail to 405 high risk patients (over age 60 or with underlying health problems) whose conditions were most severe. The accepted rate of COVID mortality at that time for high risk patients was 5%, so if I had just relied on ventilators I could have expected to see 20 of my patients die. But using these three drugs I only lost two patients, one of which was very old and had been chronically ill. This was a significant order of magnitude better than expected outcomes.”

Dr. Zelenko explains the rationale behind his treatment program. “The zinc is what kills the virus and zinc occurs naturally in the body but has a hard time penetrating the cell where the virus lives. What the hydroxychloroquine does is open a channel into the cell so the zinc can enter and stop the virus from replicating. Adding an extra dose of zinc to the cocktail has been shown to improve outcomes by about 25%. Meanwhile, the azithromycin stands guard to combat any secondary bacterial infection that may crash the party and cause pneumonia.”

After seeing the effectiveness of his treatment regimen, Dr. Zelenko stated, “I realized what I had, and I felt like a front line soldier who had stumbled across some very important intelligence—some valuable information that needed to be communicated to the 5-star general because that information could be used to win the war.”

Within a few weeks, Dr. Zelenko had published video reports of his findings and was in touch not only with the US Coronavirus Taskforce, but with over a dozen governments around the world from Russia, to South Africa, to Peru. Four weeks ago the government of Brazil began implementing Dr. Zelenko’s protocol, and he explains their results: “One week ago the Brazilians published a study revealing a 95% reduction in deaths after this drug cocktail was introduced for use in their government hospitals.”<ref>[https://www.grandrapidsmn.com/opinion/doctors-discover-effective-life-saving-treatment-for-covid-19/article_3619c254-a1d4-11ea-a886-43929db0aeb5.html Doctors discover effective, life-saving treatment for Covid-19] By Rev. Mark Peske Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Grand Rapids Herald-Review, May 30, 2020</ref>}}

Healthgrades.com, Google reviews, and Vitals.com all have overall favorable reviews of Dr. Zelenko.<ref>[https://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-vladimir-zelenko-yndd2 Vladimir Zelenko - Healthgrades.com - Review]</ref><ref>[https://www.google.com/search?q=Vladimir+Zelenko&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS771US771&oq=Vladimir+Zelenko&aqs=chrome..69i57.1629j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#lrd=0x89c2d7b5d12f4f9f:0x31fbbbcbbf11dbdb,1,,, Vladimir Zelenko - Google reviews]</ref><ref>[https://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Vladimir_Zelenko.html Vladimir Zelenko - Vitals.com review]</ref>

President Donald Trump expressed optimism that Dr. Zelenko's treatment could be expanded to meet the threat of the deadly disease during the national emergency. Several [[Democrat]] governors subsequently issued [[executive order]]s banning the treatment.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOXyEiqIF5g</ref><ref>https://donsurber.blogspot.com/2020/03/democrats-fear-cure.html</ref> On March 30, 2020, the [[Food and Drug Administration]] granted expedited emergency use authorization for [[hydroxychloroquine]], despite scant evidence of its efficacy, nationwide for treatment of Covid-19 <ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/29/fda-emergency-authorization-anti-malaria-drug-155095</ref>

A peer-reviewed French study found no clinical efficacy when using hydroxychloroquine in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection and requiring oxygen.<ref>https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.10.20060699v1.full.pdf</ref>

====CARES Act====
{{See also|CARES Act}}
The CARES Act obligates an unprecedented amount of federal money, directed at broad swathes of the entire [[economy]], and grants the [[Secretary of the Treasury]] and the various government agencies responsible for implementing it vast discretion. The bill, along with its worker protections and accounting provisions to guard against corporate fraud and abuses, was first introduced by [[Republican]] Majority Leader [[Mitch McConnell]].<ref name="news.yahoo.com">https://news.yahoo.com/next-trumps-1t-plan-stabilize-045132929.html</ref> [[Democrat]]s attempted to stop the Coronavirus Rescue package from becoming law,<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/democrats-block-key-vote-on-dollar2-trillion-coronavirus-bill-as-senate-floor-erupts-with-partisan-anger/ar-BB11xjB8</ref> denying Americans relief from [[unemployment]] due to the nationwide shutdown caused by the coronavirus outbreak.<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/democrats-block-advancement-of-critical-economic-relief-package</ref> In its place Democrats sought to include dozens of [[economic planning|socialist planning]] measures intended to destroy [[capitalism]] and convert America into a [[Marxist]] state.<ref>https://100percentfedup.com/heres-the-senate-bill-speaker-pelosi-and-senator-schumer-convinced-every-democrat-to-vote-against-cash-for-americans-help-for-small-businesses-funding-for-research-treatment-for-coronavir/</ref> The original Republican bill had worker protections and safeguards against corporate abuses, despite Democrat talking points and fake news media accounts conjured up to justify Democrats obstruction of the Act aimed at staving off economic collapse. After money for museums and the arts and other Democrat pet projects were added, the bill passed both houses of Congress unanimously under President Trump's urging.

Every individual in America will receive $1,200 if they make $75,000 or less.<ref>https://fox8.com/news/coronavirus/mcconnells-1t-coronavirus-relief-plan-proposes-payments-of-1200-per-person/</ref> It is $2,400 for a married couple. In addition, there's $500 for every minor child. Average family of four will receive $3400. If they make between $75,000 and $99,000 they'll lose $5 for every $100 in earnings over the $75,000 cap, and at $99,000 it phases out for an individual. Double that for a married couple.<ref name="news.yahoo.com"/>

Freelancers, 1099 workers, and gig workers were also included. Anyone with a social security number who was not dependent on someone else is eligible. Those receiving a social security retirement benefit, a social security disability benefit, or Supplemental Security income will receive a payment. These are going to be made by the IRS with direct deposit. Enhanced [[unemployment]] benefits are also available. Average worker will receive 100% of their regular salary up to four months. No garnishments, accrued interest, or payments on student loans as of now through September 30, 2020.<ref>https://www.campusreform.org/?ID=14608</ref>

The bill includes $350 billion in money for small firms. The paycheck protection loan is like a loan that transfers into a grant. Firms with fewer than 500 workers give their expenses for the past 8 weeks. Of the money small firms borrowed, there will be forgiveness of payrolls, utilities, rent, and interest on mortgage debt.

Rep. [[Jerrold Nadler]] who chaired the House impeachment committee, demanded $4 Billion (with a "B") for the arts and museums.<ref>https://observer.com/2009/02/new-york-jerry-nadler-are-stimulus-package-winners/</ref> After receiving $25 million (0.0625% of $4 Billion) from the CARES Act, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in [[Washington, D.C.]] notified nearly 100 musicians with the National Symphony Orchestra that they won't receive paychecks after April 3, 2020.<ref>https://headlineswithavoice.com/2020/03/29/after-25-million-bailout-kennedy-center-pulls-a-fast-one/</ref>

====Testing====
The [[Trump administration]] [[Department of Health and Human Services]] approved licensed pharmacists to administer Covid 19 testing. There are 40,000 pharmacy locations in the United States with a 150,000 pharmacists. 91% of the U.S. population lives within five miles of a chain drugstore, traditional drug store, supermarket or mass merchant with a pharmacy. In many rural communities the pharmacist is the only healthcare provider.

The CDC website will help viewers to determine the priorities of the people that will be tested. Testing generally is to be done outside the store so patients and customers can be safe.

===Inconclusive list of suggestions for U.S. residents===
[[File:Drone-footage-shows-mass-grave-in-new-yorks-hart-island-1-thum (1).jpg|right|250px|thumb|Burial of unidentified and unclaimed bodies on Hart Island, New York.]]
The Coronavirus Live Archive <ref>https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnw9XCToAscVvvq7NbnK8rA/videos</ref> is a mysterious [[YouTube]] account with fewer than 8 thousand subscribers that published a series of short videos from within the Wuhan, China containment zone beginning January 24, 2020 - the day the CCP finally went public with news of the outbreak. 91 horrifying videos were uploaded over 37 days, roughly 2-3 per day, most under three minutes with many being less than 30 seconds. Only 10 clips ran longer than 3 minutes.

The 92nd and final installment was uploaded on March 16, 2020, fifteen days after the next to last installment. The video is a 1:42 in length screenshot of English language text entitled, ''Inconclusive List Of Suggestions For U.S. Residents''.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyIRW8M0B0w</ref> Below is a verbatim transcription.

:''My predictions are based: 1. How the virus progressed in Wuhan, despite the differences and government. 2. My best knowledge of America's healthcare system and federal government.

:''1. The virus will not be contained unless there's [[martial law]] (military dictatorship). Minority and poor communities will be screwed just like during [[Hurricane Katrina|Katrina]]. Community leaders now must come together and form a coherent voice on the national stage to prevent that.

:''2. On a personal level you want to be with your family, now. If you live apart from your family, you want to try to go home. When you arrive quarantine yourself in a well-ventilated room for 14 days. Your family members should also cut off all social interaction.

:''3. Hospitals will run out of protective gear. Medical staff from other hospitals will run out of protective gear. Medical staff from other depts will be reassigned to treat co-vid patients. If you have family or friends who work in a hospital, Tell them not to come home and arrange other housing. (Ideally the gov does this)

:''4. Low ball prediction of 40% infected population is 120 mil 120 * 20%=24 mil will need beds. U.S. has only 940,000 beds including for patients of other illnesses. If fed gov continues to do nothing, this will not be a crisis but an existential cataclysm.

:''5. You want to stock on your drug prescriptions. Call your doctor and fill your prescriptions in an uncrowded pharmacy. You also want plenty of other first-aid supplies.

:''6. If you are made to work and interface with many people. When you come home you should be completely isolated from your family. I know this is difficult but it's necessary.

:''7. Get a gun (guns) and coalesce a community around you, be it friends, family, colleagues, the more people the better. Make sure you can get to them and vice versa easily. Don't stray far from them.

:''8. If you are able bodied and have the means, communicate to your neighbor that you are willing to assist them. Volunteer if you can. 80% of why Wuhan overcame the outbreak is civilian and volunteer groups. You are as good bad as this plague will get.

:''Again. Wuhan, pop. 11 million, went from 1-100,000 patients in 40 days from Dec to Jan 23rd. The U.S. did nothing from Jan 23rd to Mar 12, 50 days. It's not just one city, but all 50 states. Remember, just Wuhan under siege drained China's entire protective gear supply chain.

:''You cannot underestimate the magnitude of what's about to come.

Whether the Coronavirus Live Archive uploads were accomplished by a lone dissenter or dissenters, or part of a Chinese Communist Party propaganda offensive and effort (Psyop) to interfere in the U.S. [[2020 Presidential election]] is undetermined.

In early April President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act against the [[3M]] corporation when it was discovered 3M was selling face masks and [[PPE]]'s to foreign entities and countries and not prioritizing American demand for vital medical supplies during the national emergency.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwxEYY7K-Jw</ref> 3M was making 10 million masks per week and denying sales to American emergency responders while exporting its product. Over 7,000 deaths had occurred in the United States by that point and American healthcare workers had limited personal protection equipment to treat patients.

===Border control===
Since the coronavirus outbreak in China was reported, 328 [[illegal immigrant]]s from China were nabbed jumping the U.S.-Mexico border as of early March 2020. Three other people from South Korea — another country with rapidly spreading cases — have also been arrested at the border, as have 122 people from the [[Dominican Republic]], where the coronavirus has now been detected.<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/mar/4/dhs-links-coronavirus-border-328-chinese-illegals-/</ref><ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/328-chinese-nationals-caught-trying-to-illegally-enter-u-s-at-southern-border/</ref> An overwhelming majority of the American people supported the President's decision to limit immigration.<ref>https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/disease/most_favor_trump_s_halt_to_immigration_to_help_u_s_workers_democrats_don_t</ref>

===Economic impact===
Publicly traded companies in [[America]] and abroad lowered earning estimates due to the impact of the coronavirus.<ref>https://www.engadget.com/2020/02/13/nvidia-cuts-outlook-coronavirus/</ref>

====Medicare====
''Accounting Weekly'' reported that when a [[hospital]] has a COVID-19 admission covered by [[Medicare]], the hospital gets paid $13,000. If that COVID-19 patient goes on a ventilator, the hospital gets paid $39,000.<ref>https://accountingweekly.com/us-hospitals-getting-paid-to-list-patients-as-covid-19/</ref> These incentives impact decisions by the hospital. If a Medicare patient is diagnosed with simple non-COVID pneumonia, the hospital would receive a one-time Medicare lump-sum payout of $4600. However, if the patient is diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia, the Medicare coverage is a one-time $13,000 payment. The incentive is to diagnose as many people as possible with COVID-19, especially those with light symptoms making it easy to move them out of the hospital quickly, and to put as many COVID patients as possible on ventilators for as short a time as possible.

In cases where a definite diagnosis of COVID cannot be made but is suspected or likely (e.g. the circumstances are compelling with a reasonable degree of certainty) it is acceptable to report COVID-19 on a death certificate as 'probable' or 'presumed.' Under the CDC guidelines for example, a patient who died after being hit by a bus and tested positive for coronavirus would be listed as having presumed to have died from the virus.<ref>https://blog.nomorefakenews.com/2020/04/12/state-senator-and-doctor-exposes-medicare-payouts-for-covid-19-patients/</ref>

New York ER doctor, Cameron Kyle-Sidell, has made public statements about the misuse of ventilators with supposed COVID-19 patients. He's stated that some of these patients actually have functioning lungs. Their immediate and dire life-threatening situation is straight oxygen deficit, as if they have high-altitude sickness. But pressure on the lungs, applied by the use of ventilators via standard rigid protocols, he says, can cause damage, and even death.

====Supply chains====
[[File:49666158142 b165838569 k.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Stress related to the spread of the virus has led to panic-buying across the United States, as major grocery retailers had their shelves largely emptied of basic necessities, such as this Kroger in Columbus, Ohio, March 2020 ''(cr. Dan Keck)''.]]
President Donald Trump said that the coronavirus outbreak highlighted the importance of bringing back to the United States previously offshore supply chains for medicine and gear that are needed to fight the spread of the outbreak. Steps have already taken to mitigate the risk to public health because of the country's reliance on other countries for key medication and equipment. The outbreak showed the importance of bringing manufacturing back to America so that we can produce at home the medicines and equipment and everything needed to protect the public's health.

Rosemary Gibson, senior advisor at the Hastings Center, a bioethics research institute, said that the reliance on foreign countries for life-saving
medicines made the United States vulnerable. Gibson provided details of the depletion of America's pharmaceutical industrial base. The US can no longer make [[penicillin]]; the last U.S. penicillin fermentation plant closed in 2004. Industry data reveal Chinese companies formed a [[cartel]] and [[collude]]d to sell the product on the global market a below market price and drove all US, European, and Indian producers out of business. Once they gained the dominant global market share, prices increased.

America's pharmaceutical supply chain is a devastating indictment of pre-Trump [[national security]] and public health policy. A nation heavily reliant on vital medicines and their ingredients from an increasingly hostile and secretive China is a devastating indictment of pre-Trump national security and public health policy.

=====Shortages=====
[[File:Wuhan masks.PNG|right|150px|thumb|Although masks are in short supply, a person can be arrested in China for not wearing a mask in public.]]
A critical shortage of masks occurred within the first month. American hospitals were overly dependent on Chinese made medical supplies. Hospitals in the US were already having to ration their inventory amid one of the worst flu seasons in decades. Masks were only available in departments such as intensive care units, divisions involved with infection, prevention and emergency departments in some hospitals.

White House Manufacturing and Trade Advisor Peter Navarro advocated for a return to U.S. production of medical products as a matter of [[national security]]. In his first three years President Trump positioned the U.S. to withstand supply chain disruption better than most countries. Starting from a position that the U.S. was too dependent on Chinese products, Trump pressured companies to return to the U.S. or find alternate suppliers outside China. During the two-year tariff battle many companies did exactly that. As a result, those companies are less dependent on Chinese component goods. A proactive position is now helping many U.S. companies avoid the China economic meltdown.

Procter & Gamble warned that the company's 17,600 products use 9,000 materials that come from 387 factories / suppliers across China, and that all of them may be disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.<ref>https://www.cips.org/en/supply-management/news/2020/february/pg-warns-17600-products-possibly-hit-by-coronavirus/</ref>

=====Decoupling=====
Decoupling refers to restricting and terminating certain trade relationships with the Chinese Communist Party. Decoupling however, is not limited merely to commerce. It will affect student exchange programs as students from China are hand selected by the Chinese Communist Party and expected to serve the party upon graduation without becoming infected with ideas such as [[democracy]], [[justice]], and [[religion]] while in the United States. American students studying in China likewise are targeted for compromise, blackmail, and ideological subversion.

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board oversees the Thrift Savings Plan, a retirement fund for federal employees and members of the uniformed military services, with about $600 billion in assets. Money is withheld from federal employees and the military's paychecks to contribute to the fund. Approximately 11% is invested in Chinese companies, some of which produce weapons designed to kill members of the U.S. military.<ref>https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/trump-orders-federal-retirement-money-invested-in-chinese-equities-to-be-pulled</ref> The government of China even prior to the CCP virus outbreak was in violation of U.S. sanctions law and engaged in humanitarian and human rights abuse.

Some companies the Thrift Fund invested in are:<ref>https://presentdangerchina.org/2020/04/open-letter-to-president-trump-dont-fund-our-enemies/</ref>
*AviChina Industry & Technology Ltd.: AVIC and its subsidiaries develop and produce a range of [[aircraft]], unmanned aircraft systems and airborne weapons for the [[People's Liberation Army]]. AVIC and its subsidiaries have been repeatedly sanctioned by the U.S. for [[missile]] proliferation activities in [[Iran]].
*China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation: Naval equipment produced by CSIC includes: guided missile destroyers, frigates, conventional submarines, nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems, and, most notably, aircraft carriers.
*Hikvision Digital Technology: Hikvision manufactures video cameras and other security technology integral to the CCP’s [[surveillance]] state apparatus, its “social credit” system and the network of large-scale [[concentration camp]]s used to incarcerate certain [[religious]] minorities. Hikvision has been sanctioned by the U.S. government for [[human rights]] and other activities “contrary to the [[national security]] or [[foreign policy]] interests of the United States.”
*Zhongxing Telecommunications Equipment Corporation (ZTE): [[ZTE]] is a [[telecommunications]] company that has engaged in economic and trade activities in sanctioned states in violation of U.S. laws and regulations.
*China Communications Construction Company: As of 2015, CCCC owned over half of China’s dredging industry capacity. Several CCCC subsidiaries have been observed conducting dredging (and other) activity in support of Beijing’s illegal island-building activity in the [[South China Sea]].
*China Unicom: China Unicom is providing telecommunications systems to the contested Paracel Islands and [[Spratly Islands]] in the South China Sea to service China’s [[civilian]] and [[military]] personnel and also reportedly to support signals intelligence activities.
*China Mobile Ltd.: China Mobile provides telecommunications services to illegal fortified Chinese-constructed islands in the Paracel and Spratly Island chains. In May 2019, the U.S. [[FCC]] denied China Mobile’s application to provide international telecommunications services between the U.S. and foreign destinations, saying it “raises substantial national security and [[law enforcement]] risks.”
*China Telecom Corporation: In April 2020, the U.S. government pulled a license from this Chinese telecommunications company’s American subsidiary on the grounds that it entailed unacceptable risks of Chinese [[espionage]] and disruption of U.S. networks.

=====CFIUS=====
In 2013 the [[Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States]] (CFIUS) approved the sale of Smithfield Foods, the world's largest [[pork]] processor and hog producer with $15 billion annual revenues,<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-smithfield-foods-idUSKCN1NL2BZ</ref> to WH Group (Wànzhōu Guójì group) of China.

A 2017 paper written by the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental outreach group described how technological progress fits into China's long-term strategic plans. The paper notes in particular increased Chinese foreign investment in several areas of importance to U.S. national security: [[artificial intelligence]]; [[robotic]]s, and augmented and [[virtual reality]], a key part of the military's plans for future training. The paper also mentions financial technology. It also outlines 16 “Manhattan projects” in aircraft design, quantum computing, neuroscience, and other fields in which China is aggressively investing as a nation state.

The paper says CFIUS changes and other legal remedies. could be helpful, but it says more actions are needed, including better funding for basic science and research and immigration policies to help people with tech skills legally immigrate to the United States.

The first step, the authors say, is to conduct a compressive analysis about exactly what sensitive technologies might evolve the fastest; which ones are the most important to U.S. national security; and which ones can be influenced by economic policy, direct, government-led investment, private sector investment or other forms of influence. “It would be foolhardy to say “we need to protect all of U.S. technology.” Instead, we need to understand the technologies that are most critical for national security and then think through how we protect those. As an example, there's no question AI will be a dual-use and critical technology but we need to think about whether we want to protect the algorithms, the data sets or something else. Whatever we decide to protect we must do in concert with allies so that our actions are not protectionist and penalize our own development more than they prevent a technology from falling into adversary's hands,” said Michael Brown, one of the paper’s authors.

“The Chinese government benefits from its State control to direct combined resources of business, government and academia. China pulls all of these sectors together to make significant advances in science and technology. Since we’re in a technology race with China, the U.S. needs to be much more proactive in both making a larger investment in science and technology as well as calling for ‘moonshots’ to bring together business, government and academia to achieve specified national innovation priorities.” said Brown. “The real answer here is we have to make a much bigger investment. One of the things we could do is set some national innovation priorities…we’ve got to recognize that one of our adversaries is doing that frequently.”

The budget for military research and development is up about 18 percent under Trump, but funding for basic science and research in other areas is flat. Massive and growing budget deficits portend a dim future for robust research and development spending.

Most important, say the authors, restrictions on trade have to be coordinated with other allies if they are to have the right effect.

“I believe there’s room to clarify what our policy is relative to China. For years, we’ve been focused on [[free trade]] and [[investment]]; now as China becomes a peer competitor not just economically but technologically, we need all Americans to understand the potential negative consequences of China’s ([[mercantilist]]) unfair trade practices as well as the scale of [[IP theft]] underway,” said Brown. “Example, when you raise tariffs on steel and aluminum and you aren’t doing that it concert with allies” your tariffs are unlikely to have the desired effect.

The Trump administration and lawmakers are pushing ahead with measures to decrease, or in some cases, bar Chinese investment in U.S. technology. The administration is considering using the obscure 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

“The administration’s efforts to beef up the CFIUS process to make sure that we’re protecting our US intellectual properties — a lot of that in the past has migrated offshore through both legal and nefarious means – whatever we can do to help protect that, also it’s good for the industry in the U.S. It’s an important part of the Administration’s program set,” said Dale Ormond, the principal director of research in the office of the assistant defense secretary for research and engineering,<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2018/04/pentagon-paper-explains-why-trump-administration-reining-tech-trade-china/147258/</ref>

====Blue state Civil War====
:{{See also|Blue state Civil War|2020 leftwing riots}}
In violation of Article I, Sec 10 (paragraph 3) of the [[U.S. Constitution]] which reads:
{{Cquote|<big>''No state shall, without the consent of Congress, … enter into any agreement or compact with another state,''</big>}}
[[File:Biden WuFlu.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Democrat presidential nominee [[Joe Biden]] takes to the airwaves to counter official White House/CDC press briefings. Biden and Trump critics alleged President Trump does not heed the advice of scientists and experts.]]
Democrat governors of New York (Cuomo), New Jersey (Murphy), Connecticut (Lamont), Pennsylvania (Wolfe), Delaware (Carney) and Rhode Island (Raimondo) [[collude]]d together to keep the northeast region of the U.S. shut down. Controlling critical ports and infrastructure was a key part of their plan.<ref>https://qns.com/story/2020/04/13/task-force-between-six-states-will-deliberate-on-how-to-open-economy-again/</ref> On the West Coast, the governors of California (Newsom), Oregon (Brown) and Washington State (Inslee) also assembled an economic war council. Together with their political northeastern allies, controlling two-thirds of U.S. ports gives them a strategic advantage to keep choking the U.S. economy until a Democrat [[commander-in-chief]] can be installed in the [[White House]].<ref>https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/492562-west-coast-governors-announce-joint-plan-for-reopening-economies</ref> ''[[Bloomberg News]]'' published an op-ed on April 9, 2020 by Francis Wilkinson entitled, ''Gavin Newsom Declares California a ‘Nation-State’'':
{{quotebox|California this week declared its independence from the federal government’s feeble efforts to fight Covid-19 — and perhaps from a bit more. The consequences for the fight against the pandemic are almost certainly positive. The implications for the brewing civil war between Trumpism and America’s budding 21st-century majority, embodied by California’s multiracial liberal electorate, are less clear.

Speaking on [[MSNBC]], Governor [[Gavin Newsom]] said that he would use the bulk purchasing power of [[California]] “as a nation-state” to acquire the hospital supplies that the federal government has failed to provide. If all goes according to plan, Newsom said, California might even “export some of those supplies to states in need.”

“[[Nation-state]].” “Export.”

Newsom is accomplishing a few things here, with what can only be a deliberate lack of subtlety....

California, an economic behemoth whose taxpayers account for 15% of individual contributions to the [[U.S. Treasury]], is now toning up at muscle beach.

What that means, of course, is left to the imagination. But not much is required to envision what might evolve.

Newsom, a former lieutenant governor who won the top job in 2018, has used the “nation-state” phrase before. It’s a very odd thing to say. ...

[[Federalism]] has always had rough spots, but conflict is rising and resolutions are not. California is a sanctuary state while the Trump administration is fond of immigration dragnets....

From Fort Sumter to Little Rock to Montgomery, the blueprint for states opposing federal control has a recurring theme. But there is no reason that states can’t adopt a [[racist]] playbook for other ends. If California and other 21st-century polities withhold [[revenue]], or otherwise distance themselves from Washington’s control, legal and political battles will escalate. ...

[[John C. Calhoun]], who used the theory of [[states' rights]] to defend the institution of [[slavery]], is not generally a philosophical lodestar...Calhoun’s theory of nullification, which posited that states have the power to defy federal law, could be ripe for a comeback on the left coast....<ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-04-09/california-declares-independence-from-trump-s-coronavirus-plans</ref>}}
Overspending blue states sought a federal bailout for loss of [[revenue]] during lockdowns.<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/pelosi-proposes-massive-state-bailout-in-next-spending-measure</ref> A federal bailout protects their prior overspending.

Mail-in ballots is another the goal. This strategy ties in with the Blue state governors destroying their economy, holding shut their regional economies, and not worrying about any election outcome. For example, sending two ballots to democrats, and one to registered republicans is one method. Controlling the mail carrying system is another. Selecting ballots for counting based on zip code political registration is yet another still. [[Ballot harvesting]] continues the overall process. The list of ways to manipulate voter mail-in election outcomes is infinitesimal. Full control over the mail-in ballots provides Democrat governors the security they need for the 2020 election.

Govs. Newsom of California and Cuomo of New York threatened to layoff first responders.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLrw4U2yzzo&feature=push-u-sub&attr_tag=53ffu6mrf1_MOJBz%3A6</ref><ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2020/05/06/mayor-de-blasio-threatens-to-hold-essential-first-responder-jobs-hostage-if-no-federal-bailout-917623</ref><ref>https://www.redstate.com/bonchie/2020/05/18/gavin-newsom-takes-hostages-to-force-state-bailout-and-the-gop-will-probably-cave/</ref>

Communist sympathizers and organizations on both the East and West coasts organized rent strikes to destroy [[capitalism]].

===Repatriation of infected persons===
:{{See also|Administrative state}}
====Outbreaks====
[[File:CDC U.S. All-Cause Mortality, by Flu Season 2013-2020.jpg|right|350px|thumb|As reported deaths from coronavirus in the U.S. crossed the 10,000 mark, the CDC All-Cause Mortality index was 10,000 deaths below the average for the previous 7 years.<ref>https://accordingtohoyt.com/2020/03/27/covid-19-and-us-mortality-by-i-ratel/</ref> The CDC claimed on March 24, 2020 that walking 8,000 steps per day over 4,000 steps per day for the previous 7 years accounted for the decline.<ref>https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p0324-daily-step-count.html</ref>]]
The first reported death to the Wuhan virus or 'Luhan virus' as Democrat presidential candidate [[Joe Biden]] referred to it,<ref>https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1243686891368722437</ref> occurred in [[Washington state]], which immediately declared a state of emergency. A reported infection was found in a [[United States Postal Service]] employee who worked in a package-sorting facility.<ref>https://dmlnewsapp.com/breaking-us-postal-service-worker-tests-positive-coronavirus-video/</ref> The City of [[San Francisco]] declared a state of emergency earlier when the first reported infection occurred.

Dr. [[Anthony Fauci]], chief epidemiologist in the United States, warned the outbreak could overwhelm the US healthcare system.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/first-case-coronavirus-detected-eu-headquarters-brussels-live-updates</ref>

The clusters that began appearing in the United States were found to have originated with travelers coming from Europe. The [[European Union]] had failed to take immediate precautions and restrict travel from China and other hot spots in January when outbreaks were first reported. As a result, a number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travelers from Europe. By March 12, 2020, of the 35 states reporting infections, 30 originated with travelers from Europe.<ref>https://nypost.com/2020/03/12/its-a-wise-move-democrats-show-rare-support-for-trump-over-europe-travel-ban/</ref> On March 13, 2020 the World Health Organization announced the epicenter of viral outbreaks had shifted from China to Europe.<ref>https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/13/europe-is-now-the-epicenter-of-the-coronavirus-pandemic-who-says.html</ref> President Trump initiated a 30-day travel ban of all flights from Europe, with the exception of the [[United Kingdom]], which recently established a hard border with the European Union and was reporting fewer cases than France, Germany, Italy and elsewhere on the continent.

The U.S. Navy said it would evacuate 4,000 sailors from the [[USS Theodore Roosevelt]] in [[Guam]] in order to disinfect the aircraft carrier after an outbreak on board.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2020/03/us-navy-evacuating-aircraft-carrier-infected-coronavirus/164254/</ref> The ship patrols the Taiwan Straits.

== Origin of Covid-19 virus ==

Chinese students researchers indicated the novel coronavirus may have begun human-to-human transmission in late November 2019 from a place other than the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan. A study published on ChinaXiv, a Chinese open repository for scientific researchers, reveals the new coronavirus was introduced to the seafood market from another location, and then spread rapidly from market to market.<ref>https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1180429.shtml</ref> The Chinese Communist Party deleted the page

===''The Lancet'' disputes CCP wet market claims===
CCP propaganda outfits announced the virus may have originated at a government laboratory only 280 meters away from the Huanan seafood market. Disease-ridden animals, including more than 600 horseshoe bats, were kept at the facility. A China Science Communication video uploaded to YouTube on Dec. 10, 2019, the day of the death of the first known victim, showed China CDC scientists collecting viruses from bat caves and stated, "Nearly 2,000 types of viruses have been discovered by Chinese CDC authorities in the last twelve years. Only 2,284 types of viruses had been discovered worldwide over the last 200 years prior to China's discovery. China has taken the lead in the world in the field of Basic research of virus."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovnUyTRMERI/</ref> The Youtube account bears a disclaimer: "SMG is funded in whole or in part by the Chinese government. Wikipedia". SMG is a CCP entity. The high dollar production video purports to show a bat cave in Hubei Province, which is subtitled in English, followed by images of the coronavirus. There are no horseshoe bats, the source of the 2019-nCoV virus, which are native to Hubei province, but rather the 600 horseshoe bats in Yunan province, 900 kilometers away. Furthermore, bat-eating is more of coastal phenomenon and was not a common practice in Hubei province. Again, both the date of its upload and timing of the attention called to it in [[Western]] media bear the hallmarks of CCP's propaganda offensive to portray the CCP as a global "humanitarian leader".

A Chinese-language newspaper published in Hong Kong, ''Ming Pao'', and the British daily, ''The Mirror'' explained that the Wuhan Center for Disease Control, or WHCDC, could have spawned the contagion in Hubei Province. It stated that it's plausible the virus was leaked from the lab and contaminated initial patients in this epidemic. Sen. [[Tom Cotton]], citing ''The Lancet'', tweeted:
{{quotebox|China claimed—for almost two months—that coronavirus had originated in a Wuhan seafood market. That is not the case. @TheLancet published a study demonstrating that of the original 40 cases, 14 of them had no contact with the seafood market, including Patient Zero.<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/tom-cotton-implies-coronavirus-originated-in-wuhan-super-laboratory</ref>}}
This suggests that there was an earlier source of the virus that is unrelated to the seafood market and that has not yet been traced. If this theory is correct, the infection originated no later than November and infected the seafood market in December. The case histories and the pattern of infection were known to Chinese researchers from the beginning, so earlier reports fingering the market may have been intentionally misleading.<ref name="sciencemag.org">Cohen, Jon, "[https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/01/wuhan-seafood-market-may-not-be-source-novel-virus-spreading-globally Wuhan seafood market may not be source of novel virus spreading globally]," ''Science'', Jan. 26, 2020.</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'', which routinely publishes Chinese Communist [[propaganda]] and sought to cover for the Communist regime, blasted Sen. Cotton over his comments.<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2020/02/19/washington-post-uses-chinese-propaganda-in-attempt-to-blast-sen-tom-cotton-over-coronavirus-comments/</ref>

===Dr. Li issues public warning===
[[Dr. Li Wenliang]] was an ophthalmologist in [[Wuhan, China]] who became a [[whistleblower]] and victim of the [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP). Efforts by Dr. Li to alert the Chinese people to the danger of the [[CCP coronavirus]] in late December 2019, and his subsequent death 5 weeks later did not go unpunished. Dr. Li has been elevated to the status of saint and folk hero among the Chinese people.

On December 30, 2019 Dr. Li posted the lab test result of a coronavirus patient in a group chat to a class of about 150 students writing:
{{Quotebox|“7 cases of SARS have been confirmed in the South China Fruit and Seafood Market and they were isolated in the emergency department of our hospital. Please tell your families to take preventative measures.”}}
Some doctors confirmed that healthcare workers were starting to become infected around this time, a significant sign that the virus could spread between humans. Health officials in Wuhan were alerted. Instead of ramping up safety measures and alerting the public, on the same day they issued a notice forbidding all medical institutes or individuals from disclosing any information regarding the new disease. At midnight, Dr. Li was summoned by the CCP Security Police. They questioned him about why he was spreading rumors online.

On December 31, Wuhan's health commission posted an announcement about the outbreak on their website. They confirmed 27 cases of the infection and said there was no evidence that the disease was contagious among humans. According to a research paper written by Chinese officials, which was published later, the number of virus cases had reached at least 105 by the end of 2019. At that point, 15 people had already died. A media report also showed that one major hospital in Wuhan, Xiehe Hospital, was forced to transform an entire floor of the facility into “quarantine space for contagious disease.” [[Taiwan]] officials notified the [[World Health Organization]] (WHO) that the virus was being spread from human-to-human.<ref name="dailycaller.com">https://dailycaller.com/2020/03/20/who-taiwan-coronavirus-warning/</ref> Communist party officials in China and military personnel began taking preventative measures, however the public was never alerted.

====8 doctors arrested for issuing public warnings====
On January 3, 2020 Dr. Li was asked to sign a confession to charges of committing [[crime]]s against the [[leftist]] regime, spreading “illegal and false” information and that he had “severely disrupted social order.” 7 other doctors also were charged. The confession read:
{{quotebox|"On December 30, 2019, WeChat group "Clinical Wuhan University 04" issued untrue statements about 7 cases of SARS diagnosed in the South China fruit and seafood market. Now raise warnings and admonitions according to law on the illegal issue of untrue statements on the [[Internet]]. Your behavior severely disrupts social order. Your behavior has exceeded the scope permitted by [[law]], and it violates the relevant provisions of the Law of the [[People's Republic of China]] on Public Security Management Penalties, which is an [[illegal]] act! The public security organ hopes that you will actively cooperate with your work, follow the advice of the [[police]], and stop the illegal behavior. can you do it? Answer: Yes We hope that you calm down and reflect carefully, and solemnly warn you: if you are stubborn, do not think about [[repentance]], and continue to carry out illegal activities, you will be punished by the law! do you understand? Answer: understand"<ref>[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E6%9D%8E%E6%96%87%E4%BA%AE%E7%9A%84%E8%AE%AD%E8%AF%AB%E4%B9%A6.png File:李文亮的训诫书.png WikiCommons]</ref>}}

====CCP controlled Wuhan Municipal Health Commission begins cover up ====
On December 31, 2019 the CCP controlled Wuhan Municipal Health Commission declared, “The investigation so far has not found any obvious human-to-human transmission and no medical staff infection.” This is the opposite of the belief of the doctors working on patients in Wuhan, and two doctors were already suspected of contracting the virus.<ref name="mp.weixin.qq.com">https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/IzzCnz4Yr2jEIYZePiu_ow</ref><ref>[[User:RobSmith/Text of article censored by Google translate]]</ref>

The CCP employed standard [[technocrat]]ic and [[bureaucrat]]ic rhetoric to qualm public fears:
{{quotebox|Twenty-seven cases have been found , of which 7 are in serious condition, and the remaining cases are stable and controllable. Two patients are expected to be discharged in the near future. The clinical manifestations of the cases were mainly fever, a few patients had difficulty breathing, and chest radiographs showed bilateral lung infiltrative lesions. At present, all cases have been isolated for treatment, follow-up investigations and medical observations of close contacts are ongoing, and hygiene investigations and environmental sanitation disposals for South China Seafood City are ongoing.

Wuhan organized the consultation of clinical medicine, epidemiology, and virology experts in Tongji Hospital, Provincial Center for Disease Control, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan Infectious Disease Hospital, and Wuhan Center for Disease Control and other units, and the experts returned from the disease and treatment, Epidemiological investigation, preliminary laboratory tests and other aspects of the situation analysis that the above cases are viral pneumonia. The investigation so far has not found any obvious human-to-human transmission and no medical staff infection.}}
Tao Lina, a public-health expert and former official with Shanghai's center for disease control and prevention, tells the South China Morning Post, “I think we are [now] quite capable of killing it in the beginning phase, given China’s disease control system, emergency handling capacity and clinical medicine support.”<ref name="scmp.com">https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3044050/mystery-illness-hits-chinas-wuhan-city-nearly-30-hospitalised</ref>

====WHO collusion with CCP====
[[File:WHO-CCP Wuhan virus.PNG|right|300px|thumb|The WHO tweeted misinformation from the Chinese Communist Party that the world had nothing to fear from the coronavirus outbreak.]]
Li was ordered to return to work where he contracted the virus. On January 6, 2020 the center for disease control in [[Shanghai]] acquired the complete gene sequencing of the new virus. They found over 89 percent similarity between the new virus and the deadly SARS virus that caused a pandemic in 2003. The information was sent to China's national CDC in an internal document. From January 6 to January 17, CCP officials reported zero new cases. In the 11 day period the communist authorities in Wuhan City and Hubei Province held their most important annual political meetings. Over 2,000 “representatives of the people” gathered to discuss the “amazing achievements of 2019” and how 2020 will be “a tremendous and promising year.” There was little mention of the coronavirus. On January 14 the [[World Health Organization]] [[tweet]]ed,
{{Quotebox|"Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan #China<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2020/03/18/flashback-who-china-coronavirus-contagious/</ref>}}
The same day a group of [[Hong Kong]] journalists accompanied Hong Kong experts who were invited to conduct research on the virus outbreak. The reporters were later detained by Chinese Security Police, who photographed their reporter IDs and asked them to delete all footage taken inside hospitals.

At this same time a post on the Chinese [[social media]] site Weibo, a person's dad was confirmed to have viral pneumonia. But the Xiehe Hospital in Wuhan refused to admit the father due to a shortage of hospital beds. Another netizen posted that his entire family was infected. They went to the Tongji Hospital in Wuhan and saw that “there were so many patients that some had to lie on the floor of the corridor.” His father was also sent home to self-quarantine because there weren't enough hospital beds. The post was later deleted. So were all other posts in the user's account.<ref name="ntd.com">https://www.ntd.com/a-timeline-of-events-leading-up-to-the-coronavirus-outbreak-in-china_442592.html</ref> That was the week Wuhan authorities didn't report a single confirmed or suspected case.

From January 12 to 16, an estimated 3 million passengers left Wuhan by train over the Chinese New Year holiday, to visit family and friends in other cities in China. On January 17, 2020 Wuhan's tourism bureau issued over 200,000 free tourism tickets. It was an effort to entice people to visit the city so they could experience the “Chinese style and warm sentiments of Wuhan.” On January 18, Baibuting, a populous district in Wuhan, held an annual banquet to celebrate the Lunar New Year holiday. Three days before, staff from the neighborhood committee who were concerned about the outbreak asked if they could cancel the banquet, but communist officials denied the request. Over 40,000 families attended the banquet. Local communist apparatchiks ordered labs to stop testing for the virus and destroy the existing samples.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRagZsnEc2Q&feature=youtu.be</ref>

World Health Organization (WHO) boss [[Tadros Adhanom]] was a leader in [[Ethiopia]]'s Tigray People's Liberation Front, a wing of the ruling [[Marxist]] Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front. Adhanom served the repressive regime as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2012 to 2016 after a stint as Health Minister. As a candidate for the top post, ''The New York Times'' accused Tad Adhanom of covering up at least three [[epidemic]]s.<ref>http://archive.is/9B2Zy</ref>

The Communist regime did not allow the WHO into China until February 10, 2020 - more than two months after the first cases were observed.
<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/10/asia/wuhan-coronavirus-update-intl-hnk/index.html</ref>

Researchers have identified a "tipping point" at which the virus goes from dangerous to deadly in extremely susceptible patients. A WHO report written 18 days later based on observation in China stated that 80% of infections ("mild cases") can self-isolate, 13% require hospitalization, and 6% require intensive care. While many patients experience nothing more than a mild cold, one in seven patients develops difficulty breathing and other "severe" complications, while 6% become critically ill and require hospitalization to stabilize their condition, risking death if they can't receive the highest level of care.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/scientists-warn-about-dangerous-tipping-point-where-covid-19-goes-mild-deadly</ref> Some questions remain regarding whether the developed world has enough hospital beds available to treat cases requiring hospitalization. WHO said the coronavirus ''infection rate'' (as opposed to death rate) was thought to be the same as the flu when the virus was only known in China but has since been found to be ''two to three times that infectious''.<ref>https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/who-raises-death-rate-and-risk-of-coronavirus-one-expert-declares-wwii/</ref>

Tad Adhamon criticized travel bans to and from China saying, "There is no reason for measures that unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade." The WHO was not allowed into China until February 10, 2020, more than two months after the virus was first discovered. Adhanom praised the CCP's response: "We appreciate the seriousness with which China is taking this outbreak, especially the commitment from top leadership and the transparency they have demonstrated," and "China is actually setting a new standard for outbreak response." Film clips of Adhanom are shown on Chinese television saying, "China took action massively at the epicenter at the source of the outbreak. This is heroic. The actions of China is making us safer."

Peter Humphrey, a British investigator who was jailed in China in 2013 had been drugged, chained to a chair, locked in a cage and made to read out a statement written by the police in front of cameras. The anchor who presented the footage, James Chao, is now a goodwill ambassador with the World Health Organization.

The World Health Organization is horribly corrupt. An audit revealed there has been a surge in internal corruption allegations across the whole of the
organization with the detection of multiple schemes aimed at defrauding large sums of money from the international body, overwhelming an internal team of full-time investigators. An ''[[Associated Press]]'' expose in 2017 found that nearly half of the WHO two billion dollar budget went to first-class airfare and five-star hotels. The United States is the largest contributor US taxpayers fund about a quarter of the WHO budget. The WHO is working with [[Google]] to ensure that people get information from the [[UN]] health agency first when they search for information about the virus.

====Dr. Li's exoneration and death====
On January 20 [[President Xi]] finally acknowledged the crisis.<ref>https://thecritic.co.uk/the-coronavirus-cover-up/</ref> On January 23 the entire city of Wuhan, 11 million people, was put on lockdown. By the end of the month 50 million Chinese were on lockdown. On January 28, the Supreme Court of the Communist Party of China issued a statement that Dr. Li and the other "rumor makers" had been "rectified", but it was too late.

On the evening of February 6, Dr. Li died. The news quickly aroused strong attention and condemnation. However, Wuhan Central Hospital later issued a microblog saying that Li Wenliang was in critical condition and doctors were working to save his life. A number of insiders and doctors disclosed on social media that in the process, the authorities faced public indignation and ordered a series of attempts at resuscitation, but to no avail. A few hours later, the news of Li Wenliang's death again was released and detonated on WeChat and Weibo. By 6 a.m. local time, the keywords " Dr. Li Wenliang's death " and "Li Wenliang's death" ranked high on the Weibo topic list, with a total of 670 million views and 737,000 discussions.<ref>https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2020/02/07/a102771379.html</ref> Before the end of the day news of Dr. Li's death had over 1.5 billion views on Weibo.<ref>https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/coronavirus-chinese-public-mourns-rages-over-death-of-doctor-who-raised-early-alarm</ref> An announcement on NTD of Dr. Li's death read:
{{quotebox| [NTD Beijing, February 07, 2020] Dr. Wenliang Li , who first announced Wuhan pneumonia, died at the age of 34 on the evening of the 6th due to improper treatment of a new coronavirus infection. His death ignited a new wave of angry tsunami among the public over the CCP's concealment. After Li Wenliang's death was exposed on the [[Internet]], the authorities, under pressure from public opinion, pretended to rescue the whole person, and performed 3 hours of chest compressions and electric shocks on the dead Li Wenliang, causing his ribs to be completely broken and beyond recognition . 

On February 7th, an independent economist, "Financial Cold Eye" (@charles984681), tweeted that the hospital director was afraid that Li Wenliang's death would lead to public outrage. After 3 hours of death, he was continuously subjected to CPR, which is the shock of cardiac resuscitation. It usually takes only a few minutes. After three hours, Li Wenliang's ribs were completely broken and beyond recognition . Tweeted that
*"Dr. Li was wronged alive, and he was abused after his death! With the worst of malice, I can't imagine how despicable this devil behavior is." 

In this regard, many netizens have commented: 
*"Too evil!" 
*"Under the autocratic system, the people of Li Min are nothing but the servants of the nobles." 
*"It is most likely a premeditated murder. This person has become a serious trouble for the nobles!" 

In addition, many network screenshots showed that Li Wenliang's treatment was extremely inadequate and timely, and the hospital director was under pressure. Li Wenliang was the worst one among the eight. Li Wenliang's lung film, all white! I never thought about letting him live! This man will be regarded as a hero in the United States! He was killed directly in the CCP! His wife ’s unborn child was also hit!

It is reported that Li Wenliang stopped his heartbeat at 9:30 and was intubated 20 minutes later. Finally, he went to ECMO (artificial lung) for a symbolic rescue to calm the anger of hundreds of millions of netizens. CCP officials have been rebuked as "political rescue.".....

There was a regret on the Internet that "the hero is gone", and lamented, angered, and rebuked the CCP "this regime has committed [[crimes against humanity]]!"

*"Burning !!! Doctor Li Wenliang died at the age of 34, leaving his wife and unborn child. Wuhan government, Hubei government, don't you give an explanation? Without heart, as human beings, the TAs are just humans! See At the time of this news, do you have any trace of guilt and regret for those "killers" who indirectly kill people? "

*"This time, the doctor who first warned the Chinese and the world and informed you of the epidemic was sacrificed today. He is Li Wenliang. After the epidemic was announced, he and several other doctors were arrested by the public security ... With the incident exposed, the Chinese government must Do n’t apologize. The official said it was because of the infection, and we have reason to suspect how he died? "

Password of the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of China

It is said that the magnitude of the rebound [public reaction] has unexpectedly surprised the CCP, and the CCP propaganda department has issued a password.

Independent economist Qin Peng tweeted that the official propaganda requirements of the CCP came out as soon as possible.

*"Regarding the death of Dr. Li Wenliang of Wuhan Central Hospital, we must strictly standardize the source [control the narrative] of the manuscript. We are strictly forbidden to use media reports to report without permission. We must not pop-up the window, do not comment or speculate. Search and strictly control harmful information. "

Qin Peng said that if it were not for the life-threatening plague, how many Chinese people could not imagine the evil of the Chinese Communist Party!<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/China_Flu/comments/f0pmw8/rumored_dr_li_wenliangs_ribs_were_completely/</ref> }}

===Illegal bioweapon research in Wuhan===
One theory that has recently been postulated is that the coronavirus may be linked to Chinese bio-weapons research.<ref>https://ktrh.iheart.com/content/2020-01-24-virus-hit-wuhan-has-two-laboratories-linked-to-chinese-bio-warfare-program/?pname=local_social&keyid=KTRH&sc=editorial</ref> The city of Wuhan, where the virus originated, has the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where "''...it was reported to have studied coronaviruses in the past, including the strain that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, the H5N1 influenza virus, Japanese encephalitis, and dengue''".<ref>http://www.tibetanreview.net/did-the-wuhan-virus-escape-from-chinas-bio-weapons-lab/</ref> A second facility nearby, Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, is also listed one of eight research facilities under the 1985 Biological Weapons Convention, of which China is a signatory.

Dr Francis Boyle is an eminent professor of international law at the University of Illinois College of Law in the U.S. In an explosive interview with Geopolitics and Empire, Dr Boyle, who drafted the Biological Weapons Act, gave a detailed statement on how the 2019 Wuhan Coronavirus is an offensive biological warfare weapon and that the World Health Organization (WHO) already knew about it.<ref>https://greatgameindia.com/dr-francis-boyle-creator-of-bioweapons-act-says-coronavirus-is-biological-warfare-weapon/</ref>

The [[State Department]] issued a report in 2019 stating "''Information indicates that the People’s Republic of China engaged during the reporting period in biological activities with potential dual-use applications, which raises concerns regarding its compliance with the BWC."''<ref>https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Compliance-Report-2019-August-19-Unclassified-Final.pdf</ref> For its part, China has stated that it does not engage in bio-weapons engineering,<ref>https://www.nti.org/learn/countries/china/biological/</ref> despite discussion of bio and genetic weapons being discussed at the highest levels of the Chinese military,<ref>https://jamestown.org/program/chinas-military-biotech-frontier-crispr-military-civil-fusion-and-the-new-revolution-in-military-affairs/</ref> as well as a "white paper" drafted in 2001 which stressed ''"...in order to strengthen the effectiveness of the BWC, a necessary verification mechanism should be established"''.<ref>https://media.nti.org/pdfs/5a_1.pdf</ref>

[[India]]n researchers have found [[HIV]]-derived inserts in the coronavirus [[genome]] that compound the infectious potential and greatly bolster the argument this virus was developed as a bioterror weapon. A 2016 Worldwide Threat Assessment by [[John Brennan]] and the US [[Intelligence Community]] lists China as a major potential “terror actor” and genome editing as a major terror risk.<ref>https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2020/02/01/coronavirus-the-plot-thickens/</ref>

Many have expressed skepticism of the bio-weapon theory. Dr Malcolm Davis, a defense analyst in Australia, tweeted ''"If evidence came to the fore to support such a theory, then yes - but so far, none has. Its more likely the virus jumped from an animal into humans in the Wuhan markets."''.<ref>https://m.noosanews.com.au/news/mystery-lab-30km-from-virus-ground-zero/3931000/</ref> New organizations - many left-leaning - have also stated that conspiracy theories have been created almost as soon as the news of the pandemic reached the public.<ref>https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/29/coronavirus-china-lab-mortality-virology-wuhan-virus-not-bioweapon/</ref><ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-51271037</ref>

According to ''[[Politico]]'' a [[Pentagon]] spokesman said “In its natural state, the current virus could be used as a bioweapon by less sophisticated groups. For a [[nation-state]] with a more advanced biological weapons program, this virus could be given enhanced characteristics."<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/23/coronavirus-bioweapon-threat-205192</ref><ref>https://nypost.com/2020/04/24/us-defense-officials-eyeing-threat-of-covid-19-as-bioweapon/</ref> The CCP rejected Secretary of State [[Mike Pompeo]]'s request for inspectors to visit the lab.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/world/china-rejects-pompeos-request-for-access-to-wuhan-lab</ref>

===Bat stew flu cover story===

On January 23, 2020 the Wuhan virus exploded. The CCP circulated a fake news video of a girl eating bat soup. The video did not originate in the Wuhan or anywhere near Wuhan. The CCP then closed down and destroyed the Wuhan market so outside investigators could not examine the evidence for their claims. The CCP claimed the virus passed from a bat to pangolin, which later was debunked.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHFW8GQRcYE</ref>

While Wuhan announced the lockdown of the city, Dr. [[Shi Zhengli]] of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, who had isolated the bat virus, spliced it, and made it transmissible to humans, provided the official Chinese communist cover story that the virus arose in nature. Shi published a paper in the authoritative science journal, ''Nature'' on February 3, 2020 stating that the Wuhan coronavirus was of probable bat origin.<ref>https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2012-7</ref> The paper indicated that the Wuhan virus utilized the same key as SARS to gain entry into the human body. She also announced the 2019-nCoV genome sequence was 96.2% consistent with a bat coronavirus originating in [[Yunnan]], China, called RaTG13, signaling a natural source of the Wuhan virus.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2020/02/24/study-china-lied-wuhan-virus-did-not-originate-in-meat-market/</ref>

The ''Washington Post'' picked up the Chinese fake news narrative and indicated "The trigger point for the current coronavirus remains unclear, but [[China]] has linked the outbreak to the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, which despite its name also appeared to be selling live cats and dogs, wild chickens, snakes and marmots."<ref name="washingtonpost.com">[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/coronavirus-outbreak-underscores-potential-health-risks-in-chinas-wild-animal-trade/2020/01/25/5f5353be-3f6f-11ea-971f-4ce4f94494b4_story.html Coronavirus outbreak underscores potential health risks in China’s wild animal trade], ''Washington Post'', 2020</ref> CNN reported concerning China: "Vendors in small city markets often sell wild animals including rodents, yak, snakes and even porcupines, and experts say that makes them far more dangerous. The meat could contain deadly pathogens like the coronavirus."<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/27/world/coronavirus-china-bans-wildlife-trade-trnd/index.html Chinese officials crack down on wildlife markets as coronavirus outbreak nears 3,000 cases]</ref>

"Wet market" refers to the blood of animals slain on the spot. The first case can be traced back to November 17, 2019, and the first death on December 9, 2019. Some cases were rumored among stallholders from the Wuhan South China Seafood Market in early December but hushed up by Chinese authorities.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBxZ1XIYmGc&feature=push-prem-sub&attr_tag=Pi2j7UuDGqgDAixI%3A6</ref> This market is said to have sold processed meats and live animals, including chickens, donkeys, sheep, pigs, foxes, badgers, bamboo rats, hedgehogs, and snakes.<ref>"[https://www.businessinsider.com/wuhan-coronavirus-chinese-wet-market-photos-2020-1#the-huanan-wholesale-seafood-market-in-wuhan-closed-on-january-1-after-it-was-found-to-be-the-most-likely-starting-point-for-the-outbreak-of-this-coronavirus-called-2019-ncov-1 The outbreaks of both the Wuhan coronavirus and SARS likely started in Chinese wet markets. Photos show what the markets look like.]", ''Business Insider''</ref>

CNN kept the ball rolling for Chinese propagandists reporting that previous coronavirus outbreaks include SARS-CoV in 2002-2003 and MERS-CoV in 2012. Both of these strains originated in bats. SARS was transferred to humans through a masked palm civet, presumably in a Chinese wet market. MERS was transferred through a camel in Saudi Arabia. The protein codes in the Wuhan virus are most similar to those found in snakes, so it is possible that the virus jumped to humans from a snake. Snakes often hunt bats for food, but disease rarely transmits from a warm-blooded animal to a cold-blooded animal.<ref>"[https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/22/health/snakes-wuhan-coronavirus-outbreak-conversation-partner/index.html Snakes could be the source of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak]," CNN, January 24, 2020.</ref>

===China outbreak, quarantine, fatalities and coverup===
:{{See also|CCP epidemic coverup}}
A coronavirus outbreak occurred on December 8, 2019 or earlier in Wuhan, China, apparently first discovered in a food marketplace where wild animals in cages for human consumption were sold (including cats and snakes. See also: [[Cat slaughtering practices in China]]). With [[globalism]] encouraging trade and travel between countries, this coronavirus spread quickly to the United States after the Beijing central government admitted to the outbreak. Five confirmed infections and many more suspected ones here,<ref>[https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/01/26/799726161/coronavirus-case-confirmed-in-arizona-bringing-u-s-total-to-5 Coronavirus Case Confirmed In Arizona, Bringing U.S. Total To 5]</ref> and 56 deaths confirmed worldwide within days.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/health/coronavirus-update-death-toll-grows-spreading Coronavirus: 56 dead and 1,975 infected as Canada reports 1st case]</ref>

As of the Chinese New Year's Day, January 25, 2020, at least 41 million people were quarantined in fifteen Chinese cities.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF_iXzKtWUM Canada's role in the deadly coronavirus outbreak | Ezra Levant], Rebel Media, January 26, 2020.</ref> 82 deaths were reported with nearly 3000 confirmed infections.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBbtLCIvDxs</ref> Within three weeks 1,700 frontline medical workers were said to be infected.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/14/more-than-1700-health-workers-infected-by-coronavirus-in-china</ref>

Chinese specialists in [[Hong Kong]] predicted a doubling of infections every six days. The infection was initially reported to have a two-week incubation period with the infected person being contagious while showing no symptoms. Epidemiologists warn it has the potential of becoming a global epidemic requiring containment of population movements.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYyH4N8VXvA&feature=push-lbss&attr_tag=ZsS4DRjrARjwNKU-%3A6 Experts share analysis on scale of the coronavirus outbreak], UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, HONG KONG, CHINA - Epidemiology experts Joseph Wu and Gabriel Leung. January 27, 2020. Youtube</ref> On January 29, 2020 the [[World Health Organization]] declared Coronavirus a global emergency.

The [[pandemic]] originally had been forecast by the Hong Kong experts to peak out in April–May 2020. On January 31, 2020, [[Health and Human Services]] Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency and [[President Trump]] appointed an interagency task force to deal with the problem. The U.S. [[Center for Disease Control]] labeled it a "serious public health threat."

Wuhan was the first major metropolitan area in the world to rollout 5G technology on October 31, 2019 on an experimental basis. The first known cases of coronavirus were on December 8, 2019 in the Wuhan seafood market. While there is no direct connection between 5G and the virus, high levels of radio frequency (RF) radiation has long been known to be harmful for humans and the environment. Despite the industry's sales pitch, 5G technology massively increases exposure to radio frequency (RF) radiation greater than the 2G, 3G and 4G networks for [[telecommunication]]s already in place.<ref>https://blog.nomorefakenews.com/2020/02/28/5g-and-the-china-epidemic/</ref> While a definitive answer remains unknown, some theorize 5G technology and high radio frequency radiation may be responsible for weakening people's immune system and the ability to resist the virus.

A woman who telephoned a hospital to get help for her husband was informed that there is "No medical staff anymore. They are dead or sick!"<ref>https://dcdirtylaundry.com/audio-woman-calls-wuhan-hospital-to-try-to-get-help-for-her-sick-husband-no-medical-staff-anymore-they-are-dead-or-sick/</ref>

====Chinese efforts to suppress news of the outbreak====
[[File:Asymptomatic cases.PNG|right|thumb|300px|March 30, 2020. The CCP ordered no new cases to be reported. Drivers were afraid to render aid for fear of reprisal from the CCP police for reporting a coronavirus death.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDYqzx0UR7M&t=932s</ref>]]
Sources within China say 90,000 people were infected before the Chinese government alerted the public to the danger of the epidemic. People reporting on [[social media]] about the true extent of the disaster from within the Wuhan containment zone risk arrest by the atheist controlled, [[Chinese Communist Party]] (see also: [[Atheism and the Wuhan coronavirus epidemic]]).<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/china-issues-harsh-warning-to-silence-social-media-postings-on-wuhan-pneumonia_3219251.html</ref> The Wuhan outbreak and the leftist regime's handling of the crisis has led to questions domestically about the legitimacy of the Communist regime.<ref>https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/31/wuhan-coronavirus-hurt-chinese-communist-party-legitimacy/</ref>

In the first week after the news [[leak]]ed out of China, more than ten countries including Singapore, Thailand, Australia, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and others confirmed cases. Within six weeks more than 50 countries reported cases.

The virus is not related to any form of [[influence]], and its nickname '''WuFlu''' has been used because of its flu-like symptoms after the incubation period.

====Known statistics====
The Chinese regime requires all Chinese to use their cellphones to generate a health code. Only with a green health code are Chinese allowed to move in China now. It's impossible for a person to cancel his cellphone.<ref name="theepochtimes.com">https://www.theepochtimes.com/the-closing-of-21-million-cell-phone-accounts-in-china-may-suggest-a-high-ccp-virus-death-toll_3281291.html</ref>

China has three cellphone carriers. China Mobile reported that it lost roughly 7.25 million users in February, while China Telecom lost 5.6 million users in February. The relatively small China Unicom hasn't released its February report. But in January, it lost about 1.19 million users. The entire Chinese market still lost about 12.85 million cellphone users that month.

====CCP orders information destroyed====
On February 29, 2020, NTD News<ref>https://www.ntd.com/news</ref> reported:
{{quotebox|Internal documents obtained by NTD revealed a province close to Beijing ordered a city to destroy data on the coronavirus epidemic Liaoning Province has been on lockdown for more than 20 days [as of Feb. 29, 2020] amid the corona virus outbreak one city in Liaoning province sent a report on February 23 [2020] to the province Health Commission. The report said the city's transport department as well as two district authorities had already followed an urgent instruction from the province and destroyed all data. According to the report, Chaoyang city was also required to register all people who had contact with the data and make sure that they all signed a nondisclosure agreement. The data mentioned in the report refer to information about people who had close contact with those infected with the virus. There were 13 signed non-disclosure agreements attached to the report. The agreement refers to classified data obtained on February 21 [2020]. The people who signed promised to (1} destroy all data files and storage devices such as computers, USB flash drives, mobile phones, photos, and notes; secondly, none of the above-mentioned data could be sent to anyone for any reason. And thirdly, this information may not be disclosed unless otherwise required by law. If any of these steps are violated, there will be legal consequences.

So what happened on February 21 [2020]? Official documents released that day state there were zero new cases of the corona virus in Liaoning Province. As for Chaoyang city, there were all together six reported cases and no deaths.
Since authorities were asked to destroy all data, what is it they were trying to hide? Is it the official number of cases since the outbreak began? The official number of confirmed cases in China keeps fluctuating, with many people not knowing what to believe. Earlier this month [February 2020] Shangdong Province, the second most populous province in China, was underreporting cases by up to 52 times. That's according to internal documents obtained by NTD.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRagZsnEc2Q</ref>}}
[[File:China-National-Bureau-of-Statistics.png|right|thumb|350px|Chinese economic growth rates were on a downward trajectory below where they had been 20 years earlier when the CCP began jumping through hoops required by the World Trade Organization in order to join the club.]]

====Economic impact in China====

Most all major auto producers use at least 30% of auto parts manufactured in China. With the closing of factories and lockdown of 400 million Chinese, auto supply replacement parts are likely to rise. Conversely, Chinese oil demand was down 20% two weeks after the CCP alerted the world to the outbreak. With the ban on driving and closing of public transportation, oil prices are likely to fall,

By the third week after the CCP publicly admitted to the virus outbreak, air travel was down some 80% in China. Airport security personnel at check-in outnumbered the number of flight passengers.

Nissan temporarily closed one of its factories in Japan after running short of Chinese components, one week after Hyundai in South Korea did the same. Fiat Chrysler may shutter one of its European plants.

Tourism and the travel industry suffered immediate setbacks. Chinese factory manufacturing output decline 17% in January and February 2020.<ref>https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN20U05R?__twitter_impression=true</ref>

Some cities of China were reported to have unemployment of 80% due to the coronavirus and the CCP's actions. With global sanctions looming due the Communist Party's criminal negligence, the prospects of recovery for China's export driven economy in the foreseeable future seemed forlorn.

====Crematoriums====

The leftist regime was accused of burning bodies 24 hours a day in secret to hide the true number of deaths.<ref>https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm</ref><ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/burning-bodies-secret-new-accounts-wuhan-detail-coronavirus-outbreak</ref><ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/funeral-home-worker-in-wuhan-epicenter-of-coronavirus-we-are-working-24-7-to-cremate-bodies_3227432.html</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhgtRhWh240</ref> Crematory workers are working 10–12 hours a day and do not go home. More than 60% of victims die at home and 38% in hospitals. The communist bureaucracy tries to issue death certificates, including the cause of death, within thirty minutes. Transporting corpses to crematoriums for disposal is the most time-consuming task in the process.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KFxCqV1fPQ</ref> Funeral workers were brought in to Wuhan from all over China.

There are 8 funeral homes with crematoriums in Wuhan. Cremation is the traditional mode of burial in China. As of late March 2020, CCP official statistics reported 3295 deaths. ''[[Bloomberg News]]'' reported one funeral home alone in Wuhan received a shipment of 2500 urns the same week, and a photo showed another 3500 urns stacked inside leading to further widespread suspicion that the CCP was lying about the number of reported deaths.<ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-27/stacks-of-urns-in-wuhan-prompt-new-questions-of-virus-s-toll</ref>
[[File:Wuhan ashes.PNG|right|thumb|150px|Trash bin full of ashes after 1 day at a Wuhan crematorium.<ref>https://twitter.com/IsChinar/status/1223045699874492417</ref>]]
The Chinese government began using mobile crematory units. In a video circulating on the internet, a Wuhan resident says she witnessed critically ill coronavirus patients sealed up in body bags while alive.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpeNO8PSuyY</ref>

While the tragedy unfolded the China Tribunal, an independent people's tribunal, released its full judgment on Chinese forced organ harvesting. The panel was chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice who previously led the [[prosecution]] of former [[Yugoslavia]] [[Prime Minister]] [[Slobodan Milosevic]] for [[war crimes]] at the International Criminal Tribunal and included other experts in law, transplant surgery, international politics, Chinese history and business. The experts concluded that the grisly practice has continued unabated. In June 2019 the tribunal delivered its findings in [[London]], concluding beyond a
reasonable doubt that state sanctioned forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience has taken place for years in China on a significant scale and is
still taking place. The main organ supply came from imprisoned practitioners of the persecuted spiritual group [[Falun Gong]].

The Chinese regime has persecuted the group for more than two decades. Hundreds of thousands of adherents have been thrown into prisons, labor camps, and
brainwashing centers where many have been tortured in an effort to force them to renounce their faith. The tribunal concluded that the Chinese regime sustained campaign of forced organ harvesting constituted a crime against humanity. Many people have died indescribable hideous deaths for no reason, that more may suffer in similar ways, and that all of us live on a planet where extreme wickedness may be found in the power of those, who for the time being, are running a country that is one of the oldest civilizations known to modern man.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gfN2_uOvTM</ref>

===CCP reaction===
:{{See also|Chinese coronavirus - Chinese Communist Party response}}
The Chinese central government, a [[single party regime]], stifled public warnings about the epidemic for three weeks after the first confirmed inflections in early December 2019.<ref>Doctors who posted on social media about the virus were accused of spreading “illegal and false” information and made to sign a Jan. 3, 2020 letter saying that they had “severely disrupted social order:”"On December 30, 2019, WeChat group "Clinical Wuhan University 04" issued untrue statements about 7 cases of SARS diagnosed in the South China fruit and seafood market. Now raise warnings and admonitions according to law on the illegal issue of untrue statements on the Internet. Your behavior severely disrupts social order. Your behavior has exceeded the scope permitted by law, and it violates the relevant provisions of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Public Security Management Penalties , which is an illegal act! The public security organ hopes that you will actively cooperate with your work, follow the advice of the police, and stop the illegal behavior. can you do it? Answer: Yes We hope that you calm down and reflect carefully, and solemnly warn you: if you are stubborn, do not think about repentance, and continue to carry out illegal activities, you will be punished by the law! do you understand? Answer: understand" [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E6%9D%8E%E6%96%87%E4%BA%AE%E7%9A%84%E8%AE%AD%E8%AF%AB%E4%B9%A6.png File:李文亮的训诫书.png]</ref> The local Communist-controlled Wuhan government was instructed by the central authority not to issue health alerts until after the virus was spread throughout the country and internationally. The [[Beijing]] central government in turn blamed local officials for allowing people to exit the city and put the rest of the population in danger.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/wuhan-mayor-admits-wrongdoing-but-pushes-blame-on-beijing-for-mishandling-viral-outbreak-crisis_3218297.html</ref>

In Wuhan, the "Chicago of China" with 11 million residents, all public transportation was halted. Gas stations were closed. Paramedic emergency services halted. Hospitals were packed and emergency phone lines do not work. There is no way to get to a hospital other than walking. Healthy people waiting for testing in hospitals are becoming infected.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuLB8moUcn8&feature=push-u-sub&attr_tag=PAu19fTV0Yzs9HuM%3A6</ref>

The outbreak occurred during the Chinese New Year when people travel to spend the holidays with family and friends, then return to their homes across China.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7b2GAf1E74&feature=push-u-sub&attr_tag=EOg_JaDhAqx2Fs8z%3A6</ref> 5 million people had exited Wuhan, some by international air flights, before the city was put on lock down on January 23, 2020. There are about 360,000 students from China attending college in the United States. The leftist regime made no provisions for a humanitarian disaster after the lockdown.

Hospitals in Hubei Province, where Wuhan is located, need 100,000 protective suits daily, but total daily production nationwide is only 30,000.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/100000-hospital-beds-to-be-added-in-hubei-china-ground-zero-of-coronavirus-outbreak_3217726.html</ref> Because of the shortage of [[personal protective equipment]] (PPE), hospital staffs began making their own masks and clothing out of non-sterile trash bags.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxXv0trBhY0</ref>

President [[Donald Trump]] offered China any help necessary.<ref>https://news.am/eng/news/556919.html</ref> The leftist regime, with its trademark [[monopoly]] control of power, banned private charities and volunteers from entering Hubei Province or sending materials to hospitals directly.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/china-restricts-medical-supply-donations-to-epicenter-despite-dire-need-during-viral-outbreak_3217718.html</ref> As in all top-down Communist societies, reports of rampant corruption and a black market to resell donations and supplies emerged.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3LLHQQj6mI</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzDZQavgDRk</ref>

China quarantined 80 cities. Large mobile defogger canon were videoed scouring the streets of cities spraying disinfectant.<ref>https://twitter.com/Tssomas/status/1225809838963396608</ref>

====State media reaction====
[[File:Projected cases.png|right|350px|thumb|Projected cases and fatalities January 27, 2020, four days after the outbreak became known; within four more days reported fatalities and infections more than doubled.]]
On February 5, 2020 State media broadcast an interview with lead scientist Wang Chen. Chen claimed:

1. The situation is grave. A new diagnostic class "clinically diagnosed" (those showing clinical symptoms but without [[RNA]] test) is added to facilitate access to treatment.

2. 11 new container hospitals will provide patients with light symptoms with limited medical care but better containment. Real hospitals will be used for serious cases (confirmed or suspected).

3. Suspected patients will stay in single rooms in container hospitals. Infected patients will stay in open-air beds.

4. They don't know how many are actually infected. The officially reported number is just the new test results.

5. Gilead's medicine has shown the most promise. But it still requires clinical trials.

6. They can't estimate when the turning point will be.

Chinese state-run media falsely blamed the United States for the outbreak.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg7FwHteB0I</ref> On March 12, 2020 the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman initiated a [[conspiracy theory]] that the US military started the coronavirus in China,.<ref>https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1238150527751319575</ref><ref>https://news.trust.org/item/20200312152307-rlv7m</ref> Leftist media in the United States willingly aided Chinese [[psyop]] propaganda efforts by falsely calling those who link the virus to Wuhan, where it first manifested, "[[racist]]".<ref name="bizpacreview.com">https://www.bizpacreview.com/2020/03/13/dems-media-warned-new-narrative-aids-chinas-new-conspiracy-us-military-started-covid-19-896694</ref>

=====Under-reporting true scale of infections=====
The true scale of infections is estimated to be possibly ten-times higher than the official number reported by the Chinese central government.<ref name="finance.yahoo.com">https://finance.yahoo.com/news/chinas-coronavirus-victims-likely-10-times-higher-than-reported-analyst-says-155836267.html</ref>

On January 24, 2020, one day after the world was first alerted to the outbreak, a doctor circumventing [[liberal censorship|leftist censorship]] in Wuhan reported 90,000 infected cases.<ref>Dear friends, elders,
I ’m still in the epidemic area of Hankou, Wuhan, and I ’d like to report to you the current epidemic situation in Hubei and even the whole country.
There are now more than 90,000 person-times (Note: Infected person-times or incidents?)
What is the chance of this virus being transmitted? After a person is infected, if he is not effectively isolated,
Or if effective treatment is performed, he will infect 14 people around him, so this level is very large.
Now it’s the time of the Chinese New Year family and friends, relatives, children, and children are all going to the house to reunite the family together for a reunion dinner
The situation is special now. I hope you don’t go out.
Every year in the Spring Festival, as long as people are safe, everyone can be together anytime, anywhere
Let me introduce you to the situation of medical supplies in Hubei Province
At present, the entire medical system in Wuhan, which integrates the entire medical system in Hubei Province, has passed through our superiors. The health and health committee (Note: these three words are uncertain)
And various administrative departments

The municipal government and the provincial government are initiating donations to the society through major media. This material is medical material. For example, the goggles I wear
Wear disposable masks, wear disposable gloves, wear this gown, or even isolation pants.
This material is extremely accurate. Our current medical staff must come back to the front line when they come down from the clinic.
I am now equivalent to recording this video with everyone on the FireWire, in order to make everyone accurate.
I stress again that during the Spring Festival holiday, don’t go out and stay in your own house, otherwise I ’m desperately ahead
Not just to keep my dad, my loved ones, healthy
I hope everyone can understand, I also know that some relatives are not in the group, please see the news of me, call each other and inform
It must be done. I hope everyone can raise awareness. This is a political task.
And I ’m reporting very bad news. This new type of coronavirus has undergone the second generation mutation
In other words, in the first generation of mutation, we can treat it symptomatically.
Then when the second-generation mutation occurs, this is terrible, and its chance of infection is not one person to one person, one person has the disease and infects 14 people around him.
Then it is pour burst (note: these five characters are uncertain)
I hope everyone remembers, do n’t go out, do n’t go out, do n’t meet, do n’t have dinner
thank you all https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfdWmjPt2ow https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/wuhan-nurse-fears-90000-infected-emotional-plea-help</ref> ''[[The Guardian]]'' of [[London]] quoted Prof. Neil Ferguson saying “My best guess now is perhaps 100,000 cases right now. Almost certainly many tens of thousands of people are infected.”<ref name="theguardian.com">https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/jan/26/coronavirus-could-infect-100000-globally-experts-warn</ref> Other sources likewise have implied that the [[communist]] government of China may have under-reported the true dimensions of the problem.

Because coronavirus is a "noval" virus, meaning "new" or "unknown", technicians lack the training to identify infections. People are going to multiple hospitals daily, attempting to be tested or treated. There are a limited number of test kits available, so hospitals have to choose who will be tested. That is one more reason why the true extent of the virus was underreported.

The first week 213 deaths were reported worldwide with over 9,800 confirmed infections. The leftist Chinese regime was suspected of suppressing the real extent of the epidemic. By the end of the second week 813 were reported dead with more than 37,300 confirmed infected. 193,000 were under observation. 400 million people were on lockdown nationwide.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/more-400-million-people-lockdown-guangzhou-joins-quarantine</ref>

Near the end of the third week 1,666 were reported dead with 69,000 plus infected. There was near universal skepticism - inside and outside China - on the Chinese socialist government's reporting on the epidemic.

2363 deaths were reported with 78,000 infections near the end of the fourth week. CCP officials admitted to changing their methodology of reported infections, lowering the rate of reported numbers. [[South Korea]] was reporting a complete doubling every day for the past four days. [[Iran]] was experiencing a serious outbreak. Reported numbers in the United States were puzzling.

The sixth week - after the virus spread globally and the first death was reported in the United States, NTD reported that the Communists ordered all data on the coronavirus to be destroyed in a province close to Beijing, in a deceitful attempt to suppress the true extent of the virus' spread in China.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/ChinaDeclassified/videos/2981498908577157/</ref>

By March 21, 2020 at about the time the pandemic hit the United States, China simply stopped testing and reporting new infections and deaths.<ref name="pjmedia.com">https://pjmedia.com/trending/report-china-stopped-testing-for-covid-19-thats-why-there-are-zero-new-cases/</ref> Locals in Wuhan believe 42,000 died in the coronavirus outbreak, not the 3,200 claimed by CCP. The CCP paid hush money to families of dead victims. Taiwan reported that the CCP ordered 200,000 body bags.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhzF-5xELOE&feature=em-lsp</ref> 21 million cell phone accounts disappeared in the first 3 months of the pandemic.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2020/03/24/21-million-chinese-cellphone-users-disappear-in-three-months-of-pandemic/</ref>

=====Censorship=====

CCP authorities cracked down hard on people trying to break through the veil of government secrecy, as [[discrediting attack|they call it "rumormongering"]], according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. All persons who spread "fake news" (i.e. the truth about the real extent of the epidemic, its spread and its consequences), and thus disturbs social order, will face up to three years in prison detention or disciplinary action under China's social credit system. Offenders who cause serious consequences will be given three to seven-year prison terms.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLROgqAjDhQ</ref>
[[File:Hong Kong protests.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Grafetti from the late November, 2019 Hong Kong democracy protests reads: "Dear world, CCP will infiltrate your government, Chinese enterprises $ interfere your political stance, China will harvest your home like [[Xinjiang]]. BEWARE OR BE NEXT!"<ref>https://twitter.com/HKstreetart/status/1196483549492391937/photo/1</ref>]]
Despite the threat of prison, many people still went online to blame the government, both high and low ranking officials. Some residents of Wuhan posted videos calling for international help. Viral videos showed dead bodies on the floor in hospitals as patients sat near by. Videos of massively crowded hospitals were posted causing local authorities to build a giant new containment facility in a week. However, video footage of the project came from Chinese state media. It was released it to [[the West|Western]] [[media]] as a [[propaganda]] effort to demonstrate how "great" the [[authoritarian]] approach to problem solving is. The structures are not really hospitals at all. The structures are large quarantine camps where people are monitored and receive no treatment at all.<ref>https://twitter.com/owishemwe/status/1225758761370910720</ref><ref>[[BuzzFeed]] reported that video of one such "hospital" was actually an apartment building being constructed on the other side of the country. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/janelytvynenko/china-state-media-false-coronavirus-hospital-image</ref>

The Chinese people became more creative in skirting leftist censorship laws. Guizhou television broadcast a child reading a poem entitled, ''"China has a cold because of a virus that wears a crown,''" a veiled reference to [[President Xi]] and the Communist party.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajONB3eMQP4</ref>

The leftist social media platform [[Twitter]] suspended [[Zerohedge]] for its extensive reporting on the Coronavirus outbreak.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/political/zerohedge-suspended-twitter</ref>

On March 1, 2020 the Communist regime imposed a new [[internet]] censorship policy on the heavily policed Weibo. The hashtag #takedownthewall began trending. Some comments were preserved in screenshots:
*"I know it's useless, but I want to speak up anyway."
*"I'd rather die than not be free."
*"I want to know the world."
*"If we don't take it down, the wall will only be higher and higher."
*"Why should we be proud to stick our head in the sand?"
*"I retweeted 6 posts. They are all deleted now because they have the hashtag. I am going to repost them."
*"We don't want to live in a world where we can't speak. We want to have our own voice."
*"They cover our eyes, ears, mouths....but now, do they want to cut off our hands so we can't write? Maybe they will cut off our feet so we can't walk ahead."

In an effort to "control the narrative" the CCP kicked out three major American news agencies, ''The New York Times'', ''The Washington Post'', and the ''Wall Street Journal'' in March 2020.<ref>http://archive.is/yA41R#selection-917.0-917.96</ref> The [[Democratic party]] and [[liberal media]] only too willingly pushed Chinese communist [[propaganda]] on the source of the global pandemic.<ref name="bizpacreview.com"/><ref>https://twitter.com/ndrew_lawrence/status/1237174846355841024</ref>

In April 2020 Hua Chunying, director of the Foreign Ministry Information Department, claimed anyone is able to travel to China "anytime and talk to anyone in the streets to enjoy the freedom." U.S. [[FCC]] Commissioner Brendan Carr responded on Twitter asking to speak with people, from citizen journalists to medical workers, who have disappeared after raising the alarm over the new virus.<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/juliorosas/2020/04/14/fcc-commissioner-brendan-carr-fight-against-ccp-propaganda-n2566840</ref>

====Lockdown and mass arrests====

Prior to the opening of camps, the Communist party nailed and barricaded whole households inside their residences. Gates of apartment buiildings were welded shut,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YtqH6eyGaM</ref> and food delivered every three days. When the quarantine camps were ready to receive victims, the Chinese government began forcibly removing people and arresting them to fill up camps.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GYqcNy4UGU</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gsfe-LAMFIk</ref> [[5G]] technology has been used to facilitate mass round-up
[[File:Annotation 2020-01-28 161645.png|300px|right|thumb|Containment facilities with barred windows for Coronavirus patients in Wuhan, China.<ref>https://nationalfile.com/china-posts-video-of-hospital-trailers-with-steel-bars-on-windows-locks-on-outside/</ref>]]
A person can be arrested for not wearing a mask.

Student dorms have been taken over as quarantine detention facilities.

The socialist system, which guarantees access to healthcare as a human right, posted banners reading,
{{quotebox|"If you dare go out we will break your legs; we'll knock your teeth off if you dare talk back."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmsD3myyFas&t=84s</ref>}}
At least two citizen journalists who were reporting on the real situation in Wuhan and posting on the internet disappeared. It is unknown if they fell victim to the virus or were arrested for violating [[Liberal censorship|communist censorship]] laws.

====Racism====
:''See also: [[East Asia, China, atheism and racism#China and racism|China and racism]]''
The Leftwing communist government's response was to blame foreigners for importing the virus.<ref>https://www.ibtimes.com/china-blames-world-new-coronavirus-cases-all-imported-no-local-transmission-2946187</ref> [[Black]] Africans and [[African American]]s were evicted from their apartments and refused service in local shops and restaurants.<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/africans-in-china-being-evicted-from-homes-after-lockdown-ends/ar-BB12uxqM</ref> Those who could leave the socialist paradise ended up living on the streets, constantly harassed by the [[police]].<ref>https://www.france24.com/en/20200411-if-you-re-black-you-can-t-go-out-africans-in-china-face-racism-in-covid-19-crackdown</ref>

One of the biggest ways the outbreak of the CCP coronavirus has damaged China's international reputation is by exposing the country's racist attitude toward Africans. Despite the fact that the virus originated in China itself, local governments and people in different parts of the country have been treating Africans like they were the ones responsible for triggering the COVID-19 pandemic. Such an attitude obviously has angered millions of Africans back home.<ref>https://www.visiontimes.com/2020/05/05/africans-enraged-at-chinas-racist-attitude.html</ref>

On April 13, 2020 the U.S. consulate had to issue an alert warning [[African-American]]s to avoid the [[Guangzhou]] region since they could be racially targeted. It advised African-Americans in China to always carry their identity documents with them since it is less likely for officials to target an American citizen.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian accused the U.S. of trying to drive a wedge between Africa and China, saying that the United States was being neither responsible nor [[moral]]. A [[State Department]] spokesperson pointed out that the mistreatment meted out to Africans in China is a clear signal of how hollow the China-Africa relationship is despite Beijing constantly masquerading as being a benefactor for African people.<ref>https://en.tuidang.org/news/communist-regime/2020/05/africans-enraged-at-chinas-racist-attitude.html</ref>

====Wolf warrior diplomacy====
[[File:CCP anti-semitism.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The communist controlled Chinese embassy in [[France]] tweeted an [[anti-Semitic]] image portraying the United States as the grim reaper carrying an [[Israel]]i flag knocking on Hong Kong's door.<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/chinese-embassy-in-france-tweets-quickly-deletes-anti-semitic-imagery/</ref>]]
:{{See also|Wolf warrior diplomacy}}
The Chinese Communist regime reacted to the international crisis it created with "Wolf Warrior" style diplomacy, named after the 2015 Chinese fascist action film and its 2017 sequel. Wolf Warrior is named after a fearsome screen hero, Wu Jing, a kind of Chinese Rambo. The CCP stoked anger in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and many others.

The CCP demands that the outside world treat Taiwan as a pariah. It wants it to be known only as “Chinese Taipei” or “Taiwan, Province of China” in public documents. It insists that the island state be denied observer status in the World Health Assembly, the deliberative body for the UN’s health watchdog, the World Health Organisation.

CCP's English language mouthpiece, ''[[Global Times]]'' justifies the CCP's bellicose reaction to international requests for an independent inquiry into the origins of the CCP virus outbreak:
{{quotebox|what's behind China's perceived "Wolf Warrior" style diplomacy is the changing strengths of China and [[the West]]. When the West falls short of its ability to uphold its interests, it can only resort to a hysterical hooligan style [[diplomacy]] in an attempt to maintain its waning dignity. As Western diplomats fall into disgrace, they are getting a taste of China's "Wolf Warrior" diplomacy....

Some claim that China is abandoning its principle of "hiding its ability and biding its time" which it stuck to over the past 30 years. The "Wolf Warrior" style of diplomacy doesn't contradict this principle, it's just less subtle. The reasoning behind this principle was to dilute ideological conflicts and concentrate on development, and China's national policy has always prioritized economic development. China embraces [[globalization]] and multilateral cooperation. The growing influence of China worldwide can be largely attributed to internationalization and the force of markets.<ref>https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1185776.shtml</ref>}}
On April 3, 2020 a Chinese coast-guard ship intentionally rammed and sank a [[Vietnam]]ese fishing vessel. The two countries are in conflict over jurisdiction of the Paracel Islands and fishing rights in the waters around the archipelago. On April 18, China unilaterally announced the establishment of the Nansha and Xisha administrative districts in the Paracels and the Spratly Islands, drawing a protest from the [[Philippines]], which has a presence of its own on at least nine Spratly islands and islets, including Fiery Cross Reef. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, which monitors territorial conflicts, says Fiery Cross has been transformed into a Chinese missile base. In an earlier move, in mid-February 2020, a Chinese naval ship locked its radar on a Philippines naval vessel near the Commodore Reef in the Spratlys, signaling a strike as an act of intimidation. China in recent months has also provoked conflicts with [[Malaysia]], [[Brunei]], and Taiwan. ''[[The National Review]]'' reports:
{{quotebox|China appears to be exploiting the coronavirus pandemic to advance its South China Sea expansion project by “brute force … using its increasingly powerful navy to assert its dominance by harassing the shipping of rival states, even at times, in their own territorial waters.”

But just as China’s failure to stop a local epidemic from becoming a global catastrophe has brought it precisely the bad PR it was hoping to avoid, its South China Sea bullying has resulted in intensified anti-Chinese reactions in Southeast Asia and around the world. Beijing’s efforts to staunch the country’s hemorrhaging international reputation have had the opposite effect....

China’s illegal assertiveness in the South China Sea — its wolf-warrior diplomacy — is damaging the state’s and Chinese people’s reputations. But it is also perhaps the greatest threat to international peace and security in the world today. Understanding the sources of China’s behavior is thus a matter of paramount concern.

...Economic growth had faltered before the onset of the coronavirus, but now the country faces food shortages, unemployment, inflation, a debt crisis, and, given the inflexibility of centralized and often corrupt management, even the specter of financial collapse. The CCP has relied merely on two factors to legitimize its rule in China despite its notorious record of human-rights violations and corruption: economic performance and nationalism. As the economy suffers, nationalism intensifies.

The kind of nationalism that has emerged in China is, like that of [[Nazi Germany]], intrinsically aggressive toward nonconforming individuals, groups, and other societies.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/05/chinas-wolf-warrior-diplomacy-in-context/</ref>}}

====Public reaction====
[[File:Wuhan dog.PNG|right|175px|thumb]]
One of the eight doctors - Dr. [[Li Wenliang]] - forced to a sign a confession on January 3, 2020 admitting to posting “illegal and false” information warning the public of the coronavirus outbreak and epidemic, died on February 7, 2020. A selfie of the doctor lying sick in his hospital bed went viral, stirring widespread outrage in China.<ref name="gatestoneinstitute.org">https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/15576/china-coronavirus-li-wenliang</ref> “To get an idea of the enormous scale of said outpouring of grief and anger, Dr. Li’s death apparently generated 800 million(!) comments on Weibo by midnight - 2.5 hours after it was first reported and 3 hours before it was confirmed by the hospital."<ref name="twitter.com">https://twitter.com/davidpaulk/status/1225620210775994368?s=11</ref>

A woman in Wuhan posted a video saying,
{{quotebox|Chinese Communist Party, when are you going to step down? You promised us that Chinese people will enjoy ‘moderate prosperity’ in 2020, but what have we attained [from you] so far? We lost our relatives [because of you]!

Tell me, what does it mean to achieve ‘moderate prosperity’?” What does ‘moderate prosperity’ mean to us when people have lost their lives? What on earth are you doing? What do we need such a government for? I beg you, please go away! Step Down! We need good leaders who can help us live a good life. We don’t need such a corrupt government.

The soaring home prices and high cost of living have caused hardships for Chinese residents. And now so many people are dying. Everyone will get to see the economic bubble burst.

You should bear the consequences of your actions. Do not implicate us ordinary folk. Now we are bearing the brunt of it, and we are being sacrificed for what you have been doing!

What on earth are you? Are you humans or devils?<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/health/are-you-humans-or-devils-chinese-woman-lashes-out-authorities-after-relatives-die-virus</ref>}}

====Tens of thousands of pets abandoned or slaughtered====
[[File:Dogs being butchered in Guangdong, China 1999.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|Dogs being butchered in Guangdong, China.
 
 
For more information, please see: [[Atheists and dog meat eating]] ]]
:{{See also|Atheism and animal abuse|Atheism and the Wuhan coronavirus epidemic}}
As people were carted off to quarantine camps, tens of thousands of pets were abandoned to fend for themselves.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krea5TBgtzk</ref>

[https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1236590/coronavirus-latest-china-pets-slaughtered-disease-virus-world-health-organisation-wuhan Tens of thousands of pets in China to be slaughtered by authorities] (Chinese citizens have been ordered to KILL their animals or risk them being culled by the Communist regime). As cats and dogs can transmit the virus, some people on lockdown in highrise apartments have resorted to throwing pets out of windows and balconies.

Additionally, due to the lockdown and workers unable to get to their places of employment, tens of thousands of poultry have starved to death in factory farms, a harbinger of coming food shortages for the country.<ref>https://twitter.com/jenniferatntd/status/1225636440844845059</ref>

====Comparisons with Chernobyl====
In 1986 the explosion of a [[nuclear reactor]] in [[Ukraine]] (then part of the [[Soviet Union]]) was the first in a series of events which led to the fall of [[Communism]] in [[Russia]]. The leftist regime's inability to contain information about the disaster from the Russian people and the world, and the exposure of corruption and inefficiencies of the socialist system, coupled with the danger the socialist system and policies presented to global public health, ultimately led to a collapse of the left-wing top-down [[command and control]] social, political, economic, and public healthcare system throughout 13 Soviet Republics and its [[Eastern Europe|Eastern bloc]] socialist satellite states.<ref name="washingtonpost.com"/><ref>[https://www.businessinsider.com/wuhan-virus-china-bans-food-markets-selling-live-animals-wolves-2020-1 China banned live animal sales in Wuhan, after a food market selling wolves and civet cats was linked to a deadly virus], ''Business Insider'', 2020</ref><ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/27/world/coronavirus-china-bans-wildlife-trade-trnd/index.html Chinese officials crack down on wildlife markets as coronavirus outbreak nears 3,000 cases], CNN, 2020</ref>

The [[Left]]'s anti-Russian [[xenophobia]] is largely the legacy of Russia's abandonment of socialism.

==Timeline of COVID-19 outbreak==
{{Main article|Timeline of COVID-19 Outbreak}}
:'''2015'''
*2015 - [[Obama administration]] gives $3.7 million to Wuhan Institute of Virology.<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/taxpayer-funded-animal-experiments-tied-to-chinese-wet-markets-and-wuhan-laboratory</ref>
*November 2015 - Italian state-owned media company, ''Rai – Radiotelevisione Italiana'', broadcast a report about Chinese bioterror possibilities.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/chinese-biological-experiments-infect-humans-coronavirus-exposed-2015-italian-state</ref> The video demonstrated that Dr. Shi Zhengli and her researchers were studying a viral agent similar to coronavirus.<ref>https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151110115711.htm</ref> They had allegedly derived a SARS-connected virus from mice and bats in order to find out if it could be modified to affect humans. "It is a group of Chinese researchers attaching a protein taken from bats to the SARS virus, Acute Pneumonia, derived from mice. The output is a super coronavirus that could affect man. It remains closed in laboratories and it is only for study purposes, but is it worth the risk – creating such a great threat only for examination purposes?”<ref>https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/lab-made-coronavirus-triggers-debate-34502</ref>

:'''2017'''
*23 February 2017 - ''Nature'' publication raises questions about the BSL-4 laboratory in Wuhan, the Wuhan Institute of Virology asking whether experimentation with deadly viruses was a good idea.
{{quotebox|“BSL-4 is the highest level of bio-containment: its criteria include filtering air and treating water and waste before they leave the laboratory, and stipulating that researchers change clothes and shower before and after using lab facilities. Such labs are often controversial…. Future plans include studying the pathogen that causes SARS, which also doesn’t require a BSL-4 lab, before moving on to Ebola and the West African Lassa virus, which do… Worries surround the Chinese lab… The SARS virus has escaped from high-level containment facilities in Beijing multiple times… The plan to expand into a network heightens such concerns. One BSL-4 lab in Harbin is already awaiting accreditation; the next two are expected to be in Beijing and Kunming.”<ref>https://www.nature.com/news/inside-the-chinese-lab-poised-to-study-world-s-most-dangerous-pathogens-1.21487</ref>}}

:'''2018'''
*November 2018 - Border Patrol Stopped a Chinese Biologist Carrying Viable SARS, MERS Viruses into the United States at Detroit Airport.<ref>https://news.yahoo.com/border-patrol-stopped-chinese-biologist-194214726.html</ref>
:*Two other cases from May 2018 and September 2019, in which different Chinese nationals tried to enter the U.S. with undeclared flu strains and suspected [[E. coli]], respectively.
*12 December - [[Bill Priestap]]: China threatens 'the future of the world’.<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/fbi-china-threatens-the-future-of-the-world</ref>
{{quotebox|“Make no mistake: The Chinese government is proposing itself as an alternative model for the world, one without a democratic system of government, and it is seeking to undermine the free and open rules-based order we helped establish following World War II,” he said in his prepared testimony. “Our businesses and our government must adapt in order to compete and thrive in this world.”}}

:'''2019'''
*17 November 2019 - First Wuhan coronavirus case according to Chinese Communist Party officials searching for 'patient zero',<ref>https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-patients-zero-contracted-case-november-2020-3?op=1</ref> possibly Huang Yanling, a researcher at the Wuhan Institute of Virology;<ref>https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/2035568207_Yanling_Huang</ref> Matthew Tye reports “Most people believe her to be patient zero, and most people believe she is dead.” Huang Yanling's profile was completely scrubbed from the Wuhan Institute of Virology's website; On February 16, 2020 the Wuhan Institute of Virology denied that Huang Yanling was patient zero. Press accounts quote the institute as saying that there were rumors of her disappearance but that she's alive and well without giving any proof. Chinese internet researchers have been looking for her.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/04/coronavirus-china-trail-leading-back-to-wuhan-labs/</ref>
*18 November - Wuhan Institute of Virology posted a new job opening. The job listing states:
{{quotebox|“long-term research on the pathogenic biology of bats carrying important viruses has confirmed the origin of bats of major new human and livestock infectious diseases such as SARS and SADS, and a large number of new bat and rodent new viruses have been discovered and identified.”<ref>http://www.whiov.cas.cn/105341/201911/t20191118_5438006.html</ref>}}

*1 December 2019 - CCP documents cited in a report by the South China Morning Post (March 20, 2020) state a Chinese doctor tells the [[BBC]] that Patient Zero appeared on December 1, 2019, a bedridden man in his 70s with no connection with the Wuhan wt market.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-51540821</ref>
*6 December - According to a study in ''The Lancet'',<ref name="thelancet.com">https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltext</ref> the symptom onset date of the first patient identified was “Dec 1, 2019 . . . 5 days after illness onset, his wife, a 53-year-old woman who had no known history of exposure to the market, also presented with pneumonia and was hospitalized in the isolation ward.” In other words, as early as the second week of December, Wuhan doctors were finding cases that indicated the virus was spreading from one human to another.
*8 December - CCP officials and WHO later reports say the first patient appeared on December 8.
*10 December - Earliest known coronavirus patients starts feeling ill.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-it-all-started-chinas-early-coronavirus-missteps-11583508932</ref>
*Mid December - ''The Lancet'' says evidence appeared of human-to-human transmission. The same study suggested an origin outside of the Wuhan wet market.
*17 December - First reported death in China <ref>//www.brookings.edu/2020/04/02/the-early-days-of-a-global-pandemic-a-timeline-of-covid-19-spread-and-government-interventions/</ref>
*21 December - Wuhan doctors begin to notice a “cluster of pneumonia cases with an unknown cause.”<ref>http://weekly.chinacdc.cn/en/article/id/a3907201-f64f-4154-a19e-4253b453d10c</ref>
*24 December - Job posting on the Wuhan Institute of Virology website states:
{{quotebox|'''Subject group main research direction''' 
The New Virus Discipline Group focuses on the etiology of new viruses and their infection mechanisms, including bat and rodent virus discovery, early warning and transmission rules research, cross-species infection mechanism and pathogenicity of coronavirus and other important viruses transmitted by bats Research, new virus serology and molecular diagnostic technology.<ref>http://www.whiov.cas.cn/105341/201912/t20191224_5471634.html</ref>}}
*25 December - [[User:RobSmith/Text of article censored by Google translate|Chinese medical staff in two hospitals in Wuhan are suspected of contracting viral pneumonia and are quarantined.]] This is additional strong evidence of human-to-human transmission.<ref name="mp.weixin.qq.com"/>
*Sometime in “Late December” - Wuhan hospitals notice “an exponential increase” in the number of cases that cannot be linked back to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, according to the New England Journal of Medicine.<ref>https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2001316</ref>
*30 December - Wuhan ophthalmologist Dr. Li Wenliang shares information on WeChat about the new SARS-like virus.<ref>https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30382-2/fulltext</ref> He is called in by the Chinese Communist Security Police for questioning shortly afterward. Ai Fen, a top director at Wuhan Central Hospital, posts information on WeChat about the new virus. She was reprimanded for doing so and ordered not to spread information about it.
:*Health officials issued a document (pdf) forbidding all medical institutes or individuals from disclosing any information regarding the new disease.<ref>https://www.nchrd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/%E5%85%B3%E4%BA%8E%E5%81%9A%E5%A5%BD%E4%B8%8D%E6%98%8E%E5%8E%9F%E5%9B%A0%E8%82%BA%E7%82%8E%E6%95%91%E6%B2%BB%E5%B7%A5%E4%BD%9C%E7%9A%84%E7%B4%A7%E6%80%A5%E9%80%9A%E7%9F%A5.pdf</ref>
*31 December - The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission declares, “The investigation so far has not found any obvious human-to-human transmission and no medical staff infection.”<ref>http://wjw.wuhan.gov.cn/front/web/showDetail/2019123108989</ref> This is the opposite of the belief of the doctors working on patients in Wuhan, and two doctors were already suspected of contracting the virus.
*Tao Lina, a public-health expert and CCP official formerly with Shanghai's center for disease control and prevention, tells the ''South China Morning Post'', “I think we are [now] quite capable of killing it in the beginning phase, given China’s disease control system, emergency handling capacity and clinical medicine support.”<ref name="scmp.com"/>
:*[[Taiwan]] reports the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak to the World Health Organization.<ref name="dailycaller.com"/>
::*The [[leftwing]] [[Brookings Institute]] claims "China" reported outbreak to World Health Organization.<ref>//www.brookings.edu/2020/04/02/the-early-days-of-a-global-pandemic-a-timeline-of-covid-19-spread-and-government-interventions/ /</ref> Brookings touts the Communist Party line that Taiwan is part of the [[People's Republic of China]]. The Beijing regime has successfully politicized the World Health Organization.<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-senior-who-official-avoids-taiwan-question-talks-about-china-abruptly-ends-interview?%3Futm_source=twitter</ref><ref>https://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/2020/03/19/world-health-organization-acts-like-propagandist-for-chinese-regime/</ref>

:'''2020'''
*1 January 2020 - A Hubei provincial health commission official tells a gene sequencing company to stop testing samples and to destroy all existing samples.
*3 January - CCP censorship becomes national when the National Health Commission orders researchers to either hand over virus samples to pathogen detection agencies or destroy them.
:*Doctors who posted warnings about the coronavirus on Chinese social media forced to plead guilty and sign confessions admitting to 'rumor-mongering' and 'distrubing the public order' by the Chinese communist Security Police.<ref>[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E6%9D%8E%E6%96%87%E4%BA%AE%E7%9A%84%E8%AE%AD%E8%AF%AB%E4%B9%A6.png File:李文亮的训诫书.png WikiCommons]</ref>
*6-17 January - Wuhan authorities reported almost zero new cases of coronavirus.<ref name="ntd.com"/>
*7 January - CCP boss Xi Jinping gave unspecified internal orders about the virus during a meeting of the Politburo Standing Committee.<ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/02/16/coronavirus-chinas-xi-knew-crisis-weeks-before-going-public/4778687002/</ref>
*11 January - More than one week after obtaining the virus genome sequence Chinese health authorities share it with the WHO.
*14 January - World Health Organization publicly proclaims:
{{quotebox|"Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan, #China🇨🇳."<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2020/03/18/flashback-who-china-coronavirus-contagious/</ref>}}
*15 January - In a dramatic "historic" event televised live by CNN and MSNBC, [[Democrats]] slow walk impeachment articles to the Senate.<ref>https://www.redstate.com/elizabeth-vaughn/2020/04/01/two-fateful-events-occurred-on-january-15-one-loud-one-quiet-have-changed-the-u.s.-for</ref>
:*A 35-year-old man returned from visiting his family in Wuhan, China to Washington State’s Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Five days later, on January 20, he would become the first person in the U.S. to test positive for the coronavirus.<ref>https://twitter.com/JohnAshbrook/status/1244993365038501889</ref>
*17 January - CDC implements airport screening of flights from Wuhan on President Trump's orders.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/17/health/wuhan-virus-us-airport-screenings-china-bn/index.html</ref>
*18 January - With no apparent concern for infection of the public Wuhan officials hold a large annual potluck banquet for 40,000 families.
:*Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar briefs President Trump about all available [[scientific]] evidence, including from the World Health Organization, on the Wuhan virus.<ref>https://intelnews.org/2020/03/21/01-2742/</ref>
*20 January Monday - Xi Jinping's first public comments about Wuhan outbreak. Xi advised:
{{quotebox|"Measures should be taken to guide public opinion, make relevant policies accessible to the public to uphold social stability and ensure people across the country enjoy a peaceful and happy festival."<ref>The Communist Party’s official newspaper, the ''People’s Daily'', reported the comments January 21, 2020 on page 2. http://en.people.cn/n3/2020/0121/c90000-9650576.html</ref>}}
:*The CCP orders diplomats to carry out a disinformation campaign on Western social media displacing blame and suggesting the virus came from outside of China.
*21 January – Dr. Anthony Fauci tells ''[[Newsmax]]'':
{{quotebox|“This is not a major threat to the people of the United States and this is not something that the citizens of the United States should be worried about right now."<ref>https://saraacarter.com/jan-flashback-dr-fauci-said-coronavirus-is-not-a-major-threat-to-the-people-of-the-united-states/</ref>}}
:*CDC announces first confirmed case in U.S., a Washington state man in his early thirties.<ref name="nbcnews.com">https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/coronavirus-timeline-tracking-critical-moments-covid-19-n1154341/</ref>
*23 January - Chinese Communist Party closes domestic airflight from Wuhan within China, but allows thousands of international airflights to depart, seeding the virus globally. This is evidence of [[criminal]] [[malfeasance]].
*24 January - The prestigious ''Lancet'' debunks official CCP narrative that the virus originated with selling bats in the Wuhan Seafood Market,<ref name="thelancet.com"/> demonstrating that of the original 40 cases, 14 of them had no contact with the seafood market, including Patient Zero.<ref name="sciencemag.org"/>
:*A a doctor in Wuhan posts video saying:
{{quotebox|"I’m still in the epidemic area of Hankou, Wuhan, and I ’d like to report to you the current epidemic situation in Hubei and even the whole country. There are now more than 90,000 incidents of infection....After a person is infected, if he is not effectively isolated, or if effective treatment is [not] performed, he will infect 14 people around him..."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfdWmjPt2ow</ref><ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/wuhan-nurse-fears-90000-infected-emotional-plea-help</ref> }}
:*Chinese Communist Party extends lockdown to cover 56 million people and begins building quarantine camps in Wuhan.
*24-30 January - China celebrates the Lunar New Year holiday. Hundreds of millions of people are in transit around the country as they visit relatives. Approximately 5 million people have left Wuhan without being screened for the Chinese coronavirus.
*26 January - ''[[The Guardian]]'' reports ''Coronavirus: 100,000 may already be infected, experts warn;'' Prof. Neil Ferguson is quoted saying: {{quotebox|“My best guess now is perhaps 100,000 cases right now. Almost certainly many tens of thousands of people are infected.”<ref name="theguardian.com">https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/jan/26/coronavirus-could-infect-100000-globally-experts-warn</ref> }}
*27 January - The mayor of Wuhan concedes that disclosures were delayed however he skirts responsibility and blames the central Beijing government bureaucracy for the delays.
:*Yahoo Finance quotes Chris Meekins:
{{quotebox|"If China’s been reporting about 800 [infections] with 25 deaths, we think the number is probably 10 times that number."<ref name="finance.yahoo.com">https://finance.yahoo.com/news/chinas-coronavirus-victims-likely-10-times-higher-than-reported-analyst-says-155836267.html</ref>}}
[[File:ABC - New coronavirus 'not spreading' in the US.PNG|right 350px|thumb|ABC fake news reporting, January 28, 2020.]]
:*Vice President Mike Pence, head of the Coronavirus Task Force, outlines the Trump administration's efforts to work with China to counter coronavirus.<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-vice-president-pence-white-house-initiative-asian-americans-pacific-islanders-lunar-new-year-celebration/</ref>
:*'''Fake news outlet [[ABC News]] reports, ''New coronavirus 'not spreading' in the US, CDC says.''''' The CDC official cited is Dr. Nancy Messonnier,<ref>https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1232470073396170752.html</ref> sister of former Deputy [[Attorney General]] and [[Deep State]] conspirator [[Rod Rosenstein]].<ref>https://clintonfoundationtimeline.com/tags/rod-rosenstein/</ref>
*30 January – WHO, which previously declared no human-to-human transmission, declares a world health emergency. More than 9000 cases "officially" reported worldwide.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/coronavirus-timeline-tracking-critical-moments-covid-19-n1154341 /</ref>
:*WHO Director General and Marxist [[fellow traveller]] Tad Adhanom criticized travel bans to and from China where the deadly outbreak first occurred saying,
{{quotebox|"There is no reason for measures that unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade."<ref>https://nypost.com/2020/01/30/coronavirus-can-spread-on-contaminated-surfaces-experts-warn/</ref> }}
:*President Trump initiates travel restrictions from China, saving lives. Experts praise the travel ban as a critical decision to slow the spread of coronavirus;<ref>https://www.westernjournal.com/trump-bans-travel-china-orders-1st-quarantine-50-years/</ref>
:*'''''WaPo'': Trump administration “drastically escalates its response” to the coronavirus epidemic''', requiring quarantines and health screenings.<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020/01/31/trump-weighs-tighter-china-travel-restrictions-response-coronavirus/</ref>
:*Democrat leaders Biden, Pelosi, and [[liberal media]] call Trump “[[xenophobic]]” and “racist” for initiating travel ban.<ref>https://nationalfile.com/flashback-biden-opposed-trumps-chinese-coronavirus-travel-ban-as-xenophobia/</ref><ref>https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/feb/29/tweets/chuck-schumer-didnt-delete-tweet-criticizing-trump/</ref>
:*More than 3,000 health workers have been infected in Hubei. Yet, to maintain the cover-up, this information is not made public until over one month later.
*31 January - Marxist totalitarian [[fascist]] Tad Adhanom of the WHO praises Chinese communist murderers,<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2019/11/19/leaked-xinjiang-papers-confirm-the-chinese-communist-party-is-full-of-lying-murderers/</ref> saying {{quotebox|“China is actually setting a new standard for outbreak response.”<ref>https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/china-helped-put-man-charge-world-health-organization%E2%80%94-it-paying-136002</ref>}}

*4 February 2020 - WHO urges no travel bans.
:*Democrat House members and the World Health Organization criticize Trump's decision to restrict travel from China.<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/04/coronavirus-quaratine-travel-110750</ref>
:*Chinese Government Encourages Italians to Fight Coronavirus Racism by Hugging Strangers.<ref>https://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/watch-chinese-government-encourages-italians-to-fight-coronavirus-racism-by-hugging-strangers/</ref>
:*In his State of the Union speech, President Trump addresses the COVID-19 outbreak; Nancy Pelosi rips up her copy of the State of the Union speech calling it "falsehoods".
*5 February - Xi Jinping makes his first public appearance since the outbreak. His words suggest a cover-up when he says he knew of the outbreak before issuing warnings.
:*Rod Rosenstein's sister at the CDC issues statement: "we do not think that the American public should be going out and buying masks, we don’t think that normal U.S. citizens going about their day to day lives in the U.S. right now are at risk."<ref>https://www.ketv.com/article/cdc-americans-risk-for-novel-coronavirus-is-low/30784997</ref><ref>https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/t0205-coronavirus-update.html</ref>
*6 February - Scientists from the South China University of Technology uploaded a paper on the origins of Coronavirus: "''The Lancet reported that 27 of 41 infected patients were found to have contact with the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan. We noted two laboratories conducting research on bat coronavirus in Wuhan, one of which was only 280 meters from the seafood market. We briefly examined the histories of the laboratories and proposed that the coronavirus probably originated from a laboratory…… The bats carrying CoV ZC45 were originally found in Yunnan or Zhejiang province, both of which were more than 900 kilometers away from the seafood market. Bats were normally found to live in caves and trees. But the seafood market is in a densely-populated district of Wuhan, a metropolitan of ~15 million people. The probability was very low for the bats to fly to the market. According to municipal reports and the testimonies of 31 residents and 28 visitors, the bat was never a food source in the city, and no bat was traded in the market.”''<ref>http://archive.is/ATNpb</ref>
:*[[Taipei]] lashes out at China for blocking Taiwan's access to the World Health Organization.<ref>https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/06/coronavirus-taiwan-lashes-out-at-china-for-blocking-who-access.html</ref> Due to Beijing's objections, Taiwan has been denied membership in the World Health Organization. Taiwan, a [[democracy|democratic]] nation, has never been under Communist rule. The CCP claims Taiwan belongs to the Mainland. Many Marxist sympathizers and [[subversive]]s in media, politics, academia, and other institutions acquiesce to the CCP's [[authoritarian]] [[bullying]].
:*A Chinese spokeswoman criticizes countries for banning travelers from China by ignoring the WHO's recommendation.
*7 February - Dr. Li Wenliang, one of the eight doctors forced to a sign a criminal confession admitting to posting “illegal and false” information warning the public of the coronavirus epidemic, dies. A selfie of the doctor lying sick in his hospital bed went viral, stirring widespread outrage against the leftwing Chinese Communist Party in China.<ref name="gatestoneinstitute.org"/> “To get an idea of the enormous scale of said outpouring of grief and anger, Dr. Li’s death apparently generated 800 million(!) comments on Weibo by midnight - 2.5 hours after it was first reported and 3 hours before it was confirmed by the hospital."<ref name="twitter.com"/>
:*China has refused a team of U.S. health experts for over a month, denying public assistance and hiding the situation inside its borders.
*10 February - The CCP finally allows a WHO advance team into China, more than two months after the first cases were observed.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-who-idUSKBN2041S9</ref>
*China reveals massive toll of coronavirus on health workers. It's the first time China has revealed the number of frontline workers infected.<ref>https://abcnews.go.com/International/china-1716-health-workers-63000-infected-coronavirus/story?id=68982408</ref> The CCP denied transmissibility and did not warn frontline healthcare workers early on.
*12 February - Top provincial and municipal CCP leaders are fired after a surge in new cases, tarnishing the earlier cover story of a successful response.
:*Democrat House committee votes to rescind Trump travel ban.
*17 February - CCP starts paying hush money to families of dead victims. [[Plebian]]s get 3000 yuan (about $400) while doctors families get 5000 yuan.<ref>https://shanghai.ist/2020/02/17/families-of-doctors-who-have-died-from-coronavirus-in-wuhan-to-receive-5000-yuan-sympathy-payments/</ref>
*18 February - [[Reuters]] reports: Experts fear China reluctant to accept WHO ground mission.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-who-mission-idUSKBN2071WZ</ref>
*19 February - National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) posts Abstract on its website which states:
{{quotebox|'''Breakthrough: Chloroquine phosphate [fish tank cleaner] has shown apparent efficacy in treatment of COVID-19 associated pneumonia in clinical studies''' The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus is spreading rapidly, and scientists are endeavoring to discover drugs for its efficacious treatment in China. Chloroquine phosphate, an old drug for treatment of malaria, is shown to have apparent efficacy and acceptable safety against COVID-19 associated pneumonia in multicenter clinical trials conducted in China. The drug is recommended to be included in the next version of the Guidelines for the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Pneumonia Caused by COVID-19 issued by the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China for treatment of COVID-19 infection in larger populations in the future.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32074550]</ref>}}
:The Abstract cites Gao J., Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China, Tian Z. and Yang X., Department of Pharmacy, Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao, China as authors.<ref>https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bst/14/1/14_2020.01047/_article</ref>
*21 February - CCP orders data files on the virus in storage devices such as computers, USB flash drives, mobile phones, photos, and notes be destroyed and city workers must sign a nondisclosure agreement; none of the data could be sent to anyone for any reason. The information may not be disclosed. If any of these steps are violated, there will be legal consequences.<ref>https://www.ntd.com/china-in-focus-feb-29_440293.html</ref>
*24 February – Fifty-three confirmed cases of the virus in the United States. Speaker Nancy Pelosi tours San Francisco Chinatown saying "we do want to say to people ‘Come to Chinatown. Here we are, careful, safe and come join us.'”<ref>https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/nancy-pelosi-visits-san-franciscos-chinatown/2240247/</ref> President Trump tweeted: “The Coronavirus is very much under control in the USA” <ref>//intelnews.org/2020/03/21/01-2742//</ref>
*28 February - CDC director says Rod Rosenstein's sister Nancy Messonnier “misspoke” about coronavirus risk.<ref>https://legalinsurrection.com/2020/02/wuhan-virus-watch-cdc-director-says-rod-rosensteins-sister-misspoke-about-coronavirus-risk/</ref>
*29 February - Dr. Anthony Fauci tells [[NBC News]] ''Today'' show that Americans should go about their normal lifestyles.<ref>https://www.today.com/video/dr-fauci-on-coronavirus-fears-no-need-to-change-lifestyle-yet-79684677616</ref>

*11 March 2020 – After over 100 days of CCP officials knowing about the outbreak, the WHO declares the outbreak can be characterized as a pandemic.<ref name="nbcnews.com"/>
*12 March - Berman Law Group files [[class action]] lawsuit against People's Republic of China; National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China; Ministry of Emergency Management of the People's Republic of China; Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People's Republic of China; The People's Government of Hubei Province; and the People's Government of the City of Wuhan. China.<ref>https://www.scribd.com/document/453175700/Berman-Complaint-Against-China#from_embed</ref>
*13 March – State of Emergency declared in the United States.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/coronavirus-timeline-tracking-critical-moments-covid-19-n1154341 /</ref>
*16 March – United States begins human testing of COVID-19 vaccine.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/coronavirus-timeline-tracking-critical-moments-covid-19-n1154341 /</ref>
*21 March - Report: China Stopped Testing for COVID-19. That's Why There Are Zero New Cases.<ref name="pjmedia.com"/><ref>The respected Kyodo news agency of [[Japan]] reported [Google translate]:"Japanese media Kyodo News quoted Wuhan doctors as saying that authorities had suspended some tests, official figures were unreliable, and a second wave of outbreaks appeared at any time.

The Mainland has always touted Xi Jinping as "deploying and directing in person" before the pneumonia epidemic in Wuhan, China is under control; the picture shows a Beijing interview on a big screen in Beijing. The "down payment" looks all over Beijing, and it is ironic. Profile picture
The doctor quoted by Kyodo News Agency said that the Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping had visited Wuhan earlier, and the number of local diagnoses of Wuhan pneumonia was officially "manipulated." Many symptomatic patients were suddenly released without isolation for less than 14 days, as a sign of "Xi Jinping's government successfully repelled the epidemic." The doctor also pointed out that the method of detecting patients with fever and other symptoms has been simplified, and it is not allowed to continue using blood tests to check whether the patients are completely cured. Therefore, "a large number of suspected patients return to society without completing treatment." The doctor emphasized that "the government's records cannot be believed" and he was worried that another wave of outbreaks would occur. Another Wuhan doctor also tweeted that "the hospital also suspends the admission of patients and started a 14-day vacation." She said: "I have been emphasizing with people around me that if the seal is unblocked, it only means that you have to go to work, not any Other meanings. " 

The three largest Australian media outlets also reprinted an article by Jamie Seidel, "Is it credible to reduce the number of viruses in China? (Can China's shrinking virus numbers be trusted)> article, referring to Xi Jinping ’s close relative Chen Yixin, who was based in Wuhan in February, but Chen had no medical background at all. He only had the background of “comprehensive management of social order” and “propaganda reports and public opinion guidance”. This shows the intention of the Chinese Communist Party. https://hk.news.appledaily.com/local/20200321/MZEAACSL4OS5N3V3WN33A4676U/</ref><ref>https://www.heraldsun.com.au/technology/coronavirus-can-chinas-shrinking-virus-numbers-be-trusted/news-story/74818eda887d46c2c863e05efb890199</ref>
*22 March - 21 million cell phone accounts dropped in China in past three months.<ref name="theepochtimes.com"/>
*23 March – WHO said more than 300,000 cases were reported from almost every country.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/coronavirus-timeline-tracking-critical-moments-covid-19-n1154341 /</ref>
*24 March - NTD reports residents of Wuhan are threatened not to report any new cases of coronavirus.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfDAcuSMSZo</ref>
*26 March - Appeal: Taiwan must join WHO as soon as possible. globalcommitteefortheruleoflaw.org/<ref>http://globalcommitteefortheruleoflaw.org/appeal-taiwan-must-join-who-as-soon-as-possible/</ref>
*29 March - Locals in Wuhan believe 42,000 died in the coronavirus outbreak, not the 3,200 claimed by CCP.<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2020/03/china-is-lying-locals-in-wuhan-believe-42000-people-died-accounts-of-crematoria-working-24-7.html/</ref>
:*CDC ‘Lied’ to the White House About Wuhan Virus Testing.<ref>https://www.redstate.com/bonchie/2020/03/20/james-rosen-reports-cdc-lied-to-the-white-house-about-wuhan-virus-testing/</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=255y1-86pyk&t=2s</ref>

*1 April 2020 - ''Bloomberg News'' reports ''China Concealed Extent of Virus Outbreak, U.S. Intelligence Says.''<ref name="bloomberg.com">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-01/china-concealed-extent-of-virus-outbreak-u-s-intelligence-says</ref> All CCP data reporting and statistics called into question.<ref name="bloomberg.com"/>
:*[[NPR]], ''[[NYT]]'', ''[[WaPo]]'', [[CNN]] and ''[[The Daily Beast|Daily Beast]]'' all cited for fake news reporting on the CCP virus.<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/juliorosas/2020/04/01/list-of-shame-us-media-takes-chinas-propaganda-on-number-of-cases-at-face-value-n2566139</ref>
*2 April – Due to increased testing the United States has 234,462 confirmed cases with 5607 deaths. Many reporting agencies continue using the falsified CCP data, understating the true dimensions of the pandemic claiming there are 981,221 worldwide confirmed cases with only 51,335 deaths.<ref>https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6</ref>
:*A peer-reviewed study published in the medical journal EBioMedicine, described a new potential vaccine that has shown promise in mice.<ref>https://www.thelancet.com/journals/ebiom/article/PIIS2352-3964(20)30118-3/fulltext</ref>
*6 April - Sen. [[Rick Scott]] of [[Florida]] demands invetigation in the World Health Organization's collusion with the CCP coverup of the global pandemic.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA7-3ycAS1I</ref>
:*Asian Development Bank says the cost of the pandemic could be as high as 4.1 Trillion US dollars,or nearly 5% of global [[GDP]], depending on the virus's spread through the U.S., Europe and other major economies.It added a shorter containment period could limit the damage to 2 trillion dollars. The new estimate takes into account the immediate impact on tourism, consumption and investment.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8QVlwkcYmw</ref>
*7 April - [[NBC News]] tweets Communist Chinese propaganda.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/NBCNews/posts/4172210622798936</ref><ref>https://www.foxnews.com/media/nbc-china-coronavirus-numbers-backlash</ref>
*10 April - FDA Moves Israeli COVID-19 Treatment With 100% Survival Rate Into Clinical Trials.<ref>https://www.redstate.com/brandon_morse/2020/04/10/fda-moves-israeli-covid-19-treatment-with-100-survival-rate-into-clinical-trials/</ref>
*20 April - CCP covering up [[Harbin]] outbreak.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3bbgQIUmjY</ref>
*23 April - Over 100 International Policy Experts Condemn in an Open Letter the Chinese Communist Party's Coronavirus Cover-up. ''“The Communist Party’s Rule by Fear Endangers Chinese Citizens—And The World,”'' letter was published on April 14, 2020, on the website of Macdonald-Laurier Institute.<ref>https://en.tuidang.org/news/communist-regime/coronavirus/2020/04/over-100-international-policy-experts-condemn-in-an-open-letter-the-chinese-communist-partys-coronavirus-cover-up.html</ref>

*14 May 2020 - CCP official propaganda organ ''[[Global Times]]'' threatens 'severe consequences' for Sens. [[Marsha Blackburn]] (R-Tenn.), [[Tom Cotton]] (R-Ark.), [[Josh Hawley]] (R-Mo.), [[Martha McSally]] (R-Ariz.), and [[Rick Scott]] (R-Fla.), along with Reps. [[Jim Banks]] (R-Ind.) and [[Dan Crenshaw]] (R-Texas). It also names the attorneys general of [[Missouri]] and [[Mississippi]], the two states that filed lawsuits against China.<ref>https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1188309.shtml</ref><ref>https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/tyler-o-neil/2020/05/14/china-threatens-severe-consequences-for-tom-cotton-dan-crenshaw-missouri-ag-n392438</ref>

*17 September - ''DefenseNews:'' If China loses a future war, entropy could be imminent.<ref>https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/commentary/2020/09/17/if-china-loses-a-future-war-entropy-could-be-imminent/</ref>

==See also==
*[[Contagious coronavirus]]
*[[Coronavirus incubation period]]
*[[Three Years of Disasters]]
*[[Administrative state]]
*[[Open borders]]
*[[Single payer|Universal coverage]]
*[[Google]]
*[[Apple, Inc.]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=35em}}

==External links==
*[https://twitter.com/covid19crusher?lang=en Survey of successful approaches to treating coronavirus worldwide]
*[https://twitter.com/LukeMor19529310 Twitter analysis of hydroxychloroquine and zinc]
*[https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html CDC explanation of a coronavirus]
*[https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6 COVID-19 Cases Johns Hopkins University]
*[https://coronavirus-stats.live/ Coronavirus Real-Time Statistics]
*[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26552008 A SARS-Like Cluster Of Circulating Bat Coronaviruses Shows Potential For Human Emergence], www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
*[https://www.ntd.com/a-timeline-of-events-leading-up-to-the-coronavirus-outbreak-in-china_442592.html A Timeline of Events Leading Up to the Coronavirus Outbreak in China], ''NTD'', March 7, 2020. Very detailed background material.
*[https://www.axios.com/timeline-the-early-days-of-chinas-coronavirus-outbreak-and-cover-up-ee65211a-afb6-4641-97b8-353718a5faab.html Timeline: The early days of China's coronavirus outbreak and cover-up], ''Axios'', Mar 18, 2020.
*[https://covid19info.live/ Covid19info] (formerly WuFlu, but the domain name changed without a redirect due to [[political correctness|politically incorrect]] and racist implications of attributing Covid-19 to China).
*[https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6 Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Global Cases] by [[Johns Hopkins]] Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) updated daily
*[https://nypost.com/2020/01/24/coronavirus-outbreak-video-shows-dead-bodies-in-halls-of-china-hospital/ Video shows dead bodies in halls of China hospital] - [[New York Post]]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0fOqXIsMrw Drone footage unveils 'ghost town' Wuhan] - Euro News
*[https://www.bitchute.com/video/2Az21dIxI9wB/ SHOCKING FOOTAGE INSIDE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK IN CHINA COVID-19]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XuHXnEiQD0 Video from inside China's isolation facility]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX2mQ-1hId0 #FangBin calls for a nationwide #resistance movement against the tyranny of the Communist Party #CCP]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7fWLs6pl78 Chinese researcher removed from Canada's only level-4 lab], [[CBC]], Jul 15, 2019.
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le_rfTdayLs&t=1s 1st documentary movie on the origin of CCP virus, Tracking Down the Origin of the Wuhan Coronavirus], Apr 7, 2020. China in Focus - NTD. youtube.com
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpQFCcSI0pU&feature=youtu.be I Found The Source of the Coronavirus], Apr 1, 2020. Matthew Tye. youtube
*[https://www.freedomwatchusa.org/freedom-watch-and-klayman-file-class-action-suit-vs-china-ov Class Action Lawsuit against Chinese Communists for Coronavirus]

{{Coronavirus}}
{{Communism}}
[[Category:Coronavirus]]
[[Category:Medicine]]
[[Category:Man-Made Disasters]]
[[Category:Communism]]
[[Category:Globalism]][[Category:2000s]]
[[Category:2010s]][[Category:2020s]]

Lesotho

2021-01-08T18:05:03Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''Kingdom of Lesotho''
|map =Lesotho rel 90.JPG
|map2 =
|flag =Flag of Lesotho.png
|arms =Arms of Lesotho.png
|capital =Maseru
|capital-raw =
|government =Constitutional Monarchy
|government-raw =
|language =[[English]] and [[Sotho]]
|king =Letsie III
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Pakalitha Mosisili
|pm-raw =
|area =12,727 sq mi
|pop =2,150,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$4.277 billion
|gdp-year =2013
|gdp-pc =
|currency =Lesotho loti
|idd =
|tld =
}}
'''Lesotho''' is an independent kingdom in southern [[Africa]]; it is an enclave within [[South Africa]] (that is, it is completely surrounded by South Africa and has no other borders or access to the sea). The capital city is [[Maseru]].

==People==
More than 99% of Lesotho's population is ethnically Basotho; other ethnic groups include Europeans and Asians. The country's population is 80% Christian, the majority of whom are Roman Catholic. Other religions are Islam, Hindu, and indigenous beliefs. Sesotho and English are official languages, and other languages spoken include Zulu and Xhosa.
*Population (2005 est.): 2 million.
*Annual growth rate (2004 est.): 1.4%. (Note: the population growth rate is depressed by an HIV/AIDS prevalence rate estimated to be at approximately 29%.)
*Ethnic groups: Basotho 99.7%; Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%.
*Religions: 80% Christian, including Roman Catholic (majority), Lesotho Evangelical, Anglican, other denominations; other religions include Islam, Hindu, indigenous.
*Languages: Official—Sesotho and English. Others—Zulu, Xhosa.
*Education: Years compulsory—None. Literacy (2003 est.)--84.8%. Lesotho has free primary education (grades 1-7).
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2004 est.)--85.22/1,000. Life expectancy (2004 est.)--36.81 years.
*Work force (2001 est.): 704,000.

==Government and Political Conditions==
The Lesotho Government is a constitutional monarchy. The Prime Minister, Pakalitha Mosisili, is head of government and has executive authority. The King serves a largely ceremonial function; he no longer possesses any executive authority and is proscribed from actively participating in political initiatives.

The Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) controls a majority in the National Assembly (the lower house of parliament), with All Basotho Congress (ABC), the National Independent Party, and the Lesotho Workers Party among the 9 opposition parties represented. The upper house of parliament, called the Senate, is composed of 22 principal chiefs whose membership is hereditary, and 11 appointees of the King, acting on the advice of the prime minister.

The constitution provides for an independent judicial system. The judiciary is made up of the Court of Appeal, the High Court, Magistrate's Courts, and traditional courts that exist predominately in rural areas. All but one of the Justices on the Court of Appeal are South African jurists. There is no trial by jury; rather, judges make rulings alone, or, in the case of criminal trials, with two other judges as observers. The constitution also protects basic civil liberties, including freedom of speech, association, and the press; freedom of peaceful assembly; and freedom of religion.

For administrative purposes, Lesotho is divided into 10 districts, each headed by a district administrator.

Lesotho held its first post-independence local government elections on April 30, 2005 using a quota system that reserved one-third of electoral divisions for women candidates. In these elections, 53% of the victorious candidates were women. Locally elected officials attended post-election training while regulations for local governance were drawn up by the National Assembly and infrastructure was created.

===Principal Government Officials===
*Head of State—King Letsie III
====Cabinet====
*Prime Minister—Pakalitha Mosisili
*Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs and Public Safety—Archibald Lesao Lehohla
*Minister of Defense—Pakalitha Mosisili (also Prime Minister)
*Minister of Foreign Affairs—Mohlabi Kenneth Tsekoa, MP

===Foreign Relations===
Lesotho's geographic location makes it extremely vulnerable to political and economic developments in South Africa. It is a member of many regional economic organizations including the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). Lesotho also is active in the United Nations, the African Union, the Nonaligned Movement, the Commonwealth, and many other international organizations. In addition to the United States, South Africa, China, Libya, Ireland (Consulate General), and the European Union all currently retain resident diplomatic missions in Lesotho. The United Nations is represented by a resident mission as well, including UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, FAO, WFP, and UNAIDS.

Lesotho has historically maintained generally close ties with the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other Western states. Although Lesotho decided in 1990 to break relations with the People's Republic of China (P.R.C.) and reestablish relations with Taiwan, it has since restored ties with the P.R.C. Lesotho also recognized Palestine as a state, was a strong public supporter of the end of apartheid in South Africa, and granted a number of South African refugees political asylum during the apartheid era.

==Defense==
The security force is composed of the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF—estimated 4,000 personnel) and the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS—estimated 3,000-4,000 personnel). The LDF consists of an army, an air wing, and a paramilitary wing. The LDF answers to the Prime Minister (who is the Minister of Defense and National Security and also the Minister of Public Service), while the Lesotho Mounted Police Service reports to the Minister of Home Affairs. There also is a National Security Service (NSS), Intelligence, which is directly accountable to the Prime Minister. Relations between the police and the army have occasionally been tense, and in 1997 the army was called upon to put down a serious police mutiny.

==Economy==
Lesotho's economy is based on water and electricity sold to South Africa, manufacturing, earnings from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), agriculture, livestock, and to some extent earnings of laborers employed in South Africa. Lesotho also exports diamonds, wool, and mohair. Lesotho is geographically surrounded by South Africa and economically integrated with it as well. The majority of households subsist on farming or migrant labor, primarily miners in South Africa for 3 to 9 months. The western lowlands form the main agricultural zone. Almost 50% of the population earns some income through crop cultivation or animal husbandry, with over half the country's income coming from the agricultural sector.
*GDP (2003): $1.43 billion.
*Annual growth rate (2004): 3.4%.
*Per capita GDP (2003): $550.
*Average inflation rate (2003): 10%.
*Natural resources: Water, agricultural and grazing land, some diamonds and other minerals. Lesotho is an exporter of excess labor.
*Agriculture (2003 est.): 16.8% of GDP. Products—corn, wheat, sorghum, barley, peas, beans, asparagus, wool, mohair, livestock. Arable land—11%.
*Industry (2003 est.): 43.1% of GDP. Types—apparel, food, beverages, handicrafts, construction, tourism.
*Trade (2003): Exports--$450 million; clothing, furniture, footwear and wool. Partners—South Africa, United States, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia, EU. Imports--$661 million; corn, clothing, building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products. Partners—South Africa, Asia, EU.
*Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March.
*Economic aid received (2002): $972.6 million. Primary donors—World Bank, IMF, EU, UN, U.K., Ireland, U.S.

Water is Lesotho's only significant natural resource. It is being exploited through the 30-year, multibillion-dollar Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), which was initiated in 1986. The LHWP is designed to capture, store, and transfer water from the Orange River system and send it to South Africa's Free State and greater Johannesburg area, which features a large concentration of South African industry, population, and agriculture. Completion of the first phase of the project has made Lesotho almost completely self-sufficient in the production of electricity and generated approximately $24 million annually from the sale of electricity and water to South Africa. The World Bank, African Development Bank, European Investment Bank, and many other bilateral donors financed the project. Lesotho has taken advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to become the largest exporter of garments to the U.S. from sub-Saharan Africa. Exports totaled $466.9 million in 2004. Employment reached 40,000. Asian investors own most factories.

Lesotho has received economic aid from a variety of sources, including the United States, the World Bank, Ireland, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Germany, and the People's Republic of China.

Lesotho has nearly 6,000 kilometers of unpaved and modern all-weather roads. There is a short rail line (freight) linking Lesotho with South Africa that is totally owned and operated by South Africa. Lesotho is a member of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) in which tariffs have been eliminated on the trade of goods with other member countries, which include Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland. With the exception of Botswana, these countries also form a common currency and exchange control area known as the Common Monetary Area (CMA). The South African rand can be used interchangeably with the loti, the Lesotho currency (plural: maloti). One hundred lisente equal one loti. The loti is at par with the rand.

====HIV/AIDS====
According to recent estimates, the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Lesotho is about 29%, one of the highest rates in the world. The United Nations estimates that this rate will rise to 36% within the next 15 years, resulting in a sharp drop in life expectancy. According to the Lesotho Bureau of Statistics, in 2001 life expectancy was estimated at 48 for men and 56 for women. Recent statistics estimate that life expectancy has fallen to an average of 36.81.

The government of Lesotho was initially slow to recognize the scale of the HIV/AIDS crisis, and its efforts to date in combating the spread of the disease have met with limited success. In 1999, the government finalized its Strategic Plan on HIV/AIDS, a diagram for addressing the education, prevention, counseling, and treatment needs of the populace. In late 2003, the government announced that it was forming a new National AIDS Commission to coordinate society-wide anti-AIDS activities. Also in 2003 the Government of Lesotho hosted a SADC Extraordinary Summit on HIV/AIDS. In July 2005 legislation was passed to create the National AIDS Commission.

==History==
Lesotho gained independence from Britain on October 4, 1966. In January 1970 the ruling Basotho National Party (BNP) appeared set to lose the first post-independence general elections when Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan annulled the election. He refused to cede power to the Basotho Congress Party (BCP) and imprisoned its leadership.

The BNP ruled by decree until January 1986 when a military coup forced them out of office. The Military Council that came into power granted executive powers to King Moshoeshoe II, who was until then a ceremonial monarch. In 1990, however, the King was forced into exile after a falling out with the army. His son was installed as King Letsie III.

The chairman of the military [[junta]], Major General Metsing Lekhanya, was ousted in 1991 and then replaced by Major General Phisoane Ramaema, who handed over power to a democratically elected government of the BCP in 1993. Moshoeshoe II returned from exile in 1992 as an ordinary citizen. After the return to democratic government, King Letsie III tried unsuccessfully to persuade the BCP government to reinstate his father (Moshoeshoe II) as head of state. In August 1994, Letsie III staged a coup which was backed by the military and deposed the BCP government. The new government did not receive full international recognition. Member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) engaged in negotiations aimed at the reinstatement of the BCP government. One of the conditions put forward by the King for the return of the BCP government was that his father should be re-installed as head of state. After protracted negotiations, the BCP government was reinstated and the King abdicated in favor of his father in 1995, but Moshoeshoe II died in a car accident in 1996 and was again succeeded by his son, Letsie III. The ruling BCP split over leadership disputes in 1997.

Prime Minister Ntsu Mokhehle formed a new party, the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD), and was followed by a majority of Members of Parliament, which enabled him to form a new government. The LCD won the general elections in 1998 under the leadership of Pakalitha Mosisili, who had succeeded Mokhehle as party leader. Despite the elections being pronounced free and fair by local and international observers and a subsequent special commission appointed by SADC, the opposition political parties rejected the results.

Opposition protests in the country intensified, culminating in a violent demonstration outside the royal palace in August 1998. When junior members of the armed services mutinied in September, the government requested a SADC task force to intervene to prevent a coup and restore stability. A military group of South African and Botswana troops entered the country in September, put down the mutiny, and withdrew in May 1999. Looting, casualties, and widespread destruction of property followed.

An Interim Political Authority (IPA), charged with reviewing the electoral structure in the country, was created in December 1998. The IPA devised a proportional electoral system to ensure that there would be opposition in the National Assembly. The new system retained the existing 80 elected Assembly seats, but added 40 seats to be filled on a proportional basis. Elections were held under this new system in May 2002, and the LCD won again. For the first time, due to the inclusion of proportional seats, opposition political parties won significant numbers of seats. Elections were held again in February 2007. Nine opposition parties hold all 40 of the proportional seats, with the National Independent Party (NIP) having the largest share (21). The LCD has 61 of the 80 constituency-based seats, and All Basotho Congress (ABC) holds 17.

{{African Countries}}

[[Category:Landlocked Countries]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Tunisia

2021-01-08T18:04:40Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''Al-Jumhūriyyah at-Tūnisiyyah'' الجمهورية التونسية
|map =Tunisia rel 90.JPG
|map2 =Tunisia location.png
|flag =Flag of Tunisia.png
|arms =Arms of Tunisia.png
|capital =Tunis
|capital-raw =
|government =Republic
|government-raw =
|language =Arabic
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Beji Caid Essebsi
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Habib Essid
|pm-raw =
|area =63,170 sq mi
|pop =11,850,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$40,000,000,000 (2020)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$3,376 (2020)
|currency =Tunisian dinar
|idd =
|tld =
}}
The '''Tunisian Republic''' (Arabic الجمهورية التونسية) is a country in north [[Africa]]. The country borders the [[Mediterranean Sea]] to the north, [[Algeria]] to the west, and [[Libya]] to the east. The ancient city of [[Carthage]] lies just to the north of the present-day capital, [[Tunis]]. The official religion of Tunisia is [[Islam]], with approximately 98% of Tunisians being [[Muslim]]s.

==People==
[[File:Tunisians.jpg|left|170px]]
Modern Tunisians are the descendents of indigenous Berbers and of people from numerous civilizations that have invaded, migrated to, and been assimilated into the population over the millennia. Nearly all Tunisians (98% of the population) are Muslim. There has been a Jewish population on the southern island of Djerba for 2000 years, and there remains a small Jewish population in Tunis and other cities, which is mainly descended from those who fled Spain in the late 15th century. A small Christian community is dispersed throughout the country, and includes foreign residents, as well as a few hundred native-born citizens who have converted to Christianity. Small nomadic indigenous minorities have been mostly assimilated into the larger population.
*Population (2006): 10,216,000.
*Annual growth rate (2005): 1.12%. Birth rate—17.1 births/1,000 population. Death rate—5.17 deaths/1,000 population.
*Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 98%, European 1%, other 1%.
*Religions: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish less than 1%.
*Languages: Arabic (official), French.
*Education: Years compulsory—9. Literacy (definition—age 15 and over can read and write)--74% (2006 est.).
*Health (2006): Infant mortality rate—20.3 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy—73.5 total, 71.6 years male, 75.5 years female.
*Work force (2006): 3,503 million.
*Unemployment rate (2006): 13.9%.

==Government and Political Conditions==
Tunisia is a republic with a strong presidential system. The former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has been in office since 1987, when he deposed Habib Bourguiba, president since Tunisia's independence from France in 1956. The ruling party, the Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD), was the sole legal party for 25 years—including when it was known as the Socialist Destourian Party (PSD)--which dominated the political life. Regional governors and local administrators are also appointed by the central government; largely consultative mayors and municipal councils are elected. In 2011 it came to a revolution and Ben Ali left his country.

There are currently nine parties in the parliament, the [[Islamism|Islamist]] Al-Nahda party, the Congress for the Republic, Ettakatol, Al Aridha, the Progressive Democratic Party, the Democratic Modernist Pole, Afek Tounes, Tunisian Workers' Communist Party, the Al-Watan Party and The Initiative. The last two parties are formed by supporters of Ben Ali.

The ruling party is the Islamist Al-Nahda. People were arrested for "Blasphemia" and Women's were discriminate.<ref>http://frontpagemag.com/2013/dgreenfield/female-tunisian-artist-faces-5-years-in-jail-for-blasphemous-sculpture-of-veiled-women/</ref> After the killing of an opposition leader, people were protesting against the government.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/02/10/tunisia-pressure-grows-on-islamists-to-defuse-crisis-unleashed-by-opposition/</ref>

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Beji Caid Essebsi
*Prime Minister—Habib Essid
*Minister of State--
*Minister of Foreign Affairs—Rafik Abdessalem
*Minister of National Defense--

===Foreign Relations===

Tunisia has long been a voice for moderation and realism in the Middle East. President Bourguiba was the first Arab leader to call for the recognition of Israel, in a speech in Jericho in 1965. Tunisia served as the headquarters of the Arab League from 1979 to 1990 and hosted the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) headquarters from 1982 to 1993. (The PLO Political Department remains in Tunis.) Tunisia consistently has played a moderating role in the negotiations for a comprehensive Middle East peace. In 1993, Tunisia was the first Arab country to host an official Israeli delegation as part of the Middle East peace process. The Government of Tunisia operated an Interests Section in Israel from April 1996 until the outbreak of the second Intifada in 2000. Israeli citizens may travel to Tunisia on their Israeli passports.

Wedged between Algeria and Libya, Tunisia has sought to maintain good relations with its neighbors despite occasionally strained relations. Tunisia and Algeria resolved a longstanding border dispute in 1993 and have cooperated in the construction of a natural gas pipeline through Tunisia that connects Algeria to Italy. In 2002, Tunisia signed an agreement with Algeria to demarcate the maritime frontier between the two countries.

Tunisia's relations with Libya have been erratic since Tunisia annulled a brief agreement to form a union in 1974. Diplomatic relations were broken in 1976, restored in 1977, and deteriorated again in 1980, when Libyan-trained rebels attempted to seize the town of Gafsa. In 1982, the International Court of Justice ruled in Libya's favor in the partition of the oil-rich continental shelf it shares with Tunisia. Libya's 1985 expulsion of Tunisian workers and military threats led Tunisia to sever relations. Relations were normalized again in 1987. While supporting the UN sanctions imposed following airline bombings, Tunisia has been careful to maintain positive relations with her neighbor. Tunisia supported the lifting of UN sanctions against Libya in 2003, and Libya is again becoming a major trading partner, with 2005 exports to Libya valued at $472.2 million and imports at $509.9 million.

Tunisia has supported the development of the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), which includes Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, and Libya. Progress on Maghreb integration remains stymied, however, as a result of bilateral tensions between some member countries. Tunisia has played a positive role in trying to resolve these tensions.

In 2012 Tunisia condemns [[Israel]] and supported the [[Hamas]].<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/11/16/tunisia-condemns-israeli-attack-on-gaza/</ref>

==Economy==
Tunisia's economy has emerged from rigid state control and is now mostly liberalized. World Bank and IMF support, coupled with prudent economic policies implemented by the Tunisian Government in the mid-eighties after a balance of payments crisis, has resulted in regular stable growth. Although this faltered after 9/11, the economy has since bounced back, thanks to healthy exports, renewed growth in tourism, and favorable climatic conditions which boosted agricultural production.

Manufacturing industries, producing largely for export, are a major source of foreign currency revenue. Industrial production represents about 28 percent of GDP and primarily consists of petroleum, mining (particularly phosphates), textiles, footwear, food processing, and electrical and mechanical manufactures. Textiles are a major source of foreign currency revenue, with more than 90% of production being exported. While the end of the Multifiber Arrangement in 2005 eroded Tunisia's competitiveness in its traditional European textile markets, to counteract this, manufacturers are successfully upgrading product lines and exporting smaller quantities of higher value items.
*Real GDP (2006, $2000 mil): $25,498.
*Real GDP growth rate (2006): 5.2%.
*Per capita GDP, PPP (2006): $8,898.
*Natural resources: natural gas, crude oil, phosphates, salt, iron ore.
*Agriculture: Products—olives, dates, citrus, almonds, grains.
*Industry: Types—petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate), textiles, footwear, food processing.
*Services: Tourism, commerce, transport, communications.
*Sector information as %GDP (2006 est.): Agriculture, 12%; industry, 33%; services, 55%.
*Trade (2005): Exports--$11.7 billion: hydrocarbons, agricultural products, phosphates, chemicals, textiles, mechanical, electric components. By region—Africa 9.9%, Americas 3.1%, Asia 3.7%, Europe 83.3%. By country (U.S$. million)--France, $3807.07, Italy, $2598.46, Germany, $926.0, Spain, $739.0; Libya, $635.15; Belgium, $282.61; UK, $322.0; U.S. $145.6. Imports ($15.2 billion)--industrial goods and equipment, hydrocarbons, food, consumer goods. By region—Africa 7.8%, Americas 5.9% Asia 10.5%, Europe 75.8%. By country (U.S$. million)--France $3461.61, Italy $2836.15, Germany $1200.61, Spain $714.69, Libya $743.0, China $501.84, U.S. $435.15.

Tourism is a major source of foreign exchange, representing about 20 percent of hard currency receipts, as well as an important sector for employment. 6.5 million tourists visited Tunisia in 2006, hailing largely from Europe and North Africa. While the influx of tourists represents a boon to the economy. Tunisia's large expatriate population (about 1 million) also makes a positive and significant contribution. Over the past five years, remittances from abroad averaged 1.61 million dinars (approximately 1.21 million USD) a year, or roughly 5 percent of Tunisia's GDP and one fourth of the country's foreign currency earnings.

Soaring oil prices have hit the Tunisian economy hard. The country is a net importer of hydrocarbon products. Domestic crude production is approximately 112,000 barrels per day, but refining capacity is only about 30,000 barrels a day. Proven reserves are in the region of 300 million barrels. Tunisia has one oil refinery in Bizerte on the north coast and in May 2006 awarded a tender for a second at La Skhira near Gabes to Qatar Petroleum. Natural gas production is currently about 3 million tons oil equivalent Proven reserves are about 2.8 trillion cubic feet, two-thirds of which are located offshore. British Gas is the major developer of the natural gas industry, and the largest foreign investor in Tunisia.

Economically and commercially, Tunisia is very closely linked to Europe. Tunisia signed an Association Agreement with the EU, due to go into effect in 2008, which will eliminate customs tariffs and other trade barriers on a wide range of goods and services. In advance of the 2008 implementation of this Association Agreement, the Government of Tunisia embarked on a program, "Mise à Niveau",(industrial upgrading) to improve the competitiveness of Tunisian industry. Launched on a pilot scale in 1996, the "Mise a Niveau" program is supported in part by EU grants. The program consists of technical assistance, training, subsidies, and infrastructure upgrades aimed at encouraging and assisting Tunisian private sector industrial restructuring.

EU member states also provide the bulk of FDI, much of which has come in under the Government of Tunisia privatization program launched in 1987. In May 2006 the Government of Tunisia announced that overall its privatization program had raised $1.9 billion, of which $1.4 billion was foreign capital. This does not include the $2.25 billion the Government of Tunisia recently received for the sale to Dubai Holding of a 35% share in the national telecommunications authority, Tunisie Telecom. Persian Gulf investments in telecommunications, real estate, and energy are also a major source of FDI.

The Ministry of Industry and Energy is responsible for a program to improve the international competitiveness of Tunisian industry in preparation for free trade with the European Union. Launched on a pilot scale in 1996, the "Mise a Niveau" (industrial upgrading) program is supported in part by EU grants incorporated into the EU Association Agreement. The program combines government technical assistance, training, subsidies, and infrastructure upgrades aimed at encouraging and assisting Tunisian private sector industrial restructuring. More than 2,300 companies have applied to join the program, with more than half accepted.

A Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the U.S. was signed in October 2002 and follow-up TIFA Councils were held in October 2003 and June 2005, but little progress has been made towards generating the necessary reforms required to engender a free trade agreement between the U.S. and Tunisia. The framework for a multilateral trade agreement with Egypt, Jordan, and Morocco, known as the Agadir Agreement, has also been signed. The Agadir Agreement creates a potential market of over 100 million people across North Africa and into the Middle East.

The government still retains control over certain "strategic" sectors of the economy (finance, hydrocarbons, aviation, electricity and gas distribution, and water resources) but the private sector is playing an increasingly important role. Tunisia is a founding member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and is publicly committed to a free trade regime and export-led growth. Most goods can be imported without prior licensing, although non-tariff administrative barriers sometimes delay imports of goods. Significant import duties, coupled with high consumption taxes on certain items and a value-added tax (VAT), add considerably to the local price of imported goods.

The Government of Tunisia is beginning to take a more proactive stance on intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement and education. Tunisia's recent intellectual property rights law is designed to meet WTO TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property) minimum standards and there is on-going collaboration between the United States and Tunisian governments to promote public awareness of these rights.

Tunisia's timely completion of its IMF program (1987-1994) and subsequent fiscal conservatism have earned it investment grade ratings from a number of international institutions, although Standard and Poor has noted that ratings on Tunisia are constrained by its highly centralized political system and the need for further structural reforms. In mid-2005 the Tunisian Central Bank issued a new Euro-denominated bond on the London financial market. The issue totaled over $450 million (400 million Euros) with a maturity of 15 years. In 2004 the Government of Tunisia sold a similar bond with a total value of nearly $550 million and seven-year maturity.

The Central Bank is moving from direct management of the financial sector towards a more traditional supervisory and regulatory role. Commercial banks are permitted to participate in the forward foreign exchange market. The dinar is convertible for current account transactions but some convertible dinar/foreign exchange account transactions still require Central Bank authorization. Total convertibility of the Tunisian dinar is probably still some years away. The dinar is traded on an intra-bank market. Trading operates around a managed float established by the Central Bank (based upon a basket of the Euro, the U.S. Dollar and the Japanese Yen). The stock exchange remains under the supervision of the state-run financial market council, and lists about 50 companies. A new phase of the Mise a Niveau program aims to double this figure.

Tunisia has a relatively well-developed infrastructure that includes six commercial seaports and six international airports. The prequalification phase for a seventh airport near the coast at Enfidha was announced in April 2004. The project, a Build-to-Own 40-year concession eventually able to handle 30 million passengers per year, was awarded in May 2007 to a Turkish group and construction is expected to begin in July 2007. A tender for a deep water port in the same region is expected also.

Average annual income per capita in Tunisia is approaching $3000. The minimum monthly legal wage for a 48-hour week was recently raised to approximately $180. Tunisia's goal of pushing per capita incomes into the middle emerging market level calls for an average 6-7% growth rate instead of 4-5%. In 2006, GDP growth was 5.2%, but inflation spiked to 4.5%, from 2% the year before. Official figures claim unemployment is around 14%, but it is generally believed to be much higher in some regions. Despite the present low rate of population growth, a demographic peak is now hitting higher education and the job market. Tunisia has invested heavily in education and the number of students enrolled at university has soared from 41,000 in 1986 to over 360,000. Providing jobs for these highly educated people represents a major challenge for the Government of Tunisia.

==History==
Recorded history in Tunisia begins with the arrival of Phoenicians, who founded Carthage and other North African settlements in the 8th century B.C. Carthage became a major sea power, clashing with Rome for control of the Mediterranean until it was defeated and captured by the Romans in 146 B.C. The Romans ruled and settled in North Africa until the 5th century, when the Roman Empire fell and Tunisia was invaded by European tribes, including the Vandals. The Muslim conquest in the 7th century transformed Tunisia and the make-up of its population, with subsequent waves of migration from around the Arab and Ottoman world, including significant numbers of Spanish Muslims and Jews at the end of the 15th century. Tunisia became a center of Arab culture and learning and was assimilated into the Turkish Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. The country was one of the Barbary States (along with Tangiers, Algiers, and Tripoli), demanding tribute from the vessels of other nations engaged in commerce within the Mediterranean; the Barbary States were ultimately subdued by 1815. It was a French protectorate from 1881 until independence in 1956, and retains close political, economic, and cultural ties with France. Tunisia was briefly occupied by German forces during World War II, but was liberated in May 1943.

President Bourguiba, who had been the leader of the independence movement, declared Tunisia a republic in 1957, ending the nominal rule of the Ottoman Beys. In June 1959, Tunisia adopted a constitution modeled on the French system, which established the basic outline of the highly centralized presidential system that continues today. The military was given a defined defensive role, which excluded participation in politics. Starting from independence, President Bourguiba placed strong emphasis on economic and social development, especially education, the status of women, and the creation of jobs, policies that continued under the Ben Ali administration. The result was strong social progress—high literacy and school attendance rates, low population growth rates, and relatively low poverty rates—and generally steady economic growth. These pragmatic policies have contributed to social and political stability.

Progress toward full democracy has been slow. Over the years, President Bourguiba stood unopposed for re-election several times and was named "President for Life" in 1974 by a constitutional amendment. At the time of independence, the Neo-Destourian Party (later the PSD)--enjoying broad support because of its role at the forefront of the independence movement—became the sole legal party. Opposition parties were banned until 1981.

When President Ben Ali came to power in 1987, he promised greater democratic openness and respect for human rights, signing a "national pact" with opposition parties. He oversaw constitutional and legal changes, including abolishing the concept of President for life, the establishment of presidential term limits, and provision for greater opposition party participation in political life. But the ruling party, renamed the Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD), continued to dominate the political scene because of its historic popularity and the advantage it enjoyed as the ruling party. Ben Ali ran for re-election unopposed in 1989 and 1994. In the multiparty era, he won 99.44% of the vote in 1999 and 94.49% of the vote in 2004. In both elections he faced weak opponents. The RCD won all seats in the Chamber of Deputies in 1989, and won all of the directly elected seats in the 1994, 1999, and 2004 elections. However, constitutional amendments provided for the distribution of additional seats to the opposition parties by 1999 and 2004. Currently, five opposition parties share 37 of the 189 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. A May 2002 referendum approved constitutional changes proposed by Ben Ali that allowed him to run for a fourth term in 2004 (and a fifth, his final, because of age limits on presidential candidates, in 2009), and provided judicial immunity during and after his presidency. The referendum also created a second parliamentary chamber, the Chamber of Advisors, and provided for other changes.

In 2011 it came to protests against Ben Ali. The protets ended in a revolution and Ben Ali fleed into [[Saudi-Arabia]]. In the democratic elections the Islamist [[Ennahda]]-party was elected.

== References ==

<references/>

 
{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''
|-
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:
|style=" background-color: none;"| This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code
|-
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5439.htm]}}}.
|}

{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]

Jeanine Áñez

2021-01-08T18:04:16Z

FabioZ:

[[File:Jeanine Áñez.jpg|thumbnail|250px|Jeanine Áñez, with the [[Holy Bible]] during her first day of presidency.]]
'''Jeanine Áñez''' (Trinidad, 13 August 1967) is the current interim President of [[Bolivia]] since the resignation of the [[socialist]] [[Evo Morales]].
She is strongly [[conservative]] and right-wing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/16/world/americas/bolivia-anez-morales.html|title=In Bolivia, Interim Leader Sets Conservative, Religious Tone|publisher= The New York Times|date=November 26 2019}}</ref> During her first day in office she took a [[Bible]] to the presidential office in a sign of God returning to the government after the previous one only venerated Indigenous gods.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-50425098|title=Renuncia de Evo Morales: 4 símbolos con los que la presidenta en funciones de Bolivia quiere diferenciarse del gobierno de Morales|date=November 14, 2019|publisher=BBC World|language=es}}</ref><ref>Massaro, Chris (November 16, 2019). [https://www.foxnews.com/world/bolivia-polarizing-western-hemisphere-ideological-lines Bolivia change of power polarizes Western hemisphere along 'tired, ideological lines']. ''Fox News''. Retrieved November 17, 2019.</ref><ref>Otis, John (December 13, 2019). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/bolivias-accidental-leader-tries-to-fend-off-evo-morales-set-new-vote-11576195895 Bolivia’s Accidental Leader Tries to Fend Off Evo Morales, Set New Vote]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 13, 2019.</ref>

She openly denounces Socialists and said that they always want to perpetuate in power.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://youtu.be/2bQpr8_9itI|title=Jeanine Áñez: Don Evo Morales es un estafador de la democracia|date=November 12, 2019|publisher=CNN|language=es}}</ref>

She also implemented a flag in representation of the Eastern part of Bolivia, and changed the official newspaper (used in Evo's government as propaganda) name from ''Cambio'' to ''Bolivia''.

Áñez gave more power to the military to control the situation in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.clarin.com/mundo/bolivia-decreto-jeanine-anez-quitarle-responsabilidad-penal-fuerzas-armadas-protestas_0_AwNOgZKd.html|title=Bolivia: el decreto de Jeanine Áñez para quitarle la “responsabilidad penal” a las Fuerzas Armadas ante las protestas|publisher=Clarin|language=es|date=November 16, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The world’s as divided about Bolivia’s alleged coup as Bolivians themselves|url=https://qz.com/1748281/experts-are-divided-on-evo-morales-and-bolivias-alleged-coup/|publisher=Quartz|date=November 15, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/bolivia-anez-celebrates-militarys-209th-anniversary/1646402|title=Bolivia: Anez celebrates military's 209th anniversary|date=November 15, 2019|publisher=AA}}</ref> She also shifted Bolivia's domestic and foreign policies in a strongly conservative direction.<ref>Machicao, Monica (December 6, 2019). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bolivia-politics-security/bolivian-minister-seeks-israel-help-in-fighting-alleged-leftist-terrorism-idUSKBN1YA28V Bolivian minister seeks Israel help in fighting alleged leftist 'terrorism']. ''Reuters''. Retrieved December 6, 2019.</ref> She also deported several Venezuelan and Cuban citizens in Bolivia.<ref>Peña, Jason (December 5, 2019). [https://cis.org/Pena/New-Bolivian-Government-Deports-Hundreds-Cubans-and-Venezuelans New Bolivian Government Deports Hundreds of Cubans and Venezuelans]. ''Center for Immigration Studies''. Retrieved December 6, 2019.</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Áñez, Jeanine}}

[[Category:Current Heads of State]]
[[Category:Current Heads of Government]]
[[Category:Latin America]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]

Juan Manuel Santos

2021-01-08T18:04:00Z

FabioZ:

[[File:Juan Manuel Santos Calderon Colombia.jpg|right]]

'''Juan Manuel Santos Calderón ''' ([[Bogotá]], August 10, 1951 - ) is the current President of [[Colombia]] (the 59th president, succeeded [[Alvaro Uribe]]). Santos was a cadet at the Navy Academy in [[Cartagena]]; he studied Economics and Business Administration and carried out graduate studies at the London School of Economics, [[Harvard University]] and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

Santos was Chief of the Colombian delegation before the International Coffee Organization (ICO) in [[London]] and served as a minister in the cabinets of Presidents [[Cesar Gaviria]] and [[Andres Pastrana]]; he was Colombia’s first Foreign Trade Minister. He has also been Finance Minister and National Defense Minister. During this last position, he was in charge of leading the implementation of the government’s Democratic Security Policy.

Santos created the ''Good Government Foundation'' (Fundación de Buen Gobierno) and founded the political party ''Partido de la U'' in the year 2005; currently Colombia’s largest political party. As a journalist he was a columnist and Deputy Director of the newspaper ''El Tiempo''; Santos was awarded the King of Spain Prize and was president of the Freedom of Expression Commission for the Inter American Press Association (IAPA). He has published several books, among which the most significant are ''The Third Way'', co-written with the former British Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]], and ''Check on Terror'' (Jaque al Terror), where he describes the most important actions against the "Farc" terrorist group during his tenure as head of the Ministry of Defense.

== Presidential elections ==

On June 20, 2010, (after obtaining the largest vote during the first round of the presidential elections which took place on May 30 of the same year) at the second round of the presidential elections, he was elected President of the Republic of Colombia for the four-year period between August 7, 2010 and August 7, 2014. He obtained more than 9 million votes, the highest amount obtained by any candidate in the history of Colombian democracy.

During his campaign, he promised to lead a government of national unity that would carry out the transition from Democratic Security to Democratic Prosperity.

== Personal life ==

President Santos is married to María Clemencia Rodríguez, with whom he has three children: Martín (21), María Antonia (19) and Esteban (16).<ref>[http://wsp.presidencia.gov.co/Gobierno/Paginas/JuanManuelSantosCalderon_en.aspx Juan Manuel Santos Calderón.]</ref>

<blockquote>
He comes from an influential Colombian family. His great-uncle, Eduardo Santos, was president from 1938 to 1942 and owned the country's largest newspaper, El Tiempo. His cousin, Francisco Santos, was vice-president.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10317735 Profile.]</ref>
</blockquote>

== External links ==

*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10317735 Profile: Juan Manuel Santos.]
*[http://www.as-coa.org/article.php?id=2467 Juan Manuel Santos Wins Colombian Presidency.]

== References ==

<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Santos, Juan Manuel}}
[[Category:Current Heads of State]]
[[Category:South America]]
[[Category:Biographies]]

José Mujica

2021-01-08T18:03:44Z

FabioZ:

'''José Mujica''' is the [[Atheism|atheist]]<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/uruguay/10732869/Legalising-cannabis-Uruguays-president-Jose-Mujica-asks-world-for-support.html</ref> president of [[Uruguay]] since March 2010. His reign had ended in March 2015, when he will be replaced by [[Tabaré Vázquez]]. He is a member of the [[Tupamaros]], a Leftist party and former terror organization. Mujica supported the legalization of [[Marijuana]]<ref>https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/uruguay-president-mujica-signs-marijuana-law</ref> and [[Abortion]].<ref>https://www.economist.com/blogs/americasview/2012/10/abortion-uruguay</ref> He wants to improve the relationsships to Islamist dictatorship of [[Iran]].<ref>http://en.mercopress.com/2009/11/27/mujica-supports-lula-da-silva-government-style-and-his-iran-policy</ref> and is an [[Vegetarianism|vegetarian]].<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-20243493</ref>

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Current Heads of State]]
[[Category:Uruguay]]
[[Category:Atheists]]

Omar al-Bashir

2021-01-08T18:03:20Z

FabioZ:

[[Image:Al-Bashir AFP.jpg|right|200px]]
'''Omar al-Bashir''' (born 1944) is the current President of [[Sudan]]. He came to power in an Islamist-backed coup in 1989.

Omar al-Bashir is criticized by various governments and by organizations such as [[Amnesty International]], for not acting on various crises, most notably the [[Darfur conflict]], in which Arab [[Muslim]] militias known collectively as the [[Janjaweed]] have massacred, raped, and displaced 2.5 million non-Arab Muslim villagers.

On June 14, 2008, the [[International Criminal Court|International Criminal Court's]] top prosecutor charged Al-Bashir with masterminding a campaign of [[genocide]], and asked the court for an arrest warrant for the leader. The International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague issued a warrant for his arrest on accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

== External links ==

*[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/world/africa/05court.html Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Sudan’s Leade]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3273569.stm Sudan's President Bashir]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bashir, Omar}}

[[Category:Current Heads of State]]
[[Category:Dictators]]
[[Category:Genocide]]
[[Category:Sudan]]
[[Category:Sunnis]]

Mauricio Macri

2021-01-08T18:03:02Z

FabioZ:

[[File:Mauricio Macri 2016.jpg|200px|thumbnail|Mauricio Macri in 2016.]]
'''Mauricio Macri''' (born February 8, 1959) is the president of [[Argentina]], serving since December 10, 2015. He is also a civil engineer, executive, businessman, and Argentine sports leader.

Macri had been a national deputy for the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires between 2005 and 2007 and head of government of that same district for two periods (2007-2011, 2011-2015).

Macri worked in companies in the country such as Citibank, Sevel and the Macri Group and was president of Club Atlético Boca Juniors between 1995 and 2008. His political party is the PRO (Republican Proposal) and was created in 2005. The political ideology of the party is [[social democracy]]. As president, Macri was seen as a [[neoliberal]] reformer.<ref>Puglie, Frederic (December 23, 2018). [https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/dec/23/mauricio-macri-argentina-president-faces-re-electi/ Argentine president, Trump ally, persists with shaky 'path to change' a year before election]. ''The Washington Times''. Retrieved December 24, 2018.</ref>

Macri was defeated in the 2019 presidential election by Alberto Fernández and his running mate, former president [[Cristina Fernández de Kirchner]].<ref>Multiple references:
*Dube, Ryan (October 27, 2019). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/argentinas-alberto-fernandez-leads-results-of-presidential-vote-with-47-2-support-11572223112 Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri Concedes Election to Peronist Rival Alberto Fernández]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
*Misculin, Nicolás; Jourdan, Adam (October 27, 2019). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-argentina-election/argentinas-peronists-sweep-back-into-power-as-macri-ousted-idUSKBN1X608M Argentina's Peronists sweep back into power as Macri ousted]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
See also:
*Andres Henao, Luis; Key, Debora (October 28, 2019). [https://www.apnews.com/4db0c18d27cd44e7930e2b2a42815edc Argentina’s center-left Peronists celebrate return to power]. ''Associated Press''. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
*Misculin, Nicolás (December 10, 2019). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-argentina-politics-inauguration/argentinas-peronists-return-as-fernandez-sworn-into-power-idUSKBN1YE128 Argentina's Peronists return as Fernandez sworn into power]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved December 10, 2019.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macri, Mauricio}}
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Current Heads of State]]

Petro Poroshenko

2021-01-08T18:02:45Z

FabioZ:

[[File:Petro Porochenko au Conseil de l’Europe Strasbourg 26 juin 2014 04.jpg|thumb|Petro Poroshenko]]
'''Petro Poroshenko''' (26 September 1965) is the president of [[Ukraine]] since June 7, 2014. From 2009 to 2010 he was foreign minister under [[Viktor Yanukovych]].

Poroshenko is also known as seventh rich man of Ukraine. He is also called the "Chocolate King" for his sweets group "Roshen". According to [[Forbes]] Poroshenko owns 1.3 billion dollars.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26822741</ref>

In May 2015 president Poroshenko signed a law which ordered the removal of statues and monuments honoring [[Communism]]. 1,320 statues of [[Lenin]] had been dismantled along with 1,069 other Soviet-era monuments.<ref>Bennetts, Marc (August 19, 2017). [https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ukraine-removes-all-1-320-statues-of-lenin-wqsz8b6nh Ukraine removes all 1,320 statues of Lenin]. ''The Times''. Retrieved September 16, 2018.</ref>

Poroshenko said he supports “the march of equality [LGBT pride parade] as a Christian and as a president-European. This aligns things. I will not participate in it, but I see no reason that someone should prevent it for it is the constitutional right of every Ukrainian citizen.”<ref>[https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/06/05/will-kiev-s-lgbt-pride-go-ahead.html Will Kiev’s LGBT Pride Go Ahead?]</ref>

On June 20, 2017 Poroshenko met with [[President Trump]]. Thus the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 38 Russian individuals and entities involved in the conflict with Ukraine.<ref>Multiple references:
*[https://www.voanews.com/a/us-treasury-russia-ukraine-separatists-sanctions/3909028.html US Expands Sanctions Against Russia, Ukraine Separatists]. ''Voice of America''. June 20, 2017. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
*[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/06/20/treasury-moves-to-pressure-russia-with-new-sanctions-in-ukraine-conflict.html Treasury moves to 'pressure' Russia with new sanctions in Ukraine conflict]. ''Fox News''. June 20, 2017. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
*Gehrke, Joel (June 20, 2017). [https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-hits-russia-ukrainian-separatists-with-sanctions/article/2626488 Trump hits Russia, Ukrainian separatists with sanctions]. ''Washington Examiner''. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
</ref>

==References==
<references/>

{{UkrainePresidents}}

[[Category:Current Heads of State]]
[[Category:Ukrainian People]]
[[Category:Orthodox Christians]]

Israel

2021-01-08T18:02:23Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =מדינת ישראל ''Medīnat Yisrā'el''
|map =Israel shaded.jpg
|flag =Flag of Israel.png
|arms =Arms of Israel.png
|capital =Jerusalem
|capital-raw =
|government =Parliamentary Democracy
|government-raw =
|language =Hebrew
|language2 =
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|governor general=
|governor general-raw=
|president =Reuven Rivlin
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Benjamin Netanyahu
|pm-raw =
|chairman =
|general secretary=
|governor =
|governor-raw =
|premier =
|premier-raw =
|area =8,019 / 8,522 sq mi
|pop =8,666,667 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$385,000,000,000 (2020)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$44,423 (2020)
|currency =Shekel
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}}
The '''State of Israel''' ([[Hebrew]]: '''מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל''', ''Medinat Yisra'el'' from ''' יִשְׂרָאֵל''' ''Yisra'el'', "Struggled with God") is a nation located in the [[Middle East]]. It is the world's only Jewish state, having emerged from [[Zionism]] in Europe and the U.S. in the 1880s-1940s. It grants citizenship to anybody considered to be [[Jewish]], although this does not apply to anyone suspected or convicted of serious crimes or who the state otherwise considers a serious threat to its welfare. It also contains Arab Muslim and Arab Christian minorities who are remnants of the pre-1948 Arab majority, along with a small [[Druze]] community. It is the location of most Biblical events.

==Geography==
[[File:Haifa Israel.JPG|thumb|420px|center|Haifa.]]
Israel occupies an area along the eastern Mediterranean Sea, with [[Jordan]] and [[Syria]] to the east; [[Lebanon]] on the north; and [[Egypt]] to the south. The territories of the [[West Bank]] and [[Gaza Strip]] are currently controlled by Israel, but disputed.

The terrain varies from a temperate, coastal climate to desert conditions. Israel shares with Jordan the shoreline of the [[Dead Sea]], at 1,378 feet below sea level.

==People==
Of the approximately 6.43 million Israelis in 2007 about 76% were counted as Jewish, though some of those are not considered Jewish under [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jewish]] law. Since 1989, nearly a million immigrants from the former Soviet Union have arrived in Israel, making this the largest wave of immigration since independence. In addition, an estimated 105,000 members of the [[Ethiopian]] Jewish community have immigrated to Israel, 14,000 of them during the dramatic May 1991 Operation Solomon airlift. 32.9% of Israelis were born outside of Israel. Under Israel's Law of Return, any person of Jewish ancestry (with extremely few exceptions, such as those with a criminal background) have a legal right to make [[Aliyah]] (immigrate) to Israel.

The three broad Jewish groupings are the Ashkenazim, or Jews who trace their ancestry to [[Central Europe]]; the Sephardim, who trace their origin to [[Spain]], [[Portugal]], southern Europe, and North Africa; and Eastern or Oriental Jews, who descend from ancient communities in Islamic lands. Of the non-Jewish population, about 68% are Muslims, about 9% are Christian, and about 7% are Druze.
[[File:People at a Bar Mitzvah in the Western Wall tunnel.jpg|thumb|280px|left|At a Bar Mitzvah in the Western Wall tunnel.]]
Education is compulsory from age 6 to 16 and is free up to age 18. The school system is organized into kindergartens, 6-year primary schools, 3-year junior secondary schools, and 3-year senior secondary schools, after which a comprehensive examination is offered for university admissions. There are seven university-level institutions in Israel, a number of regional colleges, and an Open University program.

The majority of families in Israel - Jewish and Arab - send their children to segregated schools. This [[segregation]] poses a distinct problem, tending to promote rival viewpoints and attitudes that become ripe for exploitation by proponents of violence. Within Israel, the schools of the minority Arab population become incubators for resentment and hostility, while the schools of the majority Jewish population tend to reinforce a sense of insulation from the concerns of others.<ref>http://handinhandk12.org/</ref>

With a population drawn from more than 100 countries on 5 continents, Israeli society is rich in cultural diversity and artistic creativity. The arts are actively encouraged and supported by the government. The first Jewish artist on record was named Bezalel, an architect, sculptor and designer of holy garments best known for purportedly making the Tabernacle that contained the Ark of the Covenant.<ref>[http://www.jewish-art.org/ancient-jewish-art.html Ancient Jewish art]</ref> The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra performs throughout the country and frequently tours abroad. The Jerusalem Symphony and the New Israel Opera also tour frequently, as do other musical ensembles. Almost every municipality has a chamber orchestra or ensemble, many boasting the talents of gifted performers from the countries of the former Soviet Union.

Israel has several professional ballet and modern dance companies, and folk dancing, which draws upon the cultural heritage of many immigrant groups, continues to be very popular. There is great public interest in the theater; the repertoire covers the entire range of classical and contemporary drama in translation as well as plays by Israeli authors. Of the three major repertory companies, the most famous, Habimah, was founded in 1917.

Active artist colonies thrive in Safed, Jaffa, and Ein Hod, and Israeli painters and sculptors exhibit works worldwide. Israel boasts more than 120 museums, including the Israel [[Museum]] in Jerusalem, which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls along with an extensive collection of regional archaeological artifacts, art, and Jewish religious and folk exhibits. Israelis are avid newspaper readers, with more than 90% of Israeli adults reading a newspaper at least once a week. Major daily papers are in Hebrew; others are in Arabic, English, French, Polish, Yiddish, Russian, Hungarian, and German.

Because of Israel's long life expectancy and economic prosperity, it has seen population growth.<ref>Kent, Simon (October 1, 2019). [https://www.breitbart.com/middle-east/2019/10/01/report-israels-population-growth-built-on-prosperity-world-leading-life-expectancies/ Report: Israel’s Population Growth Built on Prosperity, World-Leading Life Expectancies]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved October 1, 2019.</ref>

==Government==
[[Image:Tst4436.jpg|right|thumb|250px|[[David Ben Gurion]], the First Prime Minister of Israel, publicly pronouncing the Declaration of the State of Israel, May 14, 1948, [[Tel Aviv]], Israel, beneath a large [[portraits|portrait]] of Theodore Herzl, founder of modern political Zionism, in the old Tel Aviv Museum of Art building on Rotshild St.]]
Israel is a parliamentary democracy with a governmental system based on several basic laws (similar to but not comprising a formal constitution) enacted by its unicameral parliament, the [[Knesset]]. The president (chief of state) is elected by the Knesset for a 5-year term.

The prime minister (head of government) exercises executive power and has in the past been selected by the president as the party leader most able to form a government. Between May 1996 and March 2001, Israelis voted for the prime minister directly. (The legislation, which required the direct election of the prime minister, was rescinded by the Knesset in March 2001.) The members of the cabinet must be collectively approved by the Knesset.

The Knesset's 120 members are elected by secret ballot to 4-year terms, although the prime minister may decide to call for new elections before the end of the 4-year term (this is frequent since, due to the multi-party system in place, no single party has enough members to control the Knesset, thus requiring coalitions which nearly always collapse before the term ends). Voting is for party lists rather than for individual candidates, and the total number of seats assigned each party reflects that party's percentage of the vote (except that a party must receive 3.25% of the national vote to be assigned a seat). Successful Knesset candidates are drawn from the lists in order of party-assigned rank. Under the present electoral system, all members of the Knesset are elected at large. Parties may, and frequently do, ally with each other in order to maximize the number of seats awarded ([[United Torah Judaism]], an alliance of two ultra-Orthdox parties, is a notable example).

The independent judicial system includes secular and religious courts. The courts' right of judicial review of the Knesset's legislation is limited. Judicial interpretation is restricted to problems of execution of laws and validity of subsidiary legislation. The highest court in Israel is the Supreme Court, whose judges are approved by the President.

Israel is divided into six districts, administration of which is coordinated by the Ministry of Interior. The Ministry of Defense is responsible for the administration of the occupied territories.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Reuven Rivlin
*Prime Minister—Benjamin Netanyahu
*Foreign Minister—Avigdor Lieberman (Our Home Israel)
*Ambassador to the United States—Sallai Meridor
*Ambassador to the United Nations—Dan Gillerman

===Political Conditions===
[[File:Knesset Israel.jpg|right|300px|The [[Knesset]], The House of Representatives.]]
From the founding of the modern state of Israel in 1948 until the election of May 1977 Israel was ruled by successive coalition governments led by the Labor alignment or its constituent parties. From 1967-70 the coalition government included all of Israel's parties except the communist party. After the 1977 election the [[Likud]] bloc, then composed of Herut, the Liberals, and the smaller La'am Party, came to power forming a coalition with the National Religious Party, Agudat Israel, and others. As head of Likud, [[Menachem Begin]] became Prime Minister. The Likud retained power in the succeeding election in June 1981, and Begin remained Prime Minister. In the summer of 1983, Begin resigned and was succeeded by his Foreign Minister, [[Yitzhak Shamir]].

After Prime Minister Shamir lost a [[Knesset]] vote of confidence early in 1984, new elections in July provided no clear winner, with both Labor and Likud considerably short of a Knesset majority and unable to form even narrow coalitions. After several weeks of difficult negotiations, they agreed on a government of national unity, including the rotation of the office of Prime Minister and the combined office of Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister midway through the government's 50-month term.

During the first 25 months of unity government rule, Labor's Shimon Peres served as Prime Minister, while Likud's Shamir held the posts of Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, until they switched positions in October 1986. In November 1988 elections, Likud edged Labor out by one seat but was unable to form a coalition, producing another national unity government in January 1989. Yitzhak Shamir became Prime Minister, and [[Shimon Peres]] became Vice Prime Minister and Finance Minister. This government fell in March 1990, however, in a vote of no confidence precipitated by disagreement over the government's response to U.S. Secretary of State Baker's initiative in the peace process. Labor Party leader Peres was unable to attract sufficient support among the religious parties to form a government. Yitzhak Shamir then formed a Likud-led coalition government, including members from religious and right-wing parties.

Shamir's government took office in June 1990, and held power for 2 years. In the June 1992 national elections, the Labor Party reversed its electoral fortunes, taking 44 seats. Labor Party leader [[Yitzhak Rabin]] formed a coalition with [[Meretz]] (a leftist party) and Shas (an ultra-Orthodox religious party). The coalition included the support of two Arab-majority parties. Rabin became Prime Minister in July 1992, presiding over the signing of the [[Oslo Accords|Oslo accords]] with the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]]. However, Rabin was assassinated by a right-wing Jewish radical on November 4, 1995. Peres, then Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, once again became Prime Minister and immediately proceeded to carry forward the peace policies of the Rabin government and to implement Israel's Oslo commitments, including military redeployment in the West Bank and the holding of historic Palestinian elections on January 20, 1996.

Enjoying broad public support and anxious to secure his own mandate, Peres called for early elections after just 3 months in office. (They would have otherwise been held by the end of October 1996.) In late February and early March, a series of suicide bombing attacks by Palestinian terrorists took some 60 Israeli lives, seriously eroding public support for Peres and raising concerns about the peace process. Increased fighting in southern Lebanon, which also brought Katyusha rocket attacks against northern Israel, also raised tensions and weakened the government politically a month before the May 29 elections.
[[File:Ariel-sharon.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Ariel Sharon (1928-2014).]]
In those elections—the first direct election of a Prime Minister in Israeli history—Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu won by a narrow margin, having sharply criticized the government's peace policies for failing to protect Israeli security. Netanyahu subsequently formed a right-wing coalition government publicly committed to pursuing the peace process, but with an emphasis on security and reciprocity. In 1999, with a shrunken coalition and facing increasing difficulty passing legislation and defeating no-confidence motions, Netanyahu dissolved parliament and called for new elections. This time, the Labor candidate—Ehud Barak—was victorious. Barak formed a mixed coalition government of secular and religious parties, with Likud in the opposition. In May 2000, Barak fulfilled one of his major campaign promises by withdrawing Israeli forces from Southern Lebanon. However, by mid-autumn, with the breakdown of the Camp David talks and the worsening security situation caused by the new intifada, Barak's coalition was in jeopardy. In December, he resigned as Prime Minister, precipitating a new prime ministerial election.

In a special election on February 6, 2001, after a campaign stressing security and the maintenance of Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem, Likud leader [[Ariel Sharon]] defeated Barak by over 20 percentage points. As he had promised in his campaign, Sharon formed a broad unity government that included the Labor and Likud parties, the far-right parties, some smaller secular parties, and several religious parties. The unity government collapsed in late 2002, and new elections were held in January 2003. Sharon again won, and formed a new government consisting of his own Likud party, the right-wing National Religious Party and National Union party, and centrist Shinui.

The summer of 2004 saw renewed instability in the government, as disagreement over the Gaza disengagement plan resulted in Sharon's firing two ministers of the National Union Party and accepting the resignation of a third from the National Religious Party in order to secure cabinet approval of the plan (it was endorsed on June 6, 2004). Continuing divisions within the Likud on next steps then prompted Ariel Sharon to leave the party in November 2005 to form the Kadima ("Forward") party and call new elections for March 2006. However, Sharon was unexpectedly incapacitated in January 2006 due to a severe stroke and leadership of Kadima shifted to Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who on March 28 led the party to 29 seats in the Knesset. Labor came in second with 19 seats, and Shas and Likud tied with 12. After intensive coalition negotiations, a new, Kadima-led government, with Labor as "senior partner", was sworn in on May 4, 2006.

===Foreign Relations===
In addition to seeking an end to hostilities with Arab forces, against which it has fought five wars since 1948, Israel has given high priority to gaining wide acceptance as a sovereign state with an important international role.
[[File:Leaders Orient Arab Israel.jpg|left|300px|November, 2010.]]
Before 1967, Israel had established diplomatic relations with a majority of the world's nations, except for the Arab states and most other Muslim countries. UN Security Council resolutions provided the basis for cease-fire and disengagement agreements concerning the Sinai and the Golan Heights between Israel, Egypt, and Syria and for promoting the Camp David accords and the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty. The Soviet Union and the communist states of Central Europe (except Romania) broke diplomatic relations with Israel during the 1967 war, but those relations were restored by 1991.

The landmark October 1991 Madrid conference recognized the importance of Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 in resolving regional disputes, and brought together for the first time Israel, the Palestinians, and the neighboring Arab countries, launching a series of direct bilateral and multilateral negotiations. These talks were designed to finally resolve outstanding security, border, and other issues between the parties while providing a basis for mutual cooperation on issues of general concern, including the status of refugees, arms control and regional security, water and environmental concerns, and economic development.

Today, Israel has diplomatic relations with 161 states. Following the signing of the Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on September 13, 1993, Israel established or renewed diplomatic relations with 36 countries. Israel has full diplomatic relations with Egypt, Jordan, and Mauritania. In addition, on October 1, 1994, the Gulf States publicly announced their support for a review of the Arab boycott, in effect abolishing the secondary and tertiary boycotts against Israel.

Israel has diplomatic relations with nine non-Arab Muslim states and with 32 of the 43 Sub-Saharan states that are not members of the Arab League. Israel established relations with China and India in 1992 and with the Holy See in 1993.

===Relations with the United States===
[[File:Barack Obama, Benjamin Netanyahu 2008.jpg|thumb|left|Benjamin Netanyahu and Barack Obama in 2008.]]
[[Image:Mosque.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem]]
Commitment to Israel's security and well being has been a cornerstone of U.S. policy in the Middle East since Israel's founding in 1948, in which the United States played a key supporting role. Israel and the United States are bound closely by historic and cultural ties as well as by mutual interests. Continuing U.S. economic and security assistance to Israel acknowledges these ties and signals U.S. commitment. The broad issues of Arab-Israeli peace have been a major focus in the U.S.-Israeli relationship. U.S. efforts to reach a Middle East peace settlement are based on many critical security interests. The United States' strong national security interests in promoting regional security in the Middle East and curtailing acts of terrorism both in Israel and abroad are supported in part by UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338. As one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, the United States also has a strong interest in promoting Israel's economic success.

On a bilateral level, relations between the United States and Israel are continually strengthening in every field. In addition to the Joint Political-Military Group described above, there are: bilateral science and technology efforts (including the Binational Science Foundation and the Binational Agricultural Research and Development Foundation); the U.S.-Israeli Education Foundation, which sponsors educational and cultural programs; the Joint Economic Development Group, which maintains a high-level dialogue on economic issues; the Joint Counterterrorism Group, designed to enhance cooperation in fighting terrorism; and a high-level Strategic Dialogue that meets biannually.

On December 6, 2017, President Donald Trump announced the United States would finally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and that the U.S. Embassy would be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

==Defense==
Israel's ground, air, and naval forces, known as the Israel Defense Force (IDF), fall under the command of a single general staff. Conscription is universal for Israeli men and women over the age of 18, although exemptions may be made on religious grounds. Druze, members of a small Islamic offshoot living in Israel's mountains, also serve in the IDF. [[Israeli Arabs]], with the exception of some [[Bedouins]], do not serve. During 1950–66, Israel spent an average of 9% of GDP on defense. Real defense expenditures increased dramatically after both the 1967 and 1973 wars. Military spending in 2005 totaled $9.45 billion, which is equivalent to 7.7% of GDP, and represents 16.3% of government expenditures. The United States provides approximately $2.4 billion per year in security assistance.

In 1983, the United States and Israel established the Joint Political Military Group, which meets twice a year. Both the U.S. and Israel participate in joint military planning and combined exercises, and have collaborated on military research and weapons development.

==Economy==
[[File:Israeli Tel Aviv.jpg|thumb|left|230px|Tel Aviv.]]
Israel has a diversified, technologically advanced economy with substantial but decreasing government ownership and a strong high-tech sector. The major industrial sectors include high-technology electronic and biomedical equipment, metal products, processed foods, chemicals, and transport equipment. Israel possesses a substantial service sector and is one of the world's centers for diamond cutting and polishing. It also is a world leader in software development and, prior to the violence that began in September 2000, was a major tourist destination.

Israel's strong commitment to economic development and its talented work force led to economic growth rates during the nation's first two decades that frequently exceeded 10% annually. The years after the 1973 [[Yom Kippur War]] were a lost decade economically, as growth stalled and [[inflation]] reached triple-digit levels. The successful economic stabilization plan implemented in 1985 and the subsequent introduction of market-oriented structural reforms reinvigorated the economy and paved the way for rapid growth in the 1990s.

A wave of Jewish immigration beginning in 1989, predominantly from the countries of the former U.S.S.R., brought nearly a million new citizens to Israel. These new immigrants, many of them highly educated, now constitute some 13% of Israel's 6.7 million inhabitants. Their successful absorption into Israeli society and its labor force forms a remarkable chapter in Israeli history. The skills brought by the new immigrants and their added demand as consumers gave the Israeli economy a strong upward push and in the 1990s, they played a key role in the ongoing development of Israel's high-tech sector.
*GDP (2006 est.): $170.3 billion.
*Annual growth rate (2006): 4.8%.
*Per capita GDP (2006): $26,800.
*Currency: Shekel (4.13 shekels = 1 U.S. dollar; 2007 est.).
*Natural resources: [[Copper]], [[phosphate]], [[bromide]], [[potash]], [[clay]], [[sand]], [[sulfur]], [[bitumen]], [[manganese]].
*Agriculture: Products—citrus and other fruits, vegetables, beef, dairy, and poultry products.
*Industry: Types—high-technology projects (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, plastics, chemical products, diamond cutting and polishing, metal products, textiles, and footwear.
*Trade: Exports (2006 est.)--$42.86 billion. Exports include polished diamonds, electronic communication, medical and scientific equipment, chemicals and chemical products, electronic components and computers, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, rubber, plastics, and textiles. Imports (excluding defense imports, 2006 est.)--$47.8 billion: raw materials, diamonds, energy ships and airplanes, machinery, equipment, land transportation equipment for investment, and consumer goods. Major partners—U.S., U.K., Germany; exports—U.S., Belgium, Hong Kong; imports—U.S., Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, U.K.

During the 1990s, progress in the Middle East peace process, beginning with the Madrid Conference of 1991, helped to reduce Israel's economic isolation from its neighbors and opened up new markets to Israeli exporters farther afield. The peace process stimulated an unprecedented inflow of foreign investment in Israel, and provided a substantial boost to economic growth in the region over the last decade. The onset of the intifada beginning at the end of September 2000, the downturn in the high-tech sector and Nasdaq crisis, and the slowdown of the global economy have all significantly affected the Israeli economy. However, despite the recent conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, the Israeli economy grew during 2006.
[[File:Shopping Tel Aviv Israel.jpg|right]]
Israeli companies, particularly in the high-tech area, have in the past enjoyed considerable success raising money on Wall Street and other world financial markets; Israel ranks second to Canada among foreign countries in the number of its companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges. Israel's tech market is very developed, and in spite of the pause in the industry's growth, the high-tech sector is likely to be the major driver of the Israeli economy. Almost half of Israel's exports are high tech. Most leading players, including Intel, IBM, and Cisco have a presence in Israel.

Growth was an exceptional 6.2% in 2000, due in part to a number of one-time high tech acquisitions and investments. This exceptional year was followed by two years of negative growth of -0.9% and -1%, respectively, in 2001 and 2002. As a result of the security situation and the associated downturn in the economy, there was a significant rise in unemployment and wage erosion. This led to a decline in private consumption in 2002, the first time that there had been negative private consumption since the early 1980s. However, following growth rates of 1.7% in 2003 and 4.4% in 2004, the Israeli economy entered into a period of stabilization and recovery after the deep recession of 2001 and 2002. Since then, the Israeli economy seems to have returned to a trend of consistent growth. The Israeli economy grew by 5.2% in 2005 and GDP per capita (U.S. $17,800) increased by 3.3%. The Israeli economy grew by an estimated 4.8% in 2006.

Exports of goods and services in Israel grew by 7% in 2005. Service and agricultural exports each increased by more than 10% in 2005, whereas exports increased by 5.6% and imports rose to 4.4%. [[Israel Tourism]] revenues increased by 22.7% as a result of the dramatic increase following the intifada's subsidence.

Israel's private consumption increased by 4% in 2005. The largest growth in private consumption was in the purchase of clothing, footwear, and personal effects, which increased by 10.2%, following an increase of 5.4% in 2004. Consumption of consumer durables grew much more slowly than in 2004, with an increase of only 3.4%, compared with 14.3% the previous year.

In the Israeli business sector, business GDP grew by 6.6% in 2005. According to CBS statistics, the transportation, storage, and communications industries grew by 9.2%, following growth of 6.6% in 2004. The GDP of the wholesale, retail, restaurant, and hotel sector increased by 8.1%, up from 6.1% in 2004. The GDP of the finance and business services sector in 2005 increased by 6.4%, up from the previous year's 6.1% growth rate.

The general consensus among economists is that Israel's economy is very strong and that its growth potential is in the 4% to 5% range.
[[File:Bar Rafaeli Israel.jpg|thumb|left|Bar Refaeli, model and actress.]]
The United States is Israel's largest trading partner. In 2005, two-way trade totaled some $26.6 billion, up 12% from 2004. The U.S. trade deficit with Israel was $7.1 billion in 2005, up 33% from 2004, due largely to rising Israeli exports to the U.S. U.S. exports to Israel rose 6.1% in 2005 to $9.7 billion, making Israel our 19th largest export market for goods. The principal goods exported from the U.S. include civilian aircraft parts, telecommunications equipment, semiconductors, civilian aircraft, electrical apparatus, and computer accessories. Israel's chief exports to the U.S. include diamonds, pharmaceutical preparations, telecommunications equipment, medicinal equipment, electrical apparatus, and cotton apparel. The two countries signed a free trade agreement (FTA) in 1985 that progressively eliminated tariffs on most goods traded between the two countries over the following 10 years. An agricultural trade accord signed in November 1996 addressed the remaining goods not covered in the FTA but has not entirely erased barriers to trade in the agricultural sector. Israel also has trade and cooperation agreements in place with the European Union, Canada, Mexico, and other countries.

Best prospect industry sectors in Israel for U.S. exporters are electricity and gas equipment, defense equipment, medical instruments and disposable products, industrial chemicals, telecommunication equipment, electronic components, building materials/construction industries (DIY and infrastructure), safety and security equipment and services, non-prescription drugs, travel and tourism services, and computer software.

==History==
[[File:Twelve Tribes of Israel.JPG|thumb|left|Twelve Tribes of Israel.]]
[[File:Baal thunderbolt Louvre AO15775.jpg|thumb|Stele of the Canaanite god [[Baal]] with a thunderbolt, 15th-13th century BC.]]
[[File:Map of the Holy Land.jpg|thumb|Map of the Holy Land Divided into the XII Tribes of Israel, by Emanuel Bowen, PUBLISHED 1752.]]
The name Israel refers to [[Jacob]] from the [[Bible]], the father of the [[Jews]] who would eventually create the kingdom of Israel. (See the [[Genesis|Book of Genesis]] in the Bible.) Jacob's descendants were numerous, but were put under bondage in [[Egypt]]. The first attempt at forming a nation dates back to the migration or [[Exodus of Israel]] out of Egypt after being freed from their [[slavery]]. (See the [[Exodus|Book of Exodus]] in the Bible). While the exact date is not known, the most likely scenario is in the 1400s B.C. After 40 years of wandering, the Hebrews attempted to settle in the land of Canaan, after first having to fight battles with the inhabitants. (See the [[Joshua (Biblical book)|Book of Joshua]] in the Bible). The Jewish people lived for hundreds of years under Judges (See the [[Judges|Book of Judges]] in the Bible) before forming a monarchy under their first King, [[Saul]] in 1050 B.C. Israel expanded under [[King David|David]] from 1010 to 970 B.C. and then reached its height under [[Solomon]] from 970 to 930 B.C. With the death of Solomon the united kingdom of Israel split in two with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin forming their own nation, [[Kingdom of Judah|Judah]]. (See [[I Samuel]], [[II Samuel]], [[I Kings]], [[I Chronicles]] in the Bible)

The first King of Israel was [[Jeroboam I]], who made his capital at [[Shechem]] until it was replaced by [[Samaria]] under [[Omri]]. Almost immediately the Israeli kings "did evil in the sight of the Lord" and turned away from the Lord God. Although they were larger and more powerful than Judah, they fell more quickly due to their apostacy. Israel continued being ruled by kings until its conquest by [[Assyria]] in 722 B.C. Judah had a number of kings who did what was right in God's sight, but eventually they too were turning away. They continued as an independent nation until 586 B.C. when they fell to the [[Babylonians]]. Both of these conquests led to many Jews being deported from the land of Israel. While under [[Persian empire|Persian]] rule after the Babylonians had fallen to the Persians, the Jews were allowed to return and rebuild their [[Second Temple|temple]] (520 - 516 B.C.)<ref>An Encyclopedia of World History, Kingsport Press, 1948</ref> In the 400's B.C. they began to return to God as well, showing a reverence for Him that was often lacking during the time they had their own kingdom. Still under Persian rule and with their blessing, [[Nehemiah]] came to rebuild the walls of [[Jerusalem]], a position that was bitterly opposed by the other peoples living on the land. The Jews had to stand guard as they built.
[[File:Jews in Cochin PD.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Cochin Jews are the oldest group of Jews in [[India]].]]
When [[Alexander the Great]] swept through Israel in 332 B.C., Persian rule had ended to be replaced by [[Macedone|Greek]]. Upon Alexander's death in 323 B.C. there was a fight for power among his generals and subordinates, which led to Israel coming under control of the Ptolemies, the Greek leaders of Egypt. The Jews were treated leniently until the [[Seleucids]], the Greek leaders of Syria, pushed back the Ptolemies and took over Israel in 198 B.C. The Seleucids were not as lenient and under [[Antiochus IV]] (175 to 164 B.C.) conditions worsened considerably. In 168 B.C. Judaism was declared to be illegal and a pig was sacrified on the altar of the Jewish temple; the Jews revolted under the [[Maccabees]] and fought a prolonged [[guerrilla war]] until their eventual religious independence in 164 B.C. Complete acknowledgement of independence from the Seleucids didn't come until 142 B.C. when Roman pressure helped them to make the decision to let Israel go. This independence would last until 63 B.C., when infighting caused the Jews to ask for [[Roman]] intervention. Rome stopped the fighting, but Israel came under Roman rule as the province of [[Palestine]]. The Jewish people would not have their independence again for over 2000 years. It was under this state of Roman control that [[Jesus]] was born around 4 B.C. Three revolts against Roman rule by the Jews, the first in 66 A.D., the next in 115 A.D., and the last in 132 A.D. took place, and failed. After the failure of the third, the Romans forced the Jews to leave Israel thus beginning the [[diaspora]], the dispersal of the Jews from the land of Palestine.

By the fifth century the inhabitants of the region were Christianized, under the [[Byzantine Empire]], a situation which continued until the [[Arab]] invasions of the 7th and 8th centuries. The Arabs brought with them the [[Islam]]ic faith which, due to its many similarities with [[Christianity]] and [[Judaism]] and the social advantages it brought, was gradually adopted by the population. However, Jewish and Christian citizens continued to live in the region, in relative peace, until the Crusades.

The [[Crusades]] saw part of the Holy Lands reconquered from Islam in the name of Christianity. The Crusader states were temporary before being conquered by Islam again with the fall of the last Crusader state in 1290. First the [[Mamelukes]] controlled the area, then starting in the early 1500s, the [[Ottoman Turks]] conquered the region.
From an example of the city of '''Safed''', main city of Upper Gallilee in 1891: predominantly Jewish and there are also some Arab settlers among others<ref> From 'Encyclopaedia Britannica' of 1891[http://books.google.com/books?id=PKMUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA28&lpg=PA28 Encyclopaedia Britannica: a dictionary of arts, sciences, and general literature, Volume 10, William Harrison De Puy, R.S. Peale, 1891, p. 28] 1. Main city of Upper Gallilee: Safed, predominantly Jewish. 2. Most Muslims appear NOT to be Arab. 3. There are some Algerian (Arab) settlers. 4. There are also "wandering Arabs.": ''CALILLEE - Upper Galilee.—The mountains are tilted up towards the sea of Galilee, and the drainage of the district is towards the north-west On the south the rocky range of Jebel Jermuk rises to 4000 feet above the sea; on the east a narrow ridge 2800 feet high forms the watershed, with steep eastern slopes falling towards Jordan. Immediately west of the watershed are two small plateaus, covered with basaltic debris, near el Jish and Kades. On the west are rugged mountains with deep intricate valleys. The main drains of the country are—first, Wady el 'Ayun; rising north of Jebel Jermuk, and running north-west as an open valley, and secondly, Wady el Ahjar, a rugged precipitous gorge running north to join the Leontes. The district is well provided with springs throughout, and the valleys are full of water in the spring time. Though rocky and difficult, Upper Galilee is not barren, the soil of the plateaus is rich, and the vine flourishes in the higher hills, especially in the neighbourhood of Kefr Birim. The principal town is Safed, perched on a white mountain 2700 feet above the sea. It has a population of about 9000, including Jews, Christians, and Moslems. It is one of the four sacred cities in Palestine revered by the Jews, to which nationality the majority of the inhabitants belong. Among the smaller towns we may notice Meirun, near Safed, a place also much revered by the Jews as containing the tombs of Hillel Shammni, and Simon bar Jochai. A yearly festival of most curious character is here celebrated in honour of these rabbis.' The site of Hazor, one of the chief towns of Galilee in Bible times, has also been lately recovered. It was situated, according to Josephus, above the Lake Semechonitis (Bahr el Huleii), and the namo Hudireh, identical with the Hebrew. Hazor, has been found by the survey party in 1877 applying to a mountain and plain, near an ancient ruin, in the required position. The little village of Kades represents the once important town of Kadesh Naphtali (Josh. xix. 37). The ruins are here extensive and interesting, but belong apparently to the Greek period. The population of Galilee is mixed. In Lower Galilee the peasants are principally Moslem, with a sprinkling of Greek Christians round Nazareth, which is a Christian town. In Upper Galilee, however, there is a mixture of Jews and Maronites, Druses and Moslems (natives or Algerine settlers), while the slopes above the Jordan are inhabited by wandering Arabs. The Jews are engaged in trade, and the Christians, Druses, and Moslems in agriculture; and the Arabs are an entirely pastoral people.''</ref>.

[[World War I]] saw a British victory over the Ottoman's and the region came under British mandate of Palestine in 1920.

The British and late Ottoman authorities permitted the resettlement of Jews from Europe, many of them looking to establish a Jewish state in the region, part of a movement called [[Zionism]]. Haj Amin al-Husseini was a strong instigator for hatred and violence, he would later be known as the [[Grand Mufti of Jerusalem]].
In the last years of British mandate the number and strength of the Jews in [[Palestine]] increased, with many adopting extremely radical tactics to achieve their goal of an independent Jewish state. Terrorist organizations such as Irgun and Lehi (rejected by mainstream) attacked British and Arab targets, killing civilians in the process. Britain's occupation became too expensive and they handed control to the [[United Nations]] to sort out a solution.

===Modern Nation===
[[Image:Zion.jpg|right|300px|Jaffa (Yafo) gate, Jerusalem.]]
The recreation of the State of Israel in 1948 was preceded by more than 50 years of efforts to re-establish a sovereign state as a homeland for the Jewish nation. These efforts were initiated by Theodore Herzl, founder of the Zionist movement, and were given added impetus by the [[Balfour Declaration]] of 1917, which asserted the British Government's support for the recreation of a Jewish homeland in roughly its [[Promised Land|original position]], which was then known as Palestine.

In the years following [[World War I]], Palestine became a British Mandate and the number of Jews returning to their homeland steadily increased, as did violence between Palestine's Jewish and Arab communities. Mounting British efforts to restrict this immigration were countered by international support for Jewish national aspirations following the near-extermination of European Jewry by the [[Nazis]] during [[World War II]]. This support led to the 1947 UN partition plan, which would have divided Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem under UN administration.

[[Image:Israel48.jpg|thumb|400px|left]] On May 14, 1948, immediately after the British quit Palestine, the State of Israel was proclaimed and was immediately invaded by armies from neighboring Arab states, which rejected the UN partition plan. This conflict, [[1948 Arab-Israeli War|Israel's War of Independence]], was concluded by armistice agreements between Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria in 1949 and resulted in a 50% increase in Israeli territory. The U.S. immediately recognized Israel and gave large amounts of financial aid through private sources, but did not at this time send military aid.

The head of the [[Muslim Brotherhood]] in August 1948 threatened to drive the Jews that live among the Arabs into the sea.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1948/08/02/archives/aim-to-oust-jews-pledged-by-sheikh-head-of-moslem-brotherhood-says.html "AIM TO OUST JEWS PLEDGED BY SHEIKH]; Head of Moslem Brotherhood Says U.S., British 'Politics' Has Hurt Palestine Solution". Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES. By Dana Adams Schmidt. Aug. 2, 1948. ''CAIRO, Egypt, Aug. 1 -- Sheikh Hassan el-Bana, head of the Moslem Brotherhood, largest of the extremist Arab nationalist organizations, declared in an interview today: "If the Jewish state becomes a fact, and this is realized by the Arab peoples, they will drive the Jews who live in their midst into the sea." ''</ref>
And Arab League's Secretary General Azzam Pasha assured the Arab people, that the millions the Jews had spent on land and economic development would be easy booty, for it would be a simple matter to throw Jews at the bottom of the Mediterranean sea.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=wJwq9AN9YfUC&pg=PA1503 "The Mutual Security Program. Hearings..." United States. Congress,1951, p.1503] [https://books.google.com/books?id=Kf0ZAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA1503 Hearing, 1503]
''Azzam Pasha's statement pointed out that armies were already on the frontiers and that all the millions that the Jews had spent on land and armies were already on the frontiers and that all the millions that the Jews had spent on land and on economic development would surely be easy booty for the Arabs , since in would be a simple matter to throw the Jews to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.</ref><ref>
[https://lompocrecord.com/news/opinion/editorial/palestinians-8-refugees-or-pawns/article_6c3cf658-bfae-5a16-8628-9936455ae226.html "Palestinians, refugees or pawns?" Roger Talbot. Jul 12, 2008]
''The Arabs of Palestine were exhorted by their leaders to leave the area to make way for the slaughter of the Jews. They promised a quick victory and the Jews? property as spoils. To help induce flight, these leaders filled the airwaves with fabricated stories of Jewish atrocities. For example, the secretary-general of the Arab League, Azzam Pasha, assured Arab people that The occupation of Palestine and Tel Aviv would be as simple as a military promenade. He pointed out that Arab armies were already on the frontiers, and that Ball the millions the Jews had spent on land and economic development would be easy booty, for it would be a simple matter to throw the Jews into the Mediterranean.''</ref><ref>
[https://www.startribune.com/palestinian-refugee-primer/135428953/ Gary Fine, "Palestinian Refugee Primer"]. December 12, 2011:
'' “the Secretary General of the Arab League, Azzam Pasha assured the Arab peoples… that the millions the Jews had spent on land and economic development would be easy booty, for it would be a simple matter to throw Jews into the Mediterranean…advice was given to the Arabs of Palestine to leave their land, homes, and property and to stay temporarily in neighboring fraternal states,”-Sec. General of the Arab League-(spokesman for the combined Arab States) Habib Issa, Al Hoda, NY Lebanese daily, June 1951.''</ref>

In 1956, French, British, and Israeli forces engaged Egypt in response to its nationalization of the [[Suez Canal]] and blockade of the Straits of Tiran. Israeli forces withdrew in March 1957, after the United Nations established the UN Emergency Force (UNEF) in the [[Gaza Strip]] and Sinai. This war resulted in no territorial shifts and was followed by several years of terrorist incidents and retaliatory acts across Israel's borders.

====Six Day War (1967)====
There were calls for annihilation by several Arab leaders.<ref>[https://mfa.gov.il/Jubilee-years/Pages/1967-The-Six-Day-War-and-the-Historic-Reunification-of-Jerusalem.aspx Abba Evan: ''1967: The Six-Day War and the historic reunification of Jerusalem'']</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=xENyPW7q2QkC&pg=PA29134 Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the ... United States. Congress, 1967. p.29134]... ''May 24, 1966, Syrian Defense Minister Hafez Assad: “We say: We shall never call for, nor accept peace. . . . We have resolved to drench this land with our blood, to oust you, aggressors, and throw you into the sea for good.''</ref><ref>[https://in.bgu.ac.il/bgi/iyunim/english/abstracts11.pdf Abstracts 11. BGU.AC.IL] ''Did Shuqayri Call to Throw the Jews into the Sea? Moshe Shemesh ...it should be emphasized that it is clear from his statement that his aim was to annihilate the Jews when he said ‘I think none of them will remain alive’, thus there would be no question of their future survival.''</ref><ref>"The New Middle East," Issues 16-39, New Middle East 1970, [https://books.google.com/books?id=RmYeAAAAMAAJ&q=shukairy+jews+into+sea p.4] ''Mr Shukairy claims that when in his days of glory he publicly advocated the liquidation of Israel and “sweeping of the Jews into the sea”, he reflected the accepted official Arab outlook, an outlook that was changed only by the outcome of the war of 1967. Mr Shukairy is indignant that such extremism should be fathered on him alone ...''</ref><ref>''Report of Annual Trades Union Congress'', Volume 99; Volume 101
Trades Union Congress., 1967, [https://books.google.com/books?id=spc5AAAAMAAJ&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=%22Into+the+sea%22 p.491]
''But until the Arab States forget their Fascist, their Nazi, ideas of driving the Jews into the sea...''</ref><ref>''The Road to Jerusalem. The Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict 1967'', Walter Laqueur, 1968 [https://books.google.com/books?id=7b_OJAuP9LEC&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=%22the+sea%22 p.47]</ref>

In June 1967, Israeli forces in the [[Six-Day War]] struck targets in Egypt, Jordan, and Syria in response to Egyptian [[Gamal Abdel Nasser|President Nasser]]'s ordered withdrawal of UN peace keepers from the [[Sinai Peninsula]] and the buildup of Arab armies along Israel's borders. After 6 days, all parties agreed to a cease-fire, under which Israel retained control of the Sinai Peninsula, the [[Golan Heights]], the [[Gaza Strip]], the formerly Jordanian-controlled [[West Bank]] of the [[Jordan River]], and East Jerusalem. On November 22, 1967, the Security Council adopted Resolution 242, the "land for peace" formula, which called for the establishment of a just and lasting peace based on Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in 1967 in return for the end of all states of belligerency, respect for the sovereignty of all states in the area, and the right to live in peace within secure, recognized boundaries. The Six Day War had a momentous effect on [[American Jews]], mobilizing new support for Israel.

====Since Six Day War====
The following years were marked by continuing violence across the Suez Canal, punctuated by the 1969-70 [[War of Attrition]] between Israel and Egypt. On October 6, 1973—Yom Kippur (the Jewish Day of Atonement), the armies of Syria and Egypt [[Yom Kippur War|launched an attack against Israel]]. Although the Egyptians and Syrians initially made significant advances, Israel was able to push the invading armies back beyond the 1967 cease-fire lines by the time the United States and the [[Soviet Union]] helped bring an end to the fighting. In the UN Security Council, the United States supported Resolution 338, which reaffirmed Resolution 242 as the framework for peace and called for peace negotiations between the parties.

In the years that followed, sporadic clashes continued along the cease-fire lines but guided by the U.S., Egypt, and Israel continued negotiations. In November 1977, Egyptian President [[Anwar Sadat]] made a historic visit to Jerusalem, which opened the door for the 1978 Israeli-Egyptian peace summit convened at [[Camp David Accords|Camp David]] by [[Jimmy Carter|President Carter]]. These negotiations led to a 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, pursuant to which Israel withdrew from the Sinai in 1982, signed by President Sadat of Egypt and Prime Minister Menahem Begin of Israel.

In the years following the 1948 war, Israel's border with Lebanon was quiet relative to its borders with other neighbors. After the expulsion of Palestinian fighters from Jordan in 1970 and their influx into southern Lebanon, however, hostilities along Israel's northern border increased and Israeli forces crossed into Lebanon. After passage of Security Council Resolution 425, calling for Israeli withdrawal and the creation of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon peacekeeping force (UNIFIL), Israel withdrew its troops.
[[File:Karakal Israel.jpg|left]]
In June 1982, following a series of cross-border terrorist attacks and the attempted assassination of the Israeli Ambassador to the U.K., Israel invaded [[Lebanon]] to fight the forces of [[Yasser Arafat]]'s [[Palestine Liberation Organization]] (PLO). The PLO withdrew its forces from Lebanon in August 1982. Israel, having failed to finalize an agreement with Lebanon, withdrew most of its troops in June 1985 save for a residual force which remained in southern Lebanon to act as a buffer against attacks on northern Israel. These remaining forces were completely withdrawn in May 2000 behind a UN-brokered delineation of the Israel-Lebanon border (the Blue Line). [[Hezbollah]] forces in Southern Lebanon continued to attack Israeli positions south of the Blue Line in the Sheba Farms/Har Dov area of the Golan Heights.

The victory of the U.S.-led coalition in the [[Gulf War|Persian Gulf War]] of 1991 opened new possibilities for regional peace. In October 1991, the United States and the Soviet Union convened the Madrid Conference, in which Israeli, Lebanese, Jordanian, Syrian, and Palestinian leaders laid the foundations for ongoing negotiations designed to bring peace and economic development to the region. Within this framework, Israel and the PLO signed a Declaration of Principles on September 13, 1993, which established an ambitious set of objectives relating to a transfer of authority from Israel to an interim Palestinian authority. Israel and the PLO subsequently signed the Gaza-Jericho Agreement on May 4, 1994, and the Agreement on Preparatory Transfer of Powers and Responsibilities on August 29, 1994, which began the process of transferring authority from Israel to the Palestinians.

On October 26, 1994, Israel and Jordan signed a historic peace treaty, witnessed by [[President Clinton]]. This was followed by Israeli Prime Minister Rabin and PLO Chairman Arafat's signing of the historic Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on September 28, 1995. This accord, which incorporated and superseded previous agreements, broadened Palestinian self-government and provided for cooperation between Israel and the Palestinians in several areas.

Israeli Prime Minister [[Yitzhak Rabin]] was assassinated on November 4, 1995, by a right-wing Jewish radical, bringing the increasingly bitter national debate over the peace process to a climax. Subsequent Israeli governments continued to negotiate with the PLO resulting in additional agreements, including the Wye River and the Sharm el-Sheikh memoranda. However, a summit hosted by President Clinton at Camp David in July 2000 to address permanent status issues—including the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, final security arrangements, borders, and relations and cooperation with neighboring states—failed to produce an agreement.

Following the failed talks, widespread violence broke out in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza in September 2000. In April 2001 the Sharm el-Sheikh Fact Finding Committee, commissioned by the October 2000 Middle East Peace Summit and chaired by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, submitted its report, which recommended an immediate end to the violence followed by confidence-building measures and a resumption of security cooperation and peace negotiations. Building on the Mitchell report, In April 2003, the Quartet (the U.S., UN, European Union (EU), and the Russian Federation) announced the "roadmap," a performance-based plan to bring about two states, Israel and a democratic, viable Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.

Despite the promising developments of spring 2003, violence continued and in September 2003 the first Palestinian Prime Minister, [[Mahmoud Abbas]] (Abu Mazen), resigned after failing to win true authority to restore law and order, fight terror, and reform Palestinian institutions. In response to the deadlock, in the winter of 2003-2004 Prime Minister [[Ariel Sharon]] put forward his Gaza disengagement initiative, proposing the withdrawal of Israeli settlements from Gaza as well as parts of the northern West Bank. [[President Bush]] endorsed this initiative in an exchange of letters with Prime Minister Sharon on April 14, 2004, viewing Gaza disengagement as an opportunity to move towards implementation of the two-state vision and begin the development of Palestinian institutions. In a meeting in May 2004 the Quartet endorsed the initiative, which was approved by the Knesset in October 2004.

The run-up to disengagement saw a flurry of diplomatic activity, including the February 2005 announcement of Lieutenant General William Ward as U.S. Security Coordinator; the March 2005 Sharon-Abbas summit in Sharm el-Sheikh; the return of Egyptian and Jordanian ambassadors to Israel; and the May 2005 appointment of former World Bank president James D. Wolfensohn as Special Envoy for Gaza Disengagement to work for a revitalization of the Palestinian economy after disengagement. Wolfensohn's direct involvement spurred Israeli-Palestinian agreement on the Gaza ‘crossings" at Karni and Erez, on the demolition of settler homes, water, electricity, and communications infrastructure issues, as well as other issues related to the Palestinian economy.

[[File:Israeli Defense Forces.jpg|center]]

On August 15, 2005, Israel began implementing its disengagement from the Gaza Strip, and the Israeli Defense Forces completed their withdrawal, including the dismantling of 17 settlements, on September 12. After broad recognition for Prime Minister Sharon's accomplishment at that fall's UN General Assembly, international attention quickly turned to efforts to strengthen Palestinian governance and the economy in Gaza. The United States brokered a landmark Agreement on Movement and Access between the parties in November 2005 to facilitate further progress on Palestinian economic issues. However, the terrorist organization [[Hamas]]—building on popular support for its "resistance" to Israeli occupation and a commitment to clean up the notorious corruption of the Palestinian Authority (PA)--took a majority in the January 2006 Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) elections, with Hamas leader Ismail Haniya as Prime Minister. The Israeli leadership pledged not to work with a Palestinian government in which Hamas had a role.

Shortly following Hamas' PLC victory, the Quartet—comprised of the United States, European Union, United Nations. and Russia—outlined three basic principles the Hamas-led PA must meet in order for the U.S. and the international community to reengage with the PA: renounce violence and terror, recognize Israel, and respect previous agreements, including the roadmap. The Hamas-led PA government rejected these principles, resulting in a Quartet statement of "grave concern" on March 30, 2006 and the suspension of U.S. assistance to the PA, complete prohibition on U.S. Government contacts with the PA, and prohibition of unlicensed transactions with the PA government. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) under the leadership of PLO Chairman and PA President Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen), by contrast, remained consistently committed to the Quartet principles.
[[File:Israeli tanks Gaza strip borders 2007.jpg|left|thumb|340px|Israeli tanks, Gaza strip borders, 2007.]]
Despite several negotiated cease-fires between Hamas and Fatah, violent clashes in the Gaza Strip—and to a lesser extent in the West Bank—were commonplace between December 2006 and February 2007 and resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries. In an attempt to end the intra-Palestinian violence, the King of Saudi Arabia invited Palestinian rivals to Mecca, and on February 9, 2007, Abbas and Hamas leader Haniya agreed to the formation of a Palestinian national unity government and a cessation of violence. Hamas' rejectionist policies and violent behavior continued despite the formation of the national unity government.

In June 2007, Hamas effectively orchestrated a violent coup in Gaza. Hamas also launched scores of Qassam rockets into southern Israel in an attempt to involve Israel in the Hamas-Fatah conflict. On June 14, Palestinian Authority President Mahoud Abbas exercised his lawful authority by declaring a state of emergency, dissolving the national unity government, and replacing it with a new government with Salam Fayyad as Prime Minister.

The new Palestinian Authority government under President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad has no elements controlled by Hamas. The new government claims they are dedicated to peace and the Quartet principles and has been embraced politically and financially by the international community, including Israel, mainly because of the far worse alternative that Hamas represent.

In November 2007, Israeli and Palestinian leaders participated in an international conference in Annapolis, at which they committed to launching bilateral negotiations towards the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, and the realization of Israeli-Palestinian peace. During the year that followed, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Abbas and other members of their governments engaged in regular bilateral negotiations on final status issues. Although the two sides reportedly narrowed their differences on some issues, the negotiations were suspended in December 2008 when conflict broke out between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

On December 27, 2008, in response to a sharp increase in the number and frequency of rocket attacks into Israel shortly prior to and following the formal expiration of a 6-month "calm" between Israel and Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Cast Lead, targeting Hamas security installations, personnel, and other facilities in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military operation continued until January 18, 2009, when Israel and Hamas each declared a unilateral cease-fire.

On January 22, 2009, President Barack Obama named Senator Mitchell his and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's special envoy for Middle East peace. Special Envoy Mitchell immediately traveled to the region and subsequently returned on a nearly monthly basis in an effort to help create the conditions that would support a two-state solution and to re-launch credible and productive negotiations. The President has visited Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia and hosted Prime Minister Netanyahu and numerous Arab heads of state in Washington, DC. On September 22, 2009, he hosted a trilateral meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas, and he has written to over a dozen Arab heads of state asking for their assistance in ending the Arab-Israeli conflict. Senator Mitchell began indirect talks between the two parties in March 2010, and direct talks were launched on September 2, 2010, in Washington, DC. Secretary Clinton has met many leaders from the region and has traveled to the Middle East multiple times since her appointment to promote a Middle East peace settlement.

On December 6, 2017, pursuant to the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, U.S. President [[Donald Trump]] authorized a move of the US Embassy to Israel from [[Tel Aviv]] to [[Jerusalem]], as Israel's capital city. Five months later, on May 14, 2018, the embassy in [[Jerusalem]] was opened at the location of the previous U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem.

In January 2020, President Trump unveiled a peace plan for the Middle East which recognized Israeli sovereignty, specifically over Jerusalem,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB5HE7D6DT0</ref> and was vehemently condemned by everyone from the establishment [[liberal]] ''[[New York Times]]''<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/28/world/middleeast/peace-plan.html Trump Releases Mideast Peace Plan.. NYTimes, Jan 28, 2020]</ref> to the controversial [[Nicholas J Fuentes|Nick Fuentes]],<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWvLPCc4F7c</ref> a self-proclaimed "[[paleoconservative]]" whose ideas occasionally overlap with those of [[white nationalist]]s to an extent.

==References==
* Laqueur, Walter, and Rubin, Barry, eds. ''The Israel-Arab Reader: A Documentary History of the Middle East Conflict'' (7th ed. 2008) 626p.
* Rabinovich, Itamar, and Reinharz, Jehuda, eds. ''Israel in the Middle East: Documents and Readings on Society, Politics, and Foreign Relations, pre-1948 to the Present.'' (2008) 626pp
<References/>

==Further reading==
*Durant, Will. ''Our Oriental Heritage'' (1935); A general history of the ebb and flow of civilizations in the area.
[[File:Zionism1.jpg|thumb|270px|in front: David Ben Gurian, Golda Meir, Theodor Herzl]]
* Gilbert, Martin. ''Israel: A History'' (2008) [https://www.amazon.com/Israel-History-Martin-Gilbert/dp/0688123635/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261917385&sr=1-8 excerpt and text search]
* Oren, Michael B. ''Six Days of War: June 1967 and the Making of the Modern Middle East'' (2003), 480pp; standard history of the war [https://www.amazon.com/Six-Days-War-Making-Modern/dp/0345461924/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255773712&sr=1-10 excerpt and text search]
* Sachar, Howard M. ''A History of Israel: From the Rise of Zionism to Our Time'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/History-Israel-Rise-Zionism-Time/dp/0375711325/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261732421&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Shindler, Colin. ''A History of Modern Israel'' (2008), very good on politics; thin otherwise. [https://www.amazon.com/History-Modern-Israel-Colin-Shindler/dp/0521615380/ref=pd_sim_b_2 excerpt and text search]
* Stein, Leslie. ''The Hope Fulfilled: The Rise of Modern Israel'' (2003) [https://www.amazon.com/Hope-Fulfilled-Praeger-Israeli-Studies/dp/027597815X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261915375&sr=1-1#noop excerpt and text search]
* Tucker, Spencer C., ed. ''The Encyclopedia of the Arab-Israeli Conflict A Political, Social, and Military History'' (4 vol. 2008); vol 4 includes 150 primary sources
* Wigoder, Geoffrey, ed. ''New Encyclopedia of Zionism and Israel'' (2nd ed. 2 vol. 1994); 1521pp

===Useful articles===

*[https://www.jpost.com/opinion/op-ed-contributors/the-gathering-storm-and-beyond "The gathering storm, and beyond. Israel is the aboriginal homeland of the Jewish people across space & time." By Irwin Cotler. The Jerusalem Post. May 14, 2008]

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20020602143627/http://israelinsider.com/views/articles/views_0401.htm Twenty facts about Israel and the Middle East]

*[https://mfa.gov.il/mfa/foreignpolicy/terrorism/palestinian/pages/which%20came%20first-%20terrorism%20or%20occupation%20-%20major.aspx Arab terrorism came before the (so called) "occupation"]

*[https://besacenter.org/perspectives-papers/israel-jewish-palestinian/ The History of the Land Is Jewish, Not Palestinian. By Dr. Yechiel Shabiy February 23, 2020. The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies]

*[https://archives.frontpagemag.com/fpm/case-israel-and-academic-freedom-mark-tapson The Case for Israel]

*[https://ari.aynrand.org/issues/foreign-policy/middle-east/israel-has-a-moral-right-to-its-life Israel's morality]

*[https://www.discoverthenetworks.org/organizations/israels-history-right-to-exist/Why Israel Is The Victim And The Arabs Are The Indefensible Aggressors In the Middle East]

*[https://www.science.co.il/Arab-Israeli-conflict/Refugees.php Who caused the Arab "refugee" problem? Refugee: Arab leaders told us to flee Israel in 1948]

*[http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/middleeast/Israels_Moral_Right_to_its_Life.asp Israel's moral right to exist]

*[http://www.peacewithrealism.org/antizi05.htm Israel's Right to Exist Questioned, Anti-Zionism or Anti-Semitism?]

*[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/5370 Israel and the Palestinians: no moral contest]

*[http://35.166.224.10/cols/horowitz041403.asp The Next Screwing: Two causes of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The first is Arab racism, rejects any presence that isn't Arab in its neighborhood; the second is Islamic intolerance which leads to same rejection (JWR, April 14, 2003)][http://www.dif-aarhus.dk/artikel3.htm]

*[https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203440104574400532495168894 'The Mufti of Berlin Arab-Nazi collaboration is a taboo topic in the West,' by Daniel Schwammenthal, WSJ, Sept. 24, 2009]. ''Muslim Judeophobia is not—as is commonly claimed—a reaction to the Mideast conflict but one of its main "root causes." It has been fueling Arab rejection of a Jewish state long before Israel's creation.''

*[http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/2543 From Al Husseini to Hitler Radical Islam and the Nazi connection] ''As grand mufti, al Husseini presided as the Imam of the Al Aqsa mosque in ... 1929. Hebron Massacre, Amin Al-Husseini organizes more riots in Palestine ''
* [https://www.jta.org/1935/07/01/archive/arabs-in-haifa-form-nazi-club-well-financed "Arabs in Haifa Form Nazi Club. Well Financed". JTA, July 1, 1935][http://www.jpress.nli.org.il/Olive/APA/NLI/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=CGS%2F1935%2F07%2F11&id=Ar03401&sk=8D8FBE5B Arab Youths Found Nazi Club in Haifa‬ - The Sentinel, 11/07/1935][http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=883&dat=19350705&id=zO1OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XEwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=970,4273445 The Canadian Jewish Chronicle - Jul 5, 1935]

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051113195953/http://www.tampabayprimer.org/index.cfm?action=articles&drill=viewArt&art=1255 How Strong Is the Arab Claim to Palestine?]

*[http://www.ldolphin.org/palestinians.html The Arabs in the Holy Land - Natives or Aliens?]

*[https://web.archive.org/web/19981201233914/http://gamla.org.il/english/index.htm Gamla]

*[http://ziontruth.blogspot.com/2006/08/flauberts-observations-of-jerusalem.html "Flaubert's Observations of Jerusalem and the Jews Living There [1850]"]

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20030304154709/https://www.therefinersfire.org/israel_defends_itself.htm Israel Has A Moral Right To Its Life Why reason and justice are on Israel's side]

*[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3248081,00.html Nazis shipped arms to Palestinians] ''British National Archives unveil presence of Nazi S.S. agents in Mandatory Palestine, working closely with Palestinian leaders. Historical documents in Britain's National Archives in London show''

*[http://students.washington.edu/israeluw/info-anti.html When being anti-Israel is anti-Semitic]

*[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/hebron29.html The Hebron Massacre of 1929]

*[http://haveitclearly.blogspot.com/2006/04/120-years-to-first-of-arabs-attack-on.html March 2006 - 120 Years to first of Arabs' attack on Jews in "palestine" Israel, Petach Tikva 1886]

*[http://www.think-israel.org/wright.munich.html Munich & morality tale of good vs. evil]

*[http://www.acpr.org.il/cloakrm/clk117.html The Islamization of Bethlehem by Arafat]

*[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248951137_The_Islamization_of_the_Palestinian-Israeli_Conflict_The_Case_of_Hamas The Islamization of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict by M Litvak - ‎1998]
[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00263209808701214][https://www.jstor.org/stable/4283922]

*[https://jcpa.org/article/palestinian-crimes-against-christian-arabs-and-their-manipulation-against-israel Palestinian Crimes against Christian Arabs and their manipulation against Israel]

*[https://www.jcpa.org/jl/vp490.htm THE BELEAGUERED CHRISTIANS OF THE PALESTINIAN-CONTROLLED AREAS]

*[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palestinians-christians-conversion/gaza-christians-sense-pressure-to-convert-to-islam-idUSBRE86P0J420120726 Gaza Christians sense pressure to convert to Islam - Reuters. Jul 26, 2012]

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20030605131201//http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=32560 Persecution in 'Palestine', video documentary that exposes the anti-Christian persecution within the Palestinian Authority, "Holy Land: Christians in Peril."]

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20030605131201/http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=27338 The Jews took no one's land]
*
[http://www.israelnationalnews.com/print.php3?what=article&id=1726 Arabs Recognized Israel - 1919]

* [https://www.memri.org/tv/activist-ammar-abdulhamid-researcher-sam-tadros-uae-normalization-israel Human Rights Activist Ammar Abdulhamid And Researcher Samuel Tadros On UAE-Israel Relations: Arab Hostility Towards Israel Stems From Religious, Racist Viewpoint; Normalization With Israel Can Lead To Future Concessions That Will Benefit Palestinians. #8263 | 04:34. Source: Al-Hurra TV (The U.S.). Aug 27, 2020 (via Memri)]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63hTOaRu7h4 The Middleeast porblem explained by the Prager University]

==See also==
*[[Israel Tourism]]
*[[Jewish philosophy]]
*[[Israelophobia]]
*[[The Samson Option]]
*[[Gaza Strip]]
*[[Gallery of Jewish Painting]]
*[[Suicide bomber]]
*[[Suicide bomber: a personal account]]
*[[Jews in history]]
*[[Maccabees, Books of]]
*[[In the midst of a Maelstrom: the Holy Spirit and silence: an essay]] an encounter between Israeli Jew and Egyptian Muslim in Alexandria
*[[Christmas in the Holy Land: an essay]]
*[[Adiabene]]
*[[What is Torah, what is Talmud]]
*[[Presidents of Israel]]
*[[Prime Ministers of Israel]]
*[[The Establishment and Zionism]]

== External links ==
*[https://cidisrael.org Christians in Defense of Israel]
*[http://www.jewart.com/2007/11/07/jewish-art-in-history/ Jewish art in history]
*[http://www.jewishmuseum.org.uk/collections/photoarchive.asp Photographic Archive] The Jewish Museum.
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOVhTFOPKxc&feature=related Failed suicide bombing attempt by anguishing 21 year old woman]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zegXBwGBPZs Touring in Jerusalem, Tagalog and English]
*[https://www.conservativenewsandviews.com/2011/05/07/clergy/journey-to-israel-day-1/ Journey to Israel, Day One]
*[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/potoc.html American Attitudes Toward Israel.]
*[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/jewstoc.html Jews in America.]
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.de/2013/04/dear-people-this-may-seem-to-you-to-be.html Under a "Pillar of a Cloud"]
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.de/2013/03/then-from-egypt-to-israel-now-from.html Then, from Egypt to Israel: Now, from Russia and the U.S.]

{{Copyright Details (US Government)}}
Source: [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3581.htm]

{{Asian Countries}}

[[Category:Biblical Places]]
[[Category:Israel]]
[[Category:Zionism]]
[[Category:Israeli Wars]]
[[Category:Religion and Politics]]

Pat Sajak

2021-01-08T18:02:01Z

FabioZ:

'''Pat Sajak''' is the longtime host of "Wheel of Fortune," one of the most successful television game shows in history.

Sajak is unusual among celebrities in his willingness to speak out, occasionally, against [[leftism]].
[[Category:Television]]

Morocco

2021-01-08T18:01:43Z

FabioZ:

{{country
|name=المملكة المغربية'' Al-Mamlaka al-Maghribiyya Tagldit n Lmeghrib''
|map=Morocco rel 79.JPG
|map2=Morocco location.png
|flag=Flag of Morocco.png
|arms=Arms of Morocco.png
|capital=Rabat
|government=Constitutional monarchy
|language=Arabic, Italian, English
|king=Mohammed VI
|pm=Abdelillah Benkirane
|area=172,414 sq. mi.
|pop=37,000,000 (2020)
|pop-basis=
|gdp=$115,000,000,000 (2020)
|gdp-year=
|gdp-pc=$3,108 (2020)
|currency=Moroccan dirham
}}
The '''Kingdom of Morocco''' is a country in northwest [[Africa]].

==Geography==
Morocco is bordered by [[Algeria]] to the east and the western [[Sahara]] to the south, with a coastline on both the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. The largest city is [[Casablanca]]. The capital city is [[Rabat]]. Some of the other large cities in Morocco are [[Marrakech]], [[Tanjier]], and Safi.

==People==
Moroccans are predominantly Sunni Muslims of Arab, Berber, or mixed Arab-Berber ancestry. The Arabs brought Islam, along with Arabic language and culture, to the region from the Arabian Peninsula during the Muslim conquests of the 7th century. Today, there remains a Jewish community of approximately 5,000, and a largely expatriate Christian population of 5,000, who enjoy religious freedom and full civil rights. Morocco is also home to a 300-500-person Baha'i community which, in recent years, has been able to worship free from government interference.
[[File:Moroccan soldiers.jpg|left|280px]]
Arabic is Morocco's official language, but French is widely taught and serves as the primary language of commerce and government. Moroccan colloquial Arabic is composed of a unique combination of Arabic, Berber and French dialects. Along with Arabic, about 10 million Moroccans, predominantly in rural areas, also speak one of the three Moroccan Berber dialects (Tarifit, Tashelhit, and Tamazight). Spanish is also used in the northern part of the country. English is rapidly becoming the foreign language of choice among educated youth and is offered in all public schools from the fourth year on.

Most people live west of the Atlas Mountains, a range that insulates the country from the Sahara Desert. Casablanca is the center of commerce and industry and the leading port; Rabat is the seat of government; Tangier is the gateway to Spain and also a major port; "Arab" Fes is the cultural and religious center; and "Berber" Marrakech is a major tourist center.

Education in Morocco is free and compulsory through primary school (age 15). Nevertheless, many children—particularly girls in rural areas—do not attend school. The country's literacy rate reveals sharp gaps in education, both in terms of gender and location; while country-wide literacy rates are estimated at 39% among women and 64% among men, the female literacy rate in rural areas is only 10%.

Morocco is home to 14 public universities. Mohammed V University in Rabat is one of the country's most famous schools, with faculties of law, sciences, liberal arts, and medicine. Karaouine University, in Fes, is a longstanding center for Islamic studies and is the oldest university in the Maghreb. Morocco has one private, English language university, Al-Akhawayn, in Ifrane, founded in 1993 by King Hassan II and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. The curriculum is based on an American model.
*Population (2007): 33,757,175. (The population of disputed territory Western Sahara is 350,000.)
*Annual growth rate (2007): 1.528%. Birth rate (2007 est.)--21.64 births/1,000 population; death rate (2007 est.)--5.54 deaths/1,000 population.
*Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99%.
*Religions: Muslim 99.99%, Jewish population estimated at 4,000 people, Christian population estimated at less than 1,000.
*Languages: Arabic (official), several Berber dialects; French functions as the language of business, government, and diplomacy.
*Education: Years compulsory—9. Literacy (age 15 and over can read and write)--total population 51.7%; female 39.4% (2003 est.).
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2007 est.)--38.85/1,000. Life expectancy at birth (2007 est.)--total population 71.22 yrs., male 68.88 yrs., female 73.67 yrs.
*Work force (2006): 11.25 million.
*Unemployment rate (2006 est.): 7.7%.

Like most of the middle east, the current population in modern Morocco is by [[Arabs]] that have Arabized the [[indigenous]] people, the [[Berbers]] are considered to be the real natives to north [[Africa]].

==Government and Political Conditions==

Morocco was the first nation to recognize the [[United States]], in 1780.

Morocco is divided into 16 administrative regions (further broken into provinces and prefectures); the regions are administered by Walis (governors) appointed by the King.

The Moroccan Constitution provides for a monarchy with a Parliament and an independent judiciary. Ultimate authority rests with the King. The King presides over the Council of Ministers; appoints the prime minister following legislative elections; appoints all members of the government taking into account the prime minister's recommendations; and may, at his discretion, terminate the tenure of any minister, dissolve the Parliament, call for new elections, or rule by decree. The King is the Commander in Chief of the military and holds the title of Amir al-Mou'minin, the country's religious leader.

Since the constitutional reform of 1996, the bicameral legislature consists of a lower chamber called the Chamber of Representatives, which is directly elected, and an upper chamber, the Chamber of Counselors, whose members are indirectly elected through various regional, local, and professional councils. The councils' members themselves are directly elected. Parliament's powers, though limited, were expanded under the 1992 and 1996 constitutional revisions to include budgetary matters, approval authority, and establishment of commissions of inquiry to investigate the government's actions. The lower chamber of Parliament may dissolve the government through a vote of no confidence.

Parliamentary elections were held in November 2002 and were considered largely free, fair, and transparent. At that time, King Mohammed VI formed a government appointing then-Interior Minister Driss Jettou as Prime Minister. Cabinet level positions were drawn from most major parties in the coalition.

Following the 2002 elections, King Mohammed VI highlighted several goals toward which the new government should work: expanded employment opportunities, economic development, meaningful education, and increased housing availability. To meet the King's objectives, the Jettou government embarked on a series of initiatives and reforms, which Jettou laid out in his early days as Prime Minister.

Jettou emphasized that modernization and revitalization of the country's infrastructure (roads, trains, communications, water, etc.) and national economy (support for Moroccan businesses, preparations for competition, modernization of modes of production, etc.), were necessary to further development progress in Morocco.

In order to create employment opportunities, the government is promoting investment in the tourism, industrial, fishing, and service industries, and is ameliorating, restructuring, and modernizing the education system.

Parliamentary elections were held in September 2007. Abbas El Fassi was designated to form a new government.

===Principal Government Officials===
*Head of State—King Mohammed VI
*Prime Minister—Abdelillah Benkirane

===Foreign Relations===
[[Image:Rudolf Ernst The letter.jpg|thumb|Rudolf Ernst, The Letter.]]
Morocco is a moderate Arab state which maintains close relations with Europe and the United States. It is a member of the UN and belongs to the Arab League, Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and the Non-Aligned Movement. King Mohammed VI is the chairman of the OIC's Al-Quds Jerusalem Committee. Although not a member of the African Union (formerly the Organization of African Unity—OAU), Morocco remains involved in African diplomacy. It contributes consistently to UN peacekeeping efforts on the continent.

Morocco is active in Maghreb, Arab, and African affairs. It supports the search for peace and moderation in the Middle East. In 1986, then-King Hassan II took the daring step of inviting then-Israeli Prime Minister Peres for talks, becoming only the second Arab leader to host an Israeli leader. Following the September 1993 signing of the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles, Morocco accelerated its economic ties and political contacts with Israel. In September 1994, Morocco and Israel announced the opening of bilateral liaison offices. These offices were closed in 2000 following sustained Israeli-Palestinian violence, but Moroccan-Israeli diplomatic contacts continue.

Morocco was the first Arab state to condemn Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, and sent troops to help defend Saudi Arabia. Morocco maintains close relations with Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf states, which have provided Morocco with substantial amounts of financial assistance. Morocco has supported efforts to stabilize Iraq following the downfall of Saddam Hussein.

Morocco was among the first Arab and Islamic states to denounce the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States and declare solidarity with the American people in the war against terror. Morocco has seen its own terrorism at home as well. On May 16, 2003, Moroccan suicide bombers simultaneously attacked five sites in Casablanca, killing more than 40 people and wounding over 100. More than a million people subsequently demonstrated to condemn the attacks. In April 2007, a series of suicide bomb attacks occurred in central Casablanca, one taking place near the U.S. consulate general and one near the American Language Center. The bombings demonstrated Morocco's vulnerability to extremists who capitalize on widespread poverty and social exclusion.

The major issue in Morocco's foreign relations is its claim to Western Sahara. As a result of Algeria's continued support for the Polisario Front in the dispute over Western Sahara, relations between Morocco and Algeria have remained strained over the past several decades, although they have full diplomatic relations and there is periodic high-level contact between the two countries.

====Western Sahara====
[[File:402px-BellyDancerMarrakech.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|Moroccan belly dancer ]]
For more than 30 years, Morocco and the independence-seeking Popular Front of the Liberation of Saguia al Hamra and Rio de Oro (Polisario Front) have vied for control of the [[Western Sahara]], a former Spanish territory. Morocco's claim to sovereignty over the Western Sahara is based largely on a historical argument of traditional loyalty of the Sahrawi tribal leaders to the Moroccan sultan as spiritual leader and ruler. The Polisario claims to represent the aspirations of the Western Saharan inhabitants for independence. Algeria claims none of the territory for itself but maintains that Sahrawis should determine the territory's future status.

From 1904 until 1975, Spain occupied the entire territory, which is divided into a northern portion, the Saguia el Hamra, and a southern two-thirds, known as Rio de Oro. In 1969, the Polisario Front was formed to combat the occupation of the territory. In November 1975, King Hassan mobilized 350,000 unarmed Moroccan citizens in what came to be known as the "Green March" into Western Sahara. The march was designed to both demonstrate and strengthen Moroccan claims to the territory. On November 14, Spain, Morocco, and Mauritania announced a tripartite agreement for an interim administration under which Spain agreed to share administrative authority with Morocco and Mauritania, leaving aside the question of sovereignty. With the establishment of a Moroccan and Mauritanian presence throughout the territory, however, Spain's role in the administration of the Western Sahara ceased.

After a period of hostilities, Mauritania withdrew from the territory in 1979 and signed a peace treaty with the Polisario, relinquishing all claims to the territory. Moroccan troops occupied the region vacated by Mauritania and later proclaimed the territory reintegrated into Morocco. Morocco subsequently built a fortified berm around three-fourths of Western Sahara and has de facto administrative control over 80% of the territory.

At the OAU (now African Union) summit in June 1981, King Hassan announced his willingness to hold a referendum in the Western Sahara. Subsequent meetings of an OAU Implementation Committee proposed a cease-fire, a UN peacekeeping force, and an interim administration to assist with an OAU-UN-supervised referendum on the issue of independence or annexation. In 1984, the OAU seated a delegation of the Sahara Democratic Arab Republic (SDAR), the shadow government of the Polisario. Morocco subsequently withdrew from the OAU.

In 1988, Moroccan and Polisario representatives agreed on a joint UN/OAU settlement proposal for a referendum, but due to disagreements it never took place. In 1991, the UN brokered a cease-fire and settlement plan, and established the United Nations Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara (known by its French acronym, MINURSO), which deployed a roughly 200-person monitoring force to the territory.

The UN continues to explore with the parties ways of arriving at a mutually agreed political settlement and to promote confidence-building measures between the parties in the interim. In 2003, former Secretary of State James Baker, working as UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's Personal Envoy, put forward a peace plan calling for a referendum on issues of autonomy or integration with Morocco. While the Polisario Front and the Algerian Government accepted the plan, Morocco rejected it. After a seven-year effort to assist the parties in coming to an agreement, James Baker resigned as Personal Envoy in June 2004. In August of the same year, Kofi Annan appointed Alvaro de Soto Special Representative for the Western Sahara, to continue Baker's work. Special Representative de Soto left MINURSO in May 2005, and was replaced in July 2005 by Peter van Walsum of the Netherlands.

The Western Sahara dispute remains the primary impediment to regional integration and development goals. The parties were able to set aside some of their differences when, in August 2004, U.S. Senator Richard Lugar led a mission to the region that resulted in the release of 404 Moroccan prisoners of war who had long been held by the Polisario. Today, approximately 90,000 Sahrawi refugees live in camps around Tindouf, Algeria. The exact number of refugees living in these camps is not known since there has never been a reliable census of the population. Several thousand Sahrawis also live in the Moroccan-controlled area of Western Sahara among a large number of Moroccan settlers. Morocco considers the Western Sahara part of its national territory, while Polisario insists on the right of the people of the Western Sahara to self-determination. Algeria supports self-determination of the Sahrawis. The issue remains a major stumbling block to Moroccan-Algerian relations and regional integration.

The United States has consistently encouraged the parties to work with the United Nations, and with each other, in a spirit of flexibility and compromise, to find a mutually acceptable settlement. In this regard, the U.S. has welcomed Morocco's recent introduction of an autonomy initiative, is encouraged that it has spurred discussion, and believes that it has created an opportunity for Morocco and the Polisario to come to an agreement on this long-simmering problem. The United Nations Security Council resolution, which provides MINURSO its mandate, has been renewed for six-month intervals since its inception and is expected to be approved for a subsequent extension in October 2007. The U.S. has raised with the UN our support for direct negotiations without preconditions, as called for in the resolution, and in June and August 2007 the Moroccans and the Polisario, with Algeria and Mauritania participating as interested neighbor states, met for two rounds of talks in Manhasset, New York, mediated by Peter van Walsum. A third round of negotiations is tentatively planned for November 2007 in Switzerland.

==Economy==
Macroeconomic stability, coupled with low inflation and relatively slow economic growth, has characterized the Moroccan economy over the past several years. The government continues to pursue reform, liberalization, and modernization aimed at stimulating growth and creating jobs. Employment, however, remains overly dependent on the agriculture sector, which is extremely vulnerable to inconsistent rainfall. Morocco's primary economic challenge is to accelerate growth in order to reduce high levels of unemployment and underemployment. While overall unemployment stands at 7.7%, this figure masks significantly higher urban unemployment, as high as 33% among urban youths.

Through a foreign exchange rate anchor and well-managed monetary policy, Morocco has held inflation rates to industrial country levels over the past decade; inflation between 1999 and 2004 remained at 1.5% and fell to 1% in 2005. Despite criticism among exporters that the dirham has become badly overvalued, the country maintains a current account surplus. Foreign exchange reserves are strong, with over $16 billion in reserves, the equivalent of 11 months of imports at the end of 2005. The combination of strong foreign exchange reserves and active external debt management gives Morocco ample capacity to service its debt. Current external debt stands at about $17.9 billion.

Economic growth has been hampered by an over-reliance on the agriculture sector. Agriculture production is extremely susceptible to rainfall levels and ranges from 15% to 20% of GDP. Given that almost 40% of Morocco's population depends directly on agriculture, droughts have a severe negative effect on the economy.

The current government is continuing a series of structural reforms begun in recent years. The most promising reforms have been in the labor market and financial sectors, and privatization has accelerated the sale of Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) licenses in recent years. Morocco also has liberalized rules for oil and gas exploration and has granted concessions for many public services in major cities. The tender process in Morocco is becoming increasingly transparent. Many believe, however, that the process of economic reform must be accelerated in order to reduce urban unemployment.

In January 2006, the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the United States and Morocco went into effect. The FTA represents an important step towards President Bush's vision of a Middle East Free Trade Area and is the first in Africa. The U.S.-Morocco FTA eliminated tariffs on 95% of bilateral trade in consumer and industrial products with all remaining tariffs to be eliminated within nine years. The negotiations produced a comprehensive agreement covering not only market access but also intellectual property rights protection, transparency in government procurement, investments, services, and e-commerce. The FTA provides new trade and investment opportunities for both countries and will encourage economic reforms and liberalization already underway.
*GDP (2006): $56.72 billion.
*GDP growth rate (2006 est.): 6.7%
*Per capita GDP (PPP, 2006): $4,400.
*Natural resources: Phosphates, fish, manganese, lead, silver, and copper.
*Agriculture: Products—barley, citrus fruits, vegetables, olives, livestock, and fishing.
*Industry: Types—phosphate mining, manufacturing and handicrafts, construction and public works, energy. Sector Information as % GDP (2006): Agriculture 13.3%, industry 31.2%, services 55.5%.
*Monetary unit: Moroccan dirham.
*Trade: Exports--$11.72 billion (2006). Major partners—EU 71.5%, India 4.1%, U.S. 2.6%, and Brazil 2.4%. Imports-- $21.22 billion (2006). Major partners—EU 52.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.8%, Russia 6.7%, China 5.2%, U.S. 3.4%.
*Budget: Revenues, $15.85 billion; expenditures, $20.39 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.19 billion. (2006 est.). *External debt: $17.9 billion (2006 est.).

==History==
Morocco's strategic location has shaped its history. Beginning with the Phoenicians, many foreigners were drawn to this area. Romans, Visigoths, Vandals and Byzantine Greeks ruled successively. Arab forces began occupying Morocco in the seventh century A.D., bringing their civilization and Islam. The Alaouite dynasty, which has ruled Morocco since 1649, claims descent from the Prophet Muhammad.

Morocco's location and resources led to early competition among European powers in Africa, beginning with successful Portuguese efforts to control the Atlantic coast in the 15th century. France showed a strong interest in Morocco as early as 1830. Following recognition by the United Kingdom in 1904 of France's "sphere of influence" in Morocco, the Algeciras Conference (1906) formalized France's "special position" and entrusted policing of Morocco to France and Spain jointly. The Treaty of Fes (1912) made Morocco a protectorate of France. By the same treaty, Spain assumed the role of protecting power over the northern and southern (Saharan) zones.

Nationalist political parties, which took shape under the French protectorate, began a strong campaign for independence after World War II. Declarations such as the Atlantic Charter (a joint U.S.-British statement set forth, among other things, the right of all people to choose the form of government under which they live), served as a base for the independence movement. A manifesto of the Istiqlal (Independence) Party in 1944 was one of the earliest public demands for independence. That party subsequently provided most of the leadership for the nationalist movement and remains a dominant political force.

In 1953, France exiled the highly respected Sultan Mohammed V and replaced him with the unpopular Mohammed Ben Aarafa. Ben Aarafa's reign was widely perceived as illegitimate, and sparked active opposition to French rule. France allowed Mohammed V to return in 1955, and by 1956, Morocco had regained its independence.

In the year 2006, Moroccans celebrated their 50th year of independence from France. After gaining independence on March 2, 1956, Morocco regained control over certain Spanish-ruled areas through agreements with Spain in 1956 and 1958. The internationalized city of Tangier was reintegrated with the signing of the Tangier Protocol on October 29, 1956. The Spanish enclave of Ifni in the south became part of Morocco in 1969. Spain, however, retains control over the small coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in the north.

During the 1990s, King Hassan made great strides toward economic and political liberalization. King Hassan died on July 23, 1999, and was succeeded by his son, Mohammed VI, who pledged to continue these reforms. Under Mohammed VI, the Moroccan Government has undertaken a number of economic, political, and social reforms, including the 2003 Moudawana, a reform of the family status code, and the 2006 Equity and Reconciliation Commission, which investigated allegations of human rights abuse from 1956 to 1999.

==References==
*[http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/africa/morocco]
*[http://i-cias.com/morocco/]
*[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mo.html]

==See also==

*[[World History Lecture Six]]
*[[World History Lecture Thirteen]]

{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]
[[Category:Morocco]]

Libya

2021-01-08T18:01:12Z

FabioZ:

{{country
|name=ليبيا Lībyā
|map=Libya rel 93.JPG
|map2=Libya location.png
|flag=Flag of Libya 1951.png
|arms=
|capital=Tripoli, Libya
|government=National Transitional Council
|language=Arabic, Italian, English
|president-raw=Nuri Busahmein
|area=679,359 sq. mi.
|pop=7,000,000 (2020)
|pop-basis=
|gdp=72.7 billion
|gdp-year=(2007 estimate)
|gdp-pc=$12,300
}}
'''Libya''' (Arabic: ليبيا) is a country in northern [[Africa]] that was taken over, at the encouragement of President [[Obama]], by militant [[Muslims]] in 2011. The revolutionaries murdered [[Muammar al-Gaddafi]], who had ruled the nation since 1969. Geographically, Libya borders the [[Mediterranean Sea]] to the north, [[Egypt]] to the east, [[Sudan]] to the southeast, [[Chad]] and [[Niger]] to the south, [[Algeria]] to the west, and [[Tunisia]] to the northwest. In September 2012, the [[Obama Administration]] ignored security warnings and refused to protect the [[American]] embassy there, resulting in the [[Benghazi Attack]] and the murder of the American ambassador John Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.

==People==
[[File:Libyan people.jpg|left|280px]]
Libya has a small population in a large land area. Population density is about 50 persons per km2. (80/sq. mi.) in the two northern regions of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica, but falls to less than one person per km2. (1.6/sq. mi.) elsewhere. Ninety percent of the people live in less than 10% of the area, primarily along the coast. More than half the population is urban, mostly concentrated in the two largest cities, Tripoli and Benghazi. Thirty-three percent of the population is estimated to be under age 15.

Native Libyans are primarily a mixture of Arabs and Berbers. Small Tebou and Touareg tribal groups in southern Libya are nomadic or semi-nomadic. Among foreign residents, the largest groups are citizens of other African nations, including North Africans (primarily Egyptians and Tunisians), West Africans and Sub-Saharan Africans.
*Population (July 2007 est.): 6,036,914 (includes non-nationals, of which an estimated 500,000 or more are sub-Saharan Africans living in Libya).
*Annual growth rate (2007 est.): 2.262%. Birth rate (2007 est.)--26.09 births/1,000 population. Death rate (2007 est.)--3.47 deaths/1,000 population.
*Ethnic groups: Berber and Arab 97%; Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians, Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, and Tunisians.
*Religion: Sunni Muslim 97%.
*Languages: Arabic is the primary language. English, French, and Italian are understood in major cities.
*Education: Years compulsory—9. Attendance—90%. Literacy (age 15 and over who can read and write)--total population 82.6%; female 72% (2003 est.).
*Health (2007 est.): Infant mortality rate—22.82 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy—total population 76.88 yrs.; male 74.1 yrs.; female 78.58 yrs.
*Work force (2006 est.): 1.787 million, an estimated 500,000 of whom are sub-Saharan African foreign workers.

== Geography ==
[[File:Oasis in Libya.JPG|left|280px]]
Total area: 1,759,540 km2, slightly larger than Alaska. Coastline: 1,770 km. Climate: Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior. Terrain: mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions.

Environment - current issues: desertification; limited natural freshwater resources; the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in the world, brings water from large aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities.

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands.

Source: [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ly.html CIA The World Factbook.]
{{Clear}}

<center>
Views of Tripoli
<gallery perrow="5">

File:City beach near the Central Business District of Tripoli.jpg|City beach near the Central Business District of Tripoli, 2006.
File:Tripoli cityscape WC.jpg|Tripoli, cityscape, 2007.
File:Tripoli.jpg|Tripoli, 2009.
File:View to Tripoli Libya.jpg|Tripoli, 2009.
File:Tripoli Central Business District Libya.jpg|Tripoli, Central Business District, 2009.
</gallery>

View of Benghazi

[[File:Benghazi Libya.jpg]]
</center>

==Government and Political Conditions==
===Gaddafi regime 1969 - 2011===
[[File:Flag of Libya.png|thumb|Flag of Libya under Gaddafis tenure]]
[[File:Arms of Libya.png|thumb|Coat of Arms of Libya under Gaddafis tenure]]
Prior to the 2011 revolution, Libya's political system was in theory based on the political philosophy in Gaddafi's Green Book, which combined socialist and Islamic theories and rejected parliamentary democracy and political parties. In reality, Gaddafi exercised near total control over major government decisions. For the first seven years following the revolution, Colonel Gaddafi and 12 fellow army officers, the Revolutionary Command Council, began a complete overhaul of Libya's political system, society and economy. In 1973, he announced the start of a "cultural revolution" in schools, businesses, industries, and public institutions to oversee administration of those organizations in the public interest. On March 2, 1977, Gaddafi convened a General People's Congress (GPC) to proclaim the establishment of "people's power," change the country's name to the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, and to vest, theoretically, primary authority in the GPC.
[[File:Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi in Dimashq.jpg|thumb|left|Muammar Gaddafi.]]
The GPC, built on the socilaist model, was the legislative forum that interacted with the General People's Committee, whose members were secretaries of Libyan ministries. It served as the intermediary between the masses and the leadership and was composed of the secretariats of some 600 local "basic popular congresses." The GPC secretariat and the cabinet secretaries were appointed by the GPC secretary general and confirmed by the annual GPC congress. These cabinet secretaries were responsible for the routine operation of their ministries, but Gaddafi exercised real authority directly or through manipulation of the peoples and revolutionary committees.
[[File:Libya Tripoli an ancient city.jpg|thumb|Tripoli, an ancient city.]]
Gaddafi remained the de facto chief of state and secretary general of the GPC until 1980, when he gave up the office. Although he held no formal office, Gaddafi exercised power with the assistance of a small group of trusted advisers, who included relatives from his home base in the Sirte region, which lies between the traditional commercial and political power centers in Benghazi and Tripoli.

In the 1980s, competition grew between the official Libyan Government and military hierarchies and the revolutionary committees. An abortive coup attempt in May 1984, apparently mounted by Libyan exiles with internal support, led to a short-lived reign of terror in which thousands were imprisoned and interrogated. An unknown number were executed. Gaddafi used the revolutionary committees to search out alleged internal opponents following the coup attempt, thereby accelerating the rise of more radical elements inside the Libyan power hierarchy.

In 1988, faced with rising public dissatisfaction with shortages in consumer goods and setbacks in Libya's war with Chad, Gaddafi began to curb the power of the revolutionary committees and to institute some domestic reforms. The regime released many political prisoners and eased restrictions on foreign travel by Libyans. Private businesses were again permitted to operate.

In the late 1980s, Gaddafi began to pursue an anti-Islamic fundamentalist policy domestically, viewing Islamist fundamentalism as a potential threat to the regime. Gaddafi's security forces launched a preemptive strike at alleged coup plotters in the military and among the Warfallah tribe in October 1993. Widespread arrests and government reshufflings followed, accompanied by public "confessions" from fundamental Islamist opponents and allegations of torture and executions. The military, once Gaddafi's strongest supporters, became a potential threat in the 1990s. In 1993, following a failed coup attempt that implicated senior officers, Gaddafi began purges of Islamists from the military periodically, eliminating potential rivals and inserting his own loyal followers in their place.

===Libyan courts prior to Sharia law===
The Libyan court system under Gaddafi and prior to the institution of [[Sharia]] law in 2012 consisted of three levels: the courts of first instance; the courts of appeals; and the Supreme Court, which is the final appellate level. The GPC appointed justices to the Supreme Court. Special "revolutionary courts" and military courts operated outside the court system to try political offenses and crimes against the Gaddafi regime. "People's courts," another example of extrajudicial authority, were abolished in January 2005. Libya's justice system at that time was nominally based on Sharia law.

2013 the Libyan Congress voted for Introducing [[Sharia]] law.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/12/06/Libya-Bows-to-Sharia</ref>

===Foreign Relations===
====Gaddafi era====
After 1969, Gaddafi determined Libya's foreign policy. His principal foreign policy goals were Arab unity, elimination of Israel, advancement of a [[secular]]ized brand of Islam, support for Palestinians, elimination of outside—particularly Western—influence in the Middle East and Africa, and support for a range of "[[revolution]]ary" causes.

After the 1969 coup, Gaddafi closed American and British bases on Libyan territory and partially nationalized all foreign oil and commercial interests in Libya. He also played a key role in promoting the use of oil embargoes as a political weapon for challenging the West, hoping that an oil price rise and embargo in 1973 would persuade the West—especially the United States—to end support for Israel. Gaddafi rejected both Soviet communism and Western capitalism, and claimed he was charting a middle course.
[[File:Boys Libyan Arabs WC.jpg|thumb|left|Boys, Libyan Arabs, 2006.]]
Libya's relationship with the former Soviet Union involved massive Libyan arms purchases from the Soviet bloc and the presence of thousands of east bloc advisers. Libya's use—and heavy loss—of Soviet-supplied weaponry in its war with Chad was a notable breach of an apparent Soviet-Libyan understanding not to use the weapons for activities inconsistent with Soviet objectives. As a result, Soviet-Libyan relations reached a nadir in mid-1987.

After the fall of the [[Warsaw Pact]] and the Soviet Union, Libya concentrated on expanding diplomatic ties with Third World countries and increasing its commercial links with Europe and East Asia. Following the imposition of UN sanctions in 1992, these ties significantly diminished. Following a 1998 Arab League meeting in which fellow Arab states decided not to challenge UN sanctions, Gaddafi announced that he was turning his back on pan-Arab ideas, which had been one of the fundamental tenets of his philosophy.

Instead, Libya pursued closer bilateral ties, particularly with North African neighbors Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco. It has also sought to develop its relations with Sub-Saharan Africa, leading to Libyan involvement in several internal African disputes in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Somalia, Central African Republic, Eritrea and Ethiopia. Libya has also sought to expand its influence in Africa through financial assistance, ranging from aid donations to impoverished neighbors such as Niger to oil subsidies to Zimbabwe, and through participation in the African Union. Gaddafi has proposed a borderless "United States of Africa" to transform the continent into a single nation-state ruled by a single government. This plan has been greeted with skepticism. Libya has played a helpful role in facilitating the provision of humanitarian assistance to Darfur refugees in Chad.

One of the longest-standing issues in Libya's relationship with the European Union and the international community was resolved in July 2007 with the release of five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor who had been convicted in 1999 of deliberately infecting over 400 children in a Benghazi hospital with the HIV virus. The six medics were sentenced to death in 2004, a sentence that was upheld by the Libyan Supreme Court but commuted in July 2007 by the Higher Judicial Council to life in prison. Under a previous agreement with the Bulgarian Government on the repatriation of prisoners, the medics were allowed to return to Bulgaria to finish their sentence, where upon arrival the Bulgarian president pardoned all six. The Benghazi International Fund, established by the United States and its European allies, raised $460 million to distribute to the families of the children infected with HIV, each of whom received $1 million.

====Relations with the United States====
[[File:Tripoli Libya.JPG|thumb|left|300px|Tripoli.]]
After Gaddafi's 1969 coup, U.S.-Libyan relations became increasingly strained because of Libya's foreign policies supporting international terrorism and subversion against moderate Arab and African governments. In 1972, the United States withdrew its ambassador. Export controls on military equipment and civil aircraft were imposed during the 1970s, and U.S. embassy staff members were withdrawn from Tripoli after a mob attacked and set fire to the embassy in December 1979. The U.S. Government designated Libya a "state sponsor of terrorism" on December 29, 1979.

In May 1981, the U.S. Government closed the Libyan "people's bureau" (embassy) in Washington, DC, and expelled the Libyan staff in response to a general pattern of conduct by the people's bureau contrary to internationally accepted standards of diplomatic behavior.

In August 1981, two Libyan jets fired on U.S. aircraft participating in a routine naval exercise over international waters of the Mediterranean claimed by Libya. The U.S. planes returned fire and shot down the attacking Libyan aircraft. In December 1981, the State Department invalidated U.S. passports for travel to Libya and, for purposes of safety, advised all U.S. citizens in Libya to leave. In March 1982, the U.S. Government prohibited imports of Libyan crude oil into the United States and expanded the controls on U.S.-origin goods intended for export to Libya. Licenses were required for all transactions, except food and medicine. In March 1984, U.S. export controls were expanded to prohibit future exports to the Ras Lanuf petrochemical complex. In April 1985, all Export-Import Bank financing was prohibited.

Due to Libya's continued support for terrorism at that time, the United States adopted additional economic sanctions against Libya in January 1986, including a total ban on direct import and export trade, commercial contracts, and travel-related activities. In addition, Libyan Government assets in the United States were frozen. When evidence of Libyan complicity was discovered in the Berlin discothèque terrorist bombing that killed two American servicemen, the United States responded by launching an aerial bombing attack against targets near Tripoli and Benghazi in April 1986 (Operation El Dorado Canyon).<ref>Historical Atlas of the U.S. Navy, by Craig L. Symonds, the Naval Institute, 1995</ref> Subsequently, the United States maintained its trade and travel embargoes and brought diplomatic and economic pressure to bear against Libya. This pressure helped to bring about the Lockerbie settlement and Libya's renunciation of WMD and MTCR-class missiles.

In 1991, two Libyan intelligence agents were indicted by federal prosecutors in the U.S. and Scotland for their involvement in the December 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103. In January 1992, the UN Security Council approved Resolution 731 demanding that Libya surrender the suspects, cooperate with the Pan Am 103 and UTA 772 investigations, pay compensation to the victims' families, and cease all support for terrorism. Libya's refusal to comply led to the approval of UNSC Resolution 748 on March 31, 1992, imposing sanctions designed to bring about Libyan compliance. Continued Libyan defiance led to passage of UNSC Resolution 883—a limited assets freeze and an embargo on selected oil equipment—in November 1993. UN sanctions were lifted on September 12, 2003, after Libya fulfilled all remaining UNSCR requirements, including renunciation of terrorism, acceptance of responsibility for the actions of its officials, and payment of appropriate compensation to the victims' families.

====Cooperation with international conventions 2003 - 2011====
On December 19, 2003, Libya announced its intention to rid itself of WMD and MTCR-class missile programs. Gaddafi pledged to cooperate with the U.S., the U.K., the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons toward those objectives. Libya under Gaddafi also signed the IAEA Additional Protocol and then became a State Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention.

In recognition of these actions, the U.S. began the process of normalizing relations with Libya under Gaddafi. The U.S. terminated the applicability of the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act to Libya and the President signed an Executive Order on September 20, 2004 terminating the national emergency with respect to Libya and ending IEEPA-based economic sanctions. This action had the effect of unblocking assets blocked under the Executive Order sanctions. Restrictions on cargo aviation and third-party code-sharing have been lifted, as have restrictions on passenger aviation. Certain export controls remain in place.

U.S. diplomatic personnel reopened the U.S. Interest Section in Tripoli on February 8, 2004. The mission was upgraded to a U.S. Liaison Office on June 28, 2004, and to a full embassy on May 31, 2006. The establishment in 2005 of an American School in Tripoli demonstrates the increased presence of Americans in Libya, and the continuing normalization of bilateral relations. Libya re-established its diplomatic presence in Washington with the opening of an Interest Section on July 8, 2004, which was subsequently upgraded to a Liaison Office in December 2004 and to a full embassy on May 31, 2006.

On May 15, 2006, the State Department announced its intention to rescind Libya's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in recognition of the fact that Libya had met the statutory requirements for such a move: it had not provided any support for acts of international terrorism in the preceding six-month period, and had provided assurances that it would not do so in the future. On June 30, 2006, the U.S. rescinded Libya's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. In July 2007, Mr. Gene Cretz was nominated by President Bush as ambassador to Libya.

=== Libyan uprising 2011 ===
:''Main article : [[Libyan uprising 2011]]''
On March 21, 2011, [[President Obama]] announced he ordered U.S. military force operations in Libya.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20038391-503544.html</ref> A week later the ''[[Washington Post]]'' included these paragraphs:
{{Cquote|"It’s almost a certitude that at least part” of the Libyan opposition includes members of [[al-Qaeda]], said Bruce Riedel, a former senior CIA analyst and adviser to President Obama. Riedel said that anti-Gaddafi elements in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi have had “very close associations with al-Qaeda” dating back years....I would hope that we now have a good sense of the opposition in Libya and can say that this is 2 percent, not 20 percent,” Riedel said. “If we don’t, then we are running the risk of helping to bring to power a regime that could be very dangerous.<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/libyan-opposition-includes-a-small-number-of-al-qaeda-fighters-us-officials-say/2011/03/29/AFRlXWyB_story.html</ref>}}[[File:Libya Muammar-Gaddafi-and-President-Obama.jpg|300px|right|thumb| A 2010 photo of Gaddafi and Obama at the G8 Summit in Italy. This was the first time in Gaddafi's 40-year rule that he met with a sitting U.S. president.]]
This set off a fierce debate in the [[Obama administration]] over the wisdom of arming terrorists.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/30/world/africa/30diplo.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss</ref> It is now known sometime prior to March 31, 2011,<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/world/africa/31intel.html?_r=2&hp</ref> at the urging of [[Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]] and over the objections of his National Security Council, Obama signed a Presidential Finding authorizing support for the rebel jihadis.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/30/us-libya-usa-order-idUSTRE72T6H220110330</ref>

[[Julian Assange]] said:
*{{Assange Clinton Libya}}

Gaddafi wrote to Obama and told him he bore no ill will. "We have been hurt more morally than physically because of what had happened against us in both deeds and words by you," he wrote. "Despite all this you will always remain our son whatever happened. We still pray that you continue to be president of the USA. We endeavour and hope that you will gain victory in the [[Presidential Election 2012|new election campaign]]."<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/06/gaddafi-obama-nato-libya?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487</ref>

By October 2011, [[Libyan rebel fighting group]]s with support from the U.S. and [[NATO]], overtook the capital of Tripoli and toppled the government. Gaddafi was captured and brutally and sadistically murdered.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPzeLLL9V-c Leading from behind - a critique of Obama foreign policy]</ref> The jihadis were immediately recognized by the [[Obama administration]] and the U.N. as the legitimate government. Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, chairman of the National Transitional Council, announced that [[Sharia]] will be the source for all legislation in Libya and that all laws conflicting with Sharia are null and void.<ref name="Sharia">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8861608/Libya-Al-Qaeda-flag-flown-above-Benghazi-courthouse.html Libya: Al Qaeda flag flown above Benghazi courthouse - Daily Telegraph]</ref> Abdel Rahim al-Kib, the country's interim prime minister, echoed Jalil's words a couple of days later.<ref>[http://www.presstv.ir/detail/207953.html New Libyan PM backs Islamic sharia law]</ref> Around the same time these statements were made an Al Qaeda flag was flown above the Benghazi courthouse, and reports were surfacing that the Libyan jihadis imposed Sharia law in some parts of the country even earlier.<ref name="Sharia" /> A church bombing by the end of 2012 left two dead,<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/30/us-libya-bomb-church-idUSBRE8BT09S20121230 Attack on Libyan church building kills two,] ''Reuthers,'' Dec 30, 2012.</ref> and in February 2013 four foreign nationals were arrested for distributing Bible pamphlets. They may face the death penalty.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/17/libya-arrests-suspected-foreign-missionaries Libya arrests foreign 'missionaries' Four foreign nationals accused of distributing Christian literature, a charge that could carry the death penalty], Chris Stephen guardian.co.uk, Sunday 17 February 2013.</ref>

==Economy==
[[File:Libya Irrigation project pipes.jpg|thumb|320px|The world's largest irrigation project is the largest water construction scheme ever undertaken; it extends 4000km into the Sahara desert and transports 6,500,000 m cubed of fresh water every day, providing an almost unlimited supply to the Libyan population, for municipal, industrial and agricultural use.]]
The government dominates Libya's socialist-oriented economy through complete control of the country's oil resources, which account for approximately 97% of export earnings, 75% of government receipts, and 54% of the gross domestic product. Oil revenues constitute the principal source of foreign exchange. Much of the country's income has been lost to waste, corruption, conventional armaments purchases, and attempts to develop weapons of mass destruction, as well as to large donations made to developing countries in attempts to increase Gaddafi's influence in Africa and elsewhere. Although oil revenues and a small population give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, the government's mismanagement of the economy has led to high inflation and increased import prices. These factors resulted in a decline in the standard of living from the late 1990s through 2003.
*Real GDP ($2000, 2006): $46.451 billion.
*GDP per capita (PPP, 2006): $12,204.
*Real GDP growth rate (2006): 5.6%.
*Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, gypsum.
*Agriculture: Products—wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts, soybeans; cattle; approximately 75% of Libya's food is imported.
*Industry: Types—petroleum, food processing, textiles, handicrafts, cement.
*Trade: Exports (2006 est.)--$37.02 billion f.o.b.: crude oil, refined petroleum products. Major markets (2005)--Italy (38%), Germany (15.1%), Spain (9.3%), Turkey (6.2%), France (6.2%), U.S. (5.2%). Imports (2006 est.)--$14.47 billion f.o.b.: machinery, transport equipment, food, manufactured goods. Major suppliers (2003)--Italy (21.2%), Germany (10.2%), Tunisia (5.9%), Turkey (4.8%), U.K. (4.8%), France (4.7%), South Korea (4.6%), China (4.5%).
* Oil - proved reserves: 47 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
* Natural gas - proved reserves: 1.539 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.) [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ly.html]

[[File:Home in Lybia.jpg|left|200px|Habitat.]]
[[File:Old covered market in Benghazi Lybia.JPG|thumb|220px|Old covered market in Benghazi.]]
Despite efforts to diversify the economy and encourage private sector participation, extensive controls of prices, credit, trade, and foreign exchange constrain growth. Import restrictions and inefficient resource allocations have caused periodic shortages of basic goods and foodstuffs.

Although agriculture is the second-largest sector in the economy, Libya imports most foods. Climatic conditions and poor soils severely limit output, while higher incomes and a growing population have caused food consumption to rise. Domestic food production meets about 25% of demand.

On September 20, 2004, President Bush signed an Executive Order ending economic sanctions imposed under the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). U.S. persons are no longer prohibited from working in Libya, and many American companies are actively seeking investment opportunities in Libya. The government has announced ambitious plans to increase foreign investment in the oil and gas sectors to significantly boost production capacity. The government is also pursuing a number of infrastructure projects such as highways, railways, telecommunications backbones, and irrigation.

==History==
[[File:Leptis Magna Lybia.jpg|thumb|290px|Roman circus at Leptis Magna.]]
For most of their history, the peoples of Libya have been subjected to varying degrees of foreign control. The Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, and Byzantines ruled all or parts of Libya. Although the Greeks and Romans left impressive ruins at Cyrene, Leptis Magna, and Sabratha, little else remains today to testify to the presence of these ancient cultures.

The Arabs conquered Libya in the seventh century A.D. In the following centuries, most of the indigenous peoples adopted Islam and the Arabic language and culture. The Ottoman Turks conquered the country in the mid-16th century. Libya remained part of their empire—although at times virtually autonomous—until Italy invaded in 1911 and, in the face of years of resistance, made Libya a colony.

In 1934, Italy adopted the name "Libya" (used by the Greeks for all of North Africa, except Egypt) as the official name of the colony, which consisted of the Provinces of Cyrenaica, Tripolitania, and Fezzan. King Idris I, Emir of Cyrenaica, led Libyan resistance to Italian occupation between the two World Wars. From 1943 to 1951, Tripolitania and Cyrenaica were under British administration, while the French controlled Fezzan. In 1944, Idris returned from exile in Cairo but declined to resume permanent residence in Cyrenaica until the removal in 1947 of some aspects of foreign control. Under the terms of the 1947 peace treaty with the Allies, Italy relinquished all claims to Libya.

On November 21, 1949, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution stating that Libya should become independent before January 1, 1952. King Idris I represented Libya in the subsequent UN negotiations. When Libya declared its independence on December 24, 1951, it was the first country to achieve independence through the United Nations and one of the first former European possessions in Africa to gain independence. The United States supported the UN resolution and raised the status of its office at Tripoli from a consulate general to a legation. Libya opened a legation in Washington, DC, in 1954. Both countries subsequently raised their missions to embassy level. Libya was proclaimed a constitutional and a hereditary monarchy under King Idris.
[[File:Synagogue in Yefren Libya 2009.jpg|thumb|Synagogue in Yefren.]]

The discovery of significant oil reserves in 1959 and the subsequent income from petroleum sales enabled what had been one of the world's poorest countries to become extremely wealthy, as measured by per capita GDP. Although oil drastically improved Libya's finances, popular resentment grew as wealth was increasingly concentrated in the hands of the elite. This discontent continued to mount with the rise throughout the Arab world of Nasserism and the idea of Arab unity.

===Libya under Gaddafi===
On September 1, 1969, a small group of military officers led by then 28-year-old army officer Mu'ammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi staged a coup d'état against King Idris, who was exiled to Egypt. The new regime, headed by the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC), abolished the monarchy and proclaimed the new Libyan Arab Republic. Gaddafi emerged as leader of the RCC and eventually as de facto chief of state, a political role he still plays. The Libyan government asserts that Gaddafi currently holds no official position, although he is referred to in government statements and the official press as the "Brother Leader and Guide of the Revolution."

The new RCC's motto became "freedom, socialism, and unity." It pledged itself to remedy "backwardness", take an active role in the Palestinian Arab cause, promote Arab unity, and encourage domestic policies based on social justice, non-exploitation, and an equitable distribution of wealth.

Gaddafi founded the World Islamic Call Society, an umbrella organization with a global reach largely funded by Gaddafi to educate people about Islamic thought and culture.<ref>[http://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/resources/organizations/world-islamic-call-society World Islamic Call Society]. berkleycenter.georgetown.edu</ref> The organization has working relationships with [[UNICEF]], [[UNESCO]] and the [[Roman Catholic Church]].<ref>[http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Religion/?id=3.0.2816354411 Vatican: Annual Muslim-Catholic dialogue conference underway]. 2003.</ref>

An early objective of the new government was withdrawal of all foreign military installations from Libya. Following negotiations, British military installations at Tobruk and nearby El Adem were closed in March 1970, and U.S. facilities at Wheelus Air Force Base near Tripoli were closed in June 1970. That July, the Libyan Government ordered the expulsion of several thousand Italian residents. By 1971, libraries and cultural centers operated by foreign governments were ordered closed.

In the 1970s, Libya claimed leadership of Arab and African revolutionary forces and sought active roles in international organizations.

Late in the 1970s, Libyan embassies were redesignated as "people's bureaus," as Gaddafi sought to portray Libyan foreign policy as an expression of the popular will. The people's bureaus, aided by Libyan religious, political, educational, and business institutions overseas, exported Gaddafi's revolutionary philosophy abroad.
[[File:Benghazi University Libya.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Benghazi, where violent protests against the Gaddafi regime were instigated in February 2011.]]
Gaddafi's confrontational foreign policies and use of terrorism, as well as Libya's growing friendship with the U.S.S.R., led to increased tensions with the West in the 1980s. Following a terrorist bombing at a discothèque in West Berlin frequented by American military personnel, in 1986 the U.S. retaliated militarily against targets in Libya, and imposed broad unilateral economic sanctions.

After Libya was implicated in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, UN sanctions were imposed in 1992. UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs) passed in 1992 and 1993 obliged Libya to fulfill requirements related to the Pan Am 103 bombing before sanctions could be lifted. Gaddafi initially refused to comply with these requirements, leading to Libya's political and economic isolation for most of the 1990s. Gaddafi's Islamic Call Society focus shifted to "build foundations of cooperation and dialogue among cultures and religions" and not just Islamic proselytizing.<ref>[http://daawacomplex.com/cms/en/about-libya About Islamic Call Society],</ref>

In 1999, Libya fulfilled one of the UNSCR requirements by surrendering two Libyans suspected in connection with the bombing for trial before a Scottish court in the Netherlands. One of these suspects, Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, was found guilty; the other was acquitted. Al-Megrahi's conviction was upheld on appeal in 2002. In August 2003, Libya fulfilled the remaining UNSCR requirements, including acceptance of responsibility for the actions of its officials and payment of appropriate compensation to the victims' families. UN sanctions were lifted on September 12, 2003. U.S. International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)-based sanctions were lifted September 20, 2004.

Gaddafi's Islamic Call Society gave the Anglican Church of Christ the King in Tripoli a church building on the downtown square to compensate for the one lost at the time of the 1969 Revolution. The government paid for all the renovations and repairs, and provided housing for the [[vicar]].<ref>[http://www.arabwestreport.info/year-2001/week-19/8-libyan-government-supports-anglican-church-tripoli The Libyan government supports the Anglican church in Tripoli,] Munir Hanna Anis Armanius, Religious News Service from the Arab World, May 16, 2001.</ref>

On December 19, 2003, Libya publicly announced its intention to rid itself of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)-class missile programs. Gaddafi cooperated with the U.S., the U.K., the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons toward these objectives. Libya has also signed the IAEA Additional Protocol and has become a State Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention. These were important steps toward full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Libya.

===Libya after Gaddafi===
Since the death of Gaddafi, Libya sinks into chaos. Different militias such as the Libyan offshoot of the [[Islamic State]], but also Gaddafi-supporter are fighting each other and are operating against the government.

Important militias include:
*Libyan government
:*National Security Directorate (police)
:*Libyan National Army (government army)
::*Al-Saiqa (an elite of the Libyan National Army)
:*Al-Zintan Revolutionaries' Military Council (allied to the Libyan government)
*Al-Qaqa Brigade (Islamists)
*Al-Sawaiq Brigade (Islamists)
*Libya Revolutionaries Operations Room (Islamists)
*Ansar al-Sharia Brigade (Islamists; were involved in the [[Benghazi Attack]])<ref>http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/libya-on-the-brink-after-militia-violence-in-tripoli</ref><ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-19744533</ref>

==References==
<references/>

== External links ==
[[File:On children s day in Libya 2011.jpg|thumb|On children's day, 2011.]]
*[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/americas-secret-plan-to-arm-libyas-rebels-2234227.html America's secret plan to arm Libya's rebels.] ''The Independent'', UK.
*[http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2055251,00.html Why Libya's Uprising Is Bad for the World Economy.]
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/21/libyan-schoolchildren-message-visiting-media Libyan schoolchildren on message for visiting media.]
*[http://www.ufo-blogger.com/2011/03/libya-war-us-invading-libya-for-oil.html Libya War - U.S Invading Libya For Oil Says, Louis Farrakhan.]
*[http://rt.com/news/syria-libya-gunmen-mercenaries-643/ From Tripoli to Damascus:Arab wild geese take wing.]
*[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/01/25/clinton-says-hands-tied-on-disciplining-staffers-over-benghazi-calls-for-change/]
*[http://middle-east-info.org/league/libya/libya.htm Libya at Middle East Info]

{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Libya]]
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]

Egypt

2021-01-08T18:00:49Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''جمهورية مصر العربية ''Gumhūriyyat Misr al-Arabiyyah'''
|map =Egypt rel97.jpg
|map2 =Location of Egypt.png
|flag =Flag of Egypt.png
|arms =Arms of Egypt.png
|capital =Cairo
|capital-raw =
|government =Semi-Presidential republic
|government-raw =
|language =Arabic
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Ibrahim Mahlab
|pm-raw =
|area =386,660 sq mi
|pop =102,500,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$366,666,666,667 (2020)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$3,415 (2020)
|currency =Egyptian pound
|idd =
|tld =
}}

'''Egypt''' is a country located in north-east [[Africa]], and is the site of one of the oldest recorded civilizations on earth. Egypt is currently ruled by the military, after [[Muslim Brotherhood]] left office.

==Name==
The name "Egypt" is derived from the [[Greek language|Greek]] word ''Aígyptos'' (Αίγυπτος), which was possibly a corruption from the compound word ''Aegaeon uptiōs'' (''Aίγαίου υπτίως''), meaning "below the Aegean" (Strabo). Ancient Egyptians referred to their land as ''Kemet'' ("black land"), in reference to the black [[silt]] deposited by the annual [[Nile]] [[flood]]s.

"Misr" (مصر)is the modern [[Arabic]] name for Egypt, which is based upon the [[Hebrew]] word "Mizraim" (מִצְרַיִם); the ancient Hebrews referred to Egypt as the "land of Mizraim" after the founder of that country.

==Geography==
[[File:Taba Heights Egypt.jpg|left|180px]]
Egypt has four main regions: the Eastern and Western Deserts, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Nile Valley and Delta, where about 99 percent of population lives. Modest amounts of [[rain]]fall occur along the Mediterranean coast; rainfall throughout the remainder of the country is minimal to nonexistent.

 

==People==
Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab-speaking world and the second-most populous on the African Continent. Nearly all of the country's 79 million people live in [[Cairo]] and [[Alexandria]]; elsewhere on the banks of the Nile; in the Nile delta, which fans out north of Cairo; and along the [[Suez Canal]]. These regions are among the world's most densely populated, containing an average of over 3,820 persons per square mile (1,540 per km2.), as compared to 181 persons per sq. mi. for the country as a whole.
[[Image:Egypt shop owner.jpg|left]]
Small communities spread throughout the [[desert]] regions of Egypt are clustered around oases and historic trade and transportation routes. The government has tried with mixed success to encourage migration to newly [[irrigation|irrigated]] land reclaimed from the desert. However, the proportion of the population living in rural areas has continued to decrease as people move to the cities in search of employment and a higher standard of living.

The Egyptians are a fairly homogeneous people of Hamitic origin. Mediterranean and Arab influences appear in the north, and there is some mixing in the south with the Nubians of northern [[Sudan]]. Ethnic minorities include a small number of [[Bedouin]] Arab nomads in the eastern and western deserts and in the [[Sinai]], as well as some 50,000-100,000 Nubians clustered along the Nile in Upper (southern) Egypt.

The literacy rate is about 58% of the adult population. Education is free through university and compulsory from ages six through 15. Rates for primary and secondary education have strengthened in recent years. Ninety-three percent of [[children]] enter [[primary school]] today, compared with 87% in 1994. Major universities include Cairo University (100,000 students), Alexandria University, and the 1,000-year-old Al-Azhar University, one of the world's major centers of Islamic learning.

Egypt's vast and rich [[literature]] constitutes an important cultural element in the life of the country and in the Arab-speaking world as a whole. Egyptian novelists and poets were among the first to experiment with modern styles of Egyptian literature, and the forms they developed have been widely imitated. Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz was the first Egyptian to win the [[Nobel prize]] for literature. Egyptian books and films are available throughout the Middle East.
*Population (July 2006 est.): 78,887,007.
*Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 1.75%.
*Ethnic groups: Egyptian, Bedouin Arab, Nubian.
*Religions: Muslim 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%.
*Languages: Arabic (official), English, French.
*Education: Years compulsory—ages 6–15. Literacy—total adult: 58%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--31.33 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy (2006 est.): 71 years.

==Government and Political Conditions==
[[File:Mohamed Morsi Egypt.jpg|thumb|left|Radical former President Mohamed Morsi from the Muslim Brotherhood.]]
[[File:Hassan Mohamed Hassan Egypt Breaking Chains.jpg|thumb|Hassan Mohamed Hassan, Egypt Breaking Chains.]]

{{See also|President of Egypt}}

The Egyptian Constitution provides for a strong executive. Authority is vested in an elected president who can appoint one or more vice presidents, a prime minister, and a cabinet. The president's term runs for 6 years. Egypt's legislative body, the People's Assembly, has 454 members—444 popularly elected and 10 appointed by the president. The constitution reserves 50% of the assembly seats for "workers and peasants." The assembly sits for a 5-year term but can be dissolved earlier by the President. There also is a 264-member Shura (consultative) Council, in which 88 members are appointed and 174 elected for 6-year terms. Below the national level, authority is exercised by and through governors and mayors appointed by the central government and by popularly elected local councils.

Opposition party organizations make their views public and represent their followers at various levels in the political system, but power is concentrated in the hands of the President and the National Democratic Party majority in the People's Assembly and those institutions dominate the political system. In addition to the ruling National Democratic Party, there are 18 other legally recognized parties, whereas in 2004 there were only 16 other legally recognized parties.

The November 2000 elections were generally considered to have been more transparent and better executed than past elections, because of universal judicial monitoring of polling stations. On the other hand, opposition parties continue to lodge credible complaints about electoral manipulation by the government. There are significant restrictions on the political process and freedom of expression for non-governmental organizations, including professional syndicates and organizations promoting respect for human rights.

Progress was seen in the September 2005 presidential elections when parties were allowed to field candidates against President Mubarak and his National Democratic Party. In early 2005, President Mubarak proposed amending the constitution to allow, for the first time in Egypt's history, competitive, multi-candidate elections. An amendment was drafted by parliament and approved by public referendum in late May 2005. In September 2005, President Mubarak was reelected, according to official results, with 88% of the vote. His two principal challengers, Ayman Nour and No'man Gom'a, took 7% and 3% of the vote respectively. In 2011 Mubarak was overthrown by the [[Muslim Brotherhood]] and [[Mohamed Morsi]] was elected as president. As a result of protests Mursi was ousted by the military. In 2014 [[Abdel Fattah el-Sisi]] was elected as president of Egypt.<ref>https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/egypt-el-sissi-wins-election-landslide</ref>

Egypt's judicial system is based on European (primarily French) legal concepts and methods. Under the Mubarak government, the courts have demonstrated increasing independence, and the principles of due process and judicial review have gained greater respect. The legal code is derived largely from the Napoleonic Code. Marriage and personal status (family law) are primarily based on the religious law of the individual concerned, which for most Egyptians is Islamic Law (Sharia).

===Principal Government Officials===
*President--[[Abdel Fattah el-Sisi]]
*Vice President--''vacant''
*Prime Minister—Ibrahim Mahlab
*Interior Minister--
*Minister of Foreign Affairs—Nabil Fahmi
*Ambassador to the United States—Ambassador
*Permanent Representative to the United Nations—Ambassador

===Foreign Relations===
Geography, population, history, military strength, and diplomatic expertise give Egypt extensive political influence in the Middle East and within the Non-Aligned Movement as a whole. Cairo has been a crossroads of Arab commerce and culture for millennia, and its intellectual and Islamic institutions are at the center of the region's social and cultural development.
[[File:Avenue of Sphinxes Egypt.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Avenue of Sphinxes.]]
The Arab League headquarters is in Cairo, and the Secretary General of the League is traditionally an Egyptian. Former Egyptian Foreign Minister Amre Moussa is the present Secretary General of the Arab League. Ex-President Mubarak has often chaired the African Union (formerly the Organization of African Unity). Former Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister Boutros Boutros-Ghali served as Secretary General of the United Nations from 1991 to 1996.

Egypt is a key partner in the search for peace in the Middle East and resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Sadat's groundbreaking trip to Israel in 1977, the 1978 Camp David Accords, and the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty represented a fundamental shift in the politics of the region—from a strategy of confrontation to one of peace as a strategic choice. Egypt was subsequently ostracized by other Arab states and ejected from the Arab League from 1979 to 1989. Egypt played an important role in the negotiations leading to the Madrid Peace Conference in 1991, which, under U.S. and Russian sponsorship, brought together all parties in the region to discuss Middle East peace. This support has continued to the present, with Ex-President Mubarak often intervening personally to promote peace negotiations. In 1996, he hosted the Sharm El-Sheikh "Summit of the Peacemakers" attended by President Clinton and other world leaders. In 2000, he hosted two summits at Sharm El-Sheikh and one at Taba in an effort to resume the Camp David negotiations suspended in July 2000, and in June 2003, Mubarak hosted President Bush for another summit on the Middle East peace process. Throughout mid-2004, Egypt worked closely with Israel and the Palestinian Authority to facilitate stability following Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, which occurred in August and September 2005. Prior to this Egypt and Israel reached an agreement that allowed Egypt to deploy additional forces along the Philadelphi Corridor in an attempt to control the border and prevent the smuggling of weapons.

Egypt played a key role during the 1990-91 Gulf crisis. Ex-President Mubarak helped assemble the international coalition and deployed 35,000 Egyptian troops against Iraq to liberate Kuwait. The Egyptian contingent was the third-largest in the coalition forces, after the U.S. and U.K. In the aftermath of the Gulf war, Egypt signed the Damascus declaration with Syria and the Gulf states to strengthen Gulf security. Egypt continues to contribute regularly to UN peacekeeping missions, most recently in East Timor, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. In August 2004, Egypt was actively engaged in seeking a solution to the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan, including the dispatch of military monitors. Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Egypt, which has itself been the target of terrorist attacks, has been a key supporter of the U.S. war against terrorists and terrorist organizations such as Osama bin Ladin and al-Qaeda, and actively supported the Iraqi Governing Council, as well as the subsequent government of Prime Minister Allawi. In July 2005, terrorists attacked the Egyptian city of Sharm El Sheikh. In the same month, Egypt's envoy to Iraq was assassinated.

In the tenure of [[Mohammed Morsi]], the relations to [[Iran]] were improved.<ref>http://frontpagemag.com/2013/joseph-klein/the-emerging-egyptian-iranian-strategic-alliance/</ref> The first time since 1979 a passenger jet left Egypt and flought to Iran.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/03/30/passenger-jet-leaves-egypt-for-iran-in-first-direct-flight-between-countries-in/</ref>

==Defense==
Egypt's armed forces, among the largest in the region, include the army, air defense, air force, and navy. The armed forces inventory includes equipment from the United States, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the former Soviet Union. Equipment from the former Soviet Union is being progressively replaced by more modern American, French, and British equipment, a significant portion of which is built under license in Egypt. To bolster stability and moderation in the region, Egypt has provided military assistance and training to a number of African and Arab states. Egypt remains a strong military and strategic partner of the United States.

==Economy==
[[File:Egypt The Nile in Cairo.jpg|thumb|left|340px|The Nile in Cairo.]]
With the installation of the 2004 Egyptian parliament, the Government of Egypt began a new reform movement, following a stalled economic reform program begun in 1991, but moribund since the mid-1990s. In the past year, the cabinet economic team has simplified and reduced tariffs and taxes, improved the transparency of the national budget, revived stalled privatizations of public enterprises and implemented economic legislation designed to foster private sector-driven economic growth and improve Egypt's competitiveness. Despite these achievements, the economy is still hampered by government intervention, substantial subsidies for food, housing, and energy, and bloated public sector payrolls. Moreover, the public sector still controls most heavy industry.

In sectoral terms, agriculture is mainly in private hands, and has been largely deregulated, with the exception of cotton and sugar production. Construction, non-financial services, and domestic marketing are also largely private. The Egyptian economy, however, relies heavily on tourism, oil and gas exports, and Suez Canal revenues, much of which is controlled by the public sector and is also vulnerable to outside factors. The tourism sector suffered tremendously following a terrorist attack in Luxor in October 1997. The tourism sector feared a repeat of the downturn in tourist numbers when terrorists attacked resorts in the Sinai Peninsula in 2004 and 2005. So far, however, the sector has not suffered as greatly as expected.

The U.S. has a large assistance program in Egypt and provides funding for a variety of programs in addition to some cash transfers. A portion of U.S. assistance to Egypt under the 2003 Iraq war supplemental appropriations was provided in the form of bond guarantees, which were contingent upon Egyptian compliance with a series of economic conditions. Egypt met the conditions and in September 2005 issued $1.25 billion in 10-year bonds that were fully guaranteed by the United States. To support the Middle East peace process through regional economic integration, the United States permits products to be imported from Egypt without tariffs if they have been produced in Qualified Industrial Zones and 11.7% of the inputs of these products originate from Israel.
*GDP (2005 est.): $303 billion.
*Annual growth rate (2005 est.): 4.8%.
*Per capita GDP (2005 est.): $4,282.
*Natural resources: Petroleum and natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc.
*Agriculture: Products—cotton, rice, onions, beans, citrus fruits, wheat, corn, barley, sugar.
*Industry: Types—food processing, textiles, chemicals, petrochemicals, construction, light manufacturing, iron and steel products, aluminum, cement, military equipment.
*Trade (FY 2005): Exports--$14.3 billion: petroleum, clothing and textiles, cotton, fruits and vegetables, manufactured goods. *Major markets—EU, U.S., Middle East, Japan. Imports--$24.1 billion: machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, livestock, food and beverages, paper and wood products, chemicals. Major suppliers—EU, U.S., Japan.

===Agriculture===
Approximately one-third of Egyptian labor is engaged directly in farming, and many others work in the processing or trading of agricultural products. Nearly all of Egypt's agricultural production takes place in some 2.5 million hectares (6 million acres) of fertile soil in the Nile Valley and Delta. Some desert lands are being developed for agriculture, including the ambitious Toshka project in Upper Egypt, but some other fertile lands in the Nile Valley and Delta are being lost to urbanization and erosion.
[[File:Egyptian Countryside.jpg|left|400px]]
Warm weather and plentiful water permit several crops a year. Further improvement is possible, but land is worked intensively and yields are high. Cotton, rice, wheat, corn, sugarcane, sugar beets, onions, and beans are the principal crops. Increasingly, a few modern operations are producing fruits, vegetables and flowers, in addition to cotton, for export. While the desert hosts some large, modern farms, more common traditional farms occupy one acre each, typically in a canal-irrigated area along the banks of the Nile. Many small farmers also have cows, water buffaloes, and chicken, although larger modern farms are becoming more important.

The United States is a major supplier of wheat, corn, and soybean products to Egypt, almost all through commercial sales. Egypt is, in fact, traditionally the U.S.'s largest market for wheat sales. U.S. agricultural sales to Egypt average $1 billion annually. U.S. food assistance programs to Egypt ended in 1992 as Egypt became more prosperous. Egypt continues to receive modest food assistance through the World Food Program and from France.

"Egypt," wrote the Greek historian Herodotus 25 centuries ago, "is the gift of the Nile." The land's seemingly inexhaustible resources of water and soil carried by this mighty river created in the Nile Valley and Delta the world's most extensive [[oasis]]. Without the Nile, Egypt would be little more than a desert wasteland.

The river carves a narrow, cultivated floodplain, never more than 20 kilometers wide, as it travels northward toward Cairo from Lake Nasser on the Sudanese border, behind the Aswan High Dam. Just north of Cairo, the Nile spreads out over what was once a broad estuary that has been filled by riverine deposits to form a fertile delta about 250 kilometers wide (150 mi.) at the seaward base and about 160 kilometers (96 mi.) from south to north.

Before the construction of dams on the Nile, particularly the Aswan High Dam (started in 1952, completed in 1970), the fertility of the Nile Valley was sustained by the water flow and the silt deposited by the annual flood. Sediment is now obstructed by the Aswan High Dam and retained in Lake Nasser. The interruption of yearly, natural fertilization and the increasing salinity of the soil has been a manageable problem resulting from the dam. The benefits remain impressive: more intensive farming on millions of acres of land made possible by improved irrigation, prevention of flood damage, and the generation of billions of low-cost kilowatt hours of electricity.

The Western Desert accounts for about two-thirds of the country's land area. For the most part, it is a massive sandy plateau marked by seven major depressions. One of these, Fayoum, was connected about 3,600 years ago to the Nile by canals. Today, it is an important irrigated agricultural area.

===Natural Resources===
[[Image:Woman bread egypt.jpg|290px|right]]
In addition to the agricultural capacity of the Nile Valley and Delta, Egypt's natural resources include petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, and iron ore. Crude oil is found primarily in the Gulf of Suez and in the Western Desert. Natural gas is found mainly in the Nile Delta, off the Mediterranean seashore, and in the Western Desert. Oil and gas accounts for approximately 12% of GDP. Export of petroleum and related products (including bunker and aviation sales) amounted to $2.7 billion in fiscal year 2003-04.

Crude oil production has been in decline for several years, from a high of more than 920,000 barrels per day (BPD) in 1995 to less than 662,000 BPD as of April 2006. To minimize the growing domestic demand of petroleum products, currently estimated at 25 million metric tons per year, Egypt is encouraging the production of natural gas. Over a 5-year period, production of natural gas increased by approximately 75% to reach about 3.3 billion cubic feet per day (BCFD) by the end of FY 2003/04. Currently, gas accounts for almost 50% of all hydrocarbon usage in Egypt.

Over the last 22 years, more than 230 oil and gas exploration agreements have been signed and multinational oil companies spent more than $27 billion in exploration companions. As of September 2003, crude oil reserves were estimated at 2.8 billion barrels, and proven natural gas reserves were estimated at 62 trillion cubic feet (TCF) with probable additional reserves totaling another 40-60 TCF. Texas-based Apache Oil Company is the largest American investor in Egypt, with a total investment of more than $2.8 billion since 1996.

Egypt's excess of natural gas will more than meet its domestic demand for many years to come. The Ministry of Petroleum has determined that expanding the Egyptian petrochemical industry and increasing exports of natural gas as its most significant strategic objectives. As of September 2005, three liquefied natural gas (LNG) trains had been in operation. The first is in Damietta on the eastern side of the Delta and started exporting in early 2005. It is headed by the Spanish electric utility, Union Fenosa. The second LNG project is located at Idku on the western side of the Delta and started exporting in 2005. The first train started in April 2005, and the second in September. British Gas (BG) Group and the Malaysian state oil company Petronas are the major investors. Another project that will utilize gas for export and domestic consumption is the Mediterranean Gas Complex in Port Said where the Italian company AGIP and BP are the main shareholders. This facility will have a total cost of about $315 million and went on line in late 2004.

Egypt and Jordan established the Eastern Gas Company to export natural gas to Jordan, and then later to Syria and Lebanon. In summer 2003 Egypt began exporting gas to Jordan via a new pipeline from El Arish on Egypt's north Sinai cost to Taba on the Gulf of Aqaba, and then underwater to the Jordanian city of Aqaba. Gas exports to Jordan generated gross revenues of approximately $60 million in 2003/04 and are currently reaching $85–100 million.

===Transport and Communication===
[[File:Cairo Nile River.jpg|thumb|250px|Cairo, Nile River.]]
Transportation facilities in Egypt are centered in Cairo and largely follow the pattern of settlement along the Nile. The main line of the nation's 4,800-kilometer (2,800-mi.) railway network runs from Alexandria to Aswan. The well-maintained road network has expanded rapidly to over 21,000 miles, covering the Nile Valley and Delta, Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts, the Sinai, and the Western oases.

Egypt Air provides reliable domestic air service to major tourist destinations from its Cairo hub, in addition to overseas routes. The Nile River system (about 1,600 km. or 1,000 mi.) and the principal canals (1,600 km.) are important locally for transportation. The Suez Canal is a major waterway of international commerce and navigation, linking the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Major ports are Alexandria, Port Said, and Damietta on the Mediterranean, and Suez and Safraga on the Red Sea.

Egypt has long been the cultural and informational center of the Arab-speaking world, and Cairo is the region's largest publishing and broadcasting center. There are eight daily newspapers with a total circulation of more than 2 million, and a number of monthly newspapers, magazines, and journals. The majority of political parties have their own newspapers, and these papers conduct a lively, often highly partisan, debate on public issues.

Egyptian ground-broadcast television (ETV) is government controlled and depends heavily on commercial revenue. ETV sells its specially produced programs and soap operas to the Arab-speaking world. In addition to Egyptian programming, the Middle East Broadcast Company, a Saudi television station transmitting from London (MBC), Arab Radio and Television (ART), Al-Jazeera television, and other Gulf stations as well as Western networks such as CNN and BBC, provide access to more international programs to Egyptians who own satellite receivers.

ETV has two main channels, six regional channels, and three satellite channels. Of the two main channels, Channel I uses mainly Arabic, while Channel II is dedicated to foreigners and more cultured viewers, broadcasting news in English and French as well as Arabic.

Egyptian Satellite channels broadcast to the Middle East, Europe, and the U.S. East Coast. In April 1998, Egypt launched its own satellite known as NileSat 101. Seven specialized channels cover news, culture, sports, education, entertainment, health, and drama. A second, digital satellite, Nilesat 102, was launched in August 2000. Many of its channels are rented to other stations.

Three new private satellite-based TV stations were launched in November 2001, marking a great change in Egyptian government policy. Dream TV 1 and 2 produce cultural programming, broadcast contemporary video clips and films featuring Egyptian and international actors, as well as soap operas; another private station focuses on business and general news. Both private channels transmit on NileSat.

Radio in Egypt almost all government controlled, using 44 short-wave frequencies, 18 medium-wave stations, and four FM stations. There are seven regional radio stations covering the country. Egyptian Radio transmits 60 hours daily overseas in 33 languages and three hundred hours daily within Egypt. In 2000, Radio Cairo introduced new specialized (thematic) channels on its FM station. So far, they include news, music, and sports. Radio enjoys more freedom than TV in its news programs, talk shows and analysis.

==History==
{{main|Egyptian chronology}}
[[File:Egypt coffin British Museum.jpg|thumb|left|Coffin, British Museum.]]
Egypt has endured as a unified state for more than 5,000 years, and archaeological evidence indicates that a developed Egyptian society has existed for much longer. Egyptians take pride in their "pharaonic heritage" and in their descent from what they consider mankind's earliest civilization. The Arabic word for Egypt is Misr, which originally connoted "civilization" or "metropolis."
[[Image:5457e.jpg|right|thumb|300px|View of the Sphinx with Khafra Pyramid in background ''(Photograph taken by [http://www.ianandwendy.com Ian Sewell])'']]
Archaeological findings show that primitive tribes lived along the Nile long before the dynastic history of the pharaohs began. Based on these time estimates, organized agriculture appeared by 6000 B.C.

In about 3100 B.C., Egypt was united under a ruler known as Mena, or [[Menes]], who inaugurated the 30 pharaonic dynasties into which Egypt's ancient history is divided—the Old and the Middle Kingdoms and the New Empire. The [[pyramid]]s at [[Giza]] (near Cairo), which were built in the fourth dynasty, testify to the power of the pharaonic religion and state. The Great Pyramid, the tomb of Pharaoh [[Khufu]] (also known as Cheops), is the only surviving monument of the [[Seven Wonders of the Ancient World]]. Ancient Egypt reached the peak of its power, wealth, and territorial extent in the period called the New Empire (1567-1085 B.C.).

 
===Persian, Greek, Roman, and Arab Conquerors===
[[Image:Pyraimid.jpg|150px|right]]
In 525 B., [[Cambyses II]], the son of [[Cyrus the Great]], led a [[Persian]] invasion force that dethroned the last pharaoh of the 26th Dynasty. The country remained a Persian province until conquered by [[Alexander the Great]] in 322 BC, ushering in [[Ptolemeic]] rule Egypt that lasted for nearly 300 years. [[Cleopatra]] was the last ruler of that dynasty, but when she committed suicide after losing to Rome when her lover [[Marc Antony]] was defeated by [[Octavian]] in the [[Battle of Actium]], Egypt became a part of the [[Roman Empire]].

Egypt was invaded and conquered by Arab forces under [[Islam]] in 642. A process of Arabization and Islamization ensued. Although a [[Coptic Christian]] minority remained—and remains today, constituting about 10% of the population—the Arab language inexorably supplanted the indigenous Coptic tongue. For the next 1,300 years, a succession of Arab, [[Mameluke]], and Ottoman [[caliph]]s, beys, and [[sultan]]s ruled the country.

Like most of the middle east, the current population in modern Egypt is by [[Arabs]] that have Arabized the [[indigenous]] people, the Nubians and the [[Copts]] are considered to be the real natives to Egypt.

===European Influence===
[[File:Abu Simbel Temple Egypt.jpg|thumb|left|Abu Simbel.]]
The [[Ottoman Turks]] controlled Egypt from 1517 until 1882, except for a brief period of [[French]] rule under [[Napoleon Bonaparte]]. In 1805, [[Mohammed Ali (Egypt)|Mohammed Ali]], commander of an Albanian contingent of Ottoman troops, was appointed [[Pasha]], founding the dynasty that ruled Egypt, at least in name, until his great-great grandson, [[Farouk I]], was overthrown in 1952. Mohammed Ali the Great ruled Egypt until 1848, writing the first chapter in the modern history of Egypt. The growth of modern urban [[Cairo]] began in the reign of [[Ismail]] (1863–79). Eager to Westernize the capital, he ordered the construction of a European-style city to the west of the medieval core. The [[Suez Canal]] was completed in his reign in 1869, and its completion was celebrated by many events, including the commissioning of Verdi's "Aida" for the new opera house and the building of great palaces such as the Omar Khayyam (originally constructed to entertain the French Empress Eugenie, which is now the central section of the Cairo Marriott Hotel).

In 1882, British expeditionary forces crushed a revolt against the Ottoman rulers, marking the beginning of British occupation and the virtual inclusion of Egypt within the [[British Empire]]. In deference to growing nationalism, the U.K. unilaterally declared Egyptian independence in 1922. British influence, however, continued to dominate Egypt's political life and fostered fiscal, administrative, and governmental reforms.

In the pre-1952 revolution period, three political forces competed with one another: the Wafd, a broadly based nationalist political organization strongly opposed to British influence; [[King Fuad]], whom the British had installed during [[World War II]]; and the British themselves, who were determined to maintain control over the Canal. Other political forces emerging in this period included the communist party (1925) and the [[Muslim Brotherhood]] (1928), which eventually became a potent political and religious force.

During [[World War II]], British troops used Egypt as a base for Allied operations throughout the region. British troops were withdrawn to the [[Suez Canal]] area in 1947, but nationalist, anti-British feelings continued to grow after the war. On July 22–23, 1952, a group of disaffected army officers (the "free officers") led by Lt. Col. [[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] overthrew King Farouk, whom the military blamed for Egypt's poor performance in the 1948 war with [[Israel]]. Following a brief experiment with civilian rule, they abrogated the 1923 constitution and declared Egypt a republic on June 19, 1953. Nasser evolved into a charismatic leader, not only of Egypt, but the [[Arab world]], promoting and implementing "Arab socialism." He nationalized Egypt's economy.

Nasser helped establish the [[Non-Aligned Movement]] of developing countries in September 1961, and continued to be a leading force in the movement until his death in 1970. When the United States held up military sales in reaction to Egyptian neutrality vis-à-vis [[Soviet Union|Moscow]], Nasser concluded an arms deal with [[Czechoslovakia]] in September 1955.

When the U.S. and the [[World Bank]] withdrew their offer to help finance the [[Aswan High Dam]] in mid-1956, Nasser nationalized the privately owned Suez Canal Company. The crisis that followed, exacerbated by growing tensions with Israel over [[guerrilla]] attacks from Gaza and Israeli reprisals, resulted in the invasion of Egypt that October by [[France]], [[Britain]], and Israel. Israel occupied the [[Sinai Peninsula]] while the canal was in the hands of the France and Britain, but all withdrew under U.S. pressure.
[[File:Louvres antiquites egyptiennes.jpg|thumb|Louvre, antiquities Egyptians.]]
Nasser's domestic policies were arbitrary and frequently oppressive, yet generally popular. All opposition was stamped out, and opponents of the regime frequently were imprisoned without trial. Nasser's foreign and military policies helped provoke the [[Six-Day War|Israeli attack of June 1967]] that virtually destroyed Egypt's armed forces along with those of [[Jordan]] and [[Syria]]. Israel wrested and occupied the Sinai Peninsula and the [[Gaza Strip]] from Egypt. Personally, Nasser never recovered from that loss. Nasser, nonetheless, was revered by the masses in Egypt and in the Arab world until his death in 1970.

After Nasser's death, another of the original "free officers," Vice President [[Anwar el-Sadat]], was elected President. In 1971, Sadat concluded a treaty of friendship with the Soviet Union, but a year later, ordered Soviet advisers to leave. In October 1973, he launched the [[Yom Kippur War]] with Israel, in which Egypt's armed forces achieved unexpected initial successes but were defeated in Israeli counterattacks.

===Camp David and the Peace Process===
In a momentous change from the Nasser era, President Sadat shifted Egypt from a policy of confrontation with Israel to one of peaceful accommodation through negotiations. Following the Sinai Disengagement Agreements of 1974 and 1975, Sadat created a fresh opening for progress by his dramatic visit to [[Jerusalem]] in November 1977, the first Egyptian head of state to do so. This led to President [[Jimmy Carter]]'s invitation to President Sadat and [[Prime Minister Begin]] to join him in trilateral negotiations at [[Camp David]].

The outcome was the historic [[Camp David Accords|Camp David accords]], signed by Egypt and Israel and witnessed by the U.S. on September 17, 1978. The accords led to the March 26, 1979, signing of the Egypt-Israel peace treaty, by which Egypt regained control of the Sinai in May 1982 and guaranteed continuous U.S. economic aid. Throughout this period, U.S.-Egyptian relations steadily improved, but Sadat's willingness to break ranks by making peace with Israel earned him the enmity of most Arab states. This enmity turned into open war between Egypt and Libya, which lasted for several months.

===Domestic Change===
[[Image:MuslimWomanEgypt.jpg|thumb|Muslim Woman]]
Sadat introduced greater political freedom and a new economic policy, the most important aspect of which was the infitah or "open door." This relaxed government controls over the economy and encouraged private, including foreign, investment. Sadat dismantled much of the existing political machine and brought to trial a number of former government officials accused of criminal excesses during the Nasser era.

Liberalization also included the reinstitution of due process and the legal banning of torture. Sadat tried to expand participation in the political process in the mid-1970s but later abandoned this effort. In the last years of his life, Egypt was racked by violence arising from discontent with Sadat's rule and sectarian tensions from radical Islam, and it experienced a renewed measure of repression.

===From Sadat to Mubarak===
On October 6, 1981, Islamic extremists assassinated President Sadat. [[Hosni Mubarak]], Vice President since 1975 and air force commander during the October 1973 war, was elected President later that month. He was subsequently confirmed by popular referendum for four more 6-year terms, most recently in September 2005. Mubarak has maintained Egypt's commitment to the Camp David peace process, while at the same time re-establishing Egypt's position as a leader in the Arab-speaking world. Egypt was readmitted to the [[Arab League]] in 1989. Egypt also has played a moderating role in such international fora as the [[UN]] and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Since 1991, Mubarak has overseen a domestic economic reform program to reduce the size of the public sector and expand the role of the private sector. There has been less progress in political reform. The November 2000 People's Assembly elections saw 34 members of the opposition win seats in the 454-seat assembly, facing a clear majority of 388 ultimately affiliated with the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP). Opposition parties continue to face various difficulties in mounting credible electoral challenges to the NDP. The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, remains an illegal organization and is not recognized as a political party (current Egyptian law prohibits the formation of political parties based on religion). Members are known publicly and openly speak their views, although they do not explicitly identify themselves as members of the organization. Members of the Brotherhood have been elected to the People's Assembly and local councils as independents, and most recently scored a major victory in 2005 parliamentary elections, winning 20% of the seats, thus forming the largest opposition group.

===2011 Freedom Protests===

[[File:Dalia Ziada.jpg|thumb|left|Activist Dalia Ziada.]]
In January 2011, spurred by increasing [[food]] and [[oil]] prices as well as rampant [[corruption]] of the [[Muslim]] autocrats,<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/08/egypt-revolution-muslim-brotherhood-democracy Egyptian revolution], the Guardian.</ref> many of Egyptians gathered at Tahrir square in [[Alexandria]] in an uprising. [[Conservatives]], irked by the inactions of the [[liberal]] [[president]] and secretary of state, have taken this as proof that the [[democrats]] implicitly support the Mubarak [[dictatorship]].<ref>[http://spectator.org/blog/2011/01/25/as-egypt-erupts-will-obama-rem Obama silent as Egypt erupts], American Spectator.</ref> [[American]] leadership to [[democracy]], the most promising of which includes personal intervention by Alaska Governor [[Sarah Palin]].<ref>[http://christwire.org/2011/01/as-egypt-descends-in-chaos-should-sarah-palin-support-a-us-led-invasion/ As Egypt descends in chaos, Palin should support a US led invasion] Christwire</ref>

On 11 February, Mubarak resigned from office. Vice President Omar Suleiman said: "Mubarak has mandated the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to run the state. God is our protector and succor." The Council of Armed Forces dissolved Egypt's parliament and suspended the Constitution. Egyptians people associate Omar Suleiman with a new puppet of the US government.<ref>[https://www.presstv.com/detail/162945.html Mubarak setting thugs loose on people.]</ref>
[[File:Egyptian Museum Cairo Egypt.jpg|thumb|Egyptian Museum, Cairo.]]
The Egyptian Museum is situated at Tahrir square in Cairo where many of Egyptians gathered during protests; Egyptian soldiers fought off an army of looters and arrested more than 50 thieves who were trying to steal the nation's treasures. The Museum, which is home to the gold mask of King Tutankhamen and other priceless artifacts, suffered mainly at the museum shop and two mummies were damaged.<ref>[http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-01-31/news/27738516_1_looters-antiquities-priceless-artifacts Protesters defended Cairo's Egyptian Museum from looters; archeological warehouses raided.]</ref><ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/egypt/8291526/Egypt-crisis-Looters-destroy-mummies-in-Cairo-museum.html Egypt crisis: Looters destroy mummies in Cairo museum.]</ref>
{{Clear}}

=== Islamist dictatorship ===
After Mubarak has gone the [[Muslim Brotherhood]] was elected. The president was the Islamist [[Mohammed Morsi]]. The people protested against his dictatorship and on July 3, 2013 the military took power in Egypt and set Morsi down. Since then [[Adly Mansour]] is the president.

==See also==
*[[Bishoi]]

==Further reading==
* Thompson, Jason. ''A History of Egypt: From Earliest Times to the Present'' (2009) 432 pages

== External links ==
[[File:Meidum pyramid.jpg|thumb|Meidum pyramid.]]
*[http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/menu.html Ancient Egypt] The Trustees of the British Museum.
*[http://www.sis.gov.eg/En/Default.htm Egypt] Egypt State Information Service.
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.de/2013/03/then-from-egypt-to-israel-now-from.html Then, from Egypt to Israel: Now, from Russia and the U.S.]

==References and Footnotes==

<references/>

{{Copyright Details (US Government)}}
Source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5309.htm]

[[Category:Egypt]]
{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]
[[Category:Egypt]]
[[Category:African History]]
[[Category:British Empire]]

Algeria

2021-01-08T18:00:23Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =ا''لجمهورية الجزائرية الديمقراطية الشعبية'' ''Al-Jumhūrīyah al-Jazā’irīyah ad-Dīmuqrāīyah ash-Sha’bīyah''
|map =Algeria rel01.jpg
|map2 =Algeria location.png
|flag =Flag of Algeria.png
|arms =Arms of Algeria.png
|capital =Algiers
|capital-raw =
|government =Semi-presidential republic
|government-raw =
|language =Arabic
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Abdelkader Bensalah (interim)
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Nour-Eddine Bedoui
|pm-raw =
|area =919,595 sq mi
|pop =44,000,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$170,000,000,000 (2020)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$3,864 (2020)
|currency =Algerian dinar
|idd =
|tld =
}}
The '''People's Democratic Republic of Algeria''' is [[Muslim]] nation in North [[Africa]], and the second-largest nation on the continent.

==Geography==
Algeria, the second-largest state in Africa, has a Mediterranean coastline of about 998 kilometers (620 mi.). The Tellian and Saharan Atlas mountain ranges cross the country from east to west, dividing it into three zones. Between the northern zone, Tellian Atlas, and the Mediterranean is a narrow, fertile coastal plain—the Tell (Arabic for hill)--with a moderate climate year round and rainfall adequate for agriculture. A high plateau region, averaging 914 meters (3,000 ft.) above sea level, with limited rainfall, great rocky plains, and desert, lies between the two mountain ranges. It is generally barren except for scattered clumps of trees and intermittent bush and pastureland. The third and largest zone, south of the Saharan Atlas mountain range, is mostly desert. About 80% of the country is desert, steppes, wasteland, and mountains. Algeria's weather varies considerably from season to season and from one geographical location to another. In the north, the summers are usually hot with little rainfall. Winter rains begin in the north in October. Frost and snow are rare, except on the highest slopes of the Tellian Atlas Mountains. Dust and sandstorms occur most frequently between February and May.

Soil erosion—from overgrazing, other poor farming practices, and desertification—and the dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents are leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal waters. The Mediterranean Sea, in particular, is becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff. There are inadequate supplies of potable water.

==People==
Ninety-one percent of the Algerian population lives along the Mediterranean coast on 12% of the country's total land mass. Forty-five percent of the population is urban, and urbanization continues, despite government efforts to discourage migration to the cities. About 1.5 million nomads and semi-settled Bedouin still live in the Saharan area.

Nearly all Algerians are Muslim, of Arab, Berber, or mixed Arab-Berber stock. Official data on the number of non-Muslim residents is not available; however, practitioners report it to be less than 5,000. Most of the non-Muslim community is comprised of Methodist, Roman Catholic and Evangelical faiths; the Jewish community is virtually non-existent. There are about 1,100 American citizens in the country, the majority of whom live and work in the oil/gas fields in the south.

Algeria's educational system has grown dramatically since the country gained its independence. In the last 12 years, attendance has doubled to more than 5 million students. Education is free and compulsory to age 16. Despite government allocation of substantial educational resources, population pressures and a serious shortage of teachers have severely strained the system. Modest numbers of Algerian students study abroad, primarily in Europe and Canada. In 2000, the government launched a major review of the country's educational system and in 2004 efforts to reform the educational system began.

Housing and medicine continue to be pressing problems in Algeria. Failing infrastructure and the continued influx of people from rural to urban areas have overtaxed both systems. According to the United Nations Development Program, Algeria has one of the world's highest per housing unit occupancy rates, and government officials have publicly stated that the country has an immediate shortfall of 1.5 million housing units.

Like most of the middle east, the current population in modern Algeria is by [[Arabs]] that have Arabized the [[indigenous]] people, the [[Berbers]] are considered to be the real natives to north [[Africa]].

==Government==
Under the 1976 Constitution (as modified 1979, and amended in 1988, 1989, and 1996) Algeria is a multi-party state. The Ministry of the Interior must approve all political parties. According to the Constitution, no political association may be formed "based on differences in religion, language, race gender or region." Algeria has universal suffrage at the age of 18.

The head of state is the president of the republic. The president, elected to a five-year term, and constitutionally limited to two terms, is the head of the Council of Ministers and of the High Security Council. He appoints the prime minister as well as one-third of the upper house (the Council of the Nation). The prime minister presides over the Council of Ministers and serves as head of the government.

The Algerian Parliament is bicameral, consisting of a lower chamber, the National People's Assembly (APN), with 380 members and an upper chamber, the Council of the Nation, with 144 members. The APN is elected every five years. Legislative elections were held in May 2007. Two-thirds of the Council of the Nation is elected by regional and municipal authorities; the rest are appointed by the president. The Council of the Nation serves a six-year term with one-half of the seats up for election or reappointment every three years. Either the president or one of the parliamentary chambers may initiate legislation. Legislation must be brought before both chambers before it becomes law. Sessions of the APN are televised.

Algeria is divided into 48 wilayates (states or provinces) headed by walis (governors) who report to the Minister of Interior. Each wilaya is further divided into communes. The wilayates and communes are each governed by an elected assembly.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Abdelkader Bensalah (interim since April 9, 2019)
*Prime Minister—Nour-Eddine Bedoui
*President of the Council of the Nation—Salah Goudjil
*Deputy President of the Council of the Nation—Djamel Ould Abbes
*President of the People's National Assembly—Slimane Chenine

===Political Conditions===
Terrorist violence in Algeria resulted in more than 100,000 deaths during the 1990s. Although the security situation in the country has improved, addressing the underlying issues that brought about the political turmoil of the 1990s remains the government's major task. President Bouteflika implemented the Charter on Peace and National Reconciliation on March 1, 2006, as one way to bring closure. Thus far, it has successfully gained the surrender of a number of moderate Islamists, but paradoxically, has emboldened the more hard-core elements, in particular the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), which changed its name in January 2007 to Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

In keeping with its amended Constitution, the Algerian Government espouses participatory democracy and free-market competition. The government has stated that it will continue to open the political process and encourage the creation of political institutions. Presidential elections took place in April 2004 and returned President Bouteflika to office with 84.99% of the vote. The next presidential elections are scheduled for 2009.

Algeria has more than 45 daily newspapers published in French and Arabic, with a total circulation of more than 1.5 million copies. There are 20 domestically printed weekly publications with total circulation of 622,000 and 11 monthly publications with total circulation of 600,000. In 2001, the government amended the Penal Code provisions relating to defamation and slander, a step widely viewed as an effort to rein in the press. While the Algerian press is relatively free to write as they choose, use of the defamation laws significantly increased the level of press harassment following President Bouteflika's April 2004 re-election victory, and as a result, the press began to self-censor. In July 2006, President Bouteflika pardoned all journalists convicted of defaming or insulting state institutions. The pardon effectively dismissed the charges against 67 people. Critics point out that according to the criminal code, insulting the president is punishable by prison sentence. Nevertheless, the pardon was widely seen as a significant step toward democracy. The government holds a monopoly over broadcast media; Algerian newspapers are widely seen to be the freest in the region.

Population growth and associated problems—unemployment and underemployment, inability of social services to keep pace with rapid urban migration, inadequate industrial management and productivity, a decaying infrastructure—continue to affect Algerian society. Increases in the production and prices of oil and gas over the past decade have led to exchange reserves reaching $80 billion. The government began an economic reform program in 1994, focusing on macroeconomic stability and structural reform. These reforms aimed at liberalizing the economy, making Algeria competitive in the global market, and meeting the needs of the Algerian people. In 2004, the government announced a $55 billion spending program to improve national infrastructure and social services; subsequent announcements have increased the proposed program to $120 billion.

===Foreign Relations===
Algeria has traditionally practiced an activist foreign policy and in the 1960s and 1970s was noted for its support of Third World policies and independence movements. Algerian diplomacy was instrumental in obtaining the release of U.S. hostages from Iran in 1980. Since his first election in 1999, President Bouteflika worked to restore Algeria's international reputation, traveling extensively throughout the world. In July 2001, he became the first Algerian President to visit the White House in 16 years. He has made official visits to France, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Germany, China, Japan, Portugal, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Latin American countries, among others, since his inauguration.

Algeria has taken the lead in working on issues related to the African continent. Host of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Conference in 2000, Algeria also was key in bringing Ethiopia and Eritrea to the peace table in 2000. In 2001, the 37th summit of the OAU formally adopted the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) to address the challenges facing the continent. Algeria has taken a lead in reviving the Union of the Arab Maghreb with its neighbors.

Since 1976, Algeria has supported the Polisario Front, which claims to represent the population of Western Sahara. Contending that the Sahrawis have a right to self-determination under the UN Charter, Algeria has provided the Polisario with support and sanctuary in refugee camps in the southwestern Algerian province of Tindouf. UN involvement in the Western Sahara includes MINURSO, a peacekeeping force, UNHCR, which handles refugee assistance and resettlement, and the World Food Program (WFP). Active diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary General are ongoing.

Algeria's support of self-determination for the Polisario is in opposition to Morocco's claim of sovereignty. The dispute remains a major obstacle to bilateral and regional cooperation. Although the land border between Morocco and Algeria was closed in the wake of a terrorist attack in 1994, the two have worked at improving relations, and in July 2004, Morocco lifted visa requirements for Algerians. Algeria reciprocated with the lifting of visa requirements for Moroccans on April 2, 2005. Algeria has friendly relations with its other neighbors in the Mahgreb, Tunisia and Libya, and with its sub-Saharan neighbors, Mali and Niger. It closely monitors developments in the Middle East and has been a strong proponent of the rights of the Palestinian people, as well as a supporter of Iraq's democratic transition.

Algeria has diplomatic relations with more than 100 foreign countries, and over 90 countries maintain diplomatic representation in Algiers. Algeria held a nonpermanent, rotating seat on the UN Security Council from January 2004 to December 2005. Algeria hosted 13 Arab leaders at the Arab League Summit, March 22–23, 2005.

==Defense==
Algeria's armed forces, known collectively as the Popular National Army (ANP), total 138,000 active members, with some 100,000 reservists. The president serves as Minister of National Defense. Military forces are supplemented by a 60,000-member national gendarmerie, a rural police force, under the control of the president and a 30,000-member Sureté Nationale or Metropolitan Police force under the Ministry of the Interior. Eighteen months of national military service is compulsory for men.

Algeria is a leading military power in the region and has demonstrated remarkable success in its struggle against terrorism. The Algerian military, having fought a decade-long insurgency, has increased expenditures in an effort to modernize and return to a more traditional defense role.

Due to historical difficulties in acquiring U.S. military equipment, Algeria's primary military supplier has traditionally been Russia, and to a lesser extent China; Algeria recently made large purchases of advanced weaponry from the former. Algeria has, however, in recent years, begun to diversify its supplies of military equipment to include U.S.-made airborne surveillance aircraft and ground radars.

==Economy==
The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the Algerian economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, nearly 30% of GDP, and over 97% of export earnings. Algeria has the ninth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world (2.7% of proven world total) and is the fourth-largest gas exporter; it ranks 14th for oil reserves (2006). Its key oil and gas customers are Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. U.S. companies have played a major role in developing Algeria's oil and gas sector; of the $5.3 billion (on a historical-cost basis, according to statistics gathered by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis) of U.S. investment in Algeria, the vast bulk is in the petroleum sector.

Faced with declining oil revenues and high-debt interest payments at the beginning of the 1990s, Algeria implemented a stringent macroeconomic stabilization program and rescheduled its $7.9 billion Paris Club debt in the mid-1990s. The macroeconomic program has been particularly successful at narrowing the budget deficit and at reducing inflation from of near-30% averages in the mid 1990s to almost single digits in 2000. Inflation was at 3.6% in 2004. Algeria's economy has grown by more than 5% in each of the past five years, posting 5.6% growth in 2006. The country's foreign debt fell from a high of $28 billion in 1999 to $5 billion in 2006; in that year Algeria paid off the last of its Paris Club debt. The spike in oil prices in 1999-2000 and 2004, the government's tight fiscal policy and conservative budgeting of oil prices from 2000 to present, a large increase in the trade surplus, and the near tripling of foreign exchange reserves have helped the country's finances.

The government pledges to continue its efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector. The Algerian Government has had little success at reducing high unemployment, officially estimated at 13% in 2006, though international estimates put the figure higher, and at improving living standards.

Priority areas are banking and judicial reform, improving the investment environment, partial or complete privatization of state enterprises, and reducing government bureaucracy. The government has privatized certain sectors of the economy and embraced joint venture investment opportunities with traditionally state owned and operated entities. In 2001, Algeria concluded an Association Agreement with the European Union, which was ratified in 2005 by both Algeria and the EU and took effect in September of that same year. The government is working toward accession to the World Trade Organization.

==History==
Since the 5th century B.C., the native peoples of northern Africa (first identified by the Greeks as "Berbers") were pushed back from the coast by successive waves of Phoenician, Roman, Vandal, Byzantine, Arab, Turkish, and, finally, French invaders. The greatest cultural impact came from the Arab invasions of the 8th and 11th centuries A.D., which brought Islam and the Arabic language. The effects of the most recent (French) occupation—French language and European-inspired socialism—are still pervasive.

North African boundaries have shifted during various stages of the conquests. Algeria's modern borders were created by the French, whose colonization began in 1830. To benefit French colonists, most of whom were farmers and businessmen, northern Algeria was eventually organized into overseas departments of France, with representatives in the French National Assembly. France controlled the entire country, but the traditional Muslim population in the rural areas remained separated from the modern economic infrastructure of the European community.
[[File:Ben Bella.jpg|thumb|Ahmed Ben Bella in ca. 1964.]]
Algerians began [[Algerian War of Independence|their uprising]] on November 1, 1954, to gain rights denied them under French rule. The revolution, launched by a small group of nationalists who called themselves the National Liberation Front (FLN), was a guerrilla war in which both sides targeted civilians and otherwise used brutal tactics. Eventually, protracted negotiations led to a cease-fire signed by France and the FLN on March 18, 1962, at Evian, France. The Evian Accords also provided for continuing economic, financial, technical, and cultural relations, along with interim administrative arrangements until a referendum on self-determination could be held. Over 1 million French citizens living in Algeria at the time, called the pieds-noirs (black feet), left Algeria for France.

The referendum was held in Algeria on July 1, 1962, and France declared Algeria independent on July 3. In September 1962 Ahmed Ben Bella was formally elected president. On September 8, 1963, a Constitution was adopted by referendum. On June 19, 1965, President Ben Bella was replaced in a non-violent coup by the Council of the Revolution headed by Minister of Defense Col. Houari Boumediene. Ben Bella was first imprisoned and then exiled. Boumediene, as President of the Council of the Revolution, led the country as Head of State until he was formally elected on December 10, 1976. Boumediene is credited with building "modern Algeria." He died on December 27, 1978.

Following nomination by an FLN Party Congress, Col. Chadli Bendjedid was elected president in 1979 and re-elected in 1984 and 1988. A new constitution was adopted in 1989 that allowed the formation of political parties other than the FLN. It also removed the armed forces, which had run the government since the days of Boumediene, from a designated role in the operation of the government. Among the scores of parties that sprang up under the new constitution, the militant Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) was the most successful, winning more than 50% of all votes cast in municipal elections in June 1990 as well as in the first stage of national legislative elections held in December 1991.

Faced with the real possibility of a sweeping FIS victory, the National People's Assembly was dissolved by presidential decree on January 4, 1992. On January 11, under pressure from the military leadership, President Chadli Bendjedid resigned. On January 14, a five-member High Council of State was appointed by the High Council of Security to act as a collegiate presidency and immediately canceled the second round of elections. This action, coupled with political uncertainty and economic turmoil, led to a violent reaction by Islamists. On January 16, Mohamed Boudiaf, a hero of the Liberation War, returned after 28 years of exile to serve as Algeria's fourth president. Facing sporadic outbreaks of violence and terrorism, the security forces took control of the FIS offices in early February, and the High Council of State declared a state of emergency. In March, following a court decision, the FIS Party was formally dissolved, and a series of arrests and trials of FIS members occurred resulting in more than 50,000 members being jailed. Algeria became caught in a cycle of violence, which became increasingly random and indiscriminate. On June 29, 1992, President Boudiaf was assassinated in Annaba in front of TV cameras by Army Lt. Lembarek Boumarafi, who allegedly confessed to carrying out the killing on behalf of the Islamists.

Despite efforts to restore the political process, violence and terrorism dominated the Algerian landscape during the 1990s. In 1994, Liamine Zeroual, former Minister of Defense, was appointed Head of State by the High Council of State for a three-year term. During this period, the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) launched terrorist campaigns against government figures and institutions to protest the banning of the Islamist parties. A breakaway GIA group—the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC)--also undertook terrorist activity in the country. Government officials estimate that more than 100,000 Algerians died during this period.

Zeroual called for presidential elections in 1995, though some parties objected to holding elections that excluded the FIS. Zeroual was elected president with 75% of the vote. By 1997, in an attempt to bring political stability to the nation, the National Democratic Rally (RND) party was formed by a progressive group of FLN members. In September 1998, President Liamine Zeroual announced that he would step down in February 1999, 21 months before the end of his term, and that presidential elections would be held.

Algerians went to the polls in April 1999, following a campaign in which seven candidates qualified for election. On the eve of the election, all candidates except Abdelaziz Bouteflika pulled out amid charges of widespread [[electoral fraud]]. Bouteflika, the candidate who appeared to enjoy the backing of the military, as well as the FLN and the RND party regulars, won with an official vote count of 70% of all votes cast. He was inaugurated on April 27, 1999 for a 5-year term.

President Bouteflika's agenda focused initially on restoring security and stability to the country. Following his inauguration, he proposed an official amnesty for those who fought against the government during the 1990s with the exception of those who had engaged in "blood crimes," such as rape or murder. This "Civil Concord" policy was widely approved in a nationwide referendum in September 2000. Government officials estimate that 80% of those fighting the regime during the 1990s have accepted the civil concord offer and have attempted to reintegrate into Algerian society. Bouteflika also launched national commissions to study education and judicial reform, as well as restructuring of the state bureaucracy.

In 2001, Berber activists in the Kabylie region of the country, reacting to the death of a youth in gendarme custody, unleashed a resistance campaign against what they saw as government repression. Strikes and demonstrations in the Kabylie region were commonplace as a result, and some spread to the capital. Chief among Berber demands was recognition of Tamazight (a general term for Berber languages) as an official language, official recognition and financial compensation for the deaths of Kabyles killed in demonstrations, an economic development plan for the area and greater control over their own regional affairs. In October 2001, the Tamazight language was recognized as a national language, but the issue remains contentious as Tamazight has not been elevated to an official language.

Algeria's most recent presidential election took place on April 8, 2004. For the first time since independence, the presidential race was democratically contested through to the end. Besides incumbent President Bouteflika, five other candidates, including one woman, competed in the election. Opposition candidates complained of some discrepancies in the voting list; irregularities on polling day, particularly in Kabylie; and of unfair media coverage during the campaign as Bouteflika, by virtue of his office, appeared on state-owned television daily. Bouteflika was re-elected in the first round of the election with 84.99% of the vote. Just over 58% of those Algerians eligible to vote participated in the election.

In the years since Bouteflika was first elected, the security situation in Algeria has improved markedly. Terrorism, however, has not been totally eliminated, and terrorist incidents still occur, particularly in the provinces of Boumerdes, Tizi-Ouzou, and in the remote southern areas of the country. In April 2007, a series of bombings in Algiers targeted a government facility and police stations, killing 33 people. In addition, on July 11 a suicide bomber targeted military barracks in the Kabylie region, killing eight soldiers. The alleged mastermind behind the 2007 attacks was killed later in July during a raid led by Algerian security forces.

In September 2005, Algeria passed a referendum in favor of President Bouteflika's Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation, paving the way for implementing legislation that will pardon certain individuals convicted of armed terrorist violence. The new Charter builds upon the Civil Concord, and the Rahma (clemency) Law shields from prosecution anyone who laid down arms in response to those previous amnesty offers. The Charter specifically excludes from amnesty those involved in mass murders, rapes, or the use of explosives in public places. The Charter was implemented in March 2006, and the window for combatants to receive amnesty expired in September 2006. Approximately 2,500 Islamists were released under the Charter, many of whom are now suspected of having returned to militant groups in Algeria.

{{License|license = This work is in the [[public domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.| source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/8005.htm]}}

{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Algeria]]
[[Category:African History]]
[[Category:French History]]
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]

Sao Tome and Principe

2021-01-08T17:59:30Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe''
|map =
|flag =
|arms =
|capital =Sao Tome
|capital-raw =
|government =Republic
|government-raw =
|language =Portuguese
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Manuel Pinto da Costa
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Patrice Emery Trovoada
|pm-raw =
|area =386 sq mi
|pop =220,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$191 million
|gdp-year =2009
|gdp-pc =$1,174
|currency =Dobra
|idd =
|tld =
}}

==Geography==
The islands of Sao Tome and Principe are situated in the equatorial [[Atlantic]] about 200 miles and 150 miles (320 and 240 kilometers), respectively, off the northwest coast of [[Gabon]]. Both are part of an extinct volcanic mountain range that extends to the north where it also includes the island of [[Bioko]] off [[Equatorial Guinea]] and [[Mount Cameroon]] on the [[Cameroon]] coast. The island of [[Sao Tome]] is 31 miles (50 km) long and 20 miles (32 km) wide and is the more mountainous of the two islands. Its highest peak reaches 6,640 feet (2,024 m). Principe is about 19 miles (30 kilometers) long and 4 miles (6 km) wide. Swift streams run down the mountains through lush forest and cropland to the sea on both islands.

At sea level, the [[climate]] is tropical—hot and humid with average yearly temperatures around 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) and little daily variation. At the interior's higher altitudes, the average yearly temperature falls to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius), and nights are generally cooler. Annual rainfall varies from 200 inches (500 centimeters) on the southwestern slopes to 40 inches (100 centimeters) in the northern lowlands. The rainy season runs from October to May.

==People==
Roughly 160,000 people live on [[Sao Tome]] and about 6,000 on [[Principe]]. All are descended from various ethnic groups that have migrated to the islands since 1485. Six groups are identifiable:
*[[Mestico]], or mixed-blood, descendants of African slaves brought to the islands during the early years of settlement from [[Benin]], [[Gabon]], and [[Congo]] and Europeans (these people also are known as filhos da terra or "sons of the land");
*[[Angolares]], reputedly descendants of Angolan slaves who survived a 1540 shipwreck and now earn their livelihood fishing;
*[[Forros]], descendants of freed slaves when slavery was abolished;
*[[Servicais]], contract laborers from [[Angola]], [[Mozambique]], and [[Cape Verde]], living temporarily on the islands;
*[[Tongas]], children of servicais with forros born on the islands; and
*[[Europeans]], primarily [[Portuguese]].

A common Luso-African culture dominates the islands, uniting the groups. Almost everyone belongs to [[Roman Catholic]], [[Evangelical Protestant]], or [[Seventh-day Adventist]] Churches, which in turn retain close ties with churches in [[Portugal]].
*Population (2010 est.): 167,000.
*Annual population growth rate (2010 est.): 2.4%.
*Ethnic groups: [[Mestico]], [[Angolares]], [[Forros]], [[Servicais]]/[[Tongas]], [[European]].
*Religions: [[Christian]] ([[Roman Catholic]], [[Evangelical Protestant]], [[Seventh-day Adventist]]) 90%.
*Language: [[Portuguese]] (official).
*Education: Literacy (2009)--87.9%. Years compulsory—to secondary level.
*Health: Life expectancy (2009)--66 yrs. Infant mortality rate (2009 est.)--37.12/1,000.
*Work force (by household, 2000 UN Development Program est.): [[Agriculture]]—15.3%; [[industry]], [[commerce]], [[services]]—36.5%; [[government]]—11.5%.

==Government==
Following the promulgation of a new constitution in 1990, Sao Tome and Principe held multiparty elections for the first time since independence. Shortly after the constitution took effect, the National Assembly formally legalized opposition parties. Independent candidates also were permitted to participate. The 55-member National Assembly is the supreme organ of the state and the highest legislative body. Its members are elected for a 4-year term and meet semiannually.

The president of the republic is elected to a 5-year term through direct universal suffrage and a secret ballot and may hold office up to two consecutive terms. Candidates are chosen at their party's national conference or individuals may run independently. A presidential candidate must obtain an outright majority of the popular vote in either a first or second round of voting in order to be elected president. The party that wins a majority in the legislature names the prime minister, who must be approved by the president. The prime minister, in turn, names the members of the cabinet.

The Supreme Court administers justice at the highest level. The judiciary is independent under the current constitution.

Administratively, the country is divided into six municipal districts, five on [[Sao Tome]] and one comprising [[Principe]]. Governing councils in each district maintain a limited number of autonomous decision-making powers and are reelected every 3 years.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President--[[Manuel Pinto da Costa]]
*Prime Minister--[[Patrice Emery Trovoada]]
*Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation--[[Manuel Salvador dos Ramos]]
*Minister of Defense and Public Security--[[Carlos Olimpio Stock]]
*Ambassador to the United States--[[Ovidio Manuel Barbosa Pequeno]]
*Representative at the United Nations--[[Ovidio Manuel Barbosa Pequeno]]

===Political Conditions===
Sao Tome and Principe has made great strides toward developing its democratic institutions and further guaranteeing the civil and human rights of its citizens. Sao Tomeans have freely changed their government through peaceful and transparent elections on several occasions. While there have been disagreements and political conflicts within the branches of government and the National Assembly, the debates have been carried out and resolved in an open, democratic, and legal manner, in accordance with the provisions of Sao Tomean law. A number of political parties actively participate in government and openly express their views. Overall, the government's respect for human rights is strong. Freedom of the press is respected, and there are several independent newspapers in addition to the government bulletin. Further, the government does not engage in repressive measures against its citizens, and respect for individuals' rights to due process and protection from government abuses is widely honored. Freedom of expression is accepted, and the government has taken no repressive measures to silence critics.

===Foreign Relations===
The Organization for African Unity recognized the MLSTP in 1972, yet until independence in 1975, Sao Tome and Principe had few ties abroad except those that passed through Portugal. Following independence, the new government sought to expand its diplomatic relationships. A common language, tradition, and colonial experience have led to close collaboration between Sao Tome and other ex-Portuguese colonies in [[Africa]], particularly [[Angola]]. Sao Tomean relations with other African countries in the region, such as Gabon and the Republic of the Congo, are good also. In December 2000, Sao Tome signed the [[African Union]] treaty, which the National Assembly later ratified.

The Sao Tomean Government has generally maintained a foreign policy based on nonalignment and cooperation with any country willing to assist in its economic development. In recent years, it also has increasingly emphasized ties to the United States and Western Europe.

Sao Tome maintains formal relations with [[Taiwan]].

==Economy==
Since the 1800s, plantation agriculture has dominated the economy of Sao Tome and Principe. At the time of independence, Portuguese-owned plantations occupied 90% of the cultivated area. After independence, control of these plantations passed to various state-owned agricultural enterprises, which have since been privatized. The dominant crop on Sao Tome is cocoa, representing about 95% of exports. Other export crops include copra (a coconut product), palm kernels, and coffee.

With export crops the focus of agricultural production, domestic food-crops are inadequate to meet local consumption, resulting in the need for food imports. Foreign donors are financing projects to expand food production, which now includes bananas, beans, cinnamon, and pepper. Cultivated land amounts to 484 sq. kilometers of the country’s roughly 1,000 sq. kilometers, even though agriculture accounted for only 14% of GDP in 2009.

Other than agriculture, the main economic activities center on fishing and a small industrial sector engaged in light construction, processing local agricultural products, and producing a few basic consumer goods such as clothing, soap, beer, and palm oil. The scenic islands have potential for tourism, and the government is attempting to improve its rudimentary tourist industry infrastructure. The government sector accounts for about 11% of employment.

Following independence, the country had a centrally directed economy with most means of production owned and controlled by the state. The original constitution guaranteed a 'mixed economy' with privately owned cooperatives combined with publicly owned property and means of production. However, in the 1980s and 1990s, the economy of Sao Tome encountered major difficulties. Efforts to redistribute plantation land resulted in decreased cocoa production while at the same time the international price of cocoa slumped. Economic growth stagnated, and cocoa exports dropped in both value and volume creating large balance-of-payments deficits.

In response to the economic downturn, the government undertook a series of far-reaching economic reforms. In 1987, the government implemented an International Monetary Fund (IMF) structural adjustment program and invited greater private participation in management of the state corporations (parastatals), as well as in the agricultural, commercial, banking, and tourism sectors. The focus of economic reform since the early 1990s has been widespread privatization, especially of the state-run agricultural and industrial sectors.

The Sao Tomean Government has traditionally relied on foreign assistance from various donors, including the UN Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank, the European Union (EU), Portugal, Taiwan, and the African Development Bank (AFDB). Sao Tome qualified for debt relief when it reached decision point under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) in December 2000, but it went off track on its poverty reduction program in early 2001. After 4 years and satisfactory performance on an interim staff-monitored program, the IMF approved a 3-year $4.3 million Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) program for Sao Tome in September 2005. The ambitious program aimed to reduce inflation to a single-digit number, address the country's macroeconomic imbalances, and substantially reduce poverty. Another 3-year PRGF arrangement was approved in March 2009.

In 2001, Sao Tome and Nigeria reached agreement on joint exploration for petroleum in waters claimed by the two countries. After a lengthy series of negotiations, in April 2003 the joint development zone (JDZ) was opened for bids by international oil firms. The JDZ was divided into 9 blocks; the winning bids for block one, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and the Norwegian firm Equity Energy, were announced in April 2004, with Sao Tome to take in 40% of the $123 million bid, and Nigeria the other 60%. Blocks 2 through 6 were allocated in June 2005. Nigeria and Sao Tome signed production sharing contracts with the winning bidders in November 2005. Chevron became the first firm to start exploratory drilling in January 2006.

Portugal remains one of Sao Tome's major trading partners, particularly as a source of imports. Food, manufactured articles, machinery, and transportation equipment are imported primarily from the EU via Portugal.
*GDP (2009): $191 million.
*Annual real GDP growth rate (2009): 4%.
*Per capita GDP (2009): $1,174.
*Inflation (2009): 17%.
*Natural resources: Agricultural products, [[fish]], [[petroleum]] (not yet exploited).
*Services (71% of GDP, 2009): Primarily [[tourism]].
*Agriculture (14% of GDP, 2009): Products--[[cocoa]], [[coconuts]], [[copra]], [[palm]] kernels, [[cinnamon]], [[pepper]], [[coffee]], [[bananas]], [[beans]], [[vanilla]], [[poultry]]. Cultivated land—484 sq. kilometers.
*Industry (15% of GDP, 2009): Types—light construction, [[shirts]], [[soap]], [[beer]], fisheries, [[shrimp]] processing, [[palm oil]].
*Trade: Exports (2009)--$14 million (f.o.b.): 95% [[cocoa]], [[copra]], [[palm]] kernels, [[coffee]]. Major markets--[[Portugal]], [[Netherlands]], [[Spain]], [[Germany]], [[China]]. Imports (2009)--$93 million (c.i.f.): food, fuel, machinery and electrical equipment. Major suppliers--[[Portugal]] (43%), [[France]] (16%), [[U.K.]] (14%).
*Total external debt (2009): None.
*Fiscal year: Calendar year.

==History==
Portuguese navigators first discovered the uninhabited islands between 1469 and 1472. The first successful settlement on Sao Tome was established in 1493 by Alvaro Caminha, who had received the land as a grant from the Portuguese crown. Seven years later in 1500, Principe was settled under a similar arrangement. These grants ended when the Portuguese crown fully took over Sao Tome in 1522 and Principe in 1573. By mid-century, less than 100 years after discovering it, the Portuguese had turned the islands into Africa's foremost exporter of sugar with the help of slave labor from the African coast. However, sugar cultivation declined over the next 100 years, and by the mid-1600s, Sao Tome was little more than a port of call to refuel ships.

This situation lasted for roughly 150 years until in the early 1800s when two new cash crops, coffee and cocoa, were introduced. The rich volcanic soils proved well suited to the new cash crop industry. By 1908, Sao Tome had become the world's largest producer of cocoa. Extensive plantations (rocas), owned by Portuguese companies or absentee landlords, cultivated most of the good farmland.

The rocas system, which gave the plantation managers a high degree of authority, led to abuses against the African farm workers. Although Portugal officially abolished slavery in 1876, the practice of forced paid labor continued. In the early 1900s, an internationally publicized controversy arose over charges that Angolan contract workers were being subjected to forced labor and unsatisfactory working conditions. Sporadic labor unrest and dissatisfaction continued until they culminated in an outbreak of riots in 1953 in which several hundred African laborers were killed in a clash with the Portuguese. This "Batepa Massacre" remains a major event in the colonial history of the islands, and the government officially observes its anniversary on February 3. Although the Portuguese crushed the riots, an independence movement emerged in the aftermath.

By the late 1950s, a small group of Sao Tomeans formed the Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe (MLSTP). Unable to remain on the islands, they eventually established a base in nearby Gabon. Although the independence movement grew stronger in the 1960s, events accelerated rapidly after the overthrow of the Salazar and Caetano dictatorship in Portugal in April 1974. The new Portuguese regime was committed to the dissolution of its overseas colonies and in November 1974, their representatives met with the MLSTP in Algiers. There, the two sides worked out an agreement for the transfer of sovereignty. The movement toward independence precipitated an exodus of most of the 4,000 Portuguese residents in the 1970s. After a period of transitional government, Sao Tome and Principe achieved independence on July 12, 1975, and chose as its first President the MLSTP Secretary General, Manuel Pinto da Costa. He established a one-party state and served as President until 1990.

In 1990, Sao Tome became one of the first African states to embrace democratic reform. Changes to the constitution, including the legalization of opposition political parties, led to nonviolent, free, and transparent elections in 1991. Miguel Trovoada, the country’s first Prime Minister who had been in exile since 1986, returned as an independent candidate and was elected President. The Party of Democratic Convergence (PCD) beat the MLSTP to take a majority of seats in the National Assembly, with the MLSTP becoming an important and vocal minority party. Municipal elections followed in late 1992 in which the MLSTP came back to win a majority of seats on five of seven regional councils. The MLSTP followed this victory by winning a plurality of seats in the Assembly in early legislative elections held in October 1994. It regained an outright majority of seats in the November 1998 elections. Meanwhile, Trovoada formed his own party, the Independent Democratic Action Party (ADI), and was re-elected President in the second multiparty presidential election in 1996.

The next presidential elections were held in July 2001. The candidate backed by the ADI, Fradique de Menezes, was elected in the first round. Parliamentary elections held in March 2002 led to a coalition government after no party gained a majority of seats. An attempted coup d'état in July 2003 by a few members of the military and the Christian Democratic Front (mostly representative of former Sao Tomean volunteers from the apartheid-era Republic of South African Army) was reversed by international mediation without bloodshed. In September 2004, President Menezes dismissed the Prime Minister and appointed a new cabinet, a move which was accepted by the majority party. In June 2005, following public discontent with oil exploration licenses granted in the Joint Development Zone (JDZ) with Nigeria, the MLSTP, the majority party, and its coalition partners threatened to resign from government and force early parliamentary elections. After several days of negotiations, the President and the MLSTP agreed to form a new government and thus avoid early elections.

The March 2006 legislative elections were held without problems. President Menezes' party, the Movement for the Democratic Force of Change (MDFM), in coalition with PCD, won 23 seats and took an unexpected lead ahead of the MLSTP. The MLSTP came in second with 20 seats, the ADI came in third with 11 seats, and the movement “Novo Rumo” gained one seat.

Sao Tome and Principe held its fourth democratic, multiparty presidential elections on July 30, 2006. Local and international observers described the elections as being free and fair. Incumbent President Menezes won the election with approximately 60% of the vote. Voter turnout was relatively high with 63% of the 91,000 registered voters casting ballots.

In November 2007 Prime Minister Tome Vera Cruz threatened to resign, and several ministers in his government were replaced following significant public criticism of souring economic conditions and the government's handling of recurring mutinies by dissident police officers. The changes took place peacefully and without incident. During another government shakeup in February 2008, President Menezes appointed Patrice Trovoada as Prime Minister.

On May 20, 2008 the government collapsed after losing a parliamentary vote of confidence. The opposition Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party (MLSTP-PSD), with the support of PCD, asserted that Prime Minister Trovoada had failed to deliver on reforms that he promised when he entered office. Joaquim Rafael Branco became Prime Minister in June 2008.

On December 19, 2009 President Menezes was elected to lead the MDFM party. His election was challenged both within the party and by constitutional experts as unconstitutional. Constitutionalists argued that according to the country’s semi-presidential constitution, the president could not exercise any other public or private function, including the post of party leader. The two coalition partners of the MDFM, MLSTP-PSD and PCD, criticized the election and announced an appeal to the constitutional court.

In response to the MLSTP appeal, Menezes withdrew the three MDFM ministers from the coalition (Menezes directly controlled those particular ministers). However, two of the ministers, Justino Veiga and Cristina Dias, declared that they would continue in the government. This was impeded by Menezes, who vetoed Prime Minister Branco’s (MLSTP) intention to keep the two ministers in a reshuffled cabinet. Unexpectedly, 2 days later, Menezes resigned the MDFM leadership, but denied that his decision had been influenced by any outside pressures.

Legislative elections were held on August 1, 2010, and were deemed free and fair by international observers. Patrice Trovoada's ADI party won 26 of the 55 National Assembly seats, just two seats shy of a majority. The MLSTP-PSD party won 21 seats, the PCD 7, and President Menezes' MDFM party only one seat. A new government was formed on August 14, with Trovoada again appointed Prime Minister. On July 17, 2011 the country's fifth democratic and multiparty presidential elections were held, with a runoff on August 7, 2011. Former president Manuel Pinto da Costa was elected in a narrow victory over the Speaker of Parliament, Evaristo Carvalho. Incumbent President Menezes, having served two terms, was constitutionally precluded from seeking a third term. President da Costa took office in September 2011.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Copyright Details (US Government)}}

Source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5434.htm]

{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]
[[Category:African History]]

Gabon

2021-01-08T17:59:13Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''République Gabonaise''
|map =Gabon rel 2002.jpg
|flag =Flag of Gabon.png
|arms =Arms of Gabon.png
|capital =Libreville
|capital-raw =
|government =Republic
|government-raw =
|language =French
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Ali Bongo Ondimba
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Daniel Ona Ondo
|pm-raw =
|area =103,347 sq mi
|pop =2,225,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$9.621 billion
|gdp-year =2005
|gdp-pc =$7,055
|currency =CFA franc
|idd =
|tld =
}}
The '''Gabonese Republic''' is a west [[Africa]]n country on the [[equator]], bordering [[Cameroon]], [[Equatorial Guinea]], and the [[Republic of the Congo]], with a coastline on the [[Atlantic Ocean]].

==People==
Almost all Gabonese are of Bantu origin. Gabon has at least 40 ethnic groups, with separate languages and cultures. The largest is the Fang (about 30%). Other ethnic groups include the Myene, Bandjabi, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke/Obamba, Nzebi, and Bakota. Ethnic group boundaries are less sharply drawn in Gabon than elsewhere in Africa. French, the official language, is a unifying force. More than 12,000 French people live in Gabon, including an estimated 2,000 dual nationals, and France dominates foreign cultural and commercial influences. Historical and environmental factors caused Gabon's population to decline between 1900 and 1940. It is one of the least densely inhabited countries in Africa, and a labor shortage is a major obstacle to development and a draw for foreign workers. The population is generally accepted to be just over 1 million but remains in dispute.
*Population (July 2007 est.): 1,454,867.
*Annual growth rate (2007 est.): 2.036%.
*Ethnic groups: Fang (largest), Myene, Bapounou, Eshira, Bandjabi, Bakota, Nzebi, Bateke/Obamba.
*Religions: Christian (55%-75%), Muslim, animist.
*Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi.
*Education: Years compulsory—to age 16. Attendance—60%. Literacy—63%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate—54/1,000. Life expectancy—54 yrs.
*Work force (500,000 est.): Agriculture—52%; industry and commerce—16%; services and government—33%.

==Government and Political Conditions==
Under the 1961 constitution (revised in 1975, rewritten in 1991, and revised in 2003), Gabon is a republic with a presidential form of government. The National Assembly has 120 deputies elected for a 5-year term. The president is elected by universal suffrage for a 7-year term. The president can appoint and dismiss the prime minister, the cabinet, and judges of the independent Supreme Court. The president also has other strong powers, such as authority to dissolve the National Assembly, declare a state of siege, delay legislation, and conduct referenda. A 2003 constitutional amendment removed presidential term limits and facilitated a presidency for life.

In 1990 the government made major changes to Gabon's political system. A transitional constitution was drafted in May 1990 as an outgrowth of the national political conference in March–April and later revised by a constitutional committee. Among its provisions were a Western-style bill of rights; creation of a National Council of Democracy to oversee the guarantee of those rights; a governmental advisory board on economic and social issues; and an independent judiciary. After approval by the National Assembly, the PDG Central Committee, and the President, the Assembly unanimously adopted the constitution in March 1991. Multiparty legislative elections were held in 1990-91, despite the fact that opposition parties had not been declared formally legal.

The elections produced the first representative, multiparty National Assembly. In January 1991, the Assembly passed by unanimous vote a law governing the legalization of opposition parties. After President Bongo was re-elected in a disputed election in 1993 with 51% of votes cast, social and political disturbances led to the 1994 Paris Conference and Accords, which provided a framework for the next elections. Local and legislative elections were delayed until 1996-97. In 1997, constitutional amendments were adopted to create an appointed Senate and the position of vice president, and to extend the president's term to 7 years.

Facing a divided opposition, President Bongo was re-elected in December 1998. Although the main opposition parties claimed the elections had been manipulated, there was none of the civil disturbance that followed the 1993 election. Peaceful though flawed legislative elections in 2001-02 produced a National Assembly dominated by the President's party and its allies. National Assembly elections were held again in 2006.

In November 2005, President Bongo was elected for his sixth term. He won re-election easily, but opponents claim that the balloting process was marred by irregularities. There were some instances of violence following the announcement of Bongo's win, but Gabon generally remained peaceful.

For administrative purposes, Gabon is divided into 9 provinces, which are further divided into 36 prefectures and 8 separate subprefectures. The president appoints the provincial governors, the prefects, and the subprefects.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President of the Republic, Founder of the Gabonese Democratic Party—El Hadj Omar Bongo
*Vice President—Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge
*Prime Minister, Head of Government—Daniel Ona Ondo
*Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation—Jean Ping
*Ambassador to the United States—Jules Marius Ogouebandja
*Ambassador to the United Nations—Denis Dangue-Rewaka

===Foreign Relations===
Gabon has followed a nonaligned policy, advocating dialogue in international affairs and recognizing both parts of divided countries. Since 1973, the number of countries establishing diplomatic relations with Gabon has doubled. In inter-African affairs, Gabon espouses development by evolution rather than revolution and favors regulated free enterprise as the system most likely to promote rapid economic growth. Concerned about stability in Central Africa and the potential for intervention, Gabon has been directly involved with mediation efforts in Chad, the Central African Republic, Angola, Congo/Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Burundi. In December 1999, through the mediation efforts of President Bongo, a peace accord was signed in Congo/Brazzaville between the government and most leaders of an armed rebellion. President Bongo has remained involved in the continuing Congolese peace process, and has also played a role in mediating the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire. Gabon has been a strong proponent of regional stability, and Gabonese armed forces played an important role in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) mission to the Central African Republic.

Gabon is a member of the UN and some of its specialized and related agencies, as well as of the World Bank; the African Union (AU); the Central African Customs Union/Central African Economic and Monetary Community (UDEAC/CEMAC); EU/ACP association under the Lome Convention; the Communaute Financiere Africaine (CFA); the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC); and the Nonaligned Movement. Gabon withdrew from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 1995.

==Defense==
Gabon has a small, professional military of about 10,000 personnel, divided into army, navy, air force, gendarmerie, and national police. Gabonese forces are oriented to the defense of the country and have not been trained for an offensive role. A well-trained, well-equipped 1,500-member guard provides security for the president.

==Economy==
Gabon's economy is dominated by oil. Oil revenues comprise 65% of the Government of Gabon budget, 43% of gross domestic product (GDP), and 81% of exports. Oil production is now declining rapidly from its high point of 370,000 barrels per day in 1997. In spite of the decreasing oil revenues, little planning has been done for an after-oil scenario. Gabon public expenditures from the years of significant oil revenues were not spent efficiently. Overspending on the Transgabonais railroad, the oil price shock of 1986, the CFA franc devaluation of 1994, and low oil prices in the late 1990s caused serious debt problems. Gabon has earned a poor reputation with the Paris Club and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the management of its debt and revenues. Successive IMF missions have criticized the government for overspending on off-budget items (in good years and bad), over-borrowing from the Central Bank, and slipping on the schedule for privatization and administrative reform. In September 2005, Gabon successfully concluded a 15-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF. Gabon seeks a multi-year successor arrangement.

Gabon's oil revenues have given it a strong per capita GDP of $7,200, extremely high for the region. On the other hand, a skewed income distribution and poor social indicators are evident. The richest 20% of the population receives over 90% of the income, and about a third of Gabonese live in poverty. The economy is highly dependent on extraction of abundant primary materials. After oil, logging and manganese mining are the other major sectors. Foreign and Gabonese observers have consistently lamented the lack of transformation of primary materials in the Gabonese economy. Various factors have so far stymied more diversification—small market of 1 million people, dependence on French imports, inability to capitalize on regional markets, lack of entrepreneurial zeal among the Gabonese, and the fairly regular stream of oil "rent". The small processing and service sectors are largely dominated by just a few prominent local investors. At World Bank and IMF insistence, the government embarked on a program of privatization of its state-owned companies and administrative reform, including reducing public sector employment and salary growth, but progress has been slow.
*GDP (2006 est.): $7.052 billion.
*Annual real growth rate (2006 est.): 2.8%.
*Per capita income (2006 est.): $7,200.
*Avg. inflation rate (2006 est.): 2.2%.
*Natural resources: Petroleum (43% of GDP), timber, manganese, uranium.
*Agriculture and forestry (5.9% of GDP): Products—cocoa, coffee, rubber, sugar, and pineapples. Cultivated land—1%.
*Industry (59.7% of GDP): Types—petroleum related, wood processing, food and beverage processing.
Services (25% of GDP).
*Trade (2006): Exports--$6.677 billion (f.o.b.): petroleum, wood, manganese. Major markets—U.S. 53%, China 8.5%, France 7.4%, EU, Asia. Imports--$1.607 billion (f.o.b.): construction equipment, machinery, food, automobiles, manufactured goods. Major suppliers—France 43%, U.S. 6.3%, U.K. 5.8%, Netherlands 4%. Current account balance (2006 est.)--$1.807 billion.

==History==
During the last seven centuries, Bantu ethnic groups arrived in the area from several directions to escape enemies or find new land. Little is known of tribal life before European contact, but tribal art suggests rich cultural heritages. Gabon's first European visitors were Portuguese traders who arrived in the 15th century and named the country after the Portuguese word "gabao," a coat with sleeve and hood resembling the shape of the Komo River estuary. The coast became a center of the slave trade. Dutch, British, and French traders came in the 16th century. France assumed the status of protector by signing treaties with Gabonese coastal chiefs in 1839 and 1841. American missionaries from New England established a mission at Baraka (now Libreville) in 1842. In 1849, the French captured a slave ship and released the passengers at the mouth of the Komo River. The slaves named their settlement Libreville--"free town." An American, Paul du Chaillu, was among the first foreigners to explore the interior of the country in the 1850s. French explorers penetrated Gabon's dense jungles between 1862 and 1887. The most famous, Savorgnan de Brazza, used Gabonese bearers and guides in his search for the headwaters of the Congo River. France occupied Gabon in 1885 but did not administer it until 1903. In 1910, Gabon became one of the four territories of French Equatorial Africa, a federation that survived until 1959. The territories became independent in 1960 as the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), and Gabon.

At the time of Gabon's independence in 1960, two principal political parties existed: the Bloc Democratique Gabonais (BDG), led by Leon M'Ba, and the Union Democratique et Sociale Gabonaise (UDSG), led by J.H. Aubame. In the first post-independence election, held under a parliamentary system, neither party was able to win a majority. The BDG obtained support from three of the four independent legislative deputies, and M'Ba was named Prime Minister. Soon after concluding that Gabon had an insufficient number of people for a two-party system, the two party leaders agreed on a single list of candidates. In the February 1961 election, held under the new presidential system, M'Ba became President and Aubame became Foreign Minister.

This one-party system appeared to work until February 1963, when the larger BDG element forced the UDSG members to choose between a merger of the parties or resignation. The UDSG cabinet ministers resigned, and M'Ba called an election for February 1964 and a reduced number of National Assembly deputies (from 67 to 47). The UDSG failed to muster a list of candidates able to meet the requirements of the electoral decrees. When the BDG appeared likely to win the election by default, the Gabonese military toppled M'Ba in a bloodless coup on February 18, 1964. French troops re-established his government the next day. Elections were held in April 1964 with many opposition participants. BDG-supported candidates won 31 seats and the opposition 16. Late in 1966, the constitution was revised to provide for automatic succession of the vice president should the president die in office. In March 1967, Leon M'Ba and Omar Bongo (then Albert Bongo) were elected President and Vice President. M'Ba died later that year, and Omar Bongo became President.

In March 1968, Bongo declared Gabon a one-party state by dissolving the BDG and establishing a new party—the Parti Democratique Gabonais (PDG). He invited all Gabonese, regardless of previous political affiliation, to participate. Bongo was elected President in February 1975; in April 1975, the office of vice president was abolished and replaced by the office of prime minister, who had no right to automatic succession. Bongo was re-elected President in December 1979 and November 1986 to 7-year terms. Using the PDG as a tool to submerge the regional and tribal rivalries that divided Gabonese politics in the past, Bongo sought to forge a single national movement in support of the government's development policies.

Economic discontent and a desire for political liberalization provoked violent demonstrations and strikes by students and workers in early 1990. In response to grievances by workers, Bongo negotiated with them on a sector-by-sector basis, making significant wage concessions. In addition, he promised to open up the PDG and to organize a national political conference in March–April 1990 to discuss Gabon's future political system. The PDG and 74 political organizations attended the conference. Participants essentially divided into two loose coalitions, the ruling PDG and its allies, and the United Front of Opposition Associations and Parties, consisting of the breakaway Morena Fundamental and the Gabonese Progress Party.

The April 1990 conference approved sweeping political reforms, including creation of a national Senate, decentralization of the budgetary process, freedom of assembly and press, and cancellation of the exit visa requirement. In an attempt to guide the political system's transformation to multiparty democracy, Bongo resigned as PDG chairman and created a transitional government headed by a new Prime Minister, Casimir Oye-Mba. The Gabonese Social Democratic Grouping (RSDG), as the resulting government was called, was smaller than the previous government and included representatives from several opposition parties in its cabinet. The RSDG drafted a provisional constitution in May 1990 that provided a basic bill of rights and an independent judiciary but retained strong executive powers for the president. After further review by a constitutional committee and the National Assembly, this document came into force in March 1991. Under the 1991 constitution, in the event of the president's death, the prime minister, the National Assembly president, and the defense minister were to share power until a new election could be held.

Opposition to the PDG continued, however, and in September 1990, two coup d'état attempts were uncovered and aborted. Despite anti-government demonstrations after the untimely death of an opposition leader, the first multiparty National Assembly elections in almost 30 years took place in September–October 1990, with the PDG garnering a large majority.

Following President Bongo's re-election in December 1993 with 51% of the vote, opposition candidates refused to validate the election results. Serious civil disturbances led to an agreement between the government and opposition factions to work toward a political settlement. These talks led to the Paris Accords in November 1994, under which several opposition figures were included in a government of national unity. This arrangement soon broke down, however, and the 1996 and 1997 legislative and municipal elections provided the background for renewed partisan politics. The PDG won a landslide victory in the legislative election, but several major cities, including Libreville, elected opposition mayors during the 1997 local election.

President Bongo coasted to easy re-elections in December 1998 and November 2005, with large majorities of the vote against a divided opposition. While Bongo's major opponents rejected the outcome as fraudulent, some international observers characterized the results as representative despite any perceived irregularities. Legislative elections held in 2001-02, which were boycotted by a number of smaller opposition parties and were widely criticized for their administrative weaknesses, produced a National Assembly almost completely dominated by the PDG and allied independents. National Assembly elections were held again in December 2006.

{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''
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!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:
|style=" background-color: none;"| This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code
|-
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2826.htm]}}}.
|}

{{African Countries}}

[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Equatorial Guinea

2021-01-08T17:58:50Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''República de Guinea Ecuatorial République de Guinée équatoriale''
|map =Equatorialguinea rel 92.JPG
|flag =Flag of Equatorial Guinea.png
|arms =Arms of Equatorial Guinea.png
|capital =Malabo
|capital-raw =
|government =Republic
|government-raw =
|language =Spanish, French
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Vicente Ehate Tomi
|pm-raw =
|area =10,828 sq mi
|pop =1,400,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$23,796 billion
|gdp-year =2005
|gdp-pc =$50,200
|currency =CFA franc
|idd =
|tld =
}}
The '''Republic of Equatorial Guinea''' is a country located on the west [[Africa]]n coast. It is comprised of a large mainland portion bordering [[Gabon]] and [[Cameroon]], and an island in the [[Atlantic Ocean]] called Isla de Boiko, on which is the capital of Malabo.

==Geography==
The Republic of Equatorial Guinea is located in west central Africa. Bioko Island lies about 40 kilometers (25 mi.) from Cameroon. Annobon Island lies about 595 kilometers (370 mi.) southwest of Bioko Island. The larger continental region of Rio Muni lies between Cameroon and Gabon on the mainland; it includes the islands of Corisco, Elobey Grande, Elobey Chico, and adjacent islets.

Bioko Island, called Fernando Po until the 1970s, is the largest island in the Gulf of Guinea—2,017 square kilometers (780 sq. mi.). It is shaped like a boot, with two large volcanic formations separated by a valley that bisects the island at its narrowest point. The 195-kilometer (120-mi.) coastline is steep and rugged in the south but lower and more accessible in the north, with excellent harbors at Malabo and Luba, and several scenic beaches between those towns.

On the continent, Rio Muni covers 26,003 square kilometers (10,040 sq. mi.). The coastal plain gives way to a succession of valleys separated by low hills and spurs of the Crystal Mountains. The Rio Benito (Mbini), which divides Rio Muni in half, is unnavigable except for a 20-kilometer stretch at its estuary. Temperatures and humidity in Rio Muni are generally lower than on Bioko Island.

Annobon Island, named for its discovery on New Year's Day 1472, is a small volcanic island covering 18 square kilometers (7 sq. mi.). The coastline is abrupt except in the north; the principal volcanic cone contains a small lake. Most of the estimated 1,900 inhabitants are fisherman specializing in traditional, small-scale tuna fishing and whaling. The climate is tropical—heavy rainfall, high humidity, and frequent seasonal changes with violent windstorms.

==People==
The majority of the Equatoguinean people are of Bantu origin. The largest tribe, the Fang, is indigenous to the mainland, but substantial migration to Bioko Island has resulted in Fang dominance over the earlier Bantu inhabitants. The Fang constitute 80% of the population and are themselves divided into 67 clans. Those in the northern part of Rio Muni speak Fang-Ntumu, while those in the south speak Fang-Okah; the two dialects are mutually unintelligible. The Bubi, who constitute 15% of the population, are indigenous to Bioko Island. In addition, there are coastal tribes, sometimes referred to as "Playeros," consisting of Ndowes, Bujebas, Balengues, and Bengas on the mainland and small islands, and "Fernandinos," a Creole community, on Bioko. Together, these groups comprise 5% of the population. There are also foreigners from neighboring Cameroon, Nigeria, and Gabon.

Spanish and French are both official languages, though use of Spanish predominates. The Roman Catholic Church has greatly influenced both religion and education.

Equatoguineans tend to have both a Spanish first name and an African first and last name. When written, the Spanish and African first names are followed by the father's first name (which becomes the principal surname) and the mother's first name. Thus people may have up to four names, with a different surname for each generation.
*Population (July 2007 est.): 551,201.
*Annual growth rate (2007 est.): 2.015%; (1975-2002): 2.8%.
*Ethnic groups: The Fang ethnic group of the mainland constitutes the great majority of the population and dominates political life and business. The Bubi group comprises about 50,000 people living mainly in Bioko Island. The Annobonese on the island of Annobon are estimated at about 3,000 in number. The other three ethnic groups are found on the coast of Rio Muni and include the Ndowe and Kombe (about 3,000 each) and the Bujebas (about 2,000). The pygmy populations have long been integrated into the dominant Bantu-speaking cultures. Europeans are less than 1,000, mostly Spanish.
*Languages: Official—Spanish, French; other—pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo.
*Religion: Nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic; pagan practices.
*Education: Primary school compulsory for ages 6–14. Attendance (2002 est.)--85%. Adult literacy (2003 est.)--85.7%.
*Health (2007 est.): Life expectancy—49.51 years. Infant mortality rate—87.15/1,000.

==Government==
[[File:Teodoro Obiang Nguema.jpg|thumb|Teodoro Obiang Nguema.]]
The 1982 constitution gives the President extensive powers, including naming and dismissing members of the cabinet, making laws by decree, dissolving the Chamber of Representatives, negotiating and ratifying treaties and calling legislative elections. The President retains his role as commander in chief of the armed forces maintains close supervision of military activity. In June 2004, the President reorganized the cabinet and created two new positions: Minister of National Security and Director of National Forces. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and operates under powers designated by the President. The Prime Minister coordinates government activities in areas other than foreign affairs, national defense, and security.

The Chamber of Representatives is comprised of 100 members elected by direct suffrage for 5-year terms. In practice, the Chamber is not independent and rarely acts without presidential approval or direction. A new National Assembly was directly elected in April 2004. There are 100 members in this body, of which 14 are from the loyal opposition and 2 from opposition parties (the CPDS: Convergencia Para la Democracia Social). The next legislative election is scheduled for 2008.

The President appoints the governors of the seven provinces. Each province is divided administratively into districts and municipalities. The internal administrative system falls under the Ministry of Territorial Administration; several other ministries are represented at the provincial and district levels.

The judicial system follows similar administrative levels. At the top are the President and his judicial advisors (the Supreme Court). In descending rank are the appeals courts, chief judges for the divisions, and local magistrates. Tribal laws and customs are honored in the formal court system when not in conflict with national law. The current court system, which often uses customary law, is a combination of traditional, civil, and military justice, and it operates in an ad hoc manner for lack of established procedures and experienced judicial personnel.

The other official branch of the government is the State Council. The State Council's main function is to serve as caretaker in case of death or physical incapacity of the President. It comprises the following ex officio members: the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, the President of the National Assembly and the Chairman of the Social and Economic Council.

Although the abuses and atrocities that characterized the Macias years have been eliminated, effective rule of law does not exist and the government is ultimately run by the Presidency. Religious freedom is tolerated.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Brig. Gen. (ret.)
*Prime Minister—Vicente Ehate Tomi
*Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation—Pastor Micha Ondo Bile

===Political Conditions===
In the period following Spain's grant of local autonomy to Equatorial Guinea in 1963, there was a great deal of political party activity. Bubi and Fernandino parties on the island preferred separation from Rio Muni or a loose federation. Ethnically based parties in Rio Muni favored independence for a united country comprising Bioko and Rio Muni, an approach that ultimately won out. (The Movimiento para la Auto-determinacion de la Isla de Bioko (MAIB) which advocates independence for the island under Bubi control, is one of the offshoots of the era immediately preceding independence). After the accession of Macias to power, political activity largely ceased in Equatorial Guinea. Opposition figures who lived among the exile communities in Spain and elsewhere agitated for reforms; some of them had been employed in the Macias and Obiang governments. After political activities in Equatorial Guinea were legalized in the early 1990s, some opposition leaders returned, but repressive actions have continued sporadically.

The country’s first freely contested municipal elections were held in September 1995. Most observers agree that the elections themselves were relatively free and transparent and that the opposition parties garnered between two-thirds and three-quarters of the total vote. The government, however, delayed announcement of the results and then claimed a highly dubious 52% victory overall and the capture of 19 of 27 municipal councils. In early January 1996 Obiang called for presidential elections. International observers agreed that the campaign was marred by fraud, and most of the opposition candidates withdrew in the final week. Obiang claimed re-election with 98% of the vote. In an attempt to mollify his critics, Obiang gave minor portfolios in his cabinet to people identified as opposition figures. In the legislative election in March 1999, the party increased its majority in the 80-seat parliament from 68 to 75. The main opposition parties refused the seats they had allegedly won. In May 2000, the ruling PDGE overwhelmed its rivals in local elections. Opposition parties rejected the next election, the December 2002 Presidential election, as invalid. During this election, President Obiang was re-elected with 97% of the vote. Following his re-election Obiang formed a government based on national unity encompassing all opposition parties, except for the CPDS, which declined to join after Obiang refused to release one of their jailed leaders.

In April 2004, parliamentary and municipal elections took place. President Obiang's Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) and allied parties won 98 of 100 seats in parliament and all but seven of 244 municipal posts. International observers criticized both the election and its results.

While President Obiang's rule, in which schools reopened, primary education expanded, and public utilities and roads restored, compares favorably with Macias' tyranny and terror, it has been criticized for not implementing genuine democratic reforms. Corruption and a dysfunctional judicial system disrupt the development of Equatorial Guinea's economy and society. In 2004, the President appointed a new Prime Minister, Miguel Abia Biteo, and replaced several ministers; however, the government budget still did not include all revenues and expenditures. The United Nations Development Program proposed a broad governance reform program, but the Equatoguinean Government was not moving rapidly to implement it. In August 2006 a new Prime Minister, Ricardo Mangue, was named.

Equatorial Guinea suffered a severe human rights setback in May 2002 when a special tribunal convicted 68 prisoners and their relatives and sentenced them 6 to 20 years in prison for an alleged attempted coup d’etat. Among the prisoners were leaders of the three main opposition parties that had remained independent from President Obiang's ruling party. There were numerous irregularities associated with the trial, including evidence of torture and a lack of substantive proof. In August 2003, 31 of these convicted prisoners were granted a presidential amnesty.

In March 2004, Zimbabwean police in Harare impounded a plane from South Africa with 64 alleged mercenaries on board. The group said they were providing security for a mine in Democratic Republic of the Congo, but a couple of days later an Equatorial Guinean minister said they had detained 15 more men who he claimed were the advance party for the group captured in Zimbabwe. Nick du Toit, the leader of the group of South Africans, Armenians and one German, in Equatorial Guinea, said at his trial in Equatorial Guinea that he was playing a limited role in a coup bid organized by Simon Mann, the alleged leader of the group held in Zimbabwe, to remove Obiang from power and install an exiled opposition politician, Severo Moto.

In September 2004, Mann was sentenced to seven years in jail in Zimbabwe after being convicted of illegally trying to buy weapons. Zimbabwe has since agreed to extradite Mann to Equatorial Guinea. Others arrested with him were acquitted of any links to a suspected coup attempt after magistrates said prosecutors had failed to prove their case but were convicted on immigration charges to one year in jail. Both Mann's trial in Zimbabwe and the Equatorial Guinea trial began amid complaints of abuse and unfair treatment from relatives of those being held. One suspect, a German, died in prison in Equatorial Guinea of malaria (Amnesty International believed that he died as a result of the effects of torture, and called for an investigation). In Equatorial Guinea in November 2004, a total of 22 people were convicted, including nine tried in absentia. Three Equatoguineans and three South Africans were acquitted. In June 2005, President Obiang decided to grant amnesty to the six Armenian pilots.

Although Equatorial Guinea lacks a well-established democratic tradition comparable to the developed democracies of the West, it should be noted that, out of the anarchic, chaotic, and repressive conditions of the Macias years the country has made small, haphazard steps toward the development of participatory political system.

===Foreign Relations===
[[File:Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo with Obamas Guinea Africa.jpg|thumb|300px|Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo with Obamas, New York.]]
A transitional agreement, signed in October 1968, implemented a Spanish pre-independence decision to assist Equatorial Guinea and provided for the temporary maintenance of Spanish forces there. A dispute with President Macias in 1969 led to a request that all Spanish troops immediately depart, and a large number of civilians left at the same time. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were never broken but were suspended by Spain in March 1977 in the wake of renewed disputes. After Macias' fall in 1979, President Obiang asked for Spanish assistance, and since then, Spain has regained its place of influence in Equatorial Guinea. The two countries signed permanent agreements for economic and technical cooperation, private concessions, and trade relations. Spain maintained a bilateral assistance program in Equatorial Guinea. Most Equatoguinean opposition elements (including a purported government-in-exile) are based in Spain to the annoyance of the Equatoguinean Government. Relations between the two countries grew difficult after the March 2004 coup attempt due to their hosting opposition figure Severo Moto and their belief that Spain had foreknowledge of the coup. However, the Spanish Foreign Minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, visited Equatorial Guinea in March 2005.

Equatorial Guinea has had generally cordial relations with its neighbors. It is a member of the Central African Economic and Monetary Union (CEMAC), which includes Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo/Brazzaville, and Gabon. Equatorial Guinea is also part of the central Africa CFA franc zone, and the Cameroon-based Bank of Central African States coordinates monetary policy. The Bank of France guarantees the CFA franc, and French technical advisers work in the finance and planning ministries. France, Spain, Cuba, and China have participated in infrastructure and technical development projects.

Equatorial Guinea had a minor border dispute with Cameroon that was resolved by the International Court of Justice in 2002. The Corisco border dispute with Gabon was solved by an agreement signed with the help of UN mediation in January 2004, but the small island of Mbane and potentially oil-rich waters surrounding it remain contested. The majority Fang ethnic group of mainland Equatorial Guinea extends both north and south into the forests of Cameroon and Gabon. Cameroon exports some food products to Equatorial Guinea and imports oil from Equatorial Guinea for its refinery at nearby Limbe. The development of the oil industry by U.S.-based companies and the lack of a well-trained work force have provided motivation for an influx of English-speaking workers (legal and illegal) from Cameroon, Nigeria, and Ghana. (However, relations with the Nigerian Government have lately been cordial as the two countries delineated their offshore borders to facilitate development of nearby gas fields.) Roundups and expulsion of foreigners following the March 2004 coup attempt revived tensions between these neighbors.

The government's official policy is one of nonalignment and it has been reluctant to fully integrate itself into CEMAC. In its search for assistance to meet the goal of national reconstruction, the Government of Equatorial Guinea has established diplomatic relations with numerous European and third world countries.

==Defense==
The Equatoguinean military consists of approximately 2,500 service members. The largest contingent is the Army with 1,400 soldiers; the police have 400 para-military policemen, the Navy has 200 members and the Air Force has approximately 120. There is a Gendarmerie but the exact number of members is unknown. All are very poorly trained, but the government is steadily purchasing new equipment from Ukraine and China among others. In 2003, the government spent $75 million on military expenditures, about 9% of the 2002 budget. Neither the Navy nor the Air Force has trained crews to operate or maintain their equipment. Family and ethnic ties to the president determine promotions and influence within the military. Military decision-making is completely centralized with the President also serving as the Minister of Defense.

Between 1984 and 1992, service members went regularly to the United States on the International Military Education Training program, after which funding for this program for Equatorial Guinea ceased. U.S. military-to-military engagement has been dormant since 1997 (the year of the last Joint Combined Exchange Training Exercise), although their representatives did attend a recent military hosted conference on Gulf of Guinea Security Cooperation.

==Economy==
Oil and gas exports have increased substantially and will drive the economy for years to come. Real GDP growth reached 18% in 2000, 66% in 2001, 20% in 2002, 10% in 2003 and 25.7% in 2004 (est.). Per capita income rose from about $590 in 1998 to $2,000 in 2000 and $5,300 in 2004. The energy export sector is responsible for this rapid growth. Oil production increased from 81,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) in 1998 to more than 300,000 bbl/d by 2004. In 2005 production was estimated to be 420,000 bbl/d. Exploration efforts continue in search of further potential offshore concessions.
*GDP (2005 est.): $7.644 billion.
*Real GDP growth rate (2005 est.) 18.6%.
*Inflation rate (2006 est. average): 5.2%.
*Unemployment rate: (1998 est.) 30%.
*Natural resources: Petroleum, natural gas, timber, small, unexploited deposits of gold, manganese, and uranium.
*Agriculture (2006 est.): 2.8% of GDP. Products—coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts, manioc, livestock, and timber.
*Industry (2006 est.): 92.6% of GDP. Types—petroleum, fishing, saw milling, natural gas.
*Services (2006): 4.5% of GDP.
*Trade (2006 est.): Exports--$8.961 billion: hydrocarbons (97%), timber (2%), others (1%). Imports--$2.543 billion. Major trading partners—United States, Spain, China, Canada, France, Great Britain, Cameroon, and Norway.
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine (CFA) Franc.

Equatorial Guinea has other unexploited human and natural resources, including a tropical climate, fertile soils, rich expanses of water, deepwater ports, and an untapped, if unskilled, source of labor. Following independence in 1968, the country suffered under a repressive dictatorship for 11 years, which devastated the economy. The agricultural sector, historically known for cocoa of the highest quality, never fully recovered. In 1969, Equatorial Guinea produced 36,161 tons of highly bid cocoa, but production dropped to 4,800 tons in 2000 and 3,430 tons in 2002. It increased slightly from 2003 levels to 2,906 tons by 2004. Coffee production was 126,000 metric tons in 2002, up from 67000 tons 5 years earlier. Timber is the main source of foreign exchange after oil, though it now only accounts for 2% of total export earnings. Timber production increased steadily during the 1990s; wood exports reached a record 789,000 cubic meters in 1999 as demand in Asia (mainly China) gathered pace after the 1998 economic crisis. Since 1998, production of timber has fallen closer to a sustainable level. 530,500 cubic meters were sold in 2002. Most of the production (mainly Okoume) goes to exports, and only 3% is processed locally. Bioko Island has already suffered permanent damage due to earlier exploitation. Consumer price inflation has declined from the 38.8% experienced in 1994 following the CFA franc devaluation, to 7.8% in 1998, and 4.0% in 2000, according to BEAC data. Consumer prices inflation has remained steady at around 6% since 2002.

Equatorial Guinea's economic policies, as defined by law, comprise an open investment regime. Qualitative restrictions on imports, non-tariff protection, and many import licensing requirements were lifted in 1992 when the government adopted a public investment program endorsed by the World Bank. The Government of Equatorial Guinea has sold some state enterprises. It is attempting to create a more favorable investment climate, and its investment code contains numerous incentives for job creation, training, promotion of nontraditional exports, support of development projects and indigenous capital participation, freedom for repatriation of profits, exemption from certain taxes and capital, and other benefits. Trade regulations have been further liberalized since Central African Economic and Monetary Union (CEMAC) reform codes in 1994. This included elimination of quota restrictions and reductions in the range and amounts of tariffs. The CEMAC countries agreed to the introduction of a value added tax (VAT) in 1999.

While business laws promote a liberalized economy, the business climate remains difficult. Application of the laws remains selective. Corruption among officials is widespread, and many business deals are concluded under nontransparent circumstances. A wage law now regulates separate wage levels for the petroleum, private, and government sector.

There is little industry in the country, and the local market for industrial products is small. The government seeks to expand the role of free enterprise and to promote foreign investment but has had little success in creating an atmosphere conducive to investor interest.

The Equatoguinean budget has grown enormously in the past 5 years as royalties and taxes on foreign company oil and gas production have provided new resources to a once poor government. The 2005 government revenue was about $1.97 billion. Oil revenues account for more than 81% of government revenue. Value Added Tax and trade taxes are other large revenue sources for the government.

The Equatoguinean Government has undertaken a number of reforms since 1991 to reduce its predominant role in the economy and promote private sector development. Its role is a diminishing one, although many government interactions with the private sector are at times capricious. The government is anxious for greater U.S. investment. Beginning in early 1997, the government initiated efforts to attract significant private sector involvement through cooperative efforts with the Corporate Council on Africa visit and numerous ministerial efforts. In 1998, the government privatized distribution of petroleum products. There are now Total and Mobil stations in the country. The maritime border with Nigeria was settled in 2000, allowing Equatorial Guinea to continue exploitation of its oil fields. In October 2002, the government launched a national oil company, GEPetrol, under the Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons.

The government has expressed interest in privatizing the outmoded electricity utility. Several ports and a new terminal were built to accommodate the needs of the oil industry. A French company operates cellular telephone service in cooperation with a state enterprise. Most of the new infrastructure has not reached the average Equatoguinean living on the mainland. Agriculture, fishing, livestock, and tourism are among sectors the government would like targeted.

Equatorial Guinea's balance-of-payments situation has improved substantially since the mid-1990s because of new oil and gas production and favorable world energy prices. Exports totaled $6.72 billion in 2005. Crude oil exports now annually accounts for more than 97% of export earnings. Timber exports, by contrast, now represent only about 2% of export revenues. Imports into Equatorial Guinea also are growing very quickly. Imports totaled $1.86 billion in 2005.

Equatorial Guinea in the 1980s and 1990s received foreign assistance from numerous bilateral and multilateral donors, including European countries, the United States, and the World Bank. Many of these aid programs have ceased altogether or have diminished. Spain, France, and the European Union continue to provide some project assistance, as do China and Cuba. The government also has discussed working with World Bank assistance to develop government administrative capacity.

Equatorial Guinea operated under an International Monetary Fund-negotiated Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF) until 1996. Since then, there have been no formal agreements or arrangements. However, since 1996, the IMF has held regular held Article IV consultations (periodic country evaluations). After the 2003 consultations, IMF directors stressed the need for further improvements in governance and transparency, the attainment of a sustainable fiscal position, the implementation of structural reforms to bolster the non-oil sector, the development of a transparent framework for saving and managing part of the country’s oil wealth and a comprehensive effort to reduce poverty.

====Trade and Investment====
With investments estimated at $11 billion, the United States is the largest cumulative bilateral foreign investor in Equatorial Guinea. In 2003, 74% of U.S. exports to Equatorial Guinea consisted of energy sector-related transportation and machinery equipment. The United States' main import from Equatorial Guinea is petroleum (99% of imports in 2003). In 1999, the European Union (EU) imported $281.7 million in goods from Equatorial Guinea, 89% of which was petroleum and 7% timber. The European Union exported $104 million to Equatorial Guinea. Approximately 20% of these exports were oil and gas-related, and the remaining 80% ranged from agricultural products to clothing to used cars.

====Infrastructure====
Infrastructure is generally old and in poor condition. Surface transport options are increasing as the government has invested heavily in road pavement projects. In 2002, the African Development Bank and the European Union co-financed two projects to improve the paved roads from Malabo to Luba and Riaba; and to build an interstate road network to link Equatorial Guinea to Cameroon and Gabon. The Chinese are undertaking a project to link Mongomo to Bata, both cities on the mainland. In November 2003, the government announced an ambitious ten-project program to upgrade the country’s road network and improve the airport facilities at Bata, the country’s second city (on the mainland). A new road links Malabo with the airport and there have been improvements in the city. The program is estimated to cost hundreds of millions of dollars, but there are doubts over the capacity of the government to manage such a huge scheme.

Estimates of Equatorial Guinea's electricity generating capacity vary, with 15.4 megawatts (MW) of certain installed capacity, and 5-30 MW of estimated additional capacity. About 5.0 MW are located on the mainland, including 4 MW of oil-fired thermal capacity and 1 MW of hydroelectric capacity. Bioko Island receives electricity from two thermal plants and one hydroelectric plant. The expansion of natural gas production at the Alba field in recent years has provided a convenient fuel source for new power generation in the country. The 10.4-MW, natural gas-fired Punta Europa plant began operation in 1999, supplying gas-fired electricity to Bioko Island. Another 4-6 MW of generation capacity is currently under construction at the AMPCO complex on the island. Equatorial Guinea is estimated to have 2,600 MW of hydropower potential.

Equatorial Guinea's electricity sector is owned and operated by the state-run monopoly, SEGESA. The power supply is unreliable, due to aging equipment and poor management, as demonstrated by regular blackouts in Malabo. As a result, small diesel generators are widely used as a back-up source of power supply. In Malabo, the American company, Marathon Oil, built a 30 mega-watt electric power plant financed by the government, which came on line in mid-2000.

Potable water is available in the major towns but is not always reliable because of poor maintenance and mismanagement; consequently, supply interruptions are often frequent and prolonged in some neighborhoods. Some villages and rural areas are equipped with generators and water pumps, usually owned by private individuals.

Telecommunications have improved dramatically in recent years. Parastatal Getesa, a joint venture with a 40% ownership stake held by France Telecom, provides telephone service in the major cities through an efficient, digital fixed network and good mobile coverage. Getesa’s fixed-line service has 9,000 subscribers and the mobile service has 28,000. Internet access is limited and has yet to make an impact on the dissemination of information.

Equatorial Guinea has two of the deepest Atlantic seaports of the region, including the main business and commercial port city of Bata. The ports of both Malabo and Bata are severely overextended and require extensive rehabilitation and reconditioning. In partnership with a U.S. petroleum company, Amerada Hess, a British company, Incat, has made significant progress in a project to renovate and expand Luba, the country's third-largest port, located on Bioko Island. The government hopes Luba will become a major transportation hub for offshore oil and gas companies operating in the Gulf of Guinea. Luba is located some 50 kilometers from Malabo and was previously virtually inactive except for minor fishing activities and occasional use to ease congestion in Malabo. Riaba, the only other port of any scale on Bioko, is less active. The continental ports of Mbini and Cogo have deteriorated as well and are now used primarily for timber.

Five small airlines now offer regular daily services between the two cities of Malabo and Bata and nearby neighboring countries. A few aging Soviet-built aircraft operated by several small carriers (one state-owned, the others private,) constitute this national aircraft fleet. In March 2006 the European Union fully banned most airlines based in Equatorial Guinea from flying into the EU. The influx of oil workers has increased international air activity. Major international carriers now connect Malabo to the European cities of Amsterdam, Paris, Madrid, and Zurich. A weekly business-class charter flight was providing service to Houston, Texas. The runway at Malabo’s international airport (3,200 meters) is equipped with lights and can service equipment similar to DC-10s and C130s. The runway at Bata (2,400 meters) does not operate at night but can accommodate aircraft as large as B737s. Two minor airstrips (800 meters) are located at Mongomo and on the island of Annobon.

====Energy Developments====
Oil is Equatorial Guinea's most valuable asset. Since the discovery of the Zafiro field in 1995, production has increased more than tenfold, and oil has quickly become the country's most important export commodity, accounting for nearly 90% of the value of total exports in 2003. Equatorial Guinea is now the third largest producer of crude oil in sub-Saharan Africa, after Nigeria and Angola. Equatorial Guinea's oil reserves are located mainly in the hydrocarbon-rich Gulf of Guinea, containing estimated probable reserves as high as 10% of the world total. As a result, large amounts of foreign investment primarily by U.S. companies have poured into the country's oil sector in recent years. Equatorial Guinea's total proven oil reserves are estimated at 1.1 billion barrels.

Oil production from Equatorial Guinea is expanding rapidly, averaging 237,500 bbl/d in 2003, of which 206,000 was crude. This represents a tremendous increase from the 1996 oil output of 17,000 bbl/d. Production improvements and expansion projects undertaken in 2003 pushed petroleum output even higher, resulting in average production of 350,000 bbl/d for the first half of 2004. In October 2004, the government capped production levels at 350,000 bbl/d to extend the life of the country's petroleum reserves. Three fields—Zafiro, Ceiba, and Alba—currently account for the majority of the country's oil output.

Equatorial Guinea's oil profits have expanded since 1998, when the country introduced more liberal regulatory and profit sharing arrangements for hydrocarbon exploration and production activities, including revised and updated Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs). As a result, government oil revenues increased from 13% to 20% of total oil export earnings. Although significant, the government's share is still relatively small by international standards.

In 2001, GEPetrol became Equatorial Guinea's national oil company. It was established as the primary state-run institution responsible for the country's downstream oil sector activities. However, since 2001 its primary focus has become managing the government's interest stakes in various PSCs with foreign oil companies. GEPetrol also partners with foreign firms to undertake exploration projects and has a say in the country's environmental policy implementation. Plans to increase the government's stake in new and existing PSCs have been discussed, but not formally pursued.

The majority of the reserves are found in the Zafiro field, located northwest of Bioko Island and south of Nigeria's offshore oil fields. In recent years, Exxon Mobil has focused on increasing production from Zafiro, expanding drilling capacity to accommodate this plan. Zafiro is Equatorial Guinea's largest oil producer, with output rising from an initial level of 7,000 bbl/d in August 1996 to approximately 280,000 bbl/d by 2004. Ceiba, Equatorial Guinea's second major producing oil field, is located just offshore of Rio Muni and is estimated to contain 300 million barrels of oil. Production at Ceiba has risen dramatically during the past 2–3 years, following improvements and upgrades to the facility. Alba, Equatorial Guinea's third significant field was discovered in 1991. Original estimates of reserves at Alba were around 68 million barrels of oil equivalent (BOE), but recent exploration has increased new estimates significantly, to almost 1 billion BOE. Unlike the Zafiro or Ceiba fields, exploration and production at Alba has focused on natural gas, including condensates.

Ceiba's discovery has significantly increased interest in petroleum exploration of surrounding areas, with many new companies acquiring licenses in exploration blocks further offshore in the Rio Muni basin. International companies with interests in one or more exploration blocks include Chevron (U.S.), Vanco Energy (U.S.), Atlas Petroleum International (US), Devon Energy (US), Roc Oil (Australia), Petronas (Malaysia), Sasol Petroleum (South Africa), and Glencore (Switzerland). In October 2004, Noble Energy Equatorial Guinea, an Equatoguinean subsidiary of American Noble Energy, Inc. signed a contract to exploit a new oil field off the island of Bioko. Recently, Equatorial Guineau gave the Chinese National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) the rights to its newest oil field. While China’s capacity for deep-water drilling remains thus far unproven, CNOOC expects to complete two new oil rigs by 2009.

Equatorial Guinea's natural gas reserves are located offshore Bioko Island, primarily in the Alba and Zafiro oil and gas fields. Natural gas and condensate production in Equatorial Guinea has expanded rapidly in the last five years in response to new investments by major stakeholders in the Alba natural gas field. Alba, the country's largest natural gas field, contains 1.3 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven reserves, with probable reserves estimated at 4.4 Tcf or more.

Marathon Oil and GE Petrol have joined together in a $1.4 billion deal to construct a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility on Bioko Island. In May 2003, the government gave final approval for the plan to construct an LNG plant, once Marathon and GE Petrol had secured a 17-year purchase agreement with British Gas (BG) of the United Kingdom. Under the contract, the LNG facility will supply 3.4 million tons of LNG to BG, beginning in 2007. In June 2005, Marathon and GE Petrol restructured the deal to include two Japanese companies, Mitsui and Marubeni, as minority shareholders. Natural gas consumption in Equatorial Guinea has increased in recent years, along with higher production. Natural gas consumption jumped to 45 Bcf in 2002, from approximately 1 Bcf during each of the four previous years.

==History==
The first inhabitants of the region that is now Equatorial Guinea are believed to have been Pygmies, of whom only isolated pockets remain in northern Rio Muni. Bantu migrations between the 17th and 19th centuries brought the coastal tribes and later the Fang. Elements of the latter may have generated the Bubi, who immigrated to Bioko from Cameroon and Rio Muni in several waves and succeeded former Neolithic populations. The Annobon population, native to Angola, was introduced by the Portuguese via Sao Tome.

The Portuguese explorer, Fernando Po (Fernao do Poo), seeking a route to India, is credited with having discovered the island of Bioko in 1471. He called it Formosa ("pretty flower"), but it quickly took on the name of its European discoverer. The Portuguese retained control until 1778, when the island, adjacent islets, and commercial rights to the mainland between the Niger and Ogoue Rivers were ceded to Spain in exchange for territory in South America (Treaty of Pardo). From 1827 to 1843, Britain established a base on the island to combat the slave trade. The Treaty of Paris settled conflicting claims to the mainland in 1900, and periodically, the mainland territories were united administratively under Spanish rule.

Spain lacked the wealth and the interest to develop an extensive economic infrastructure in what was commonly known as Spanish Guinea during the first half of this century. However, through a paternalistic system, particularly on Bioko Island, Spain developed large cacao plantations for which thousands of Nigerian workers were imported as laborers. At independence in 1968, largely as a result of this system, Equatorial Guinea had one of the highest per capita incomes in Africa. The Spanish also helped Equatorial Guinea achieve one of the continent's highest literacy rates and developed a good network of health care facilities.

In 1959, the Spanish territory of the Gulf of Guinea was established with status similar to the provinces of metropolitan Spain. As the Spanish Equatorial Region, a governor general ruled it exercising military and civilian powers. The first local elections were held in 1959, and the first Equatoguinean representatives were seated in the Spanish parliament. Under the Basic Law of December 1963, limited autonomy was authorized under a joint legislative body for the territory's two provinces. The name of the country was changed to Equatorial Guinea. Although Spain's commissioner general had extensive powers, the Equatorial Guinean General Assembly had considerable initiative in formulating laws and regulations.

In March 1968, under pressure from Equatoguinean nationalists and the United Nations, Spain announced that it would grant independence to Equatorial Guinea. A constitutional convention produced an electoral law and draft constitution. In the presence of a UN observer team, a referendum was held on August 11, 1968, and 63% of the electorate voted in favor of the constitution, which provided for a government with a General Assembly and a Supreme Court with judges appointed by the president.

In September 1968, Francisco Macias Nguema was elected first president of Equatorial Guinea, and independence was granted in October. In July 1970, Macias created a single-party state and by May 1971, key portions of the constitution were abrogated. In 1972 Macias took complete control of the government and assumed the title of President-for-Life. The Macias regime was characterized by abandonment of all government functions except internal security, which was accomplished by terror; this led to the death or exile of up to one-third of the country's population. Due to pilferage, ignorance, and neglect, the country's infrastructure—electrical, water, road, transportation, and health—fell into ruin. Religion was repressed, and education ceased. The private and public sectors of the economy were devastated. Nigerian contract laborers on Bioko, estimated to have been 60,000, left en masse in early 1976. The economy collapsed, and skilled citizens and foreigners left.

On August 3, 1979 the former director of the infamous Black Beach prison, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, led a successful coup d'état; Macias was arrested, tried, and executed. Obiang assumed the Presidency in October 1979. Obiang initially ruled Equatorial Guinea with the assistance of a Supreme Military Council. A new constitution, drafted in 1982 with the help of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, came into effect after a popular vote on August 15, 1982; the Council was abolished, and Obiang remained in the presidency for a 7-year term. He was reelected in 1989. In February 1996, he again won reelection with 98% of the vote; several opponents withdrew from the race, however, and international observers criticized the election. Subsequently, Obiang named a new cabinet, which included some opposition figures in minor portfolios.

Despite the formal ending of one-party rule in 1991, President Obiang and a circle of advisors (drawn largely from his own family and ethnic group) maintain real authority. The President names and dismisses cabinet members and judges, ratifies treaties, leads the armed forces, and has considerable authority in other areas. He appoints the governors of Equatorial Guinea's seven provinces. The opposition had few electoral successes in the 1990s. By early 2000, President Obiang’s PDGE party fully dominated government at all levels. In December 2002, President Obiang won a new seven-year mandate with 97% of the vote. Reportedly, 95% of eligible voters voted in this election, although many observers noted numerous irregularities. The next presidential election is scheduled for 2009.

{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''
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!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:
|style=" background-color: none;"| This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code
|-
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|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/7221.htm]}}}.
|}

{{African Countries}}

[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Democratic Republic of the Congo

2021-01-08T17:58:30Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name=''République Démocratique du Congo''
|map=Congo demrep rel98.jpg
|map2=Location of DemRep Congo.png
|flag=Flag of the DemRep Congo.PNG
|arms=Arms of DemRep Congo.png
|capital=Kinshasa
|government=Semi-Presidential Republic
|language=French
|monarch=
|president=Joseph Kabila
|chancellor=
|pm=Augustin Matata Ponyo
|area=2,344,858 km²
|pop=92,500,000 (2020)
|pop-basis=
|gdp=$47,500,000,000 (2020)
|gdp-year=
|gdp-pc=$514 (2020)
|currency=Franc Congolais (CDF)
|idd=+243
|tld=.cd
}}
The '''Democratic Republic of the Congo''' ('''D.R.C.''') is a country in central Africa and the second largest on the continent. Formerly known as the '''Belgian Congo''' and '''Zaire''', and often called '''Congo,''' it covers most of the [[Congo River]] basin, with an area of almost 1 million square kilometers (400,000 sq. mi.).

==Geography==
The vast, low-lying central area is a basin-shaped plateau sloping toward the west and covered by tropical rainforest. This area is surrounded by mountainous terraces in the west, plateaus merging into savannas in the south and southwest, and dense grasslands extending beyond the Congo River in the north. High mountains are found in the extreme eastern region.

D.R.C. lies on the Equator, with one-third of the country to the north and two-thirds to the south. The climate is hot and humid in the river basin and cool and dry in the southern highlands. South of the Equator, the rainy season lasts from October to May and north of the Equator, from April to November. Along the Equator, rainfall is fairly regular throughout the year. During the wet season, thunderstorms often are violent but seldom last more than a few hours. The average rainfall for the entire country is about 107 centimeters (42 in.).

==People==
[[File:Congo people.jpg|thumb|left|240px|At Luvungi, Sud-Kivu Province.]]
The population of D.R.C. was estimated at 17.7 million in 2011. As many as 250 ethnic groups have been distinguished and named. Some of the larger groupings of tribes are the [[Kongo]], [[Luba]], and [[Anamongo]]. Although 700 local languages and dialects are spoken, the linguistic variety is bridged both by the use of French and the intermediary languages Kikongo, Tshiluba, Swahili, and Lingala.

About 50% of the Congolese population is Christian, predominantly Roman Catholic. Most of the non-Christians adhere to either traditional religions or syncretic sects. Traditional religions include concepts such as monotheism, animism, vitalism, spirit and ancestor worship, witchcraft, and sorcery and vary widely among ethnic groups; none is formalized. The syncretic sects often merge Christianity with traditional beliefs and rituals. The most popular of these sects, Kimbanguism, was seen as a threat to the colonial regime and was banned by the Belgians. Kimbanguism, officially "the church of Christ on Earth by the prophet Simon Kimbangu," now claims about 3 million members, primarily among the Bakongo tribe of Bas-Congo and Kinshasa. In 1969, it was the first independent African church admitted to the [[World Council of Churches]].

Before independence, education was largely in the hands of religious groups. The primary school system was well developed at independence; however, the secondary school system was limited, and higher education was almost nonexistent in most regions of the country. The principal objective of this system was to train low-level administrators and clerks. Since independence, efforts have been made to increase access to education, and secondary and higher education have been made available to many more Congolese. According to estimates made in 2000, 41.7% of the population has no schooling, 42.2% has primary schooling, 15.4% has secondary schooling, and 0.7% has university schooling. At all levels of education, males greatly outnumber females. The largest state-run universities are the [[University of Kinshasa]], the University of Lubumbashi, and the University of Kisangani. The elite continue to send their children abroad to be educated, primarily in Western Europe.
*Population (2011 est.): 71.7 million.
*Annual growth rate (2008 est.): 3.24%.
*Ethnic groups: More than 200 African ethnic groups; the Luba, Kongo, and Anamongo are some of the larger groupings of tribes.
*Religions (2011 est.): Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, other syncretic sects and traditional beliefs 10%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%.
*Language: Official—French. National languages—Lingala, [[Swahili]], Kikongo, Tshiluba.
*Education: Literacy (2008 est.)--French or local language: 55% (women), 76% (men). Schooling (2007 est.)--none 21%, primary 46%, secondary 30%, university 3%.
*Health (2007 est.): Infant mortality rate—92/1,000 live births. Life expectancy (2008 est.)--51.3 yrs.

==Government and Political Conditions==
Following nominations by each of the various signatory groups, President Kabila on June 30, 2003 issued a decree that formally announced the transitional government lineup. The four vice presidents took the oath of office on July 17, 2003, and most incoming ministers assumed their new functions within days thereafter.

A transitional constitution was adopted on April 2, 2003; a new constitution was promulgated February 2006. Extensive executive, legislative, and military powers are vested in the president. The legislature does not have the power to overturn the government through a vote of no confidence. The judiciary is nominally independent; the president has the power to dismiss and appoint judges. The president is head of a 35-member cabinet of ministers.

President [[Joseph Kabila]] has made significant progress in liberalizing domestic political activity, establishing a transitional government, and undertaking economic reforms in cooperation with the [[World Bank]] and [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF). However, serious human rights problems remain in the security services and justice system. The eastern part of the country is characterized by ongoing violence and armed conflict, which has created a humanitarian disaster and contributed to civilian deaths (more than 3.8 million, according to a prominent international non-governmental organization). MONUC continues to play an important peacekeeping role in the D.R.C., and in October 2004, its authorized force strength increased to 16,700.

On July 30, 2006 the D.R.C. held its first free, democratic, multi-party elections in more than 40 years. The D.R.C.’s 25 million registered voters were charged with electing a president (from a field of 33 candidates) and 500 deputies to the National Assembly (out of a total of 9,709 candidates). Despite some unexpected technical and logistical difficulties, coupled with isolated incidents of violence and intimidation, the elections were held in a largely calm and orderly fashion. Voter turnout nationwide was high, particularly in the eastern provinces, compared to the December 2005 constitutional referendum.

The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) on August 20, 2006 announced official provisional results from the July 30 presidential elections. According to CEI figures, incumbent Joseph Kabila won 44.81% of the votes cast versus Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba’s 20.3%. As no candidate won a majority of votes in the first round and in accordance with the country’s electoral law, the top two recipients, Kabila and Bemba faced off in a second round of balloting. Threats to the D.R.C.’s transitional process were marked by military clashes in Kinshasa just hours after provisional election results were announced. This crisis was exclusively confined to central Kinshasa in the Gombe area and was essentially a clash between Vice President Bemba and President Kabila’s militias. The runoff presidential elections were held on October 29, 2006. On November 27, 2006 the Congolese Supreme Court declared President Kabila the winner over Vice President Bemba by a margin of 58% to 42%. Kabila was inaugurated on December 6, 2006.

Voters in July 2006 also chose from among 9,709 legislative candidates to fill 500 seats in the National Assembly, representing 169 electoral districts. Approximately one-third of these districts elected one deputy by a simple majority. The rest were multiple-seat districts, ranging from two representatives to a maximum of 17 (in one of Kinshasa’s voting districts). In these areas, deputies were chosen by proportional representation using open party lists. To select the winners in multiple-seat districts, all valid votes cast were first divided according to political party. Next, an “electoral quotient” was determined by dividing the number of votes cast by the number of representatives to be elected. Finally, the number of votes a party received was divided by this “electoral quotient” to determine how many seats the party will win. The candidates ultimately elected are those who received the highest number of votes within their particular party lists. National Assembly deputies will also serve five-year terms and there is no restriction on the number of times they can be re-elected.

Organizing the D.R.C.’s July 2006 elections presented significant logistical challenges. Supported in large part by the MONUC peacekeeping mission, the Independent Electoral Commission opened more than 50,000 polling stations nationwide and employed some 300,000-poll workers on election day and to oversee the ballot counting process. The presidential and legislative ballots were printed in South Africa and altogether weighed nearly 1,800 tons, requiring 75 round-trip flights between the D.R.C. and South Africa.

The population of the D.R.C. is estimated to be about 60 million, and the country’s electoral law grants the right to vote to those ages 18 or older. For the July 2006 elections, the CEI reported that of the 25,420,99 registered voters, 17,931,238 went to the polls, a voter participation rate of 70.54%. Of the 17.9 million ballots cast, 993,704 (approximately 5%) were disqualified due to empty ballots or marking errors. In 2005, approximately 25.7 million Congolese registered as voters (out of an original estimate of 28 million eligible to do so). In the D.R.C.’s December 2005 constitutional referendum, roughly two-thirds of all registered voters participated.

The D.R.C. legislature held its first session on September 22, 2006. On February 26, 2007, Prime Minister Antoine Gizenga and the new Congolese cabinet formally took office. In May 2007, Kengo wa Dongo was elected Senate President.

On December 7, 2011, Joseph Kabila, the former president announced the results from the November 28 presidential elections. According to those figures, he won 49% of the votes cast versus Etienne Tshisekedi’s 32%.
The CEI reported several irregularities, including voters participation of 100,14 % in the Monono region.

===Principal Government Official===
*President—Joseph Kabila

===Foreign Relations===
Its location in the center of Africa has made D.R.C. a key player in the region since independence. Because of its size, mineral wealth, and strategic location, Zaire was able to capitalize on [[Cold War]] tensions to garner support from the West. In the early 1990s, however, in the face of growing evidence of human rights abuses, Western support for the incumbent government waned as pressure for internal reform increased.

D.R.C.’s relations with neighboring countries have often been driven by security concerns, leading to intricate and interlocking alliances. Domestic conflicts in the [[Central African Republic]], [[Sudan]], [[Uganda]], [[Angola]], [[Rwanda]], and [[Burundi]] have at various times created bilateral and regional tensions. The current crisis in eastern D.R.C. has its roots both in the use of the Congo as a base by various insurgency groups attacking neighboring countries and in the absence of a strong Congolese Government with a military capable of securing Congo’s borders. The war has been exacerbated and prolonged by the exploitation of Congo’s resources by neighboring countries. Although 2003 and early 2004 saw a number of improvements in regional relations, mid-to-late 2004 was marked by increased tension between the D.R.C. and Rwanda.

==Economy==
Sparsely populated in relation to its area, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to a vast potential of natural resources and mineral wealth. Nevertheless, the D.R.C. is one of the poorest countries in the world, with per capita annual income of about $98 in 2003. This is the result of years of mismanagement, corruption, and war.

In 2001, the Government of the D.R.C. under Joseph Kabila undertook a series of economic reforms to reverse this steep decline. Reforms were monitored by the IMF and included liberalization of petroleum prices and exchange rates and adoption of disciplined fiscal and monetary policies. The reform program reduced inflation from over 500% per year in 2000 to only about 7% at an annual rate in 2003. In June 2002, the World Bank and IMF approved new credits for the D.R.C. for the first time in over a decade. Bilateral donors, whose assistance has been almost entirely dedicated to humanitarian interventions in recent years, also are beginning to fund development projects in the D.R.C. In October 2003, the World Bank launched a multi-sector plan for development and reconstruction. The Paris Club also granted the D.R.C. Highly Indebted Poor Country status in July 2003. This will help alleviate the D.R.C.’s external sovereign debt burden and potentially free funds for economic development.

Agriculture is the mainstay of the Congolese economy, accounting for 56.3% of GDP in 2002. The main cash crops include [[coffee]], palm oil, [[rubber]], [[cotton]], [[sugar]], [[tea]], and [[cocoa]]. Food crops include [[cassava]], plantains, maize, groundnuts, and [[rice]]. Industry, especially the mining sector, is underdeveloped relative to its potential in the D.R.C. In 2002, industry accounted for only 18.8% of GDP, with only 3.9% attributed to manufacturing. Services reached 24.9% of GDP. The Congo was the world's fourth-largest producer of industrial [[diamond]]s during the 1980s, and diamonds continue to dominate exports, accounting for over half of exports ($642 million) in 2003. The Congo's main copper and cobalt interests are dominated by Gecamines, the state-owned mining giant. Gecamines production has been severely affected by corruption, civil unrest, world market trends, and failure to reinvest. In recent years, gold mining has boomed in the country's southern provinces.

For decades, corruption and misguided policy have created a dual economy in the D.R.C. Individuals and businesses in the formal sector operated with high costs under arbitrarily enforced laws. As a consequence, the informal sector now dominates the economy. In 2002, with the population of the D.R.C. estimated at 56 million, only 230,000 Congolese working in private enterprise in the formal sector were enrolled in the social security system. Approximately 600,000 Congolese were employed by the government.

In the past year, the Congolese Government has approved a new investment code and a new mining code and has designed a new commercial court. The goal of these initiatives is to attract investment by promising fair and transparent treatment to private business. The World Bank also is supporting efforts to restructure the D.R.C.'s large parastatal sector, including Gecamines, and to rehabilitate the D.R.C.’s neglected infrastructure, including the Inga Dam hydroelectric system.

The outbreak of war in the early days of August 1998 caused a major decline in economic activity. Economic growth, however, resumed in 2002 with a 3% growth rate continuing in 2003 at 5%. The country had been divided de facto into different territories by the war, and commerce between the territories had halted. With the installation of the transitional government in July 2003, the country has been "de jure" reunified, and economic and commercial links have begun to reconnect.

In June 2000, the United Nations established a Panel of Experts on the Illegal Exploitation of Congolese Resources to examine links between the war and economic exploitation. Reports issued by the panel indicate that countries involved in the war in Congo have developed significant economic interests. These interests may complicate efforts by the government to better control its natural resources and to reform the mining sector. A final panel report was issued in October 2003. The Panel of Experts mandate was not renewed.
*GDP (2010): $13.1 billion.
*Annual GDP growth rate (2010): 6.1%.
*Per capita GDP (2010): $189.
*Natural resources: Copper, cobalt, diamonds, gold, other minerals; petroleum; wood; hydroelectric potential.
*Agriculture: Cash crops—coffee, rubber, palm oil, cotton, cocoa, sugar, tea. Food crops—manioc, corn, legumes, plantains, peanuts.
*Land use: Agriculture 3%; pasture 7%; forest/woodland 77%; other 13%.
*Industry: Types—processed and unprocessed minerals; consumer products, including textiles, plastics, footwear, cigarettes, metal products; processed foods and beverages, cement, timber.
*Currency: Congolese franc (FC). The U.S. dollar is also used as legal tender.
*Trade: Exports (2010)--$7.5 billion. Products—diamonds, gold, cobalt, copper, coffee, petroleum, wood. Main partners—EU, Japan, South Africa, U.S., China. Imports (2010)--$7.0 billion. Products—consumer goods (food, textiles), capital equipment, refined petroleum products. Partners—EU, China, South Africa, U.S.
*Official debt (2010 est.): $3.9 billion.

==History==
The area known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo was populated as early as 10,000 years ago and settled in the 7th and 8th centuries A.D. by Bantus from present-day [[Nigeria]]. Discovered in 1482 by Portuguese navigator Diego Cao it was explored in the late 19th century by English journalist Henry Morton Stanley.

The Congo was officially colonized in 1885 as a personal possession of Belgian [[King Leopold II]] as the Congo Free State. Waging a successful propaganda campaign to bill Leopold as a champion of human rights, Leopold garnered the support of Liberals and Conservatives alike. However, word surfaced that the Congolese were being treated terribly by Leopold, his mercenaries, and the Force Publique, a military organization made up mostly of Africans run by Leopold. The maltreatment of native rubber workers created an international scandal that has often been called the first global human rights movement, and in 1907, full control was given to the Belgian Government. It renamed the country the Belgian Congo.

Following a series of riots and unrest, the Belgian Congo was granted its independence on June 30, 1960. Parliamentary elections in 1960 produced Patrice Lumumba as prime minister and Joseph Kasavubu as president of the renamed Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Within the first year of independence, several events destabilized the country: the army mutinied; the governor of Katanga province attempted secession; a UN peacekeeping force was called in to restore order; Prime Minister Lumumba died under mysterious circumstances; and Col. Joseph Désiré Mobutu (later Mobutu Sese Seko) took over the government and ceded it again to President Kasavubu.

Unrest and rebellion plagued the government until 1965, when Lieutenant General Mobutu, by then commander in chief of the national army, again seized control of the country and declared himself president for 5 years. Mobutu quickly centralized power into his own hands and was elected unopposed as president in 1970. Embarking on a campaign of cultural awareness, Mobutu renamed the country the Republic of Zaire and required citizens to adopt African names. Relative peace and stability prevailed until 1977 and 1978 when Katangan rebels, staged in Angola, launched a series of invasions into the Katanga region. The rebels were driven out with the aid of Belgian paratroopers.

During the 1980s, Mobutu continued to enforce his one-party system of rule. Although Mobutu successfully maintained control during this period, opposition parties, most notably the Union pour la Democratie et le Progres Social (UDPS), were active. Mobutu's attempts to quell these groups drew significant international criticism.

As the Cold War came to a close, internal and external pressures on Mobutu increased. In late 1989 and early 1990, Mobutu was weakened by a series of domestic protests, by heightened international criticism of his regime's human rights practices, and by a faltering economy. In April 1990 Mobutu agreed to the principle of a multi-party system with elections and a constitution. As details of a reform package were delayed, soldiers in September 1991 began looting Kinshasa to protest their unpaid wages. Two thousand French and Belgian troops, some of whom were flown in on U.S. Air Force planes, arrived to evacuate the 20,000 endangered foreign nationals in Kinshasa.

In 1992, after previous similar attempts, the long-promised Sovereign National Conference was staged, encompassing more than 2,000 representatives from various political parties. The conference gave itself a legislative mandate and elected Archbishop Laurent Monsengwo as its chairman, along with Etienne Tshisekedi, leader of the UDPS, as prime minister. By the end of the year Mobutu had created a rival government with its own prime minister. The ensuing stalemate produced a compromise merger of the two governments into the High Council of Republic-Parliament of Transition (HCR-PT) in 1994, with Mobutu as head of state and Kengo Wa Dondo as prime minister. Although presidential and legislative elections were scheduled repeatedly over the next 2 years, they never took place.

By 1996, the war and genocide in neighboring Rwanda had spilled over to Zaire. Rwandan [[Hutu]] militia forces (Interahamwe), who fled [[Rwanda]] following the ascension of a [[Tutsi]]-led government, were using Hutu refugee camps in eastern Zaire as bases for incursions against Rwanda.

In October 1996, Rwandan troops (RPA) entered Zaire, simultaneously with the formation of an armed coalition led by Laurent-Desire Kabila known as the Alliance des Forces Democratiques pour la Liberation du Congo-Zaire (AFDL). With the goal of forcibly ousting Mobutu, the AFDL, supported by Rwanda and Uganda, began a military campaign toward Kinshasa. Following failed peace talks between Mobutu and Kabila in May 1997, Mobutu left the country, and Kabila marched into Kinshasa on May 17, 1997. Kabila declared himself president, consolidated power around himself and the AFDL, and renamed the country the Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R.C.). Kabila’s Army Chief and the Secretary General of the AFDL were Rwandan, and RPA units continued to operate tangentially with the D.R.C.’s military, which was renamed the Forces Armees Congolaises (FAC).

Over the next year, relations between Kabila and his foreign backers deteriorated. In July 1998, Kabila ordered all foreign troops to leave the D.R.C. Most refused to leave. On August 2, fighting erupted throughout the D.R.C. as Rwandan troops in the D.R.C. "mutinied," and fresh Rwandan and Ugandan troops entered the D.R.C. Two days later, Rwandan troops flew to Bas-Congo, with the intention of marching on Kinshasa, ousting Laurent Kabila, and replacing him with the newly formed Rwandan-backed rebel group called the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Democratie (RCD). The Rwandan campaign was thwarted at the last minute when Angolan, Zimbabwean, and Namibian troops intervened on behalf of the D.R.C. Government. The Rwandans and the RCD withdrew to eastern D.R.C., where they established de facto control over portions of eastern D.R.C. and continued to fight the Congolese Army and its foreign allies.

In February 1999, Uganda backed the formation of a rebel group called the Mouvement pour la Liberation du Congo (MLC), which drew support from among ex-Mobutuists and ex-FAZ soldiers in Equateur province (Mobutu’s home province). Together, Uganda and the MLC established control over the northern third of the D.R.C.

At this stage, the D.R.C. was divided de facto into three segments, and the parties controlling each segment had reached military deadlock. In July 1999, a cease-fire was proposed in Lusaka, Zambia, which all parties signed by the end of August. The Lusaka Accord called for a cease-fire, the deployment of a UN peacekeeping operation, MONUC, the withdrawal of foreign troops, and the launching of an "Inter-Congolese Dialogue" to form a transitional government leading to elections. The parties to the Lusaka Accord failed to fully implement its provisions in 1999 and 2000. Laurent Kabila drew increasing international criticism for blocking full deployment of UN troops, hindering progress toward an Inter-Congolese Dialogue, and suppressing internal political activity.

On January 16, 2001, Laurent Kabila was assassinated. He was succeeded by his son, Joseph Kabila. Joseph Kabila reversed many of his father’s negative policies; over the next year, MONUC deployed throughout the country, and the Inter-Congolese Dialogue proceeded. By the end of 2002, all Angolan, Namibian, and Zimbabwean troops had withdrawn from the D.R.C. Following D.R.C.-Rwanda talks in South Africa that culminated in the Pretoria Accord in July 2002, Rwandan troops officially withdrew from the D.R.C. in October 2002, although there were continued, unconfirmed reports that Rwandan soldiers and military advisers remained integrated with RCD/G forces in eastern D.R.C. Ugandan troops officially withdrew from the D.R.C. in May 2003.

In October 2001, the Inter-Congolese Dialogue began in [[Addis Ababa]] under the auspices of Facilitator Ketumile Masire (former president of [[Botswana]]). The initial meetings made little progress and were adjourned. On February 25, 2002, the dialogue was reconvened in South Africa. It included representatives from the government, rebel groups, political opposition, civil society, and Mai-Mai (Congolese local defense militias). The talks ended inconclusively on April 19, 2002, when the government and the MLC brokered an agreement that was signed by the majority of delegates at the dialogue but left out the RCD/G and opposition UDPS party, among others.

This partial agreement was never implemented, and negotiations resumed in South Africa in October 2002. This time, the talks led to an all-inclusive powersharing agreement, which was signed by delegates in [[Pretoria]] on December 17, 2002, and formally ratified by all parties on April 2, 2003.

{{Copyright Details (US Government)}}

Source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2823.htm]

{{African Countries}}

[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Chad

2021-01-08T17:58:11Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''République du Tchad جمهورية تشاد Jumhūriyyat Tshād''
|map =Chad rel91.jpg
|map2 =Chad location.png
|flag =Flag of Chad.jpg
|arms =Arms of Chad.png
|capital =N'Djamena
|capital-raw =
|government =Republic
|government-raw =
|language =French, Arabic
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|governor general=
|governor general-raw=
|president =Idriss Deby
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Kalzeubet Pahimi Deubet
|pm-raw =
|chairman =
|general secretary=
|governor =
|governor-raw =
|premier =
|premier-raw =
|area =496,000 sq. mi.
|pop =16,500,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$16.26 billion
|gdp-year =2008
|gdp-pc =$1,600
|currency =CFA franc
|idd =
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}}
The '''Republic of Chad''' is a nation of sub-Saharan [[Africa]] and is the fifth-largest African country.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1068700.stm</ref> It has an area of 495,800 square miles (1,280,000 million km2) and a population of 9.1 million. Its [[capital]] is [[N'Djamena]]. It is bounded by [[Libya]], [[Sudan]], [[Central African Republic]], [[Cameroon]], [[Nigeria]] and [[Niger]].

==Geography==
Chad is a landlocked country in north central Africa measuring 1,284,000 square kilometers (496,000 sq. mi.), roughly three times the size of California. Most of its ethnically and linguistically diverse population lives in the south, with densities ranging from 54 persons per square kilometers in the Logone River basin to 0.1 persons in the northern B.E.T. desert region, which is larger than France. The capital city of N'Djaména, situated at the confluence of the Chari and Logone Rivers, is cosmopolitan in nature, with a current population nearing one million people.

Chad has four bioclimatic zones. The northernmost Saharan zone averages less than 200 mm (8") of rainfall annually. The sparse human population is largely nomadic, with some livestock, mostly small ruminants and camels. The central Sahelian zone receives between 200 and 600 mm (24") rainfall and has vegetation ranging from grass/shrub steppe to thorny, open savanna. The southern zone, often referred to as the Sudanian zone, receives between 600 and 1,000 mm (39"), with woodland savanna and deciduous forests for vegetation. Rainfall in the Guinea zone, located in Chad's southwestern tip, ranges between 1,000 and 1,200 mm (47").

The country's topography is generally flat, with the elevation gradually rising as one moves north and east away from Lake Chad. The highest point in Chad is Emi Koussi, a mountain that rises 3,100 meters (10,200 ft.) in the northern Tibesti Mountains. The Ennedi Plateau and the Ouaddaï highlands in the east complete the image of a gradually sloping basin, which descends toward Lake Chad. There also are central highlands in the Guera region rising to 1,500 meters (4,900 ft.).

Lake Chad is the second-largest lake in West Africa and is one of the most important wetlands on the continent. Home to 120 species of fish and at least that many species of birds, the lake has shrunk dramatically in the last four decades due to the increased water use and low rainfall. Bordered by Chad, Niger, Nigeria, and Cameroon, Lake Chad currently covers only 1,350 square kilometers, down from 25,000 square kilometers in 1963. The Chari and Logone Rivers, both of which originate in the Central African Republic and flow northward, provide most of the water entering Lake Chad.
*Area: 1,284,634 km2. (496,000 sq. mi.); about twice the size of Texas.
*Cities: Capital—N'Djamena (pop. 1 million est.). Other major cities—Moundou, Abeche, Sarh.
*Terrain: Desert, mountainous north, large arid central plain, fertile lowlands in extreme southern regions.
*Climate: Northern desert—very dry throughout the year; central plain—hot and dry, with brief rainy season mid-June to mid-September; southern lowlands—warm and more humid with seasonal rains from late May to early October.

==People==
There are more than 200 ethnic groups in Chad. Those in the north and east are generally Muslim; most southerners are Christians or animists. Through their long religious and commercial relationships with Sudan and Egypt, many of the peoples in Chad's eastern and central regions have become more or less Arabized, speaking Arabic and engaging in many other Arab cultural practices as well. More than three-quarters of the Chadian population is rural. Near the eastern border there are over 250,000 refugees from the Sudanese conflict in Darfur and 56,000 Central African Republic refugees in the south. Due to internal rebel activity, there are also approximately 185,000 internally displaced persons in Chad.
*Nationality: Noun and adjective—Chadian(s).
*Population (July 2009 est.): 10,329,208.
*Annual growth rate (2009 est.): 2.069%.
*Density: 6.6 per km2. (17 per sq. mi.).
*Ethnic groups: 200 distinct groups. In the north and center, Gorane (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Arabs, Baguirmi, Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are Muslim. In the south, Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moudang, Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist. About 1,000 French citizens live in Chad.
*Religions: Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other indigenous beliefs 7%.
*Languages: French and Arabic (official); Sara (in the south), more than 120 indigenous Chadian languages and dialects.
*Education: Years compulsory—6. Attendance—primary school 68% (1998); secondary school 5.5% (1995); higher education n/a. Literacy (age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic, 2003 est.)--48%.
*Health: Life expectancy (2009 est.)--47.7 years. Infant mortality rate (2008 est.)--98.69 deaths/1,000 live births.
*Work force (2006 est.)--3.747 million. Agriculture—more than 80%; largely subsistence agriculture.

====Religion====
More than half of the population of 10 million is Muslim, approximately one-third is Christian, and the remainder practice traditional indigenous religious beliefs or have no religion. Most northerners practice Islam, and many southerners practice Christianity or traditional indigenous religious beliefs; however, population patterns are becoming more complex, especially in urban areas.

The great majority of Muslims belong to the Sufi brotherhood Tijaniyah. A small minority of Muslims (5 to 10% ) hold more fundamentalist beliefs, which in some cases are associated with Wahhabism or Salafism.

Roman Catholics represent the largest Christian denomination. Most Protestants are affiliated with various evangelical Christian groups. Small Baha'i and Jehovah's Witnesses communities also are present.

==Government and Political Conditions==
The constitutional basis for the government is the 1996 Constitution. A strong executive branch headed by the president dominates the Chadian political system. Following his December 1990 military overthrow of Hissein Habre, Idriss Deby in the mid-1990s gradually restored basic functions of government and entered into agreements with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) intended to carry out substantial economic reforms, including the Doba Basin oil extraction project.

The president has the power to appoint the prime minister and the Council of State (or cabinet), and exercises considerable influence over appointments of judges, generals, provincial officials and heads of Chad's parastatal firms. In cases of grave and immediate threat, the president, in consultation with the National Assembly President and Council of State, may declare a state of emergency. Most of the Deby's key advisers are members of the Zaghawa clan, although some southern and opposition personalities are represented in his government.

According to the 1996 Constitution, National Assembly deputies are elected by universal suffrage for 4-year terms. Parliamentary elections were last held in April 2002, with President Deby's MPS party winning a large majority. The Assembly holds regular sessions twice a year, starting in March and October, and can hold special sessions as necessary and called by the prime minister. Deputies elect a president of the National Assembly every 2 years. Assembly deputies or members of the executive branch may introduce legislation; once passed by the Assembly, the president must take action to either sign or reject the law within 15 days. The National Assembly must approve the prime minister's plan of government and may force the prime minister to resign through a majority vote of no confidence. However, if the National Assembly rejects the executive branch's program twice in one year, the president may disband the Assembly and call for new legislative elections. In practice, the president exercises considerable influence over the National Assembly through the MPS party structure.

Despite the Constitution's guarantee of judicial independence from the executive branch, the president names most key judicial officials. The Supreme Court is made up of a chief justice, named by the president, and 15 councilors chosen by the president and National Assembly; appointments are for life. The Constitutional Council, with nine judges elected to 9-year terms, has the power to review all legislation, treaties and international agreements prior to their adoption. The Constitution recognizes customary and traditional law in locales where it is recognized and to the extent it does not interfere with public order or constitutional guarantees of equality for all citizens.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Idriss Deby
*Prime Minister—Kalzeubet Pahimi Deubet
*Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Integration—Moussa Faki
*Minister of Finance and Budget—Gata Ngoulou
*Minister of Mines and Energy—Yaya Dillo
*President of the National Assembly—Nassour Guelengdouksia Ouaidou

===Foreign Relations===
Chad is officially nonaligned but has close relations with France, the former colonial power, and other members of the Western community. It receives economic aid from countries of the European Union, the United States, and various international organizations. Libya supplies aid and has an ambassador resident in N'Djamena.

Other resident diplomatic missions in N'Djamena include the embassies of Algeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, France, Germany, Nigeria, Russia, Sovereign Military Order of Malta, South Africa, Sudan, Taiwan, the United States, and the European Economic Community. A number of other countries have nonresident ambassadors. In 1988, Chad recognized the State of Palestine, which maintains a mission in N'Djamena. Chad has not recognized the State of Israel.

Although relations with Libya improved with the advent of the Deby government, strains persist. Chad has been an active champion of regional cooperation through the Central African Economic and Customs Union, the Lake Chad and Niger River Basin Commissions, and the Interstate Commission for the Fight Against the Drought in the Sahel. On February 8, 2006 the Tripoli Agreement, an attempt to end ongoing conflict between Chad and Sudan, was signed by Deby and Sudanese leader Al-Bashir at a summit hosted by Libyan leader Gaddafi. Following several violent confrontations between Chadian Government troops and rebels in the east, Deby broke off diplomatic ties with Al-Bashir, who he accused of backing Chadian rebels (the Sudanese Government, in turn, accused Chad of supporting Sudanese rebel groups operating in Darfur). Due to the gravity of the humanitarian crisis caused by these violent conflicts, the UN authorized the deployment of an EU peacekeeping force of 3,700 on September 25, 2007. On February 2, 2008 rebels infiltrated N'Djamena, surrounding the Presidential Palace, forcing the evacuation of U.S. Embassy personnel, and stalling the arrival of the peacekeeping presence. A cease-fire agreement was tentatively reached on February 5, 2008. On March 12, both sides met in Dakar, Senegal and signed a peace accord agreeing that they would stop backing rebels hostile to each other. Following that agreement, Sudan accused Chad of continuing to back Sudanese rebels and then severed ties with Chad. While relations between the neighboring nations continued to deteriorate, Chad experienced further rebel attacks within its borders in June 2008. On July 18, President Al-Bashir expressed his desire to restore diplomatic ties with Chad. In early August, the Libyan Government helped to broker an agreement between the Governments of Chad and Sudan. In October 2008, representatives from Chad and Sudan met in Tripoli to formally restore diplomatic ties between their nations, and an exchange of ambassadors occurred in mid-November. In January 2009, the UN also decided to renew the current mission in eastern Chad and northern Central African Republic (MINURCAT) and replace the EUFOR force with a UN peacekeeping mission. Following the announced unification of major Chadian rebel groups in January 2009 and an escalation of tensions in Darfur between the Government of Sudan and armed groups, both Chad and Sudan once again accused each other of supporting their respective rebel groups. Following the signing of the May 3 Doha accord between Chad and Sudan, Chadian rebels launched a fresh round of attacks. After repelling rebel forces inside Chad, the Chadian military launched military operations into Sudan in mid-May to target Chad rebel bases. This military action exacerbated tensions between Chad and Sudan, as President Deby publicly accused the African Union and other international actors (such as Libya and China) of doing little to condemn Sudan’s support for Chadian rebel groups. While tensions between the two countries remain high, there has been no formal rupture in diplomatic relations.

Chad belongs to the following international organizations: UN and some of its specialized and related agencies; African Union; Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC); African Financial Community (Franc Zone); Agency for the Francophone Community; African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States; African Development Bank; Central African States Development Bank; Economic and Monetary Union of Central African (CEMAC); Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC); Economic Commission for Africa; G-77; International Civil Aviation Organization; International Confederation of Free Trade Unions; International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement; International Development Association; Islamic Development Bank; International Fund for Agricultural Development; International Finance Corporation; International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; International Labor Organization; International Monetary Fund; Interpol; International Olympic Committee; International Telecommunication Union; NAM; Organization of the Islamic Conference; Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; Universal Postal Union; World Confederation of Labor; World Intellectual Property Organization; World Meteorological Organization; World Tourism Organization; World Trade Organization.

==Defense==
Under President Hissein Habre, members of Gourane, Zaghawa, Kanembou, Hadjerai, and Massa ethnic groups dominated the military. Idriss Deby, a member of the minority Zaghawa-related Bidyate clan and a top military commander, revolted and fled to Sudan, taking with him many Zaghawa and Hadjerai soldiers in 1989. The forces that Deby led into N'Djamena on December 1, 1990 to oust President Habre were mainly Zaghawa (including a large number of Sudanese), many of whom were recruited while Deby was in the bush. Deby's coalition also included a small number of Hadjerais and southerners.

Chad's armed forces numbered about 36,000 at the end of the Habre regime but swelled to an estimated 50,000 in the early days of Idriss Deby. With French support, a reorganization of the armed forces was initiated early in 1991 with the goal of reducing the size of the armed forces. An essential element of this effort was to make the ethnic composition of the armed forces reflective of the country as a whole. While the military's size has been reduced to approximately 25,000 soldiers, leadership positions are still dominated by the Zaghawa.

Following Idriss Deby's rise to power, Habre loyalists continued to fight government troops and rob civilians around Lake Chad. In the mid- and late-1990s, a rebellion in the south by the FARF delayed the promised oil development until crushed by government forces. Most recently, the Movement for Democracy and Justice in Tchad (MDJT) launched the most serious threat to Deby's hold on power, but little progress was ever made on either side. In January 2002, the government and the MDJT signed a formal peace accord. Although remnants are still present in the North, active rebellion there has been negligible since late 2003.

Long, porous borders continue to render Chad vulnerable to incursions. In March 2004, the Algerian terrorist organization, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), strayed into Chadian territory, where they were engaged by Chadian armed forces. Since the 2003 outbreak of the Darfur crisis in Sudan, armed militias have occasionally crossed into Chad, resulting in small-scale skirmishes. In response to such ongoing threats Chad has joined in the Pan Sahel Initiative (PSI), a U.S. Government military-to-military assistance program which helps participant countries counter terrorist operations, border incursions, and trafficking of people, illicit materials, and other goods. Initial PSI training was completed in Chad in July 2004.

==Economy==
In 2008, Chad's GDP was estimated at approximately $16.26 billion. Oil, cotton, cattle, and gum arabic are Chad's major exports.

The effects on foreign investment of years of civil war are still felt today, as investors who left Chad between 1979-82 have only recently begun to regain confidence in the country's future. The most important economic venture to date is the Doba Basin oil extraction project in southern Chad. The project included unique mechanisms for World Bank, private sector, government, and civil society collaboration to guarantee that future oil revenues would benefit local populations and result in poverty alleviation.

Oil exploitation in the southern Doba region began in June 2000, with U.S.-based Exxon Mobil leading a consortium, with assisted funding from the World Bank, in a $3.7 billion project to export oil via a 1,000-km. buried pipeline through Cameroon to the Gulf of Guinea. Beginning in late 2000, development of Chad's petroleum sector stimulated economic growth by attracting major investment and increased levels of U.S. trade. Oil revenue began trickling into the country in July 2004. It was hoped that this project would serve as a catalyst for the entire economy by helping to reduce energy costs and attracting additional trade and investment in other sectors. Following the government's decision to amend the oil revenue management law in 2006, the World Bank froze the escrow account that received the country's revenues. Later that year, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the World Bank and the Government of Chad that agreed on a new percentage of oil revenue to be used toward poverty reduction. Unfortunately, due to rebel attacks on N'djamena, Deby issued a "state of emergency" placing oil revenue funds into his direct command. This pipeline project was officially suspended in September 2008 following World Bank accusations that oil profits were not going toward poverty reduction efforts, as outlined in the initial agreement. In January 2009, the World Bank partially reopened its office in Chad, noting that it would only be involved in development assistance programs, and not play a role in the oil sector. Political controversy surrounding elections and insecurity in eastern Chad also dampen Chad's economic prospects somewhat by exposing the weaknesses in Chad's political institutions.
*GDP, current prices (2008 est.): $16.26 billion.
*GDP per capita income (2008 est.): $1,600.
*Population living below poverty line (2001 est.): 80%.
*Natural resources: Petroleum, natron (sodium carbonate), kaolin, gold, bauxite, tin, tungsten, titanium, iron ore.
*Agriculture (2007 est., 21.5% of GDP): Products—cotton, gum arabic, livestock, fish, peanuts, millet, sorghum, rice, sweet potatoes, cassava, dates, manioc. Arable land—30%.
*Industry (2007 est., 47.8% of GDP): Types—meatpacking, beer brewing, soap, cigarettes, construction materials, natron mining, soft-drink bottling.
*Services (2007 est.): 30.6% of GDP.
*Trade: Exports--$5.501 billion (f.o.b., 2008 est.): oil, cotton, livestock, gum arabic. Major markets (1999)--Portugal, Germany, Thailand, Costa Rica, South Africa, France, Nigeria, Cameroon. Imports--$1.47 billion (f.o.b., 2008 est.): petroleum products, machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, industrial goods, textiles. Major suppliers (2004)--U.S., France, Cameroon, Nigeria.
*Central government budget (2006 est.): Revenues--$617.3 million. Expenditures--$877.6 million.
*Defense (2002): $31 million.

The U.S. Government expressed both concern and disappointment after the Government of Chad on August 26, 2006 ordered Chevron Oil Corporation and Petronas, members of the Exxon Mobil-led and operated oil consortium, to cease operations and leave Chad within 24 hours for alleged non-payment of income taxes. Chevron and Petronas entered into a tax agreement in 2000 with the government, represented by Petroleum Minister Mahamat Hassan Nasser, when they replaced Elf and Shell as minority members of the consortium. The companies assert that the agreement authorizes them to use a special depreciation schedule allowing greater tax deductions than those afforded consortium partner Exxon Mobil. The Government of Chad, however, claimed that the 2000 tax agreement was illegal, because it was negotiated by officials without proper authority and was not vetted by the National Assembly. The Government of Chad also announced plans to press charges against negotiating officials, and on August 28, 2006 replaced Nasser, as well as Economic Minister Mahamat Ali Hassan and Farming Minister Moucktar Moussa. Chevron and Petronas consider the Government of Chad to have violated its contractual obligations and planned to seek recourse through all diplomatic and legal means. While the U.S. takes no position on the merits of the dispute, it has urged all parties involved to respect any binding contractual commitments.

Despite recent development of the petroleum sector, more than 80% of the work force is involved in agriculture (subsistence farming, herding, and fishing). Like many other developing countries, Chad has a small formal sector and a large, thriving informal sector. Statistics indicate the following distribution as percentage of GDP: Agriculture—21.5% (farming, livestock, fishing); industry—47.8%; and services—30.6%. Chad is highly dependent on foreign assistance. Its principal donors include the European Union (EU), France, and the multilateral lending agencies.

Primary markets for Chadian exports include neighboring Cameroon and Nigeria and France, Germany, and Portugal. Aside from oil, cotton remains a primary export, although exact figures are not available. Rehabilitation of CotonTchad, the major cotton company that suffered from a decline in world cotton prices, has been financed by France, the Netherlands, the European Economic Community (EC), and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The parastatal is now being privatized.

The other major export is livestock, herded to neighboring countries. Herdsmen in the Sudanic and Sahelian zones raise cattle, sheep, goats, and, among the non-Muslims, a few pigs. In the Saharan region, only camels and a few hardy goats can survive. Chad also sells smoked and dried fish to its neighbors and exports several million dollars worth of gum arabic to Europe and the United States each year. Other food crops include sesame, millet, sorghum, peanuts, rice, sweet potatoes, manioc, cassava, and yams.

After averaging 0.8% in 1999-2000, Chad's real GDP growth was estimated at 8.9% in 2001, and 10% in 2002 and 2003 as the Doba oil project accelerated. Inflation rose from 3.7% in 2000 to 12.4% in 2001, dropped to 5.2% in 2002, and was estimated to level out at 3% in 2004. These fluctuations were due in large part to increasing demand from the Doba project but also to fluctuations in agricultural production. After a disappointing agricultural campaign in 2000, increased production during the 2001-02 timeframe helped reduce inflation in 2002. In 2003, the contraction in investments, the 7% appreciation in the CFA Franc exchange rate, and bumper harvests combined to generate a 1% deflation in place of the projected 4.3% inflation. Chad's economic performance, at least until the onset of oil exports, continued to depend on fluctuations in rainfall and in prices of its principal export commodities, especially cotton.

Since 1995, the Government of Chad has made incremental progress in implementing structural reforms and improving government finances under two successive structural adjustment programs. Most state enterprises have been partially or completely privatized, non-priority public spending has been lessened, and the government has gradually liberalized some key sectors of the economy. Liberalization of the telecommunications, cotton, and energy sectors is expected to proceed over the next several years. Chad reached the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative completion point in May 2001.

==History==
In ancient times the Saharan area was not totally arid, and Chad's population was more evenly distributed than it is today. For example, 7,000 years ago, the north central basin, now in the Sahara, was still filled with water, and people lived and farmed around its shores. Cliff paintings in Borkou and Ennedi depict elephants, rhinoceroses, giraffes, cattle, and camels; only camels survive there today. The region has been known to traders and geographers since the late Middle Ages. Since then, Chad has served as a crossroads for the Muslim peoples of the desert and savanna regions, and the animist Bantu tribes of the tropical forests.

Sao people lived along the Chari River for thousands of years, but their relatively weak chiefdoms were overtaken by the powerful chiefs of what were to become the Kanem-Bornu and Baguirmi kingdoms. At their peak, these two kingdoms and the kingdom of Ouaddai controlled a good part of what is now Chad, as well as parts of Nigeria and Sudan. From 1500 to 1900, Arab slave raids were widespread. The French first penetrated Chad in 1891, establishing their authority through military expeditions primarily against the Muslim kingdoms. The first major colonial battle for Chad was fought in 1900 between the French Major Lamy and the African leader Rabah, both of whom were killed in the battle. Although the French won that battle, they did not declare the territory pacified until 1911; armed clashes between colonial troops and local bands continued for many years thereafter.

In 1905, administrative responsibility for Chad was placed under a governor general stationed at Brazzaville in what is now Congo. Although Chad joined the French colonies of Gabon, Oubangui-Charo, and Moyen Congo to form the Federation of French Equatorial Africa (AEF) in 1910, it did not have colonial status until 1920. The northern region of Chad was occupied by the French in 1914. In 1959, the territory of French Equatorial Africa was dissolved, and four states—Gabon, the Central African Republic, Congo (Brazzaville), and Chad—became autonomous members of the French Community. On August 11, 1960 Chad became an independent nation under its first president, Francois Tombalbaye.

A long civil war began as a tax revolt in 1965 and soon set the Muslim north and east against the southern-led government. Even with the help of French combat forces, the Tombalbaye government was never able to quell the insurgency. Tombalbaye's rule became more irrational and brutal, leading the military to carry out a coup in 1975 and to install Gen. Felix Malloum, a southerner, as head of state. In 1978, Malloum's government was broadened to include more northerners. Internal dissent within the government led the northern prime minister, Hissein Habre, to send his forces against the national army in the capital city of N'Djamena in February 1979. The resulting civil war amongst the 11 emergent factions was so widespread that it rendered the central government largely irrelevant. At that point, other African governments decided to intervene.

A series of four international conferences held first under Nigerian and then Organization of African Unity (OAU) sponsorship attempted to bring the Chadian factions together. At the fourth conference, held in Lagos, Nigeria, in August 1979, the Lagos accord was signed. This accord established a transitional government pending national elections. In November 1979, the National Union Transition Government (GUNT) was created with a mandate to govern for 18 months. Goukouni Oueddei, a northerner, was named President; Colonel Kamougue, a southerner, Vice President; and Habre, Minister of Defense. This coalition proved fragile; in January 1980, fighting broke out again between Goukouni's and Habre's forces. With assistance from Libya, Goukouni regained control of the capital and other urban centers by year's end. However, Goukouni's January 1981 statement that Chad and Libya had agreed to work for the realization of complete unity between the two countries generated intense international pressure and Goukouni's subsequent call for the complete withdrawal of external forces. Libya's partial withdrawal to the Aozou Strip in northern Chad cleared the way for Habre's forces to enter N'Djamena in June. French troops and an OAU peacekeeping force of 3,500 Nigerian, Senegalese, and Zairian troops (partially funded by the United States) remained neutral during the conflict.

Habre continued to face armed opposition on various fronts, and was brutal in his repression of suspected opponents, massacring and torturing many during his rule. In the summer of 1983, GUNT forces launched an offensive against government positions in northern and eastern Chad with Libyan support. In response to Libya's direct intervention, French and Zairian forces intervened to defend Habre, pushing Libyan and rebel forces north of the 16th parallel. In September 1984, the French and the Libyan governments announced an agreement for the mutual withdrawal of their forces from Chad. By the end of the year, all French and Zairian troops were withdrawn. Libya did not honor the withdrawal accord, and its forces continued to occupy the northern third of Chad.

Southern rebel commando groups (CODO) in southern Chad were broken up by government massacres in 1984. In 1985 Habre briefly reconciled with some of his most powerful opponents, including the Chadian Democratic Front and the Coordinating Action Committee of the Democratic Revolutionary Council. Goukouni also began to rally toward Habre, and with his support Habre successfully expelled Libyan forces from most of Chadian territory. A cease-fire between Chad and Libya held from 1987 to 1988, and negotiations over the next several years led to the 1994 International Court of Justice decision granting Chad sovereignty over the Aouzou strip, effectively ending Libyan occupation.

However, rivalry between Hadjerai, Zaghawa, and Gorane groups within the government grew in the late 1980s. In April 1989, Idriss Deby, one of Habre's leading generals and a Zaghawa, defected and fled to Darfur in Sudan, from which he mounted a Zaghawa-supported series of attacks on Habre (a Gorane). In December 1990, with Libyan assistance and no opposition from French troops stationed in Chad, Deby's forces successfully marched on N'Djamena. After 3 months of provisional government, Deby's Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS) approved a national charter on February 28, 1991, with Deby as president.

In the following 2 years, Deby faced at least two coup attempts. Government forces clashed violently with rebel forces (including the Movement for Democracy and Development, MDD, National Revival Committee for Peace and Democracy (CSNPD), Chadian national Front (FNT), and the Western Armed Forces, FAO) near Lake Chad and in southern regions of the country. Earlier French demands for the country to hold a national conference resulted in the gathering of 750 delegates representing political parties (legalized in 1992), the government, trade unions, and the army to discuss creation of a pluralist democratic regime.

Unrest continued, however, sparked in part by large-scale killings of civilians in southern Chad. The CSNPD, led by Kette Moise and other southern groups, entered into a peace agreement with government forces in 1994, which later broke down. Two new groups, the Armed Forces for a Federal Republic (FARF) led by former Kette ally Laokein Barde and the Democratic Front for Renewal (FDR), and a reformulated MDD clashed with government forces 1994-95.

Talks with political opponents in early 1996 did not go well, but Deby announced his intent to hold presidential elections in June. Deby won the country's first multi-party presidential elections with support in the second round from opposition leader Kebzabo, defeating General Kamougue (leader of the 1975 coup against Tombalbaye). Deby's MPS party won 63 of 125 seats in the January 1997 legislative elections. International observers noted numerous serious irregularities in presidential and legislative election proceedings.

By mid-1997 the government signed peace deals with FARF and the MDD leadership and succeeded in cutting off the groups from their rear bases in the Central African Republic and Cameroon. Agreements also were struck with rebels from the National Front of Chad (FNT) and Movement for Social Justice and Democracy in October 1997. However, peace was short-lived, as FARF rebels clashed with government soldiers, finally surrendering to government forces in May 1998. Barde was killed in the fighting, as were hundreds of other southerners, most civilians.

From 1998 to 2003, Chadian Movement for Justice and Democracy (MDJT) rebels skirmished periodically with government troops in the Tibesti region, resulting in hundreds of civilian, government, and rebel casualties, but little ground won or lost. Following an accord with the government in 2003, several hundred rebels rejoined the Chadian Army. Armed remnants of the MDJT linger in the Tibesti region, but no active armed opposition has emerged in other parts of Chad.

In May 2001, Deby won a flawed 63% first-round victory in presidential elections after legislative elections were postponed until spring 2002. Six opposition leaders were arrested (twice), and one opposition party activist was killed following the announcement of election results. However, despite claims of government corruption, favoritism of Zaghawas, and security forces abuses, opposition party and labor union calls for general strikes and more active demonstrations against the government were unsuccessful.

In May 2004, the National Assembly voted in favor of an amendment to the Constitution that would allow President Deby to run again. The amendment was approved in a national referendum June 2005 and abolished presidential term limits. In the last 3 years, Deby faced at least three coup attempts. In April 2006, the capital city of N'djamena was attacked by the United Front for Democratic Change—which was led by the Tama ethnic group—coordinating with another Chadian rebel organization from President Deby's Zaghawa ethnic group. The government put down the attacks. On May 3, 2006 Deby was elected to his third presidential term with a substantial majority, according to Chadian election officials. Provisional figures showed Deby receiving 77.6% of the vote. More than 60% of Chad's 5.8 million registered voters cast ballots. Frequent bouts of fighting between rebel groups characterized 2006. On October 26, 2007 a peace agreement was signed by four Chadian rebel groups and the Government of Chad. Hosted by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, the talks took place in the Libyan city of Sirte.

=== References ===
<references/>

{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''
|-
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:
|style=" background-color: none;"| This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code
|-
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/37992.htm]}}}.

{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Landlocked Countries]]
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]

Central African Republic

2021-01-08T17:57:49Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''République Centrafricaine'' ''Ködörösêse tî Bêafrîka''
|map =Cen african rep rel01.jpg
|map2 =Location of CentralAfricanRep.png
|flag =Flag of the Central African Republic.jpg
|arms =Arms of Central African Rep.png
|capital =Bangui
|capital-raw =
|government =Republic
|government-raw =
|language =[[Sango]] (official), [[French]]
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Catherine Samba-Panza
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Mahamat Kamoun
|pm-raw =
|area =240,534 sq mi
|pop =4,850,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$5.015 billion
|gdp-year =2006
|gdp-pc =$1,198
|currency =Central African franc
|idd =
|tld =
}}
The '''Central African Republic''' (''République Centrafricaine'') is a nation of central [[Africa]], bordered by [[Chad]], [[Sudan]], [[Democratic Republic of Congo]], [[Republic of the Congo]], and [[Cameroon]]. It has an area of 240,324 square miles (622436 km2) and a population of 4.37 million (2007 est). The capital city is [[Bangui]].

==People==
There are more than 80 ethnic groups in the Central African Republic (C.A.R.), each with its own language. About 75% are Baya-Mandjia and Banda (40% largely located in the northern and central parts of the country), and 4% are M'Baka (southwestern corner of the C.A.R.). Sangho, the language of a small group along the Oubangui River, is the national language spoken by the majority of Central Africans. Only a small part of the population has more than an elementary knowledge of French, the official language.

More than 55% of the population of the C.A.R. lives in rural areas. The chief agricultural areas are around the Bossangoa and Bambari. Bangui, Berberati, Bangassou, and Bossangoa are the most densely populated urban centers.
*Population (July 2007 est.): 4,369,038.
*Annual growth rate (2007 est.): 1.505%.
*Ethnic groups: More than 80; Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Sara 10%, Mandja 13%, Mboum 7%, M'baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%.
*Religions: Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%, indigenous beliefs 35%.
*Languages: Sangho (official), Sangho (national).
*Education: Years compulsory—6. Enrollment—primary school 75%. Literacy—50%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate—115 deaths/1,000. Life expectancy—avg. 43 yrs.
*Work force (approx. 53% of pop.): Agriculture—75%; industry—6%; commerce and services—4%; government—15%.

==Government and Political Conditions==
The government is a republic comprised of a strong executive branch (president, vice president, prime minister, and council of ministers), and weak legislative and judicial branches. Government and opposition party members, as well as civil society and the military are represented in the three branches, although the president appoints the vice president, prime minister, members of the cabinet (Council of Ministers), top military officials, and managers of national parastatals.

The National Assembly is made up of 109 members elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms. Legislative elections were held in 1998; in contested results, the government’s Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People (MLPC) won just over 50% control of the legislative body. Legislative elections were last held in spring 2005.

For administration purposes, the country is divided into 16 prefectures that are further divided into over 60 subprefectures; the commune of Bangui is administered separately. The president currently appoints heads of these administrative units, called "prefets" and "sous-prefets". There are 174 communes, each headed by a mayor and council appointed by the president. Suffrage is universal over the age of 21.

The judicial sector encompasses the Constitutional Court, Court of Cassation, Court of Appeals, criminal and civil courts, Labor Court, and Juvenile Court, although several of these courts have insufficient resources and trained personnel to operate on a regular basis. The Criminal Court of Bangui sits once or twice a year, usually for 1 or 2 months each session. Judges are appointed by the president; executive influence often impedes transparent handling of judicial affairs. Military courts exist but are currently only used to try military personnel for crimes committed in the course of duty. There are a limited number of formal courts currently functioning outside Bangui; traditional arbitration and negotiation play a major role in administering domestic, property, and probate law.

The Central African Republic has a vibrant civil society, with numerous professional, labor, and local development associations actively carrying out campaigns and gaining greater local and international credibility.

The C.A.R. Government's human rights record remains flawed. There are continued reports of arbitrary detainment, torture and, to a lesser degree, extra judicial killings. Journalists have occasionally been threatened, and prison conditions remain harsh.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President of the Republic, Head of State—Catherine Samba-Panza
*Prime Minister—Mahamat Kamoun
*State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Francophony—Mr. Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE
*Minister of Finance and Budget—Mr. Théodore DABANGA
*Ambassador to the United States—Emmanuel Touaboy
*Ambassador to the United Nations—Fernand Poukre-Kono

===Foreign Relations===
The Central African Republic is an active member in several Central African organizations, including the Economic and Monetary Union (CEMAC), the Economic Community of Central African States (CEEAC) Central African Peace and Security Council (COPAX—still under formation), and the Central Bank of Central African States (BEAC). Standardization of tax, customs, and security arrangements between the Central African states is a major foreign policy objective of the C.A.R. Government. The C.A.R. is a participant in the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD), and the Organization of African Unity (OAU—now the African Union). Libya and, to a lesser degree, Sudan have shown increased interest in cooperation with the C.A.R. over the last year.

Outside of Africa, the C.A.R. maintains fairly close ties to France, albeit considerably reduced from previous years. In the late 1990s, France withdrew forces stationed in the C.A.R.; drops in its external assistance budget have reduced French military and social development aid to the country. Other multilateral organizations—including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, UN agencies, European Union, and the African Development Bank—and bilateral donors—including Germany, Japan, the European Union, China, and the United States—are significant development partners for the C.A.R.

Seventeen countries have resident diplomatic or consular representatives in Bangui, and the C.A.R. maintains approximately the same number of missions abroad. Since early 1989 the government recognizes both Israel and the Palestinian state. The C.A.R. also maintains diplomatic relations with China. The C.A.R. generally joins other African and developing country states in consensus positions on major policy issues.

==Defense==
Under military restructuring plans formulated 1999-2000, the civilian Minister of Defense controlled and directed all armed forces, including the Presidential Security Unit (UPS), which had previously been seen as a militia supporting the president. In April 2001, the C.A.R. armed forces numbered about 3,000, including army, navy, air force, gendarmerie, national police, Presidential Security Unit, and local police personnel. An estimated 1,200 members of the army and gendarmerie fled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo following the failed coup attempt of May 2001.

Following the 2003 coup, Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC-Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale) and C.A.R. armed forces assumed responsibility for securing the capital city. CEMAC forces currently total approximately 400 soldiers, which are supported by an additional 200 French soldiers. The C.A.R. armed forces number approximately 2,000. Working with the French, the C.A.R. military is attempting to provide professional training and decentralize its troops in an effort to combat road bandits, thievery, and poaching throughout the C.A.R. territory.

==Economy==
The Central African Republic is classified as one of the world's least developed countries, with a 2002 annual per capita income of $260. Sparsely populated and landlocked, the nation is overwhelmingly agrarian, with the vast bulk of the population engaged in subsistence farming and 55% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) arising from agriculture. Principal crops include cotton, food crops (cassava, yams, bananas, maize), coffee, and tobacco. In 2002, timber accounted for about 30% of export earnings. The country also has rich but largely unexploited natural resources in the form of diamonds, gold, uranium, and other minerals. There may be oil deposits along the country's northern border with Chad. Diamonds are the only of these mineral resources currently being developed; in 2002, diamond exports made up close to 50% of the C.A.R.'s export earnings. Industry contributes only about 20% of the country's GDP, with artesian diamond mining, breweries, and sawmills making up the bulk of the sector. Services currently account for about 25% of GDP, largely because of the oversized government bureaucracy and high transportation costs arising from the country's landlocked position.

Hydroelectric plants based in Boali provide much of the country’s limited electrical supply. Fuel supplies must be barged in via the Ubangui River or trucked overland through Cameroon, resulting in frequent shortages of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. The C.A.R.'s transportation and communication network is limited. The country has only 650 kilometers of paved road, limited international and no domestic air service (except charters), and does not possess a railroad. Commercial traffic on the Ubangui River is impossible from December to May or June, and conflict in the region has sometimes prevented shipments from moving between Kinshasa and Bangui. The telephone system functions, albeit imperfectly. Four radio stations currently operate in the C.A.R., as well as one television station. Numerous newspapers and pamphlets are published on a regular basis, and at least one company has begun providing Internet service.

In the more than 40 years since independence, the C.A.R. has made slow progress toward economic development. Economic mismanagement, poor infrastructure, a limited tax base, scarce private investment, and adverse external conditions have led to deficits in both its budget and external trade. Its debt burden is considerable, and the country has seen a decline in per capita gross national product (GNP) over the last 30 years. Structural adjustment programs with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) and interest-free credits to support investments in the agriculture, livestock, and transportation sectors have had limited impact. The World Bank and IMF are now encouraging the government to concentrate exclusively on implementing much-needed economic reforms to jumpstart the economy and defining its fundamental priorities with the aim of alleviating poverty. As a result, many of the state-owned business entities have been privatized and limited efforts have been made to standardize and simplify labor and investment codes and to address problems of corruption. The C.A.R. Government has adopted the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) Charter of Investment, and is in the process of adopting a new labor code.
*GDP (2006): $1.542 billion.
*Annual real GDP growth rate: -7.2% (2003); 0.5% (2004 est.); 3% (2006 est.).
*Per capita income (2002): $260.
*Avg. inflation rate: 4.2% (2003); 3.2 (2004 est.).
*Natural resources: Diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil.
*Agriculture (2002, 54.8% of GDP): Products—Timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco, foodcrops, livestock. Cultivated land—unavailable.
*Industry (2002, 21.6% of GDP): Types—Diamond mining, sawmills, breweries, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles, and soap.
*Services (2002): 23.6% of GDP.
*Trade (2004): Exports--$161 million; diamonds, coffee, cotton, timber, tobacco. Major markets—Belgium, Italy, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Egypt, Spain, and Côte d'Ivoire. Imports--$119 million; food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, industrial products. Major suppliers—France, United States, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Germany, Japan.
*Central government budget (2002): $226 million.
*Defense (2002, 2.4% of budget): $5.4 million.
*Fiscal year: Calendar year.

==History==
The C.A.R. appears to have been settled from at least the 7th century on by overlapping empires, including the Kanem-Bornou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi, and Dafour groups based in Lake Chad and the Upper Nile. Later, various sultanates claimed present-day C.A.R, using the entire Oubangui region as a slave reservoir, from which slaves were traded north across the Sahara and to West Africa for export by European traders. Population migration in the 18th and 19th centuries brought new migrants into the area, including the Zande, Banda, and Baya-Mandjia.

In 1875 the Egyptian sultan Rabah governed Upper-Oubangui, which included present-day C.A.R. Europeans, primarily the French, German, and Belgians, arrived in the area in 1885. The French consolidated their legal claim to the area through an 1887 convention with Congo Free State, which granted France possession of the right bank of the Oubangui River. Two years later, the French established an outpost at Bangui, and in 1894, Oubangui-Chari became a French territory. However, the French did not consolidate their control over the area until 1903 after having defeated the forces of the Egyptian sultan Rabah and established colonial administration throughout the territory. In 1906, the Oubangui-Chari territory was united with the Chad colony; in 1910, it became one of the four territories of the Federation of French Equatorial Africa (A.E.F.), along with Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), and Gabon. The next 30 years were marked by small-scale revolts against French rule and the development of a plantation-style economy.

In August 1940, the territory responded, with the rest of the A.E.F., to the call from Gen. Charles de Gaulle to fight for Free France. After World War II, the French Constitution of 1946 inaugurated the first of a series of reforms that led eventually to complete independence for all French territories in western and equatorial Africa. In 1946, all A.E.F. inhabitants were granted French citizenship and allowed to establish local assemblies. The assembly in C.A.R. was led by Barthelemy Boganda, a Catholic priest who also was known for his forthright statements in the French Assembly on the need for African emancipation. In 1956 French legislation eliminated certain voting inequalities and provided for the creation of some organs of self-government in each territory. The French constitutional referendum of September 1958 dissolved the A.E.F., and on December 1 of the same year the Assembly declared the birth of the Central African Republic with Boganda as head of government. Boganda ruled until his death in a March 1959 plane crash. His cousin, David Dacko, replaced him, governing the country until 1965 and overseeing the country's declaration of independence on August 13, 1960.

On January 1, 1966, following a swift and almost bloodless coup, Col. Jean-Bedel Bokassa assumed power as President of the Republic. Bokassa abolished the constitution of 1959, dissolved the National Assembly, and issued a decree that placed all legislative and executive powers in the hands of the president. On December 4, 1976, the republic became a monarchy with the promulgation of the imperial constitution and the proclamation of the president as Emperor Bokassa I. His regime was characterized by numerous human rights atrocities.

Following riots in Bangui and the murder of between 50 and 200 schoolchildren, former President Dacko led a successful French-backed coup against Bokassa on September 20, 1979. Dacko's efforts to promote economic and political reforms proved ineffectual, and on September 1, 1981, he in turn was overthrown in a bloodless coup by Gen. Andre Kolingba. For 4 years, Kolingba led the country as head of the Military Committee for National Recovery (CRMN). In 1985 the CRMN was dissolved, and Kolingba named a new cabinet with increased civilian participation, signaling the start of a return to civilian rule. The process of democratization quickened in 1986 with the creation of a new political party, the Rassemblement Democratique Centrafricain (RDC), and the drafting of a new constitution that subsequently was ratified in a national referendum. General Kolingba was sworn in as constitutional President on November 29, 1986. The constitution established a National Assembly made up of 52 elected deputies, elected in July 1987. Due to mounting political pressure, in 1991 President Kolingba announced the creation of a national commission to rewrite the constitution to provide for a multi-party system. Multi-party presidential elections were conducted in 1992 but were later cancelled due to serious logistical and other irregularities. Ange Felix Patasse won a second-round victory in rescheduled elections held in October 1993, and was re-elected for another 6-year term in September 1999.

Salary arrears, labor unrest, and unequal treatment of military officers from different ethnic groups led to three mutinies against the Patasse government in 1996 and 1997. The French succeeded in quelling the disturbances, and an African peacekeeping force (MISAB) occupied Bangui until 1998 when they were relieved by a UN peacekeeping mission (MINURCA). Economic difficulties caused by the looting and destruction during the 1996 and 1997 mutinies, energy crises, and government mismanagement continued to trouble Patasse's government through 2000. In March 2000 the last of the MINURCA forces departed Bangui. In May 2001 rebel forces within the C.A.R. military, led by former President and Army General Andre Kolingba, attempted a military coup. After several days of heavy fighting, forces loyal to the government, aided by a small number of troops from Libya and the Congolese rebel Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC), were able to put down the coup attempt. In November 2001, there were several days of sporadic gunfire between members of the Presidential Security Unit and soldiers defending sacked Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Francois Bozize, who fled to Chad. In mid-2002 there were skirmishes on the C.A.R.-Chad border.

In October 2002, former Army Chief of Staff Francois Bozize launched a coup attempt that culminated in the March 15, 2003 overthrow of President Patasse and the takeover of the capital. General Bozize declared himself President, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the National Assembly. Since seizing power, President Francois Bozize has made significant progress in restoring order to Bangui and parts of the country, and professed a desire to promote national reconciliation, strengthen the economy, and improve the human rights situation. A new constitution was passed by referendum in December 2004. In spring 2005, the country held its first elections since the March 2003 coup. The first round of presidential and legislative elections were held in March 2005, and in May, President Bozize defeated former Prime Minister Martin Ziguele in a second-round runoff. On June 13, Bozize named Elie Dote, an agricultural engineer who had worked at the African Development Bank, his new Prime Minister.

In 2013 president Bozize left the country after [[Islamism|Islamist]] rebels of took the capital.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/03/24/central-african-republic-president-flees-as-rebels-take-capital/</ref> The leader of [[Seleka]], the rebel group, [[Michel Djotodia]] called himself the president of the Central African Republic.<ref>https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/rebels-patrol-central-african-republic-capital</ref> In Djotodias tenure the Seleka terrorized Christians.<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/centralafricanrepublic/10502752/Seleka-the-militia-terrorising-Central-African-Republics-Christian-population.html</ref> On January 10, 2014 Djotodia stepped down.<ref>http://cnsnews.com/news/article/c-african-republic-president-pm-stepping-down</ref> Since January 20, 2014 [[Catherine Samba-Panza]] is the president of the Central African Republic.<ref>http://cnsnews.com/news/article/c-african-republic-chooses-mayor-new-leader</ref>

==References==
<references/>

{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''
|-
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:
|style=" background-color: none;"| This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code
|-
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4007.htm]}}}.
|}

{{African Countries}}

[[Category:Landlocked Countries]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Cameroon

2021-01-08T17:57:27Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''République du Cameroun''
|map =Cameroon rel98.jpg
|flag =Flag of Cameroon.jpg
|arms =Arms of Cameroon.png
|capital =Yaoundé
|capital-raw =
|government =Republic
|government-raw =
|language =French, English
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Paul Biya
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Philémon Yang
|pm-raw =
|area =183,568 sq mi
|pop =26,666,667 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$40,000,000,000 (2020)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$1,500 (2020)
|currency =Central African franc
|idd =
|tld =
}}
The '''Republic of Cameroon''' is a country in west-central [[Africa]], sharing its borders with [[Nigeria]], [[Chad]], the [[Central African Republic]], [[Equatorial Guinea]], [[Gabon]], and the [[Republic of the Congo]], as well as a coastline along the Gulf of Guinea and the [[Atlantic Ocean]].

==People==
Cameroon's estimated 250 ethnic groups from five large regional-cultural groups: western highlanders (or grassfielders), including the Bamileke, Bamoun, and many smaller entities in the northwest (est. 38% of population); coastal tropical forest peoples, including the Bassa, Douala, and many smaller entities in the Southwest (12%); southern tropical forest peoples, including the Ewondo, Bulu, and Fang (all Beti subgroups), Maka and Pygmies (officially called Bakas) (18%); predominantly Islamic peoples of the northern semi-arid regions (the Sahel) and central highlands, including the Fulani, also known as Peuhl in French (14%); and the "Kirdi", non-Islamic or recently Islamic peoples of the northern desert and central highlands (18%).

The people concentrated in the southwest and northwest provinces—around Buea and Bamenda—use standard English and "pidgin," as well as their local languages. In the three northern provinces—Adamaoua, North, and Far North—French and Fulfulde, the language of the Fulani, are widely spoken. Elsewhere, French is the principal language, although pidgin and some local languages such as Ewondo, the dialect of a Beti clan from the Yaounde area, also are widely spoken. Although Yaounde is Cameroon's capital, Douala is the largest city, main seaport, and main industrial and commercial center.

The western highlands are the most fertile in Cameroon and have a relatively healthy environment in higher altitudes. This region is densely populated and has intensive agriculture, commerce, cohesive communities, and historical emigration pressures. From here, Bantu migrations into eastern, southern, and central Africa are believed to have originated about 2,000 years ago. Bamileke people from this area have in recent years migrated to towns elsewhere in Cameroon, such as the coastal provinces, where they form much of the business community. About 20,000 non-Africans, including more than 6,000 French and 2,400 U. S. citizens, reside in Cameroon.
*Population (2007 est.): 18,060,382.
*Annual growth rate (2007 est.): 2.241%.
*Ethnic groups: About 250.
*Religions: Christian 53%, Muslim 22%, indigenous African 25%.
*Languages: French and English (both official) and about 270 African languages and dialects, including pidgin, Fulfulde, and Ewondo.
*Education: Compulsory between ages 6 and 14. Attendance—65%. Literacy—75%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2007)--6.6%. Life expectancy (2007)--52.86 yrs.
*Work force: Agriculture—70%. Industry and commerce—13%.

===Religion===
Forty percent of the population of 18.1 million is Christian, 20% Muslim, and 40% practices traditional indigenous religious beliefs. The Christian population is equally divided between Roman Catholics and Protestants.

Christians are concentrated primarily in the southern and western provinces and Muslims reside in every province. Large cities have significant populations of both groups. The two Anglophone provinces of the western region are largely Protestant and the Francophone provinces of the southern and western regions are mostly Catholic. In the northern provinces, the locally dominant Fulani (or Peuhl) ethnic group is mostly Muslim, but the overall population is fairly evenly divided between Muslims, Christians, and animists. The Bamoun ethnic group of the West Province is largely Muslim. Traditional indigenous religious beliefs are practiced in rural areas throughout the country, but are rarely practiced publicly in cities, in part because many of these groups are intrinsically local in character.

Several religious denominations operate primary and secondary schools. Although state institutions continue to dominate post-secondary education, private schools affiliated with religious denominations, including Catholic, Protestant, and Qur'anic schools, have been among the best schools at the primary and secondary levels for many years.

==Government and Political Conditions==
The 1972 constitution as modified by 1996 reforms provides for a strong central government dominated by the executive. The president is empowered to name and dismiss cabinet members, judges, generals, provincial governors, prefects, sub-prefects, and heads of Cameroon's parastatal (about 100 state-controlled) firms, obligate or disburse expenditures, approve or veto regulations, declare states of emergency, and appropriate and spend profits of parastatal firms. The president is not required to consult the National Assembly.

The judiciary is subordinate to the executive branch's Ministry of Justice. The Supreme Court may review the constitutionality of a law only at the president's request.

The 180-member National Assembly meets in ordinary session three times a year (March–April, June–July, and November–December), and has seldom, until recently, made major changes in legislation proposed by the executive. Laws are adopted by majority vote of members present or, if the president demands a second reading, of a total membership.

Following government pledges to reform the strongly centralized 1972 constitution, the National Assembly adopted a number of amendments in December 1995, which were promulgated in a new constitution in January 1996. The amendments call for the establishment of a 100-member Senate as part of a bicameral legislature, the creation of regional councils, and the fixing of the presidential term to 7 years, renewable once. One-third of senators are to be appointed by the president, and the remaining two-thirds are to be chosen by indirect elections. As of September 2005, the government had not established the Senate or regional councils.

All local government officials are employees of the central government's Ministry of Territorial Administration, from which local governments also get most of their budgets.

While the president, the minister of justice, and the president's judicial advisers (the Supreme Court) top the judicial hierarchy, traditional rulers, courts, and councils also exercise functions of government. Traditional courts still play a major role in domestic, property, and probate law. Tribal laws and customs are honored in the formal court system when not in conflict with national law. Traditional rulers receive stipends from the national government.

The government adopted legislation in 1990 to authorize the formation of multiple political parties and ease restrictions on forming civil associations and private newspapers. Cameroon's first multiparty legislative and presidential elections were held in 1992 followed by municipal elections in 1996 and another round of legislative and presidential elections in 1997. Because the government refused to consider opposition demands for an independent election commission, the three major opposition parties boycotted the October 1997 presidential election, which Biya easily won. All of these elections were marred by severe irregularities. In December 2000, the National Assembly passed legislation creating the National Elections Observatory (NEO), an election watchdog body. NEO played an active role in supervising the conduct of local and legislative elections in June 2002, which demonstrated some progress but were still hampered by irregularities. The NEO also supervised the conduct of the presidential election in October 2004 as did many diplomatic missions, including the US Embassy. NEO reported that it was satisfied with the conduct of the election but noted some irregularities and problems with voter registration. The US Embassy also noted these issues with the election, as well as reports of non-indelible ink, but concluded that the irregularities were not severe enough to impact the final result. The incumbent, Paul Biya, was re-elected with 70.92 per cent of the vote. Cameroon has a number of independent newspapers. Censorship was abolished in 1996, but the government sometimes seizes or suspends newspapers. Mutation, the only private daily newspaper in Cameroon, was seized on April 14, 2003 after the paper published articles on "Life after Biya." Occasionally the government arrests journalists.

Radio and television continue to be a virtual monopoly of the state-owned broadcaster, the Cameroon Radio-Television Corporation (CRTV), despite the effective liberalization of radio and television in 2000. Since the issuance of the decree authorizing the creation of private radio and television on April 3, 2000, not a single station has received a license from the government, though many have applied and are currently operating while their applications are pending. There are some 15 such private radio stations broadcasting in Yaounde, Douala, Bafoussam, Bamenda, and Limbe; their existence is tolerated by the government. Magic FM, a private radio station in Yaounde, and a Voice of America (VOA) affiliate, was shut down in 2003 after carrying controversial reports and critical commentaries on the regime, but was later reopened. There are a dozen community radio stations supported by the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) which are exempted from licenses and have no political content. Radio coverage extends to about 80% of the country, while television covers 60% of the territory. The sole private television station—TV Max—broadcasts only in the economic capital of Douala.

The Cameroonian Government's human rights record has been improving over the years but remains flawed. There continue to be reported abuses, including beatings of detainees, arbitrary arrests, and illegal searches. The judiciary is frequently corrupt, inefficient, and subject to political influence.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Paul Biya
*President of the National Assembly—Djibril Cavaye Yeguie
*Prime Minister—Philémon Yang
*Ambassador to the United States—Jerome Mendouga
*Ambassador to the United Nations—Martin Belinga

===Foreign Relations===
Cameroon's noncontentious, low-profile approach to foreign relations puts it squarely in the middle of other African and developing country states on major issues. It supports the principles of noninterference in the affairs of third countries and increased assistance to underdeveloped countries. Cameroon is an active participant in the United Nations, where its voting record demonstrates its commitment to causes that include international peacekeeping, the rule of law, environmental protection, and Third World economic development. In the UN and other human rights fora, Cameroon's nonconfrontational approach has generally led it to avoid criticizing other countries. Cameroon's position on the UN Security Council, in the Africa rotational seat since January 2002, ended December 2003.

Cameroon enjoys good relations with the United States and other developed countries. It has particularly close ties with France, with whom it has numerous military, economic, and cultural agreements. China has a number of health and infrastructure projects underway in Cameroon, and it has also pledged $1 million in military aid. Cameroon enjoys generally good relations with its African neighbors. Cameroon has successfully resolved its border dispute with Nigeria in the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula through peaceful legal means after having submitted the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). With the support of the UN, both countries are working closely together to peacefully implement the ICJ ruling, and a genuine peaceful turnover of the peninsula by Nigeria has begun. Roughly 5,000 Nigerians have moved back into Nigeria thus far. Cameroon is a member of CEMAC (Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa) and supports UN peacekeeping activities in Central Africa.

==Defense==
The Cameroonian military generally has been an apolitical force dominated by civilian control. Traditional dependence on the French defense capability, although reduced, continues. French military advisers remain closely involved in preparing the Cameroonian forces for deployment to the Bakassi Peninsula, where there is a contested border with Nigeria. The armed forces number approximately 28,000 personnel in ground, air, and naval forces, the majority being the army and naval ground forces.

Cameroon’s goal is to develop a military with the capacity to contribute to peacekeeping efforts. While equipment needs pose a significant challenge, Cameroonian officers are already receiving training both in Africa and abroad, for example in Italy and the U.S.

==Economy==
For a quarter-century following independence, Cameroon was one of the most prosperous countries in Africa. The drop in commodity prices for its principal exports—oil, cocoa, coffee, and cotton—in the mid-1980s, combined with an overvalued currency and economic mismanagement, led to a decade-long recession. Real per capita gross domestic product (GDP) fell by more than 60% from 1986 to 1994. The current account and fiscal deficits widened, and foreign debt grew.

The government embarked upon a series of economic reform programs supported by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) beginning in the late 1980s. Many of these measures have been painful; the government slashed civil service salaries by 65% in 1993. The CFA franc—the common currency of Cameroon and 13 other African states—was devalued by 50% in January 1994. The government failed to meet the conditions of the first four IMF programs.
*GDP (2006): $16.37 billion.
*Annual real GDP growth rate (2006): 4.1%.
*Natural resources: Oil, timber, hydroelectric power, natural gas, cobalt, nickel.
*Agriculture (2006): 45.2% of GDP. Products—timber, coffee, tea, bananas, cocoa, rubber, palm oil, pineapples, cotton. Arable land (2005 est.)--12.54%.
*Industry (2006): 16.1% of GDP.
*Services (2006): 38.7% of GDP.
*Trade (2002): Exports--$1.8 billion (2002): crude oil, timber and finished wood products, cotton, cocoa, aluminum and aluminum products, coffee, rubber, bananas. Major markets—European Union, CEMAC, China, U.S., Nigeria (informal). Imports--$1.9 billion (2002): crude oil, vehicles, pharmaceuticals, aluminum oxide, rubber, foodstuffs and grains, agricultural inputs, lubricants, used clothing. Major suppliers—France, Nigeria, Italy, U.S., Germany, Belgium, Japan.

In December 2000, the IMF approved a 3-year Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF) program worth $133.7 million to reduce poverty and improve social services. The successful completion of the program will allow Cameroon to receive $2 billion in debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative. Pursuant to the initiative, the IMF is requiring the Cameroonian Government to enhance its macroeconomic planning and financial accountability; continue efforts to privatize the remaining non-financial parastatal enterprises; increase price competition in the banking sector; improve the judicial system; and implement good governance practices.

In late August 2003, the Board of Directors of both the IMF and World Bank approved Cameroon's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) with high marks. The paper integrated the main points of the Millennium Development Goal, which outlined Cameroon's priorities in alleviating poverty and undertaking strong macroeconomic commitments in the short and long term. By late summer 2004 Cameroon had met most of its PRGF targets. A lackluster performance in the fiscal arena, however, led the country off track and resulted in Cameroon not achieving the HIPC completion point. Negotiations are currently underway to create a new program so Cameroon can eventually qualify for HIPC debt forgiveness.

The privatization program has lagged because of legal and political obstacles; difficult negotiations with the government on issues such as sale price, financial disclosure, tax arrears, and overlapping debts; and in some cases, a lack of willing buyers.

The most noticeable recent problem involves the privatization of CamAir, the government-owned airline. In the response to a public request for proposals, a willing buyer which met the published criteria was in fact available, but the government decided it wanted to adopt a totally different approach, and selected another firm which did not meet the original specifications. This new proposal, if ultimately adopted, might well result in better service and more revenue, but the procedures for changing the requested proposals were anything but transparent.

France is Cameroon's main trading partner and source of private investment and foreign aid. Cameroon has a bilateral investment treaty with the United States. In addition to existing investment in the oil sector, U.S. investment in Cameroon, estimated at over $1 million, is progressively growing due primarily to both construction of the Chad-Cameroon pipeline and cobalt and nickel mining.

==History==
The earliest inhabitants of Cameroon were probably the Bakas (Pygmies). They still inhabit the forests of the south and east provinces. Bantu speakers originating in the Cameroonian highlands were among the first groups to move out before other invaders. During the late 1770s and early 1800s, the Fulani, a pastoral Islamic people of the western Sahel, conquered most of what is now northern Cameroon, subjugating or displacing its largely non-Muslim inhabitants.

Although the Portuguese arrived on Cameroon's coast in the 1500s, malaria prevented significant European settlement and conquest of the interior until the late 1870s, when large supplies of the malaria suppressant, quinine, became available. The early European presence in Cameroon was primarily devoted to coastal trade and the acquisition of slaves. The northern part of Cameroon was an important part of the Muslim slave trade network. The slave trade was largely suppressed by the mid-19th century. Christian missions established a presence in the late 19th century and continue to play a role in Cameroonian life.

Beginning in 1884, all of present-day Cameroon and parts of several of its neighbors became the German colony of Kamerun, with a capital first at Buea and later at Yaounde. After World War I, this colony was partitioned between Britain and France under a June 28, 1919 League of Nations mandate. France gained the larger geographical share, transferred outlying regions to neighboring French colonies, and ruled the rest from Yaounde. Britain's territory—a strip bordering Nigeria from the sea to Lake Chad, with an equal population—was ruled from Lagos.

In 1955, the outlawed Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (UPC), based largely among the Bamileke and Bassa ethnic groups, began an armed struggle for independence in French Cameroon. This rebellion continued, with diminishing intensity, even after independence. Estimates of death from this conflict vary from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands.

French Cameroon achieved independence in 1960 as the Republic of Cameroon. The following year the largely Muslim northern two-thirds of British Cameroon voted to join Nigeria; the largely Christian southern third voted to join with the Republic of Cameroon to form the Federal Republic of Cameroon. The formerly French and British regions each maintained substantial autonomy. Ahmadou Ahidjo, a French-educated Fulani, was chosen President of the federation in 1961. Ahidjo, relying on a pervasive internal security apparatus, outlawed all political parties but his own in 1966. He successfully suppressed the UPC rebellion, capturing the last important rebel leader in 1970. In 1972, a new constitution replaced the federation with a unitary state.

Ahidjo resigned as President in 1982 and was constitutionally succeeded by his Prime Minister, Paul Biya, a career official from the Bulu-Beti ethnic group. Ahidjo later regretted his choice of successors, but his supporters failed to overthrow Biya in a 1984 coup. Biya won single-candidate elections in 1984 and 1988 and flawed multiparty elections in 1992 and 1997. His Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) party holds a sizeable majority in the legislature following 2002 elections—149 deputies out of a total of 180. Elections for the National Assembly and for local governments are scheduled for July 22, 2007, but preparations are not yet complete.

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!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''
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!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:
|style=" background-color: none;"| This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code
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|}

====References====
<references/>
{{African Countries}}

Zimbabwe

2021-01-08T17:57:09Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''Republic of Zimbabwe''
|map =Zimbabwe rel 2002.jpg
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|flag =Flag of Zimbabwe.png
|arms =Arms of Zimbabwe.png
|capital =Harare
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|government =Presidential Republic
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|queen =
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|president =Emmerson Mnangagwa
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =150,871 sq. miles
|pop =15,000,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$30.581 billion
|gdp-year =2006
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'''Zimbabwe''', formerly the [[Republic of Rhodesia]] and the colony '''Southern Rhodesia''', is a nation in south-central [[Africa]]. It has borders with [[South Africa]], [[Botswana]], [[Zambia]] and [[Mozambique]]. A dispute exists whether Zimbabwean territory touches that of [[Namibia]] at the extreme westernmost point of Zimbabwe. The country has an area of 150,873 square miles (390,759 km2) and a population of 12.3 million (2007 est). The capital city is [[Harare]].

==People==
Primarily of the Bantu group of south and central Africa, the black Zimbabweans are divided into two major language groups, which are subdivided into several ethnic groups. The Mashona (Shona speakers), who constitute about 75% of the population, have lived in the area the longest and are the majority language group. The Matabele (Sindebele speakers), representing about 20% of the population and centered in the southwest around Bulawayo, arrived within the last 150 years. An offshoot of the South African Zulu group, they maintained control over the Mashona until the white occupation of Rhodesia in 1890.

More than half of white Zimbabweans, primarily of English origin, arrived in Zimbabwe after World War II. Afrikaners from South Africa and other European minorities, including Portuguese from Mozambique, also are present. Until the mid-1970s, there were about 1,000 white immigrants per year, but from 1976 to 1985 a steady emigration resulted in a loss of more than 150,000, leaving about 100,000 in 1992. Renewed white emigration in the late 1990s and early 2000s reduced the white population to less than 50,000. English, the official language, is spoken by the white population and understood, if not always used, by more than half of the black population.

The literacy rate is estimated at 90.5%. Primary and secondary schools were segregated until 1979 when racial restrictions were removed. Since independence, the educational system has been systematically enlarged by the Zimbabwean Government, which is committed to providing free public education to all citizens on an equal basis. As of the late 1970s, some 50% of the African children (5–19 years old) were listed officially as attending rural schools. Today, most African children attend primary school. Primary through post-secondary enrollment has expanded from 1 million to about 2.9 million since independence. About 40% of the rural primary schools were destroyed during the Rhodesian conflict, which delayed improvement of the rural education system. Higher education, offered at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare, the new National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo, the new Africa (Methodist) University in Mutare, the new Midlands State University in Gweru, the new Solusi University in Bulawayo (Seventh Day Adventist), the new Bindura University of Science in Bindura, fourteen teacher-training colleges, and twelve polytechnical institutes and industrial training centers, is being expanded with assistance from several donor countries.
*Population (2005 est.): 13,010,000.
*Annual growth rate (2003 est.): 0.83%. (Note: the population growth rate is depressed by an HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate estimated to be 18% and a high level of net emigration.)
*Ethnic groups: Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other African 11%, white 1%, mixed and Asian 1%.
*Religions: Christianity 75%, offshoot Christian sects, animist, and Muslim.
*Languages: English (official), Shona, Sindebele.
*Education: Attendance—mandatory for primary level. Adult literacy—90.5% (2004 est.).
*Health: Infant mortality rate—51.7/1,000 (2006 est.). Life expectancy—men 37 (2006), women 34 (2006).
*Work force (2006 est.): 900,000 in formal sector.

==Government==
According to Zimbabwe's constitution, the president is head of state and head of government, and is elected for a 6-year term by popular majority vote. Parliament is bicameral and sits for up to a 5-year term. The 150-member house of assembly consists of 120 elected seats, 10 chiefs elected by their peers but influenced by the president, eight provincial governors and 12 non-constituency MPs appointed by the president. The parliament elects a speaker from outside its membership and a deputy speaker from among its members.

In September 2005 the government used its two-thirds majority in parliament to pass a constitutional amendment that established a 66-member Senate. The Senate consists of 50 elected seats, 6 seats directly appointed by the president, 8 chiefs elected from the 8 rural provinces (excluding the metropolitan provinces), and the president and vice president of the Council of Chiefs.

The Zimbabwean constitution institutionalizes majority rule and protection of minority rights. The elected government controls senior appointments in the public service, including the military and police, and the independent Public Service Commission is charged with making appointments at lower levels on an equitable basis.

The judiciary is headed by the chief justice of the Supreme Court who, like the other justices, is appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission. The constitution has a bill of rights containing extensive protection of human rights. The bill of rights could not be amended for the first 10 years of independence except by unanimous vote of the parliament.

Zimbabwe is divided into eight provinces, each administered by a provincial governor appointed by the president. The provincial administrator and representatives of several service ministries assist the provincial governor. In 2004, the Mugabe government declared Bulawayo and Harare to be provinces with their own respective provincial governors even though there is no constitutional provision for these newly created positions.

Zimbabwe was tyrannically governed by President [[Robert Mugabe]] from 1980 until 2017 (serving until 1987 as prime minister). His Zimbabwean African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), which dominated the legislative and executive branches since independence in 1980. In November 2017, Mugabe resigned, being forced out of office in a military coup,<ref>Multiple references:
*Suarez Sang, Lucia I. (November 21, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/11/21/zimbabwe-president-mugabe-resigns-amid-impeachment-hearing-parliament-speaker-says.html Zimbabwe's Mugabe resigns ending decades-long dictatorship]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
*Hayward, John (November 21, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2017/11/21/mugabe-resigns-zimbabwean-parliament-begins-impeachment/ Mugabe Resigns After Zimbabwean Parliament Begins Impeachment]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
*[https://www.voanews.com/a/zimbabwe-mugabe-resignation/4128450.html Celebrations in Harare After Mugabe Resigns]. ''Voice of America''. November 21, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
*Dzirutwe, MacDonald (November 20, 2017). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-politics/zimbabwes-mugabe-resigns-ending-four-decades-of-rule-idUSKBN1DK2O0 Zimbabwe's Mugabe resigns, ending four decades of rule]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
*[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42071488 Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe resigns, ending 37-year rule]. ''BBC''. November 21, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.</ref> and he was replaced by his former vice president [[Emmerson Mnangagwa]], whose record is about as tyrannical as Mugabe's.<ref>Hayward, John (November 24, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2017/11/24/emmerson-mnangagwa-interim-president-new-tyrant-zimbabwe/ Emmerson Mnangagwa Could Be Interim President or New Tyrant for Zimbabwe]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved November 24, 2017.</ref>

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Emmerson Mnangagwa
*Vice Presidents—Phelekezela Mphoko and [''vacant'']
*Foreign Minister—Walter Mzembi
*Ambassador to the U.S.—Machinvenyika Tobias Mapuranga

===Foreign Relations===
Since independence, Zimbabwe has enunciated and follows a policy of "active nonalignment." In practice, this has meant that Zimbabwe usually adhered to positions established by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM); the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union; or, until it withdrew in 2003, the Commonwealth. Zimbabwe took a particular interest in the search for independence for Namibia (South-West Africa) from South Africa. In addition, as chairman of the front-line states in southern Africa, Zimbabwe spoke out vigorously against the policies of apartheid in South African and frequently called for the imposition of economic sanctions against Pretoria. In November 1982, Zimbabwe was chosen by the OAU to hold one of the non-permanent seats in the UN Security Council for the following two years, which brought it onto the center stage of world events and gave it much-needed experience in international affairs. In 1986, Zimbabwe was the site of the NAM summit meeting; Prime Minister Mugabe became chairman of that organization, giving both Mugabe and Zimbabwe added international visibility and responsibility.

Zimbabwe maintains embassies in the United States, United Kingdom, Egypt, Angola, Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria, India, Sweden, France, China, Malaysia, Ethiopia, Namibia, Swaziland, Belgium, Tanzania, Botswana, Serbia, Mozambique, Switzerland, Cuba, Canada, Japan, Australia, Germany, India, Italy, Russia, and South Africa. Sixty-six countries are represented in Harare as are several international organizations including UN institutions, the European Union, and the World Bank. Zimbabwe is a member of many international organizations, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF); African Development Bank; The World Trade Organization; Southern African Development Community (SADC); Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa (PTA); African Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACP, in association with the EU); Group of 77 (G-77); Group of 15 (G-15); NAM; African Union (AU); Customs Cooperation Council (CCC); and the World Federation of Trade Unions. The IMF Executive Board in July 2004 postponed until January 2005 deliberations on a recommendation for Zimbabwe's compulsory withdrawal from the institution. The IMF closed its Zimbabwe office in October 2004 in a decision not linked to the country's considerable arrears. Shortly after the March 2002 presidential election, the Commonwealth suspended Zimbabwe from leadership councils for one year after the Commonwealth's election observer team found the conduct of the election seriously flawed. After this suspension was upheld in December 2003, Mugabe withdrew Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth.

Historically, Zimbabwe's closest links have been with the U.K.; however, in the past six years, this relationship has been very strained. The government has demonized Britain in the press, blaming the country for Zimbabwe's problems, and claiming that Britain reneged on promises made at Lancaster House to provide money for land reform. As with the U.S., thousands of Zimbabweans studied in the U.K., and private links remain close; however, official relations are strained.

Other West European countries have ties with Zimbabwe. The Scandinavian countries share certain philosophical affinities and have provided much assistance, as have France, Canada, and the Federal Republic of Germany. Portugal and Greece maintain links partly because of the sizable Portuguese and Greek communities in the country. Similar historical ties have led to the establishment of relations with India and Pakistan, and to a lesser extent, with Bangladesh. The government's "look east" policy has led to closer diplomatic relations with East Asian countries such as Malaysia and China.

Zimbabwe maintains diplomatic relations with virtually every African country, although some ties are closer than others. African nations with embassies in Harare are Algeria, Angola, Botswana, D.R.C., Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia.

Ruled continuously by a liberation party, Zimbabwe developed and maintains close ties with a number of revolutionary states and organizations. Among these are the People's Republic of China, Cuba, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Libya, and the Palestine Liberation Organization.

==Defense==
At independence, then-Prime Minister Mugabe declared that integrating Zimbabwe's then three armed forces would be one of his government's top priorities. The existing Rhodesian forces were combined with the two guerilla armies—the 20,000-strong ZANLA forces of ZANU-PF and the 15,000-strong ZIPRA forces of PF-ZAPU. In July 1994 the combined Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) Headquarters was created. Currently the armed forces of Zimbabwe are completely integrated and are composed of an army (ZNA) and an air force (AFZ). In 1999, the Government of Zimbabwe sent a sizeable military force into the Democratic Republic of Congo to support the government of President Laurent Kabila. Those forces were largely withdrawn in 2002.

Although as of late 2004, the ZDF had an active duty strength of 33,000 and the air force about 4,000 men these numbers have come down substantially because of resignations due to poor pay and working conditions. Today, the ZDF is largely immobile and beset by shortages of supplies, including food. The U.S. Congress terminated support for military cooperation programs in 2001.

==Economy==
Properly managed, Zimbabwe's wide range of resources should enable it to support sustained economic growth. The country has an important percentage of the world's known reserves of metallurgical-grade chromite. Other commercial mineral deposits include coal, platinum, asbestos, copper, nickel, gold, and iron ore. However, for the country to benefit from these mineral deposits, it must attract foreign direct investment.

In the early 1970s, the economy experienced a modest boom. Real per capita earnings for blacks and whites reached record highs, although the disparity in incomes between blacks and whites remained, with blacks earning only about one-tenth as much as whites. After 1975, however, Rhodesia's economy was undermined by the cumulative effects of sanctions, declining earnings from commodity exports, worsening guerilla conflict, and increasing white emigration. When Mozambique severed economic ties, the Smith regime was forced to depend on South Africa for access to the outside world. Real gross domestic product (GDP) declined between 1974 and 1979. An increasing proportion of the national budget (an estimated 30%-40% per year) was allocated to defense, and a large budget deficit raised the public debt burden substantially.

Following the Lancaster House settlement in December 1979, Zimbabwe enjoyed a brisk economic recovery. Zimbabwe inherited one of the strongest and most complete industrial infrastructures in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as rich mineral resources and a strong agricultural base. Real growth for 1980-81 exceeded 20%. However, depressed foreign demand for the country's mineral exports and the onset of a drought cut sharply into the growth rate in 1982, 1983, and 1984. In 1985, the economy rebounded strongly due to a 30% jump in agricultural production. However it slumped in 1986 to a zero growth rate and registered a 3% contraction in GDP in 1987 due primarily to drought and foreign exchange crisis. Growth in 1988-90 averaged about 4.5%.

Since the mid-1990s, this infrastructure has been deteriorating rapidly, but remains better than that of most African countries. Poor management of the economy and political turmoil have led to considerable economic hardships. The Government of Zimbabwe's chaotic land reform program, recurrent interference with the judiciary, and maintenance of unrealistic price controls and exchange rates have led to a sharp drop in investor confidence. Since 1999, the national economy has contracted by as much as 35%; [[inflation]] vaulted to [[hyperinflation]] of over 7,634.8% (year on year) in July 2007; and there have been persistent shortages of foreign exchange, fuel, and food. Direct foreign investment has all but evaporated. In a desperate attempt to control inflation, the government forced firms and supermarkets to reduce prices by half in July 2007, which resulted in severe shortages of basic and other commodities.

Agriculture is no longer the backbone of the Zimbabwean economy. Large scale commercial farming has been effectively destroyed over the course of the last five years under the government's controversial land reform efforts starting in 2000. Corn is the largest food crop and tobacco had traditionally been the largest export crop, followed by cotton. Tobacco production in 2006, however, slumped to its lowest level—about 50 million kg—since independence, off from a peak in 2000 of 237 million kg. Gold production, another former key foreign currency source, slid by about 48% in the first half of 2007 to 4.54 metric tons compared to the corresponding period in 2006. Poor government management has exacerbated meager corn harvests in years of drought or floods, resulting in significant food shortfalls every year since 2001.

Paved roads link the major urban and industrial centers, but the condition of urban roads and the unpaved rural road network has deteriorated significantly since 1995 for lack of maintenance. Rail lines connect with an extensive central African railroad network, although railway track condition has also worsened in recent years, along with locomotive availability and utilization. The electric power supply has become erratic and blackouts are common due to low generator availability at the Kariba hydroelectric power plant and unreliable or nonexistent coal supplies to the country's large thermal plants. Telephone service is problematic, and new lines are difficult of obtain.

The largest industries are metal products, food processing, chemicals, textiles, clothing, furniture and plastic goods. Most manufacturers have sharply scaled back operations due to the poor operating climate and foreign exchange shortages. Zimbabwe is not a member of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and a number of textile businesses have migrated to other African countries in a bid to benefit from the opportunities offered by AGOA. Zimbabwean producers still export lumber products, certain textiles, chrome alloys and automobile windscreens to the U.S.

Zimbabwe is endowed with rich mineral resources. Exports of gold, asbestos, chrome, coal, platinum, nickel, and copper could lead to an economic recovery one day. No commercial deposits of petroleum have been discovered, although the country is richly endowed with coal-bed methane gas that has yet to be exploited.

With international attractions such as Victoria Falls, the Great Zimbabwe stone ruins, Lake Kariba, and extensive wildlife, tourism historically has been a significant segment of the economy and contributor of foreign exchange. The sector has contracted sharply since 1999, however, due to the country's declining international image.

As of 2008, the [[economy]] is in complete collapse. A decade ago, President [[Robert Mugabe]] said he was reclaiming ancestral lands from white farmland owners for poor black peasants. At the time Zimbabwe was a net exporter of food. Some land went to Mugabe's Cabinet ministers and generals, who left the fields untended, although a significant number of the 'resettlements' involved the rural poor, albeit initially in a highly disorganised manner.<ref>Scoones et al. (2010) Zimbabwe's Land Reform</ref> Hundreds of thousands of [[farm]] laborers and their families lost their jobs and homes. Now the country is dependent on foreign food aid. Eighty percent of the work force is unemployed and many with jobs don't earn enough to pay for bus fare. [[Inflation]] is the world's highest at 2.2 million percent. Independent [[economist]] say [[inflation]] is at 12.5 million percent. Due to inflation, a good costing $1 at the beginning of a month may cost $20 by month's end.<ref>[http://www.theconservativevoice.com/ap/article.html?mi=D928C5JG0&apc=9002 Zimbabwe drops 10 zeros from inflated currency] The Conservative Voice, July 30, 2008</ref> The situation has been stabilised somewhat thanks to a power-sharing agreement between the MDC and ZANU-PF. Inflation has been brought under control thanks to the scrapping of the previous currency, and political violence has decreased. However, tensions between the governing parties remain and the dire economic situation of the previous decade will make rebuilding a long and arduous process.

====Energy Resources====
With considerable hydroelectric power potential and plentiful coal deposits for thermal power station, Zimbabwe is less dependent on oil as an energy source than most other comparably industrialized countries, but it still imports 40% of its electric power needs from the DRC, Mozambique and South Africa. Only about 15% of Zimbabwe's total energy consumption is accounted for by oil, all of which is imported. Zimbabwe imports about 1.2 billion liters of oil per year. Dependence on petroleum is managed through the price controls for vehicle fuels, the use of gasohol, and the substitution of diesel-electric locomotives on the railway system. Zimbabwe also has substantial coal reserves that are utilized for power generation, and recently discovered in Matabeleland province are coal bed methane deposits greater than any known natural gas field in Southern or Eastern Africa. In recent years, however, poor economic management and low foreign currency reserves have led to serious fuel shortages.
*GDP (2006 est.): U.S. $407.4 million (World Bank est).
*Real GDP growth rate (2006): -5.1%.
*Real per capita GDP (Reliable estimates of current GDP and population size are unavailable.)
*Avg. inflation rate: 7,634.8% (year-on-year, July 2007, by official accounts; private sector estimates are roughly triple the official figure).
*Natural resources: Deposits of more than 40 minerals including ferrochrome, gold, silver, platinum, copper, asbestos; 19 million hectares of forest (2000).
*Agriculture (15% of GDP): Types of crops and livestock—corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, tea, sugarcane, peanuts, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs.
*Industry: manufacturing, public administration, commerce, mining, transport and communication.
*Trade (2006): U.S. exports—U.S. $47.58 million. U.S. imports—U.S. $103.28 million. Partners (2000 est.)--South Africa 22%, U.K. 10%, Germany 9%, U.S. 8%. Total imports (2004)--U.S. $1,989 million: most of these imports were construction and agricultural machinery, transportation equipment, data processing equipment and software, industrial machinery, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, and general manufactured products. Major suppliers—South Africa 34%, U.K. 10.8%, Germany 7.3%, U.S. 6%.

==History==
====Early History====
Archaeologists have found Stone-Age implements and pebble tools in several areas of Zimbabwe, a suggestion of human habitation for many centuries, and the ruins of stone buildings provide evidence of early civilization. The most impressive of these sites is the "Great Zimbabwe" ruins, after which the country is named, located near Masvingo. Evidence suggests that these stone structures were built between the 9th and 13th centuries A.D. by indigenous Africans who had established trading contacts with commercial centers on Africa's southeastern coast.

In the 16th century, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to attempt colonization of south-central Africa, but the hinterland lay virtually untouched by Europeans until the arrival of explorers, missionaries, ivory hunters, and traders some 300 years later. Meanwhile, mass migrations of indigenous peoples took place. Successive waves of more highly developed Bantu peoples from equatorial regions supplanted the original inhabitants and are the ancestors of the region's Africans today.

====British Settlement and Administration====
In 1888, Cecil Rhodes obtained a concession for mineral rights from local chiefs. Later that year, the area that became Southern and Northern Rhodesia was proclaimed a British sphere of influence. The British South Africa Company was chartered in 1889, and the settlement of Salisbury (now Harare, the capital) was established in 1890. In 1895, the territory was formally named Rhodesia after Cecil Rhodes under the British South Africa Company's administration.

Following the abrogation of the company's charter in 1923, Southern Rhodesia's white settlements were given the choice of being incorporated into the Union of South Africa or becoming a separate entity within the British Empire. The settlers rejected incorporation, and Southern Rhodesia was formally annexed by the United Kingdom that year. Until 1980, Rhodesia was an internally self-governing colony with its own legislature, civil service, armed forces, and police. Although Rhodesia was never administered directly from London, the United Kingdom always retained the right to intervene in the affairs of the colony, particularly in matters affecting Africans.

After 1923, European immigrants concentrated on developing Rhodesia's rich mineral resources and agricultural potential. The settlers' demand for more land led in 1934 to the passage of the first of a series of land apportionment acts that reserved certain areas for Europeans.

In September 1953, Southern Rhodesia was joined in a multiracial Central African Federation with the British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland in an effort to pool resources and markets. Although the federation flourished economically, the African population, who feared they would not be able to achieve self-government with the federal structure dominated by White Southern Rhodesians, opposed it. The federation was dissolved at the end of 1963 after much crisis and turmoil, and Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland became the independent states of Zambia and Malawi in 1964.

====Unilateral Declaration Of Independence (UDI)====
The European electorate in Rhodesia, however, showed little willingness to accede to African demands for increased political participation and progressively replaced more moderate party leaders. In April 1964, Prime Minister Winston Field, accused of not moving rapidly enough to obtain independence from the United Kingdom, was replaced by his deputy, Ian Smith. Prime Minister Smith led his Rhodesian Front Party to an overwhelming victory in the 1965 elections, winning all 50 of the first roll seats and demoralizing the more moderate European opposition.

Although prepared to grant independence to Rhodesia, the United Kingdom insisted that the authorities at Salisbury first demonstrate their intention to move toward eventual majority rule. Desiring to keep their dominant position, the white Rhodesians refused to give such assurances. On November 11, 1965, after lengthy and unsuccessful negotiations with the British Government, Prime Minister Smith issued a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) from the United Kingdom.

====Post-UDI Events====
The British Government considered the UDI unconstitutional and illegal but made clear that it would not use force to oppose it. On November 12, 1965, the United Nations also determined the Rhodesian Government and UDI to be illegal and called on member states to refrain from assisting or recognizing the Smith regime. The British Government imposed sanctions on Rhodesia and requested other nations to do the same.

On December 16, 1966, the UN Security Council, for the first time in history, imposed mandatory economic sanctions on a state. Rhodesia's primary exports including ferrochrome and tobacco, were placed on the selective sanctions list, as were shipments of arms, aircraft, motor vehicles, petroleum, and petroleum products to Rhodesia. On May 29, 1968, the Security Council unanimously voted to broaden the sanctions by imposing an almost total embargo on all trade with, investments in, or transfers of funds to Rhodesia and imposed restrictions on air transport to the territory.

In the early 1970s, informal attempts at settlement were renewed between the United Kingdom and the Rhodesian administration. Following the April 1974 coup in Portugal and the resulting shifts of power in Mozambique and Angola, pressure on the Smith regime to negotiate a peaceful settlement increased. In addition, sporadic antigovernment guerilla activity, which began in the late 1960s, increased dramatically after 1972, causing destruction, economic dislocation, casualties, and a slump in white morale. In 1974, the major African nationalists groups—the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU) and the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), which split away from ZAPU in 1963—were united into the "Patriotic Front" and combined their military forces, at least nominally.

In 1976, because of a combination of embargo-related economic hardships, the pressure of guerilla activity, independence and majority rule in the neighboring former Portuguese territories, and a U.K.-U.S. diplomatic initiative, the Smith government agreed in principle to majority rule and to a meeting in Geneva with black nationalist leaders to negotiate a final settlement of the conflict. Blacks represented at the Geneva meeting included ZAPU leader Joshua Nkomo, ZANU leader Robert Mugabe, UANC chairman bishop [[Abel Muzorewa]], and former ZANU leader Rev. Nadabaningi Sithole. The meeting failed to find a basis for agreement because of Smith's inflexibility and the inability of the black leaders to form a common political front.

On September 1, 1977 a detailed Anglo-American plan was put forward with proposals for majority rule, neutrally administered with pre-independence elections, a democratic constitution and the formation of an integrated army. Reactions were mixed, but no party rejected them. In the interim, on March 3, 1978, the Smith administration signed the "internal settlement" agreement in Salisbury with Bishop Muzorewa, Rev. Sithole, and Chief Jeremiah Chirau. The agreement provided for qualified majority rule and elections with universal suffrage. Following elections in April 1979, in which his UANC party won a majority, Bishop Muzorewa assumed office on June 1, becoming "Zimbabwe-Rhodesia's" first black prime minister. However, the installation of the new black majority government did not end the guerilla conflict that had claimed more than 20,000 lives since 1972.

Shortly after British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's conservative government took power in May 1979, the British began a new round of consultations that culminated in an agreement among the Commonwealth countries as the basis for fresh negotiations among the parties and the British involving a new constitution, free elections and independence.

The British and the African parties began deliberations on a Rhodesian settlement at Lancaster House in London on September 10, 1979. On December 10, 1979, in preparation for the transition under British authority to officially recognized independence, the "Zimbabwe-Rhodesia" reverted de facto to colonial status. On December 12, British Governor Lord Christopher Soames arrived in Salisbury to reassert British authority over the colony. His arrival signaled the end of the Rhodesian rebellion and the "internal settlement," as well as the beginning of Zimbabwe's transition to independence. The United Kingdom lifted all remaining sanctions against Zimbabwe that day. The United States lifted sanctions effective December 16.

On December 21, after 3 months of hard bargaining, the parties signed an agreement at Lancaster House calling for a cease-fire, new elections, a transition period under British rule, and a new constitution implementing majority rule while protecting minority rights. The agreement specified that upon the granting of independence, the country's name would be Zimbabwe. The same day, the UN Security Council endorsed the settlement agreement and formally voted unanimously to call on member nations to remove sanctions.

During the transition period, nine political parties campaigned for the February 27–29 pre-independence elections. The elections were supervised by the British Government and monitored by hundreds of observers, most of whom concluded that, under the prevailing circumstances, the elections were free and fair and reflected the will of the people. Robert Mugabe's ZANU (PF) party won an absolute majority and was asked to form Zimbabwe's first government.

In a series of public statements during the transition period, Prime Minister Mugabe indicated that he was committed to a process of national reconciliation and reconstruction as well as moderate socioeconomic change. His priorities were to integrate the various armed forces, reestablish social services and education in rural areas, and resettle the estimated one million refugees and displaced persons. Mugabe also announced that his government would begin investigating ways of reversing past discriminatory policies in land distribution, education, employment, and wages.

Mugabe stated that Zimbabwe would follow a nonaligned foreign policy and would pursue a pragmatic relationship with South Africa. He noted that while Zimbabwe opposed apartheid and would support democratic change in South Africa, it would not provide bases for anti-South African guerillas.

The British Government formally granted independence to Zimbabwe on April 18, 1980. Most nations recognized Zimbabwe following independence. The United States was the first nation to open an embassy in Salisbury (Harare) on that day. Parliament convened for the first time on May 13, 1980. Zimbabwe became a member of the United Nations on August 25, 1980.

In seeking national reconciliation, Prime Minister Mugabe's first cabinet comprised members of ZANU-PF, PF-ZAPU, and independent white members of parliament (MPs) and senators. The government embarked on an ambitious reconstruction and development program and instituted increases in minimum wages. Land redistribution proceeded under four experimental models on land that the government had purchased at market rates from willing sellers.

====Zimbabwe Since Independence====
Prime Minister Mugabe's policy of reconciliation was generally successful during the country's first two years of independence, as the former political and military opponents began to work together. Although additional blacks were hired to fill new places in the civil service, there was no retribution for those whites who had worked for the Smith regime. Smith and many of his associates held seats in the parliament where they participated freely in debates. Likewise, Joshua Nkomo, Mugabe's rival as leader of the nationalist forces, was included in the first cabinet along with several other members of PF-ZAPU.

Splits soon developed, however. In 1981,several MPs from Smith's party left to sit as "independents," signifying that they did not automatically accept his anti-government posture. More importantly, government security officials discovered large caches of arms and ammunition on properties owned by ZAPU, and Nkomo and his followers were accused of plotting to overthrow Mugabe's government. Nkomo and his closest aides were expelled from the cabinet.

As a result of what they perceived as persecution of Nkomo (known as "Father Zimbabwe") and of his party, PF-ZAPU supporters, some of them deserters from the army, began a loosely organized and ill-defined campaign of dissidence against the government. Centering primarily in Matabeleland, home of the Ndebeles who were PF-ZAPU's main followers, this dissidence continued through 1987 and involved attacks on government personnel and installations, armed banditry aimed at disrupting security and economic life in the rural areas, and harassment of ZANU-PF members. Occasionally, some demanded that Nkomo and his colleagues be reinstated in the cabinet. More frequently, however, dissidents called for the return of farms and other properties seized from PF-ZAPU.

Because of the unsettled security situation immediately after independence and the continuing anti-government dissidence, the government kept in force a "state of emergency," which was first declared before UDI. This gave government authorities widespread powers under the "Law and Order Maintenance Act," including the right to detain persons without charge.

In 1983-84, the government declared a curfew in areas of Matabeleland and sent in the army in an attempt to suppress dissidents. Credible reports surfaced of widespread violence and disregard for human rights by the security forces during these operations, and the level of political tension rose in the country as a result. The pacification campaign, known as the "Gukuruhundi," or strong wind, resulted in as many as 20,000 civilian deaths. Nkomo and his lieutenants repeatedly denied any connection with the dissidents and called for an all-party conference to discuss the political problems facing the country. In the 1985 elections, ZANU-PF increased its majority, holding 67 of the 100 seats. ZANU-PF and PF-ZAPU agreed to unite in December 1987, and the parties formally merged in December 1989.

In October 1987, in accordance with the Lancaster House Accords, the constitution was amended to end the separate roll for white voters and to replace the whites whose reserved seats had been abolished; among the new members were 15 whites in the Senate and House of Assembly. Elections in March 1990 resulted in another overwhelming victory for Mugabe and his party, which won 117 of the 120 election seats. However, voter turnout was only 54%, and the campaign was not free and fair although the actual balloting was. Not satisfied with a de facto one-party state, Mugabe called on the ZANU-PF Central Committee to support the creation of a de jure one-party state in September 1990 and lost. The state of emergency was lifted in July 1990.

After the remaining restrictions of the Lancaster House agreement expired on April 18, 1990, the government embarked on a campaign of amending the existing constitution. Both the judiciary and human rights advocates fiercely criticized some of the first amendments, which were enacted in April 1991, because they restored corporal and capital punishment and denied recourse to the courts in cases of compulsory purchase of land by the government.

During the 1990s students, trade unionists and workers often demonstrated to express their discontent with the government. Students protested in October 1990 against proposals for an increase in government control of universities and again in May 1991 and May 1992, when they clashed with police. Trade unionists and workers were also vocal critics of the government during this time. In June 1992, police prevented trade unionists from holding anti-government demonstrations. In 1994, there was widespread industrial unrest. In August and September 1996, thousands of civil servants demanding salary increases organized a national strike and in October and November of the same year, nurses and junior doctors went on strike over salary issues.

In part through its control of the media, the huge parastatal sector of the economy, and the security forces, the government managed to keep organized political opposition to a minimum through most of the 1990s. Beginning in 1999, however, Zimbabwe has experienced a period of considerable political and economic upheaval. Opposition to President Mugabe and the ZANU-PF government has grown in recent years, in part due to worsening economic and human rights conditions. The opposition is currently led by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which was established in September 1999.

The MDC's first opportunity to test opposition to the Mugabe government came in February 2000, when a referendum was held on a draft constitution proposed by the government. Among its elements, the new constitution would have permitted President Mugabe to seek two additional terms in office, granted government officials immunity from prosecution, and authorized government seizure of white-owned land. The referendum was handily defeated. Shortly thereafter, the government, through a loosely organized group of war veterans, sanctioned an aggressive land redistribution program often characterized by forced expulsion of white farmers and violence against both farmers and farm employees.

Parliamentary elections held in June 2000 were marred by localized violence, and claims of electoral irregularities and government intimidation of opposition supporters. Nonetheless, the MDC succeeded in capturing 57 of 120 seats in the National Assembly.

The March 2002 presidential election was preceded by months of intensive violence and intimidation against MDC supporters, and more than 50 people, mostly opposition supporters, were killed. President Mugabe was declared the winner over challenger Morgan Tsvangirai by a 56-to-42 percent margin. Most international observers condemned the election as seriously flawed—the pre-election environment was neither free nor fair, and the election itself was marred by significant fraud and rigging—but regional opinions were mixed. Soon after the election, the MDC filed a petition challenging Mugabe's victory, citing flaws in electoral laws, electoral irregularities and pre-election violence. As of the end of 2004, the case had not yet been decided.

As a result of this election, the United States, the EU, and other European countries imposed travel restrictions against senior Zimbabwean officials and embargoed the sale of arms to Zimbabwe. The U.S. and the EU also froze the financial assets of selected ruling party officials. The Commonwealth suspended Zimbabwe from council meetings for one year after its election observer team found the election neither free nor fair. At the mid-term suspension review in March 2003, the three-country committee charged with deciding Zimbabwe's fate decided to continue the suspension until the next Commonwealth meeting in December 2003. At this meeting, despite vigorous campaigning by South Africa, Zimbabwe was not invited to attend the meeting and the Commonwealth decided to continue with the suspension. Immediately after this, Mugabe withdrew Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth.

Since the presidential election, the political climate has remained tense and intensely polarized. Violence escalated in the run up to rural council elections in September 2002 and various parliamentary by-elections that year. Parliamentary by-elections in Kuwadzana, Highfield, Zengeza, and Lupane in 2003 were marred by widespread intimidation and beatings. The government also passed legislation that curtailed free speech, free press, and rights of assembly. In March 2003, MDC leaders Morgan Tsvangirai, Welshman Ncube, and Renson Gasela went on trial for treason. Charges against Ncube and Gasela were subsequently dropped and in October 2004 Tsvangirai was found not guilty. In August 2005, the government dropped a second charge of treason against Tsvangirai.

The government subscribed to the electoral principles of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in 2004 but failed to implement key elements of the principles in advance of the 2005 parliamentary elections. The campaign period and election day were largely non-violent, but the elections were not free and fair. The election process was marred by repressive legislation that limits freedom of speech and assembly; millions of expatriate Zimbabweans were not permitted to vote; the government used food distributions to influence an increasingly hungry population; an astonishingly high 10% (as high as 30% in some areas) of would-be voters were turned away; and discrepancies in officially announced results and the government's refusal to release key voting data have led to questions about the possibility of fraud.

In May 2005, the government began Operation Murambatsvina (also known as Operation Restore Order), ostensibly to rid urban areas of illegal structures, illegal business enterprises, and criminal activities. The International Organization for Migration estimated that at least 300,000 people were displaced nationwide, as the operation moved from urban areas into rural areas and included apparently legal structures. Families and traders, especially at the beginning of the operation, were often given no notice before police destroyed their homes and businesses. Others were able to salvage some possessions and building materials but often had nowhere to go, despite the government's statement that people should be returning to their rural homes. Thousands of families were left unprotected in the open in the middle of Zimbabwe's winter. The government interfered with non-governmental organization (NGO) efforts to provide emergency assistance to the displaced in many instances. Some families were removed to transit camps, where they had no shelter or cooking facilities and minimal food, supplies, and sanitary facilities. The operation continued into July 2005, when the government began a program to provide housing for the newly displaced. As of September 2006, housing construction fell far short of demand, and there were reports that beneficiaries were mostly civil servants and ruling party loyalists, not those displaced. The government campaign of forced evictions continued in 2006, albeit on a lesser scale.

==Further reading==
*[http://www.theweeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/746zsgtg.asp How Tyranny Came to Zimbabwe, Jimmy Carter still has a lot to answer for], by [[James Kirchick]], ''The Weekly Standard'', 06/18/2007, Volume 012, Issue 38.

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!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''
|-
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:
|style=" background-color: none;"| Some content for this article is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code
|-
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5479.htm]}}}.
|}

==See also==
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[Nanny state]], leads to [[Police state]]

==References==
<references/>

{{African Countries}}

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{{Economic preparedness topics}}

[[Category:Economic Preparedness]]
[[Category:Dictatorships]]
[[Category:Landlocked Countries]]
[[Category:Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Police State]]
[[Category:Inflation]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Zambia

2021-01-08T17:56:50Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''Republic of Zambia''
|map =Zambia rel01.jpg
|map2 =Location of Zambia.png
|flag =Flag of Zambia.png
|arms =Arms of Zambia.png
|capital =Lusaka
|capital-raw =
|government =Republic
|government-raw =
|language =English and regional languages
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Edgar Lungu
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =290,587 sq mi
|pop =18,500,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$10.9 billion
|gdp-year =2006
|gdp-pc =$921
|currency =Kwacha
|idd =
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}}
The '''Republic of Zambia''' is a land-locked country located in south-central [[Africa]]. Named in part for the Zambezi River upon independence from the British in 1964, Zambia was for years a one-party state until multi-party elections were allowed in 1991. Once dependent on copper mining, poverty has been the norm since the 1970s; added to it is a growing population of which some 17% is afflicted with the HIV/AIDS virus.

==Geography==
*Area: 752,614 km2. (290,585 sq. mi.); slightly larger than Texas.
*Cities: Capital—Lusaka (pop. approx. 1 million).
*Other cities: Kitwe, Ndola, Livingstone, Kabwe.
*Terrain: Varies; mostly plateau savanna.
*Climate: Generally dry and temperate.

==People==
Zambia's population comprises more than 70 Bantu-speaking ethnic groups. Some ethnic groups are small, and only two have enough people to constitute at least 10% of the population. Most Zambians are subsistence farmers. The predominant religion is a blend of traditional beliefs and Christianity; Christianity is the official national religion. Expatriates, a majority of whom are British (about 15,000) and South African, live mainly in Lusaka and in the Copperbelt in northern Zambia, where they are employed in mines and related activities. Zambia also has a small but economically important Asian population, most of whom are Indians. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is ravaging Zambia. Almost 17% of Zambians are infected by HIV. Over 800,000 Zambian children have lost one or both of their parents due to HIV/AIDS. Life expectancy at birth is 37 years.
*Population (2006): Approx. 11.9 million.
*Annual growth rate (2006): 1.6%.
*Ethnic groups: More than 70 ethnic groups.
*Religions: Christian, indigenous beliefs, Muslim, Hindu.
*Languages: English (official), about 70 local languages and dialects, including Bemba, Lozi, Kaonde, Lunda, Luvale, Tonga, and Nyanja.
*Education: No compulsory education; seven years free education. Literacy—women: 60.6%; men: 81.6%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate—102/1,000. Life expectancy—37 years. HIV prevalence (15-49)--17%.
*Work force: Agriculture—75%; mining and manufacturing—6%; services—19%.

==Government==
Zambia became a republic immediately upon attaining independence in October 1964. The constitution promulgated on August 25, 1973, abrogated the original 1964 constitution. The new constitution and the national elections that followed in December 1973 were the final steps in achieving what was called a "one-party participatory democracy."

The 1973 constitution provided for a strong president and a unicameral National Assembly. National policy was formulated by the Central Committee of the United National Independence Party (UNIP), the sole legal party in Zambia. The cabinet executed the central committee's policy.

In accordance with the intention to formalize UNIP supremacy in the new system, the constitution stipulated that the sole candidate in elections for the office of president was the person selected to be the president of UNIP by the party's general conference. The second-ranking person in the Zambian hierarchy was UNIP's secretary general.

In December 1990, at the end of a tumultuous year that included riots in the capital and a coup attempt, President Kenneth Kaunda signed legislation ending UNIP's monopoly on power. Zambia enacted a new constitution in August 1991, which enlarged the National Assembly from 136 members to a maximum of 158 members, established an electoral commission, and allowed for more than one presidential candidate who no longer had to be a member of UNIP. The constitution was amended again in 1996 to set new limits on the presidency (including a retroactive two-term limit, and a requirement that both parents of a candidate be Zambian-born). The National Assembly is comprised of 150 directly elected members, up to eight presidentially-appointed members, and a speaker. Zambia is divided into nine provinces, each administered by an appointed deputy minister who essentially performs the duties of a governor.

The Supreme Court is the highest court and the court of appeal; below it are the high court, magistrate's court, and local courts.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Edgar Lungu
*Vice President--''none''
*Minister of Foreign Affairs--
*Ambassador to the United Nations--

===Political Conditions===
The major figure in Zambian politics from 1964 to 1991 was Kenneth Kaunda, who led the campaign for independence and successfully bridged the rivalries among the country's various regions and ethnic groups. Kaunda tried to base government on his philosophy of "humanism," which condemned human exploitation and stressed cooperation among people, but not at the expense of the individual.

Kaunda's political party—the United National Independence Party (UNIP)--was founded in 1959 and was in power under Kaunda's leadership from 1964 to 1991. Before 1972, Zambia had three significant political parties, but only UNIP had a nationwide following.

In December 1972, Zambian law established a one-party state, and all other political parties were banned; this was later enshrined in the 1973 constitution. Kaunda, the sole candidate, was elected President in the 1973 elections. Elections also were held for the National Assembly. Only UNIP members were permitted to run, but these seats were sharply contested. President Kaunda's mandate was renewed in December 1978, October 1983, and October 1988 in a "yes" or "no" vote on his candidacy.

Growing opposition to UNIP's monopoly on power led to the rise in 1990 of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD). The MMD assembled an increasingly impressive group of important Zambians, including prominent UNIP defectors and labor leaders. Zambia's first multi-party elections for parliament and the presidency since the 1960s were held on October 31, 1991. MMD candidate Frederick Chiluba resoundingly carried the presidential election over Kenneth Kaunda with 81% of the vote. To add to the MMD landslide, in the parliamentary elections the MMD won 125 of the 150 elected seats and UNIP the remaining 25.

By the end of Chiluba's first term as President (1996), the MMD's commitment to political reform had faded in the face of re-election demands. A number of prominent supporters founded opposing parties. Relying on the MMD's overwhelming majority in parliament, President Chiluba in May 1996 pushed through constitutional amendments that eliminated former President Kaunda and other prominent opposition leaders from the 1996 presidential elections. In the presidential and parliamentary elections held in November 1996, Chiluba was re-elected, and the MMD won 131 of the 150 seats in the National Assembly. Kaunda's UNIP party boycotted the parliamentary polls to protest the exclusion of its leader from the presidential race, alleging in addition that the outcome of the election had been predetermined due to a faulty voter registration exercise. As President Chiluba began his second term in 1997, the opposition and civil society challenged the results of the election amid international efforts to encourage the MMD and the opposition to resolve their differences through dialogue.

Early in 2001, supporters of President Chiluba mounted a campaign to amend the constitution to enable Chiluba to seek a third term of office. Civil society, opposition parties, and many members of the ruling party exerted sufficient pressure on Chiluba to force him to back away from any attempt at a third term.

Presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections were held on December 27, 2001. Eleven parties contested the elections. The elections encountered numerous administrative problems. Opposition parties alleged that serious irregularities occurred. Nevertheless, MMD presidential candidate Levy Mwanawasa, having garnered a plurality of the vote (29%), was declared the victor by a narrow margin, and he was sworn into office on January 2, 2002. Opposition parties won a majority of parliamentary seats in the December 2001 election, but subsequent by-elections gave the ruling MMD a majority in parliament.

During his first months in office, President Mwanawasa encouraged the Zambian Anticorruption Commission to aggressively pursue its mandate. In July 2002, in a speech before the Zambian National Assembly, President Mwanawasa provided details on a number of corruption allegations targeting former President Chiluba, and called for parliament to consider lifting Chiluba's immunity from prosecution. Mwanawasa appointed a special Task Force to investigate and prosecute corrupt officials. Zambian courts are now hearing cases involving corruption charges against Chiluba and numerous officials from his regime.

On May 4, 2007, a British court found former President Frederick Chiluba and several others liable in a civil suit for misappropriating $41 million of public resources. The criminal case, which was frequently in recess due to Chiluba's poor health, is expected to continue through 2008. The government's Task Force on Corruption has also successfully prosecuted three other cases of abuse of office and high-level corruption.

During his first term in office, President Mwanawasa appointed an Electoral Reform Technical Committee (ERTC) and a Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC) to make recommendations for reforms. The ERTC submitted its final report to the President in August 2005. Voter registration began on October 31, 2005 and continued through December 31, 2005. The CRC presented its final report and a draft constitution in December 2005. In February 2006 the government agreed to allow the formation of a Constituent Assembly to consider and adopt the draft constitution, subject to certain conditions. In August 2007, the Zambian parliament passed a government-sponsored law creating a National Constitutional Conference (NCC) charged with drafting a new constitution. The NCC, which is comprised of over 500 members drawn from parliament, political parties, civil society, and government, began meeting in late December 2007. Some members of civil society have refused to participate in the NCC, saying that its membership is too heavily stacked in the government's favor and pushing instead for the promised Constituent Assembly.

The Government of Zambia introduced very limited legislative changes to electoral procedures in mid-2006, including an electoral code of conduct and limits on politically-motivated donations and handouts. On July 25, 2006, President Mwanawasa dissolved parliament and his cabinet and set September 28, 2006 as the date for presidential, parliamentary, and local government elections. Mwanawasa won the September 2006 election with 1,177,846 votes, while the Patriotic Front's Michael Sata came in second with 804,748 votes. The head of a three-party alliance, Hakainde Hichilema, placed third. In parliamentary elections, the ruling MMD party won a slim majority of seats. International observers commended the overall conduct of the elections, but noted some anomalies.

In 2011 [[Michael Sata]] from the Patriotic Front won the presidential elections. He died in an British hospital in October 2014.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/system/wire/upiUPI-20141029-070055-5820</ref>

===Foreign Relations===
Zambia is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the African Union, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), which is headquartered in Lusaka.

President Kaunda was a persistent and visible advocate of change in Southern Africa, supporting liberation movements in Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), and South Africa. Many of these liberation organizations were based in Zambia during the 1970s and 1980s.

President Chiluba assumed a visible international role in the mid- and late 1990s. His government sponsored Angola peace talks that led to the 1994 Lusaka Protocols. Zambia provided troops to UN peacekeeping initiatives in Mozambique, Rwanda, Angola, and Sierra Leone. Zambia was the first African state to cooperate with the International Tribunal investigation of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

In 1998, Zambia took the lead in efforts to establish a cease-fire in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After the signing of a cease-fire agreement in Lusaka in July and August 1999, Zambia was active in supporting the Congolese peace effort, although activity diminished considerably after the Joint Military Commission tasked with implementing the ceasefire relocated to Kinshasa in September 2001.

During President Mwanawasa's administration, Zambia has contributed troops to support UN peacekeeping operations in Sudan. In 2007, the Zambian Government publicly appealed to other African nations to contribute to a joint African Union-United Nations (UNAMID) peacekeeping force in Darfur. In August 2007, President Mwanawasa assumed the SADC Chairmanship and affirmed his commitment to launching a free trade agreement in 2008.

Zambia's history of stability and its commitment to regional peace has made it a haven for large numbers of refugees. Currently, Zambia hosts 113,600 refugees (down from a high of 203,000 in 2002), including roughly 56,100 Congolese, 40,700 Angolans, and 16,800 other nationalities (mainly Rwandans, Burundians, and Somalis). In recent years, Zambia has made serious efforts to repatriate many of these refugees, including an estimated 108,000 Angolan and 7,500 Congolese refugees.

==Defense==
The Zambian Defense Force (ZDF) consists of the army, the air force, and Zambian National Service (ZNS). The ZNS, while operating under the Ministry of Defense, is responsible primarily for public works projects. The ZDF is designed primarily for internal defense. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has hit the ZDF especially hard.

The ZDF has contributed to African Union and United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa, and in 2005 became a partner in the African Contingency Operations and Training Assistance (ACOTA) program. The first iteration of ACOTA peacekeeper training took place in 2007.

==Economy==
About two-thirds of Zambians live in poverty. Per capita annual incomes are well below their levels at independence and, at $921, place the country among the world's poorest nations. Social indicators continue to decline, particularly in measurements of life expectancy at birth (about 37 years) and maternal mortality (729 per 100,000 pregnancies). The country's rate of economic growth cannot support rapid population growth or the strain which HIV/AIDS related issues (i.e., rising medical costs, decline in worker productivity) place on government resources. Zambia is also one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most highly urbanized countries. Over one-third of the country's 12 million people are concentrated in a few urban zones strung along the major transportation corridors, while rural areas are underpopulated. Unemployment and underemployment are serious problems.
*GDP (2006, current prices): $10.9 billion.
*Annual growth rate (2007, preliminary): 6.2%.
*Per capita GDP (2006, current prices): $921.
*Natural resources: Copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydroelectric power, fertile land.
*Agriculture: Products—corn, sorghum, rice, groundnuts, sunflower seeds, vegetables, horticultural products, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, livestock, coffee, and soybeans.
*Industry: Types—mining, transport, construction, foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals, and textiles.
*Trade (2006): Exports--$3.54 billion: copper, cobalt, lead, and zinc, cut vegetables, cotton, tobacco. Major markets—South Africa, United Kingdom, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Japan. Imports--$2.7 billion: crude oil, refined petroleum products, manufactured goods, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals. Major suppliers—South Africa, China, Tanzania, United Kingdom.
*Major donors: Donors provided $1.1 billion in development assistance to Zambia in 2005/6. The World Bank is Zambia's largest multilateral donor. Other key multilateral donors include the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Union, UN agencies, and the African Development Bank. Counting direct bilateral assistance and assistance through multilateral agencies, the U.S. is Zambia's largest country donor.

HIV/AIDS is the nation's greatest challenge, with 17% prevalence among the adult population. HIV/AIDS will continue to ravage Zambian economic, political, cultural, and social development for the foreseeable future.

Once a middle-income country, Zambia began to slide into poverty in the 1970s when copper prices declined on world markets. The socialist government made up for falling revenue by increasing borrowing. After democratic multi-party elections, the Chiluba government (1991-2001) came to power in November 1991 committed to an economic reform program. The government was successful in some areas, such as privatization of most of the parastatals, maintenance of positive real interest rates, the elimination of exchange controls, and endorsement of free market principles. Corruption grew dramatically under the Chiluba government. Zambia has yet to address effectively issues such as reducing the size of the public sector and improving Zambia's social sector delivery systems.

For 30 years, copper production declined steadily from a 1973 high of 700,000 metric tons to a 2000 low of 226,192 metric tons. The decline was the result of poor management of state-owned mines and lack of investment. With the privatization of the mines in April 2000, the downward trend in production and exports was reversed as a result of investments in plant rehabilitation, expansion, increased exploration, and high copper prices on the international market. Copper production rose to 515,000 metric tons in 2006, and a similar level is estimated for 2007.

Zambia experienced positive economic growth for the ninth consecutive year in 2007 with a GDP of U.S. $10.9 billion and a real growth rate of 6% (according to preliminary IMF estimates). The rate of inflation dropped from 30% in 2000 to a single digit inflation of 8.9% by December 2007 due to fiscal and monetary discipline and the growth of the domestic food supply.

In April 2005, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) provided Zambia significant debt service relief and debt forgiveness under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Zambia was the 17th country to reach the HIPC completion point and has benefited from approximately U.S. $6 billion in debt relief. In July 2005, the G-8 agreed on a proposal to cancel 100% of outstanding debt of eligible HIPC countries to the IMF, African Development Fund, and IDA. Zambia is among the beneficiaries of this additional multilateral debt relief. Zambia also completed a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement with the IMF in 2007, and the government has not yet determined whether it will seek another PRGF program or pursue a different arrangement with the IMF, a Policy Support Instrument (PSI), which would not involve additional lending.

The Zambian Government is pursuing an economic diversification program to reduce the economy's reliance on the copper industry. This initiative seeks to exploit other components of Zambia's rich resource base by promoting agriculture, tourism, gemstone mining, and hydro power. The government is also seeking to create an environment that encourages entrepreneurship and private-sector led growth. The 2008 budget contained provisions for tax alleviation, as well as increased allotments for healthcare, education, and economic development.

==History==
The indigenous hunter-gatherer occupants of Zambia began to be displaced or absorbed by more advanced migrating tribes about 2,000 years ago. The major waves of Bantu-speaking immigrants began in the 15th century, with the greatest influx between the late 17th and early 19th centuries. They came primarily from the Luba and Lunda tribes of southern Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Angola but were joined in the 19th century by Ngoni peoples from the south. By the latter part of that century, the various peoples of Zambia were largely established in the areas they currently occupy.

Except for an occasional Portuguese explorer, the area lay untouched by Europeans for centuries. After the mid-19th century, it was penetrated by Western explorers, missionaries, and traders. David Livingstone, in 1855, was the first European to see the magnificent waterfalls on the Zambezi River. He named the falls after Queen Victoria, and the Zambian town near the falls is named after him.

In 1888, Cecil Rhodes, spearheading British commercial and political interests in Central Africa, obtained a mineral rights concession from local chiefs. In the same year, Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe, respectively) were proclaimed a British sphere of influence. Southern Rhodesia was annexed formally and granted self-government in 1923, and the administration of Northern Rhodesia was transferred to the British colonial office in 1924 as a protectorate.

In 1953, both Rhodesias were joined with Nyasaland (now Malawi) to form the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Northern Rhodesia was the center of much of the turmoil and crisis that characterized the federation in its last years. At the core of the controversy were insistent African demands for greater participation in government and European fears of losing political control.

A two-stage election held in October and December 1962 resulted in an African majority in the legislative council and an uneasy coalition between the two African nationalist parties. The council passed resolutions calling for Northern Rhodesia's secession from the federation and demanding full internal self-government under a new constitution and a new national assembly based on a broader, more democratic franchise. On December 31, 1963, the federation was dissolved, and Northern Rhodesia became the Republic of Zambia on October 24, 1964.

At independence, despite its considerable mineral wealth, Zambia faced major challenges. Domestically, there were few trained and educated Zambians capable of running the government, and the economy was largely dependent on foreign expertise. Abroad, three of its neighbors—Southern Rhodesia and the Portuguese colonies of Mozambique and Angola—remained under white-dominated rule. Rhodesia's white-ruled government unilaterally declared independence in 1965. In addition, Zambia shared a border with South African-controlled South-West Africa (now Namibia). Zambia's sympathies lay with forces opposing colonial or white-dominated rule, particularly in Southern Rhodesia. During the next decade, it actively supported movements such as the Union for the Total Liberation of Angola (UNITA), the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC), and the South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO).

Conflicts with Rhodesia resulted in the closing of Zambia's borders with that country and severe problems with international transport and power supply. However, the Kariba hydroelectric station on the Zambezi River provided sufficient capacity to satisfy the country's requirements for electricity. A railroad to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam, built with Chinese assistance, reduced Zambian dependence on railroad lines south to South Africa and west through an increasingly troubled Angola.

By the late 1970s, Mozambique and Angola had attained independence from Portugal. Zimbabwe achieved independence in accordance with the 1979 Lancaster House agreement, but Zambia's problems were not solved. Civil war in the former Portuguese colonies generated refugees and caused continuing transportation problems. The Benguela Railroad, which extended west through Angola, was essentially closed to traffic from Zambia by the late 1970s. Zambia's strong support for the ANC, which had its external headquarters in Lusaka, created security problems as South Africa raided ANC targets in Zambia.

In the mid-1970s, the price of copper, Zambia's principal export, suffered a severe decline worldwide. Zambia turned to foreign and international lenders for relief, but as copper prices remained depressed, it became increasingly difficult to service its growing debt.

In response to growing popular demand, and after lengthy, difficult negotiations between the Kaunda government and opposition groups, Zambia enacted a new constitution in 1991 and shortly thereafter became a multi-party democracy. Kaunda's successor, Frederick Chiluba, made efforts to liberalize the economy and privatize industry, but allegations of massive corruption characterized the latter part of his administration. By the mid-1990s, despite limited debt relief, Zambia's per capita foreign debt remained among the highest in the world.

Although poverty continues to be a significant problem in Zambia, its economy has stabilized, featuring single-digit inflation, real GDP growth, decreasing interest rates, and increasing levels of trade. Much of its growth is due to foreign investment in Zambia's mining sector and higher copper prices on the world market. In 2005, Zambia qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative, consisting of approximately U.S. $6 billion in debt relief.

==References==
<references/>

{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''
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!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:
|style=" background-color: none;"| This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code
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|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2359.htm]}}}.
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{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Landlocked Countries]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Tanzania

2021-01-08T17:56:30Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania''
|map =Tanzania rel 2003.jpg
|map2 =Location of Tanzania.png
|flag =Flag of Tanzania.png
|arms =Arms of Tanzania.PNG
|capital =Dodoma
|capital-raw =
|government =Republic
|government-raw =
|language =Swahili
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Mizengo Pinda
|pm-raw =
|area =364,898 sq mi
|pop =62,500,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$62,500,000,000 (2020)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$1,000 (2020)
|currency =Tanzanian shilling
|idd =
|tld =
}}
'''Tanzania''' is a nation in east [[Africa]]. Its area is 362,162 square miles (883,749 km2) and it has a population (2000) of 32.1 million. The capital city is [[Dodoma]], but the main city and commercial centre is [[Dar es Salaam]]. Tanzania comprises the territory of [[Tanganyika]], a former German colony which was mandated to the United Kingdom after the [[First World War]], and the former British colony of [[Zanzibar]]. Tanganyika gained independence in 1961 and Zanzibar in 1963; the two states merged to form Tanzania on 16 April 1964.

==People==
Population distribution in Tanzania is extremely uneven. Density varies from 3 persons per square mile (1 per km2.) in arid regions to 133 per square mile (51 per km2.) in the mainland's well-watered highlands to 347 per square mile (134 per km2.) on Zanzibar. More than 80% of the population is rural. Dar es Salaam is the capital and largest city; Dodoma, located in the center of Tanzania, has been designated the legislative capital and the Parliament meets there four times a year.

The African population consists of more than 120 ethnic groups, of which the Sukuma, Haya, Nyakyusa, Nyamwezi, and Chaga have more than 1 million members each. The majority of Tanzanians, including such large tribes as the Sukuma and the Nyamwezi, are of Bantu stock. Groups of Nilotic or related origin include the nomadic Masai and the Luo, both of which are found in greater numbers in neighboring Kenya. Two small groups speak languages of the Khoisan family peculiar to the Bushman and Hottentot peoples. Cushitic-speaking peoples, originally from the Ethiopian highlands, reside in a few areas of Tanzania.

Although much of Zanzibar's African population came from the mainland, one group known as Shirazis traces its origins to the island's early Persian settlers. Non-Africans residing on the mainland and Zanzibar account for 1% of the total population. The Asian community, including Hindus, Sikhs, Shi'a and Sunni Muslims, and Goans, has declined by 50% in the past decade to 50,000 on the mainland and 4,000 on Zanzibar. An estimated 70,000 Arabs and 10,000 Europeans reside in Tanzania.

Each ethnic group has its own language, but the national language is Kiswahili, a Bantu-based tongue with strong Arabic borrowings.
*Population: Mainland—39.3 million. Zanzibar—1 million (est.).
*Religions: Muslim 40%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 20%.
*Language: Kiswahili (official), English.
*Education: Attendance—73.2% Mainland (primary); 71.4% Zanzibar.
*Literacy: Females 67% Mainland; 76.8% Zanzibar.
*Literacy: Males 79.9% Mainland; 86% Zanzibar.
*Health: Infant mortality rate—68/1,000. Life expectancy—50 years.
*Work force: Agriculture—80%; industry, commerce, government—20%.

==Government==
Tanzania's president and National Assembly members are elected concurrently by direct popular vote for 5-year terms. The president appoints a prime minister who serves as the government's leader in the National Assembly. The president selects his cabinet from among National Assembly members. The Constitution also empowers him to nominate 10 non-elected members of Parliament, who also are eligible to become cabinet members. Elections for president and all National Assembly seats were held in December 2005.

The unicameral National Assembly has up to 325 members: the Attorney General, the Speaker, five members elected from the Zanzibar House of Representatives to participate in the Parliament, 75 special women's seats apportioned among the political parties based on their election results, 233 constituent seats from the mainland, and up to 10 members nominated by the president. In 2006, the president nominated seven members and the Speaker was elected to a constituent seat, bringing the total number of Members of Parliament to 320. The ruling party, CCM, holds about 82% of the seats in the Assembly. Laws passed by the National Assembly are valid for Zanzibar only in specifically designated union matters.

Zanzibar's House of Representatives has jurisdiction over all non-union matters. There are currently 81 members in the House of Representatives in Zanzibar: 50 elected by the people, 10 appointed by the president of Zanzibar, 5 ex officio members, an attorney general appointed by the president, and 15 special seats allocated to women. Ostensibly, Zanzibar's House of Representatives can make laws for Zanzibar without the approval of the union government as long as it does not involve union-designated matters. The terms of office for Zanzibar's president and House of Representatives also are 5 years. The semiautonomous relationship between Zanzibar and the union is a relatively unique system of government.

Tanzania has a five-level judiciary combining the jurisdictions of tribal, Islamic, and British common law. Appeal is from the primary courts through the district courts, resident magistrate courts, to the high courts, and the high courts to the Court of Appeals. District and resident court magistrates are appointed by the Chief Justice, except for judges of the High Court and Court of Appeals, who are appointed by the president. The Zanzibari court system parallels the legal system of the union, and all cases tried in Zanzibari courts, except for those involving constitutional issues and Islamic law, can be appealed to the Court of Appeals of the union. A commercial court was established on the mainland in September 1999 as a division of the High Court.

For administrative purposes, Tanzania is divided into 26 regions—21 on the mainland, 3 on Zanzibar, and 2 on Pemba. Ninety-nine district councils have been created to further increase local authority. These districts are also now referred to as local government authorities. Currently there are 114 councils operating in 99 districts, 22 are urban and 92 are rural. The 22 urban units are classified further as city (Dar es Salaam and Mwanza), municipal (Arusha, Dodoma, Iringa, Kilimanjaro, Mbeya, Morogoro, Shinyanga, Tabora, and Tanga), and town councils (the remaining 11 communities).

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Jakaya Kikwete
*Vice President—Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein
*Prime Minister—Mizengo Pinda
*President of Zanzibar—Amani Abeid Karume
*Minister of Foreign Affairs—Bernard Membe

===Political Conditions===
From independence in 1961 until the mid-1980s, Tanzania was a one-party state, with a socialist model of economic development. Beginning in the mid-1980s, under the administration of President Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Tanzania undertook a number of political and economic reforms. In January and February 1992, the government decided to adopt multiparty democracy. Legal and constitutional changes led to the registration of 11 political parties. Two parliamentary by-elections (won by CCM) in early 1994 were the first-ever multiparty elections in Tanzanian history.

In October 2000, Tanzania held its second multi-party general elections. The ruling CCM party's candidate, Benjamin W. Mkapa, defeated his three main rivals, winning the presidential election with 71% of the vote. In the parliamentary elections, CCM won 202 of the 232 elected seats. In the Zanzibar presidential election, Abeid Amani Karume, the son of former President Abeid Karume, defeated CUF candidate Seif Sharif Hamad. The election was marred by irregularities, especially on Zanzibar, and subsequent political violence claimed at least 23 lives in January 2001, mostly on Pemba island. Also, 16 CUF members were expelled from the Union Parliament after boycotting the legislature to protest the Zanzibar election results.

In October 2001, the CCM and the CUF parties signed a reconciliation agreement which called for electoral reforms on Zanzibar and set up a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the deaths that occurred in January 2001 on Pemba. The agreement also led to the presidential appointment of an additional CUF official to become a member of the Union Parliament. Changes to the Zanzibar Constitution in April 2002 allowed both the CCM and CUF parties to nominate members to the Zanzibar Electoral Commission. In May 2003, the Zanzibar Electoral Commission conducted by-elections to fill vacant seats in the parliament, including those seats vacated by the CUF boycott. Observers considered these by-elections, the first major test of the reconciliation agreement, to be free, fair, and peaceful.

In October 2005, presidential and parliamentary elections were scheduled to take place. However, the death of an opposition vice presidential candidate forced a postponement until December. Zanzibari presidential elections went forward as scheduled. Although there were many administrative improvements over the 2000 elections in Zanzibar, the poll was marred by violence and intimidation. Abeid Amani Karume edged out Seif Sharif Hamad 53% to 46% in an election widely deemed to have had serious irregularities by international observers. In contrast, the December 2005 elections in mainland Tanzania proceeded with few if any problems, and the popular Kikwete won by over 80% of the vote. The ruling CCM party also picked up additional parliamentary seats, leaving the opposition parties fractured and marginalized.

President Kikwete, Vice President Ali Mohamed Shein, Prime Minister Edward Lowassa, and National Assembly members will serve until the next general elections in 2010. Similarly, Zanzibar President Karume and members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives also will complete their terms of office in 2010.

In 2001, the East African Community (EAC)--formerly a customs union in 1967 consisting of Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda—was revived, and a new treaty was signed that paves the way for an economic and political union of the three countries. In July 2007, Rwanda and Burundi joined the EAC as full members.

===Foreign Relations===
Tanzania's first president, Julius Nyerere also was one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement, and, during the Cold War era, Tanzania played an important role in regional and international organizations, such as the Non-Aligned Movement, the front-line states, the G-77, and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). One of Africa's best-known elder statesmen, Nyerere was personally active in many of these organizations, and served chairman of the OAU (1984–85) and chairman of six front-line states concerned with eliminating apartheid in Southern Africa. Nyerere's death, in October 1999, is still commemorated annually.

Tanzania enjoys good relations with its neighbors in the region and in recent years has been an active participant in efforts to promote the peaceful resolution of disputes. Tanzania helped to broker peace talks to end the conflict in Burundi; a comprehensive cease-fire was signed in Dar es Salaam on September 7, 2006. Tanzania also supports the Lusaka agreement concerning the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In March 1996, Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya revived discussion of economic and regional cooperation. These talks culminated with the signing of an East African Cooperation Treaty in September 1999; a treaty establishing a Customs Union was signed in March 2004. The Customs Union went into effect January 1, 2005 and, in time, should lead to complete economic integration. On July 1, 2007 Rwanda and Burundi joined the EAC and the Customs Union as full members. Tanzania is the only country in East Africa which also is a member of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). In January 2005, Tanzania became a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council serving a two-year term that ended on December 31, 2006.

==Economy==
[[File:Dhow Indian Ocean near Zanzibar.jpg|thumb|300px|A Dhow in the Indian Ocean. The background shows the Zanzibar Island, 2011.]]
Significant measures have been taken to liberalize the Tanzanian economy along market lines and encourage both foreign and domestic private investment. Beginning in 1986, the Government of Tanzania embarked on an adjustment program to dismantle state economic controls and encourage more active participation of the private sector in the economy. The program included a comprehensive package of policies which reduced the budget deficit and improved monetary control, substantially depreciated the overvalued exchange rate, liberalized the trade regime, removed most price controls, eased restrictions on the marketing of food crops, freed interest rates, and initiated a restructuring of the financial sector.
*GDP (2006): $12.1 billion.
*Average growth rate (2006): 6.2%.
*Per capita income (2006): $320.
*Natural resources: Hydroelectric potential, coal, iron, gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel, diamonds, crude oil potential, forest products, wildlife, fisheries.
*Agriculture (2004): 46.4% of GDP. Products—coffee, cotton, tea, tobacco, cloves, sisal, cashew nuts, maize, livestock, sugar cane, paddy, wheat, pyrethrum.
*Industry/manufacturing (2004): 8.8% of GDP. Types—textiles, agro-processing, light manufacturing, construction, steel, aluminum, paints, cement, cooking oil, beer, mineral water and soft drinks.
*Trade (2006): Exports--$1.723 billion (merchandise exports, 2006): coffee, cotton, tea, sisal, cashew nuts, tobacco, cut flowers, seaweed, cloves, fish and fish products, minerals (diamonds, gold, and gemstones), manufactured goods, horticultural products; services (tourism services, communication, construction, insurance, financial, computer, information, government, royalties, personal and other businesses). Major markets—U.K., Germany, India, Japan, Italy, China, Bahrain, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, Pakistan, Indonesia. Primary imports—petroleum, consumer goods, machinery and transport equipment, used clothing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals. Major suppliers—U.K., Germany, Japan, India, Italy, U.S., United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, Kenya.

In July 2003, Tanzania's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement with the International Monetary Fund was extended for an additional three years. In June 2003, the Tanzanian Government successfully completed a previous three-year PRGF, the successor program to the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility (ESAF). From 1996-1999, Tanzania had an ESAF agreement. Tanzania also embarked on a major restructuring of state-owned enterprises. The program has so far divested 335 out of some 425 parastatal entities. Overall, real economic growth has averaged about 4% a year, much better than the previous 20 years, but not enough to improve the lives of average Tanzanians. Also, the economy remains overwhelmingly donor-dependent. Moreover, Tanzania has an external debt of $7.5 billion. The servicing of this debt absorbs about 40% of total government expenditures. Tanzania has qualified for debt relief under the enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Debts worth over $6 billion were canceled following implementation of the Paris Club VII Agreement. Agriculture dominates the economy, providing more than 44% of GDP and 80% of employment. Cash crops, including coffee, tea, cotton, cashews, sisal, cloves, and pyrethrum, account for the vast majority of export earnings. While the volume of major crops—both cash and goods marketed through official channels—have increased in recent years, large amounts of produce never reach the market. Poor pricing and unreliable cash flow to farmers continue to frustrate the agricultural sector.

Accounting for less than 10% of GDP, Tanzania's industrial sector is one of the smallest in Africa. It was hard hit during the 2002-2003 drought years and again in 2005-2006 by persistent power shortages caused by low rainfall in the hydroelectric dam catchment area, a condition compounded by years of neglect and bad management at the state-controlled electric company. Management of the electric company was

The main industrial activities (90%) are dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) specializing in food processing including dairy products, meat packing, preserving fruits and vegetables, production of textile and apparel, leather tanning and plastics. A few larger factories (10%) manufacture cement, rolled steel, corrugated iron, aluminum sheets, cigarettes, beer and bottling beverages, fruit juices and mineral water. Other factories produce raw materials, import substitutes, and processed agricultural products. Poor infrastructure in water and electricity supply systems continue to hinder factory production. In general, Tanzania’s manufacturing sector targets primarily the domestic market with limited exports of

Despite Tanzania's past record of political stability, an unattractive investment climate has discouraged foreign investment. Government steps to improve the business climate include redrawing tax codes, floating the exchange rate, licensing foreign banks, and creating an investment promotion center to cut red tape. In terms of mineral resources and the largely untapped tourism sector, Tanzania could become a viable and attractive market for U.S. goods and services.

Zanzibar's economy is based primarily on the production of cloves (90% grown on the island of Pemba), the principal foreign exchange earner. Exports have suffered with the downturn in the clove market. Tourism is a promising sector with a number of new hotels and resorts have been built in recent years.

The Government of Zanzibar legalized foreign exchange bureaus on the islands before the mainland Tanzania moved to do so. The effect was to increase the availability of consumer commodities. Furthermore, with external funding, the Government of Zanzibar plans to make the port of Zanzibar a free port. In 2007, the rehabilitation of Zanzibar’s port facilities commenced with assistance from European donors. The island's manufacturing sector is limited mainly to import substitution industries, such as cigarettes, shoes, and process agricultural products. In 1992, the government designated two export-producing zones and encouraged the development of offshore financial services. Zanzibar still imports much of its staple requirements, petroleum products, and manufactured articles.

==History==
[[Image:Kilimanjaro.jpg|thumb|Mount Kilimanjaro]]
====Tanganyika/Tanzania====
Little is known of the history of Tanganyika's interior during the early centuries of the Christian era. The area is believed to have been inhabited originally by ethnic groups using a click-tongue language similar to that of Southern Africa's Bushmen and Hottentots. Although remnants of these early tribes still exist, most were gradually displaced by Bantu farmers migrating from the west and south and by Nilotes and related northern peoples. Some of these groups had well-organized societies and controlled extensive areas by the time the Arab slavers, European explorers, and missionaries penetrated the interior in the first half of the 19th century.

The coastal area first felt the impact of foreign influence as early as the 8th century, when Arab traders arrived. By the 12th century, traders and immigrants came from as far away as Persia (now Iran) and India. They built a series of highly developed city and trading states along the coast, the principal one being Kibaha, a settlement of Persian origin that held ascendancy until the Portuguese destroyed it in the early 1500s.

The Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama explored the East African coast in 1498 on his voyage to India. By 1506, the Portuguese claimed control over the entire coast. This control was nominal, however, because the Portuguese did not colonize the area or explore the interior. Assisted by Omani Arabs, the indigenous coastal dwellers succeeded in driving the Portuguese from the area north of the Ruvuma River by the early 18th century. Claiming the coastal strip, Omani Sultan Seyyid Said (l804-56) moved his capital to Zanzibar in 1841.

European exploration of the interior began in the mid-19th century. Two German missionaries reached Mt. Kilimanjaro in the 1840s. British explorers Richard Burton and John Speke crossed the interior to Lake Tanganyika in 1857. David Livingstone, the Scottish missionary-explorer who crusaded against the slave trade, established his last mission at Ujiji, where he was "found" by Henry Morton Stanley, an American journalist-explorer, who had been commissioned by the New York Herald to locate him.

German colonial interests were first advanced in 1884. Karl Peters, who formed the Society for German Colonization, concluded a series of treaties by which tribal chiefs in the interior accepted German "protection." Prince Otto von Bismarck's government backed Peters in the subsequent establishment of the German East Africa Company.

In 1886 and 1890, Anglo-German agreements were negotiated that delineated the British and German spheres of influence in the interior of East Africa and along the coastal strip previously claimed by the Omani sultan of Zanzibar. In 1891, the German Government took over direct administration of the territory from the German East Africa Company and appointed a governor with headquarters at Dar es Salaam.

Although the German colonial administration brought cash crops, railroads, and roads to Tanganyika, European rule provoked African's resistance, culminating in the Maji Maji rebellion of 1905-07. The rebellion, which temporarily united a number of southern tribes and ended only after an estimated 120,000 Africans had died from fighting or starvation, is considered by most Tanzanians to have been one of the first stirrings of nationalism.

German colonial domination of Tanganyika ended after World War I when control of most of the territory passed to the United Kingdom under a League of Nations mandate. After World War II, Tanganyika became a UN trust territory under British control. Subsequent years witnessed Tanganyika moving gradually toward self-government and independence.

In 1954, Julius K. Nyerere, a school teacher who was then one of only two Tanganyikans educated abroad at the university level, organized a political party—the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU). TANU-supported candidates were victorious in the Legislative Council elections of September 1958 and February 1959. In December 1959, the United Kingdom agreed to the establishment of internal self-government following general elections to be held in August 1960. Nyerere was named chief minister of the subsequent government.

In May 1961, Tanganyika became autonomous, and Nyerere became Prime Minister under a new constitution. Full independence was achieved on December 9, 1961. Julius. Nyerere was elected President when Tanganyika became a republic within the Commonwealth a year after independence.

====Zanzibar====
An early Arab/Persian trading center, Zanzibar fell under Portuguese domination in the 16th and early 17th centuries but was retaken by Omani Arabs in the early 18th century. The height of Arab rule came during the reign of Sultan Seyyid Said, who encouraged the development of clove plantations, using the island's slave labor.

The Arabs established their own garrisons at Zanzibar, Pemba, and Kilwa and carried on a lucrative trade in slaves and ivory. By 1840, Said had transferred his capital from Muscat to Zanzibar and established a ruling Arab elite. The island's commerce fell increasingly into the hands of traders from the Indian subcontinent, who Said encouraged to settle on the island.

Zanzibar's spices attracted ships from as far away as the United States. A U.S. consulate was established on the island in 1837. The United Kingdom's early interest in Zanzibar was motivated by both commerce and the determination to end the slave trade. In 1822, the British signed the first of a series of treaties with Sultan Said to curb this trade, but not until 1876 was the sale of slaves finally prohibited.

The Anglo-German agreement of 1890 made Zanzibar and Pemba a British protectorate. British rule through a Sultan remained largely unchanged from the late 19th century until after World War II.

Zanzibar's political development began in earnest after 1956, when provision was first made for the election of six nongovernmental members to the Legislative Council. Two parties were formed: the Zanzibar Nationalist Party (ZNP), representing the dominant Arab and "Arabized" minority, and the Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP), led by Abeid Karume and representing the Shirazis and the African majority.

The first elections were held in July 1957. The ASP won three of the six elected seats, with the remainder going to independents. Following the election, the ASP split; some of its Shirazi supporters left to form the Zanzibar and Pemba People's Party (ZPPP). The January 1961 election resulted in a deadlock between the ASP and a ZNP-ZPPP coalition.

====United Republic of Tanzania====
Zanzibar received its independence from the United Kingdom on December 19, 1963, as a constitutional monarchy under the sultan. On January 12, 1964, the African majority revolted against the sultan and a new government was formed with the ASP leader, Abeid Karume, as President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council. Under the terms of its political union with Tanganyika in April 1964, the Zanzibar Government retained considerable local autonomy.

On April 26, 1964, Tanganyika united with Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. The country was renamed the United Republic of Tanzania on October 29, 1964.

To form a sole ruling party in both parts of the union Nyerere merged TANU with the Zanzibar ruling party, the Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP) of Zanzibar to form the CCM (Chama cha Mapinduzi-CCM Revolutionary Party), on February 5, 1977. The CCM was to be the sole instrument for mobilizing and controlling the population in all significant political or economic activities. He envisioned the party as a "two-way street" for the flow of ideas and policy directives between the village level and the government. On April 26, 1977, the union of the two parties was ratified in a new constitution. The merger was reinforced by principles enunciated in the 1982 union constitution and reaffirmed in the constitution of 1984.

President Nyerere stepped down from office and was succeeded as President by Ali Hassan Mwinyi in 1985. Nyerere retained his position as Chairman of the ruling CCM party for 5 more years and was influential in Tanzanian politics until his death in October 1999. The current President, Jakaya Kikwete, was elected in December 2005. Zanzibar President Amani Abeid Karume, the son of Zanzibar’s first president, was elected in 2000, in general elections that were marked by widespread irregularities throughout the Isles. His predecessor, Salmin Amour, was first elected in single-party elections in 1990, then re-elected in 1995 in Zanzibar’s first multi-party elections. These elections also were tainted by violence and serious irregularities in the voting process.

{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''
|-
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:
|style=" background-color: none;"| This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code
|-
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2843.htm]}}}.
|}

{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Tanzania]]

Somalia

2021-01-08T17:55:40Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''Soomaaliya'' الصومال
|map =Somalia rel02.jpg
|map2 =Location of Somalia.png
|flag =Flag of Somalia.png
|arms =Arms of Somalia.png
|capital =Mogadishu
|capital-raw =
|government =Transitional government
|government-raw =
|language =Somali (official); Arabic, English
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke
|pm-raw =
|area =246,201 sq mi
|pop =16,000,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$5.26 billion
|gdp-year =2006
|gdp-pc =$600
|currency =Somali shilling
|idd =
|tld =
}}
The '''Somali Republic''' is a [[Muslim]] country that is a combination of two former European colonies known as [[British]] Somaliland and Italian Somaliland. Somalia has been Muslim since A.D. 900 and today is considered one of the bases for pirates and for the [[terrorist]] group [[al-Qaeda]]. Roughly the size of [[New Jersey]] in area and population, Somalia is located in the Horn of Africa, its coastline on the [[Indian Ocean]] bordering [[Djibouti]] (the former French Somaliland), [[Ethiopia]] and [[Kenya]]. The capital city is [[Mogadishu]].

==Geography==
Somalia is located on the east coast of Africa on and north of the Equator and, with Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, and Kenya, is often referred to as the Horn of Africa. It comprises Italy's former Trust Territory of Somalia and the former British Protectorate of Somaliland (now seeking recognition as an independent state). The coastline extends 2,720 kilometers (1,700 mi.).

The northern part of the country is hilly, and in many places the altitude ranges between 900 and 2,100 meters (3,000 ft.-7,000 ft.) above sea level. The central and southern areas are flat, with an average altitude of less than 180 meters (600 ft.). The Juba and the Shabelle Rivers rise in Ethiopia and flow south across the country toward the Indian Ocean. The Shabelle, however, does not reach the sea.

Major climatic factors are a year-round hot climate, seasonal monsoon winds, and irregular rainfall with recurring droughts. Mean daily maximum temperatures range from 30oC to 40oC (85o F-105oF), except at higher elevations and along the east coast. Mean daily minimums usually vary from about 15oC to 30oC (60oF-85oF). The southwest monsoon, a sea breeze, makes the period from about May to October the mildest season in Somalia. The December–February period of the northeast monsoon also is relatively mild, although prevailing climatic conditions in Somalia are rarely pleasant. The "tangambili" periods that intervene between the two rainy seasons (October–November and March–May) are hot and humid.

==People==
The Cushitic populations of the Somali Coast in the Horn of Africa have an ancient history. Known by ancient Arabs as the Berberi, archaeological evidence indicates their presence in the Horn of Africa by A.D. 100 and possibly earlier. As early as the seventh century A.D., the indigenous Cushitic peoples began to mingle with Arab and Persian traders who had settled along the coast. Interaction over the centuries led to the emergence of a Somali culture bound by common traditions, a single language, and the Islamic faith.

The Somali-populated region of the Horn of Africa stretches from the Gulf of Tadjoura in modern-day Djibouti through Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, and down to the coastal regions of southern Kenya. Unlike many countries in Africa, the Somali nation extends beyond its national borders. Since gaining independence in 1960, the goal of Somali nationalism, also known as Pan-Somalism, has been the unification of all Somali populations, forming a Greater Somalia. This issue has been a major cause of past crises between Somalia and its neighbors—Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti.

Today, about 60% of all Somalis are nomadic or semi-nomadic pastoralists who raise cattle, camels, sheep, and goats. About 25% of the population is settled farmers who live mainly in the fertile agricultural zone between the Juba and Shabelle Rivers in southern Somalia. The remainder of the population (15%-20%) is urban.

Sizable ethnic groups in the country include Bantu agricultural workers, several thousand Arabs and some hundreds of Indians and Pakistanis. Nearly all inhabitants speak the Somali language, which remained unwritten until October 1973, when the Supreme Revolutionary Council (SRC) proclaimed it the nation's official language and decreed an [[orthography]] using Latin letters. Somali is now the language of instruction in schools, although Arabic, English, and Italian also are used extensively.
*Population (2006 est., no census exists): 8.8 million (of which an estimated 2 million in Somaliland). Population figures are difficult to estimate since the last census was completed in the 1970s and the instability of the country makes it impossible to collect this data.

*Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 2.85%.
*Ethnic groups: Somali, with a small non-Somali minority (mostly Bantu and Arabs).
*Religion: 99.9% Muslim.
*Languages: Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English.
*Education: Literacy—total population that can read and write, 37.8%: male 49.7%; female 25.8%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate—114.9/1,000 live births. Life expectancy at birth—total population: 48.7 yrs.
*Work force (3.7 million; very few are skilled workers): Pastoral nomad—60%. Agriculture, government, trading, fishing, industry, handicrafts, and other—40%.
===Religion===
Citizens are overwhelmingly Sunni Muslims of a Sufi tradition. There also is a very small, extremely low-profile Christian community, and small numbers of followers of other religions. The number of adherents to strains of conservative Islam and the number of Islamic schools supported by religiously conservative sources continued to grow.

==Government==
A transitional government, the components of which are known as the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) was formed in 2004 following the conclusion of a 2-year reconciliation conference. The TFIs include a transitional parliament, known as the Transitional Federal Assembly (formed in August 2004), as well as a Transitional Federal Government (TFG) that includes a transitional President, Prime Minister and a cabinet known as the "Council of Ministers." For administrative purposes, Somalia is divided into 18 regions; the nature, authority, and structure of regional governments vary, where they exist.

===Principal Government Officials===
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed was elected as Transitional Federal President of Somalia in October 2004. On October 29, 2007, Ali Mohamed Gedi resigned as Prime Minister of the TFG; Nur "Adde" Hassan Hussein was appointed Prime Minister on November 22 and confirmed by the Parliament on November 24, 2007. Following a no-confidence motion against former Speaker of Parliament Shariff Hassan Sheikh Adan on January 17, Sheikh Adan Mohamed Nur was elected the new Speaker on January 31, 2007. A cabinet known as the Council of Ministers also exists; Prime Minister Hussein is in the process of forming a new cabinet.

===Political Conditions===
In early 2002, Kenya organized a reconciliation effort under IGAD auspices known as the Somalia National Reconciliation Conference, which concluded in October 2004. In August 2004, the Somali Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA) was established as part of the IGAD-led process. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed was elected President of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia on October 10, 2004. The components of the TFG, including the Parliament and Executive, are known as the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs).

Two regional administrations exist in northern Somalia—the self-declared "Republic of Somaliland" in the northwest and the semi-autonomous region of Puntland in the northeast. In Somaliland, which is made up of the former British protectorate, Dahir Riyale Kahin was elected President in presidential elections deemed free and fair by international observers in May 2003. The area of Puntland declared itself autonomous (although not independent) in 1998 with its capital at Garowe. General Mohamed Adde Muse was elected President by the Puntland parliament in January 2005. Puntland declared it would remain autonomous until a federated Somalia state was established.

===Foreign Relations===
Somalia followed a foreign policy of nonalignment for a brief period following independence. In 1970, the Siad Barre regime declared a national ideology based on scientific Socialism and aligned its foreign policy with the Soviet Union and China. In the 1980s, Somalia shifted its alignment to the West following a territorial conflict with Ethiopia over the disputed Somali-populated region of the Ogaden from 1977–78, which was supported by the Soviet Union. The central government also sought ties with many Arab countries, and continued to receive financial and military support from several Arab countries prior to its collapse in 1991.

In 1963, Somalia severed diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom for a period following a dispute over Kenya's Somali-populated northeastern region (Northern Frontier District), an area inhabited mainly by Somalis. Related problems have arisen from the boundary with Ethiopia and the large-scale migrations of Somali nomads between Ethiopia and Somalia. In the aftermath of the 1977-78 war between Somalia and Ethiopia, the Government of Somalia continued to call for self-determination for ethnic Somalis living in the Ogaden region of eastern Ethiopia. At the March 1983 Nonaligned Movement summit in New Delhi, President Siad Barre stated that Somalia harbored no expansionist aims and was willing to negotiate with Ethiopia over the disputed Ogaden region.

Following the collapse of the Barre regime, the foreign policy of the various entities in Somalia, including the Transitional Federal Government, has centered on gaining international recognition, winning international support for national reconciliation, and obtaining international economic assistance.

==Defense==
The Transitional Federal Government and other various groups throughout Somalia are estimated to control militias ranging in strength from hundreds to thousands. Some groups possess limited inventories of older armored vehicles and other heavy weapons, and small arms are prevalent throughout Somalia. Elements of these militias, either operating under their command or acting independently, have engaged in acts of piracy in the waters of the Gulf of Aden and the [[Indian Ocean]], seizing ships and crew. [http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/news/216025.php][https://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-relief14dec14,1,3845026.story?track=rss][]

==Economy==
Somalia lacks natural resources and faces major development challenges, and recent economic reverses have left its people increasingly dependent on remittances from abroad. Its economy is pastoral and agricultural, with livestock—principally camels, cattle, sheep, and goats—representing the main form of wealth. Livestock exports in recent years have been severely reduced by periodic bans, ostensibly for concerns of animal health, by Arabian Peninsula states. Drought has also impaired agricultural and livestock production. Because rainfall is scanty and irregular, farming generally is limited to certain coastal districts, areas near Hargeisa, and the Juba and Shabelle River valleys. The agricultural sector of the economy consists mainly of banana plantations located in the south, which has used modern irrigation systems and up-to-date farm machinery.

A small fishing industry exists in the north where tuna, shark, and other warm-water fish are caught, although fishing production is seriously affected by poaching. Aromatic woods—frankincense and myrrh—from a small and diminishing forest also contribute to the country's exports. Minerals, including uranium and likely deposits of petroleum and natural gas, are found throughout the country, but have not been exploited commercially. Petroleum exploration efforts have ceased due to insecurity and instability. Illegal production in the south of charcoal for export has led to widespread deforestation. With the help of foreign aid, small industries such as textiles, handicrafts, meat processing, and printing are being established.

The absence of central government authority, as well as profiteering from counterfeiting, has rapidly debased Somalia's currency. By the spring of 2002, the Somali shilling had fallen to over 30,000 shillings to the U.S. dollar. The self-declared Republic of Somaliland issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling, which is not accepted outside of the self-declared republic.

There are no railways in Somalia; internal transportation is by truck and bus. The national road system nominally comprises 22,100 kilometers (13,702 mi.) of roads that include about 2,600 kilometers (1,612 mi.) of all-weather roads, although most roads have received little maintenance for years and have seriously deteriorated.

Air transportation is provided by small air charter firms and craft used by drug smugglers. A number of airlines operate from Hargeisa. Some private airlines, including Daallo Airlines, serve several domestic locations as well as Djibouti and the United Arab Emirates. The UN and other NGOs operate air service for their missions.

The European Community and the World Bank jointly financed construction of a deepwater port at Mogadishu (currently closed). The Soviet Union improved Somalia's deepwater port at Berbera in 1969. Facilities at Berbera were further improved by a U.S. military construction program completed in 1985, but they have since become dilapidated. During the 1990s the United States renovated a deepwater port at Kismayo that serves the fertile Juba River basin and is vital to Somalia's banana export industry. Smaller ports are located at Merca, Brava, and Bossaso. Absence of security and lack of maintenance and improvement are major issues at most Somali ports.

Radiotelephone service is available to both to regional and international locations. The public telecommunications system has been destroyed or dismantled, but cellular phone service is readily available throughout the country. Somalia is linked to the outside world via ship-to-shore communications (INMARSAT) as well as links to overseas satellite operators by private telecommunications operators (including cellular telephone systems) in major towns. Radio broadcasting stations operate at Mogadishu, Hargeisa, and Galkaiyo, with programs in Somali and some other languages. There are two television broadcast stations in Mogadishu and one in Hargeisa.
*GDP (2005 est.): U.S. $4.809 billion.
*Annual growth rate (2005 est.): 2.4%.
*Per capita GDP (2005 est.): $600.
*Avg. inflation rate: N/A.
*Natural resources: Largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, uranium, copper, and salt; likely petroleum and natural gas reserves.
*Agriculture: Products—livestock, fish, bananas, corn, sorghum, sugar. Arable land—13%, of which 2% is cultivated.
*Industry: Types—Telecommunications, livestock, fishing, textiles, transportation, and limited financial services. Somalia's surprisingly innovative private sector has continued to function despite the lack of a functioning central government since 1991.
*Trade: Exports--$241 million (f.o.b., 2004 est.): livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal. Major markets—United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Oman. Imports--$576 million (f.o.b., 2004 est.): food grains, animal and vegetable oils, petroleum products, construction materials, manufactured products, qat. Major suppliers—Djibouti, Kenya, Brazil, India, United Arab Emirates, Oman.
*Aid disbursed: N/A. Primary aid donors—United States, European Union, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
*Remittances (2006 est.): $800 million to $1 billion.

==History==
Early history traces the development of the Somali state to an Arab sultanate, which was founded in the seventh century A.D. by Koreishite immigrants from Yemen. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Portuguese traders landed in present Somali territory and ruled several coastal towns. The sultan of Oman and Zanzibar subsequently took control of these towns and their surrounding territory.

Somalia's modern history began in the late 19th century, when various European powers began to trade and establish themselves in the area. The British East India Company's desire for unrestricted harbor facilities led to the conclusion of treaties with the sultan of Tajura as early as 1840. It was not until 1886, however, that the British gained control over northern Somalia through treaties with various Somali chiefs who were guaranteed British protection. British objectives centered on safeguarding trade links to the east and securing local sources of food and provisions for its coaling station in Aden. The boundary between Ethiopia and British Somaliland was established in 1897 through treaty negotiations between British negotiators and King Menelik.

During the first two decades of this century, British rule was challenged through persistent attacks by a dervish rebellion led by Mohamed Abdullah, known as the "Mad Mullah" by the British. A long series of intermittent engagements and truces ended in 1920 when British warplanes bombed Abdullah's stronghold at Taleex. Although Abdullah was defeated as much by rival Somali factions as by British forces, he was lauded as a popular hero and stands as a major figure of national identity to many Somalis.

In 1885, Italy obtained commercial advantages in the area from the sultan of Zanzibar and in 1889 concluded agreements with the sultans of Obbia and Aluula, who placed their territories under Italy's protection. Between 1897 and 1908, Italy made agreements with the Ethiopians and the British that marked out the boundaries of Italian Somaliland. The Italian Government assumed direct administration, giving the territory colonial status.

Italian occupation gradually extended inland. In 1924, the Jubaland Province of Kenya, including the town and port of Kismayo, was ceded to Italy by the United Kingdom. The subjugation and occupation of the independent sultanates of Obbia and Mijertein, begun in 1925, were completed in 1927. In the late 1920s, Italian and Somali influence expanded into the Ogaden region of eastern Ethiopia. Continuing incursions climaxed in 1935 when Italian forces launched an offensive that led to the capture of Addis Ababa and the Italian annexation of Ethiopia in 1936.

Following Italy's declaration of war on the United Kingdom in June 1940, Italian troops overran British Somaliland and drove out the British garrison. In 1941, British forces began operations against the Italian East African Empire and quickly brought the greater part of Italian Somaliland under British control. From 1941 to 1950, while Somalia was under British military administration, transition toward self-government was begun through the establishment of local courts, planning committees, and the Protectorate Advisory Council. In 1948 Britain turned the Ogaden and neighboring Somali territories over to Ethiopia.

In Article 23 of the 1947 peace treaty, Italy renounced all rights and titles to Italian Somaliland. In accordance with treaty stipulations, on September 15, 1948, the Four Powers referred the question of disposal of former Italian colonies to the UN General Assembly. On November 21, 1949, the General Assembly adopted a resolution recommending that Italian Somaliland be placed under an international trusteeship system for 10 years, with Italy as the administering authority, followed by independence for Italian Somaliland. In 1959, at the request of the Somali Government, the UN General Assembly advanced the date of independence from December 2 to July 1, 1960.

Meanwhile, rapid progress toward self-government was being made in British Somaliland. Elections for the Legislative Assembly were held in February 1960, and one of the first acts of the new legislature was to request that the United Kingdom grant the area independence so that it could be united with Italian Somaliland when the latter became independent. The protectorate became independent on June 26, 1960; five days later, on July 1, it joined Italian Somaliland to form the Somali Republic.

In June 1961, Somalia adopted its first national constitution in a countrywide referendum, which provided for a democratic state with a parliamentary form of government based on European models. During the early post-independence period, political parties were a fluid concept, with one-person political parties forming before an election, only to defect to the winning party following the election. A constitutional conference in Mogadishu in April 1960, which made the system of government in the southern Somali trust territory the basis for the future government structure of the Somali Republic, resulted in the concentration of political power in the former Italian Somalia capital of Mogadishu and a southern-dominated central government, with most key government positions occupied by southern Somalis, producing increased disenchantment with the union in the former British-controlled north. Pan-Somali nationalism, with the goal of uniting the Somali-populated regions of French Somaliland (Djibouti), Kenya and Ethiopia into a Greater Somalia, remained the driving political ideology in the initial post-independence period. Under the leadership of Mohamed Ibrahim Egal (prime minister from 1967 to 1969), however, Somalia renounced its claims to the Somali-populated regions of Ethiopia and Kenya, greatly improving its relations with both countries. Egal attempted a similar approach with Ethiopia, but the move towards reconciliation with Ethiopia, which had been a traditional enemy of Somalia since the 16th century, made many Somalis furious, including the army. Egal's reconciliation effort toward Ethiopia is argued to be one of the principal factors that provoked a bloodless coup on October 21, 1969 and subsequent installation of Maj. Gen. Mohamed Siad Barre as president, bringing an abrupt end to the process of party-based constitutional democracy in Somalia.

Following the coup, executive and legislative power was vested in the 20-member Supreme Revolutionary Council (SRC), headed by Barre. The SRC pursued a course of "scientific socialism" that reflected both ideological and economic dependence on the Soviet Union. The government instituted a national security service, centralized control over information, and initiated a number of grassroots development projects. Barre reduced political freedoms and used military force to seize and redistribute rich farmlands in the interriverine areas of southern Somalia, relying on the use of force and terror against the Somali population to consolidate his political power base.

The SRC became increasingly radical in foreign affairs, and in 1974, Somalia and the Soviet Union concluded a treaty of friendship and cooperation. As early as 1972, tensions began increasing along the Somali-Ethiopian border; these tensions heightened after the accession to power in Ethiopia in 1973 of the Mengistu Haile Mariam regime, which turned increasingly toward the Soviet Union. In the mid-1970s, the Western Somali Liberation Front (WSLF) began guerrilla operations in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. Following the overthrow of the Ethiopian Emperor in 1975, Somalia invaded Ethiopia in 1977 in a second attempt to regain the Ogaden, and the second attempt initially appeared to be in Somalia's favor. The SNA moved quickly toward Harer, Jijiga, and Dire Dawa, the principal cities of the region. However, following the Ethiopian revolution, the new Ethiopian government shifted its alliance from the West to the Soviet Union, and the Soviet Union supplied Ethiopia with 10,000-15,000 Cuban troops and Soviet military advisors during the 1977-78 Ogaden war, shifting the advantage to Ethiopia and resulting in Somalia's defeat. In November 1977, Barre expelled all Soviet advisers and abrogated the friendship agreement with the U.S.S.R. In March 1978, Somali forces retreated into Somalia; however, the WSLF continued to carry out sporadic but greatly reduced guerrilla activity in the Ogaden. Such activities also were subsequently undertaken by another dissident group, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF).

Following the 1977-1978 Ogaden war, desperate to find a strong external alliance to replace the Soviet Union, Somalia abandoned its Socialist ideology and turned to the West for international support, military equipment, and economic aid. In 1978, the United States reopened the U.S. Agency for International Development mission in Somalia. Two years later, an agreement was concluded that gave U.S. forces access to military facilities at the port of Berbera in northwestern Somalia. In the summer of 1982, Ethiopian forces invaded Somalia along the central border, and the United States provided two emergency airlifts to help Somalia defend its territorial integrity. From 1982 to 1988, the United States viewed Somalia as a partner in defense in the context of the Cold War. Somali officers of the National Armed Forces were trained in U.S. military schools in civilian as well as military subjects.

Following the Ogaden war, the Barre regime violently suppressed opposition movements and ethnic groups, particularly the Isaaq clan in the northern region, using the military and elite security forces to quash any hint of rebellion. By the 1980s, an all-out civil war developed in Somalia. Opposition groups began to form following the end of the Ogaden war, beginning in 1979 with a group of dissatisfied army officers known as the Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF). In 1981, as a result of increased northern discontent with the Barre regime, the Somali National Movement (SNM), composed mainly of the Isaaq clan, was formed in Hargeisa with the stated goal of overthrowing of the Barre regime. In January 1989, the United Somali Congress (USC), an opposition group of Somalis from the Hawiye clan, was formed as a political movement in Rome. A military wing of the USC was formed in Ethiopia in late 1989 under the leadership of Mohamed Farah "Aideed," a former political prisoner imprisoned by Barre from 1969-75. Aideed also formed alliances with other opposition groups, including the SNM and the Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM), an Ogadeen sub-clan force under Colonel Ahmed Omar Jess in the Bakool and Bay regions of Southern Somalia. In 1988, at the President's order, aircraft from the Somali National Air Force bombed the city of Hargeisa in northwestern Somalia, the former capital of British Somaliland, killing nearly 10,000 civilians and insurgents. The warfare in the northwest sped up the decay already evident elsewhere in the republic. Economic crisis, brought on by the cost of anti-insurgency activities, caused further hardship as Siad Barre and his cronies looted the national treasury.

[[File:Somalia.jpg|thumb|Left-wing poster about U.S. operation in Somalia.]]

By the end of the 1980s, armed opposition to Barre's government, fully operational in the northern regions, had spread to the central and southern regions. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis fled their homes, claiming refugee status in neighboring Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya. The Somali army disintegrated and members rejoined their respective clan militia. Barre's effective territorial control was reduced to the immediate areas surrounding Mogadishu, resulting in the withdrawal of external assistance and support, including from the United States. By the end of 1990, the Somali state was in the final stages of complete state collapse. In the first week of December 1990, Barre declared a state of emergency as USC and SNM forces advanced toward Mogadishu. In January 1991, armed opposition factions drove Barre out of power, resulting in the complete collapse of the central government. Barre later died in exile in Nigeria. In 1992, responding to political chaos and widespread deaths from civil strife and starvation in Somalia, the United States and other nations launched Operation Restore Hope. Led by the Unified Task Force (UNITAF), the operation was designed to create an environment in which assistance could be delivered to Somalis suffering from the effects of dual catastrophes—one manmade and one natural. UNITAF was followed by the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM). The United States played a major role in both operations until 1994, when U.S. forces withdrew.

Following the collapse of the Barre regime in 1991, various groupings of Somali factions sought to control the national territory (or portions thereof) and fought small wars with one another. Approximately 14 national reconciliation conferences were convened over the succeeding decade. Efforts at mediation of the Somali internal dispute were also undertaken by many regional states. In the mid-1990s, Ethiopia played host to several Somali peace conferences and initiated talks at the Ethiopian city of Sodere, which led to some degree of agreement between competing factions. The Governments of Egypt, Yemen, Kenya, and Italy also have attempted to bring the Somali factions together. In 1997, the Organization of African Unity and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) gave Ethiopia the mandate to pursue Somali reconciliation. In 2000, Djibouti hosted a major reconciliation conference (the 13th such effort), which in August resulted in creation of the Transitional National Government (TNG), whose 3-year mandate expired in August 2003. The absence of a central government in Somalia also allowed outside forces to become more influential by supporting various groups and persons in Somalia, particularly Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Egypt, Yemen, and Libya, all of which have supported various Somali factions and transitional governments.

== External links ==

*[http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2010/01/201016102343505552.html Somali Islamists: A potential ally?] by Dr. Afyare Abdi Elmi.

 
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!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''
|-
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:
|style=" background-color: none;"| This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code
|-
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2863.htm]}}}.
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{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]

Seychelles

2021-01-08T17:55:15Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''Repiblik Sesel'' ''République des Seychelles''
|map =Seychelles rel 90.JPG
|map2 =

|capital =Victoria
|capital-raw =
|government =Republic
|government-raw =
|language =English, French, Seychellois Creole
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =James Michel
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =177 sq mi
|pop =100,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$2.76 billion
|gdp-year =2014
|gdp-pc =$30,000
|currency =Seychellois rupee
|idd =
|tld =
}}
The Republic of '''Seychelles''' is an [[archipelago]] nation located in the [[Indian Ocean]] to the northeast of [[Madagascar]]. It gained its independence from the [[United Kingdom]] on June 29, 1976, and is a member of the [[African Union]]. Its capital and largest city is Victoria. As of January 2008, the president is James Michel, who was elected to a five-year term in 2006.<ref>[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html CIA World Factbook]</ref> Seychelles is 455 km large, which is about 2.5 times the size of [[Washington, D.C.]] About 80,000 people live in the nation, 82% of whom are [[Catholic]].

==References==
<references/>

{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Archipelagos]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Rwanda

2021-01-08T17:54:56Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''Repubulika y'u Rwanda République du Rwanda''
|map =Rwanda rel96.jpg
|map2 =Location of Rwanda.png
|flag =Flag of Rwanda.png
|arms =Arms of Rwanda.PNG
|capital =Kigali
|capital-raw =
|government =Republic
|government-raw =
|language =Kinyarwanda, French, English
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Paul Kagame
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Anastase Murekezi
|pm-raw =
|area =10,169 sq mi
|pop =13,000,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$11.24 billion
|gdp-year =2005
|gdp-pc =$1,300
|currency =Rwandan franc
|idd =
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}}
The '''Republic of Rwanda''' is a small country in east-central [[Africa]]. It is bordered by [[Uganda]], [[Tanzania]], [[Burundi]], and the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]]. Its capital and largest city is Kigali. It has a population of approximately 9 million, and an area of 26,336 km2. In 1994, Rwanda was the scene of a major modern [[genocide]], when the ethnic group known as [[Hutu]] murdered as many as a million [[Tutsi]]. Then-President [[Bill Clinton]] and US Ambassador to the UN [[Madeleine Albright]] refused to take action to stop or slow the genocide.

==Geography==
Rwanda's countryside is covered by grasslands and small farms extending over rolling hills, with areas of rugged mountains that extend southeast from a chain of volcanoes in the northwest. The divide between the Congo and Nile drainage systems extends from north to south through western Rwanda at an average elevation of almost 9,000 feet. On the western slopes of this ridgeline, the land slopes abruptly toward Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River valley, which form the western boundary with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) and constitute part of the Great Rift valley. The eastern slopes are more moderate, with rolling hills extending across central uplands at gradually reducing altitudes, to the plains, swamps, and lakes of the eastern border region.

Although located only two degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda's high elevation makes the climate temperate. The average daily temperature near Lake Kivu, at an altitude of 4,800 feet (1,463 meters) is 73o F (23o C). During the two rainy seasons (February–May and September–December), heavy downpours occur almost daily, alternating with sunny weather. Annual rainfall averages 80 centimeters (31 in.) but is generally heavier in the western and northwestern mountains than in the eastern savannas.

==History==
According to folklore, Tutsi cattle breeders began arriving in the area from the Horn of Africa in the 15th century and gradually subjugated the Hutu inhabitants. The Tutsis established a monarchy headed by a mwami (king) and a feudal hierarchy of Tutsi nobles and gentry. Through a contract known as ubuhake, the Hutu farmers pledged their services and those of their descendants to a Tutsi lord in return for the loan of cattle and use of pastures and arable land. Thus, the Tutsi reduced the Hutu to virtual serfdom. However, boundaries of race and class became less distinct over the years as some Tutsi declined until they enjoyed few advantages over the Hutu. The first European known to have visited Rwanda was German Count Von Goetzen in 1894. He was followed by missionaries, notably the "White Fathers." In 1899, the mwami submitted to a German protectorate without resistance. Belgian troops from Zaire chased the small number of Germans out of Rwanda in 1915 and took control of the country.

After World War I, the League of Nations mandated Rwanda and its southern neighbor, Burundi, to Belgium as the territory of Ruanda-Urundi. Following World War II, Ruanda-Urundi became a UN Trust Territory with Belgium as the administrative authority. Reforms instituted by the Belgians in the 1950s encouraged the growth of democratic political institutions but were resisted by the Tutsi traditionalists who saw in them a threat to Tutsi rule. An increasingly restive Hutu population, encouraged by the Belgian military, sparked a revolt in November 1959, resulting in the overthrow of the Tutsi monarchy. Two years later, the Party of the Hutu Emancipation Movement (PARMEHUTU) won an overwhelming victory in a UN-supervised referendum.

During the 1959 revolt and its aftermath, more than 160,000 Tutsis fled to neighboring countries. The PARMEHUTU government, formed as a result of the September 1961 election, was granted internal autonomy by Belgium on January 1, 1962. A June 1962 UN General Assembly resolution terminated the Belgian trusteeship and granted full independence to Rwanda (and Burundi) effective July 1, 1962.

Gregoire Kayibanda, leader of the PARMEHUTU Party, became Rwanda's first elected president, leading a government chosen from the membership of the directly elected unicameral National Assembly. Peaceful negotiation of international problems, social and economic elevation of the masses, and integrated development of Rwanda were the ideals of the Kayibanda regime.

Relations with 43 countries, including the United States, were established in the first 10 years. Despite the progress made, inefficiency and corruption began festering in government ministries in the mid-1960s. On July 5, 1973, the military took power under the leadership of Maj. Gen. Juvenal Habyarimana, who dissolved the National Assembly and the PARMEHUTU Party and abolished all political activity.

In 1975, President Habyarimana formed the National Revolutionary Movement for Development (MRND) whose goals were to promote peace, unity, and national development. The movement was organized from the "hillside" to the national level and included elected and appointed officials.

Under MRND aegis, Rwandans went to the polls in December 1978, overwhelmingly endorsed a new constitution, and confirmed President Habyarimana as president. President Habyarimana was re-elected in 1983 and again in 1988, when he was the sole candidate. Responding to public pressure for political reform, President Habyarimana announced in July 1990 his intention to transform Rwanda's one-party state into a multi-party democracy.

On October 1, 1990, Rwandan exiles banded together as the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and invaded Rwanda from their base in Uganda. The rebel force, composed primarily of ethnic Tutsis, blamed the government for failing to democratize and resolve the problems of some 500,000 Tutsi refugees living in the diaspora around the world. The war dragged on for almost 2 years until a cease-fire accord was signed July 12, 1992, in Arusha, Tanzania, fixing a timetable for an end to the fighting and political talks, leading to a peace accord and power sharing, and authorizing a neutral military observer group under the auspices of the Organization for African Unity. A cease-fire took effect July 31, 1992, and political talks began August 10, 1992.

====1994 Genocide====
On April 6, 1994, the airplane carrying President Habyarimana and the President of Burundi was shot down as it prepared to land at Kigali. Both presidents were killed. As though the shooting down was a signal, military and militia groups began rounding up and killing all Tutsis and political moderates, regardless of their ethnic background.

Prime minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana and her 10 Belgian bodyguards were among the first victims. The killing swiftly spread from Kigali to all corners of the country; between April 6 and the beginning of July, a genocide of unprecedented swiftness left up to 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus dead at the hands of organized bands of militia—Interahamwe. Even ordinary citizens were called on to kill their neighbors by local officials and government-sponsored radio. The president's MRND Party was implicated in organizing many aspects of the genocide.

The RPF battalion stationed in Kigali under the Arusha accords came under attack immediately after the shooting down of the president's plane. The battalion fought its way out of Kigali and joined up with RPF units in the north. The RPF then resumed its invasion, and civil war raged concurrently with the genocide for 2 months. French forces landed in Goma, Zaire, in June 1994 on a humanitarian mission. They deployed throughout southwest Rwanda in an area they called "Zone Turquoise," quelling the genocide and stopping the fighting there. The Rwandan Army was quickly defeated by the RPF and fled across the border to Zaire followed by some 2 million refugees who fled to Zaire, Tanzania, and Burundi. The RPF took Kigali on July 4, 1994, and the war ended on July 16, 1994. The RPF took control of a country ravaged by war and genocide. Up to 800,000 had been murdered, another 2 million or so had fled, and another million or so were displaced internally.

The international community responded with one of the largest humanitarian relief efforts ever mounted. The United States was one of the largest contributors. The UN peacekeeping operation, UNAMIR, was drawn down during the fighting but brought back up to strength after the RPF victory. UNAMIR remained in Rwanda until March 8, 1996.

Following an uprising by the ethnic Tutsi Banyamulenge people in eastern Zaire in October 1996, a huge movement of refugees began which brought more than 600,000 back to Rwanda in the last 2 weeks of November. This massive repatriation was followed at the end of December 1996 by the return of another 500,000 from Tanzania, again in a huge, spontaneous wave. Less than 100,000 Rwandans are estimated to remain outside of Rwanda, and they are thought to be the remnants of the defeated army of the former genocidal government, its allies in the civilian militias known as Interahamwe, and soldiers recruited in the refugee camps before 1996.

In 2001, the government began implementation of a grassroots village-level justice system, known as gacaca, in order to address the enormous backlog of cases. Despite periodic prison releases, including the most recent January 2006 release of approximately 7,000 prisoners, tens of thousands of individuals remain in the prison system, some scheduled to face the traditional court system, some awaiting trial by gacaca courts, some convicted by gacaca courts and returned to serve their sentences. By the end of 2006, 818,000 genocide suspects had been identified by the gacaca courts. These courts hope to complete their caseload by the end of 2008.

This incident was dramatized in the movie "[[Hotel Rwanda]]".

==People==
Rwanda's population density, even after the 1994 genocide, is currently the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly every family in this country with few villages lives in a self-contained compound on a hillside. The urban concentrations are grouped around administrative centers. The indigenous population consists of three ethnic groups. The Hutus, who comprise the majority of the population (85%), are traditionally farmers of Bantu origin. The Tutsis (14%) are traditionally a pastoral people who arrived in the area in the 15th century. Until 1959, they formed the dominant caste under a feudal system based on cattle holding. The Twa (1%) are thought to be the remnants of the earliest settlers of the region. Over 70% of the adult population is literate, but not more than 5% have received secondary education. During 1994-95, most primary schools and more than half of prewar secondary schools reopened. The national university in Butare reopened in April 1995; enrollment is over 7,000. Rebuilding the educational system continues to be a high priority of the Rwandan Government.
*Population (2006 est.): 8,648,248.
*Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 2.43%.
*Ethnic groups: Hutu 85%, Tutsi 14%, Twa 1%.
*Religions: Christian 93.5%, traditional African 0.1%, Muslim 4.6%, 1.7% claim no religious beliefs.
*Languages: French, English, Kinyarwanda.
*Education: Years compulsory—6. Attendance—75% (prewar). Literacy—70.4%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--89.61 deaths/1,000. Life expectancy (2005 est.)--47.3 years.
*Work force: Agriculture—90%; industry and commerce, services, and government—8%.

==Government and Political Conditions==
After its military victory in July 1994, the RPF organized a coalition government similar to that established by President Habyarimana in 1992. Called "The Broad Based Government of National Unity," its fundamental law is based on a combination of the June 1991 constitution, the Arusha accords, and political declarations by the parties. The MRND Party was outlawed. In April 2003, the transitional National Assembly recommended the dissolution of the Democratic Republican Party (MDR), one of eight political parties participating in the Government of National Unity since 1994. Human rights groups noted the subsequent disappearances of political figures associated with the MDR, including at least one parliamentarian serving in the National Assembly. On May 26, 2003, Rwanda adopted a new constitution that eliminated reference to ethnicity and set the stage for presidential and legislative elections in August and September 2003. The seven remaining political parties endorsed incumbent Paul Kagame for president, who was elected to a 7-year term on August 25, 2003. Rwanda held its first-ever legislative elections September 29 to October 2, 2003. A ninth political party formed after these 2003 elections. In the spring of 2006, the government conducted local non-partisan elections for district mayors and for sector and cell executive committees.

Challenges facing the government include promoting further democratization and judicial reform; prosecuting hundreds of thousands of individuals for crimes relating to the 1994 genocide, either by the regular court system or the gacaca system; preventing the recurrence of any insurgency among ex-military and Interahamwe militia who remain in eastern Congo; and the continuing work on medium- and long-term development planning.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Paul Kagame
*Prime Minister—Anastase Murekezi
*Minister of Foreign Affairs—Charles Murigande
*Ambassador to the United States—James Kimonyo
*Ambassador to the United Nations—Joseph Nsengemana

===Foreign Relations===
Rwanda is an active member of the international community and has remained in the international spotlight since the genocide. Rwanda is an active member of the UN, having presided over the Security Council during part of 1995. The UN assistance mission in Rwanda (UNAMIR), a UN Chapter Six peacekeeping operation, involved personnel from more than a dozen countries. Most of the UN development and humanitarian agencies have had a large presence in Rwanda. At the height of the humanitarian emergency, more than 200 nongovernmental organizations were carrying out humanitarian operations. In addition to receiving assistance from the international community, Rwanda has also contributed to international peacekeeping missions. They have sent peacekeeping forces to many hotspots on the African continent. In 2004, Rwanda deployed 392 peacekeepers in support of the UN Mission to the Sudan. In 2005, Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF) deployed 1,898 soldiers in support of the AU Mission in Sudan (AMIS).

Several west European and African nations, including Canada, China, Egypt, Libya, Russia, the Vatican, and the European Union maintain diplomatic missions in Kigali.

In 1998, Rwanda, along with Uganda, invaded the Democratic Republic of the Congo (D.R.C.) to back Congolese rebels trying to overthrow then-President Laurent Kabila. Rwandan troops pulled out of the D.R.C. in October 2002, in accordance with the Lusaka cease-fire agreement.

In the fall of 2006, Rwanda broke diplomatic relations with France, following a French judge’s indictment of senior Rwandan officials on charges of having participated in the shooting down of the presidential jet in 1994. Rwanda rejects these charges. Rwanda, along with Burundi, will join the East African Community in 2007.

==Defense==
The military establishment is comprised of a well-trained army and a small, rotary-wing air force. Defense spending continues to represent a disproportionate share of the national budget, largely due to continuing security problems along the frontiers with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi in the aftermath of the war. Following withdrawal of Rwandan Armed Forces from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in October 2002, the government completely restructured the military and launched an ambitious plan to demobilize thousands of soldiers. At end state, Rwanda will have a small, well-equipped army of 25,000 soldiers.

==Economy==
The Rwandan economy is based on the largely rain-fed agricultural production of small, semi-subsistence, and increasingly fragmented farms. It has few natural resources to exploit and a small, uncompetitive industrial sector. While the production of coffee and tea is well suited to the small farms, steep slopes, and cool climates of Rwanda, farm size continues to decrease, especially in view of government ownership of all land and the resettlement of displaced persons. Agribusiness accounts for 37.6% (2005 est.) of Rwanda’s GDP and 70% of exports. Tea accounts for 60% of export earnings, followed by coffee and pyrethrum (whose extract is used in insect repellant). Mountain gorillas serve as a potentially important source of tourism revenue, but Rwanda’s tourism and hospitality sector requires further development. Rwanda is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). Some 34% of Rwanda’s imports originate in Africa, 90% from COMESA countries. The genocide continues to impact Rwanda’s economy; as of 2003, 30% of the Rwanda Development Bank’s outstanding non-performing loans originated from the period of 1994 genocide. The Government of Rwanda has sought to privatize several key firms. Rwandatel, the government fixed-line provider and the country’s second-largest mobile phone provider, was sold to American-led Terracom in 2006. The government in the last several years also sold off several government-owned tea estates, and made great strides in completing privatization of the banking sector. Electrogaz, the utility monopoly, remains to be privatized, as do several other parastatals.
*GDP (2005 est.): $1.817 billion.
*Real GDP growth rate (2006 est.): 5.8%.
*Per capita income (2004 est.): $206. Purchasing power parity (2006 est.): $1,600.
*Average inflation rate (2006 est.): 6.7%.
*Agriculture (2006): 39.4% of GDP. Products—coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes, livestock.
*Industry (2006): 23.3% of GDP. Types—cement, agricultural products, beer production, soft drinks, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes, pharmaceuticals.
*Services (2006): 37.3%
*Trade (2006 est.): Exports--$135.4 million: tea, coffee, coltan, cassiterite, hides, iron ore, and tin. Major markets—China, Belgium, and Germany. Imports (2006 est.)--$390.4 million f.o.b.: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement, and construction material. Major suppliers—Kenya, Germany, Belgium, France, Uganda, and Israel.

During the 5 years of civil war that culminated in the 1994 genocide, GDP declined in 3 out of 5 years, posting a dramatic decline at more than 40% in 1994, the year of the genocide. The 9% increase in real GDP for 1995, the first postwar year, signaled the resurgence of economic activity, due primarily to massive foreign aid.

In the immediate postwar period—mid-1994 through 1995—emergency humanitarian assistance of more than $307.4 million was largely directed to relief efforts in Rwanda and in the refugee camps in neighboring countries where Rwandans fled during the war. In 1996, humanitarian relief aid began to shift to reconstruction and development assistance.

Since 1996, Rwanda has experienced steady economic recovery, thanks to foreign aid (averaging $200 million to over $400 million per year) and governmental reforms. Since 2002, the GDP growth rate has ranged from 3%-9% per annum, and inflation had ranged between 2%-8%. Rwanda depends on significant foreign imports ($243-$300 million per year). Export rates remain weak at $135.4 million per year. Private investment remains below expectations despite an open trade policy, a favorable investment climate, cheap and abundant labor, tax incentives to businesses, stable internal security, and crime rates that are comparatively low. Investment insurance also is available through the Africa Trade Insurance Agency or the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. The weakness of exports as well as low domestic savings rates have had a negative impact on the current account for Rwanda, thus requiring a recent currency devaluation and debt restructuring measures.

The Government of Rwanda remains committed to a strong and enduring economic climate for the country. To this end the government focuses on poverty reduction, infrastructure development, privatization of government-owned assets, expansion of the export base, and liberalization of trade. The implementation of a value added tax of 18% and improved tax collections are having a positive impact on government revenues and thereby services rendered. Banking reform and low corruption also are favorable current trends. Agricultural reforms, improved farming methods, and increased use of fertilizers are improving crop yields and national food supply. Moreover, the government is pursing educational and healthcare programs that bode well for the long-term quality of Rwanda’s human resource skills base.

Many challenges remain for Rwanda. Rwanda is dependent on significant foreign aid. Exports continue to lag far behind imports and will continue to affect the current account. Inflation may become a problem should the government resort to over-printing currency for short-term gains. The persistent lack of economic diversification beyond the production of tea, coffee, and coltan keeps the country vulnerable to market fluctuations. Rwanda’s landlocked situation necessitates strong highway infrastructure maintenance, and good transport linkages to neighboring countries, especially Uganda and Tanzania, are critical. Transportation costs remain high and, therefore, burden import and export costs. Rwanda has no railway system for port access in Tanzania, although the nearest railhead from Kigali is 380 kilometers away at Isaka, Tanzania. The development of small manufacturing and service industries is needed, and the tourism industry has far greater potential given the current stability, travel infrastructure, and available animal parks as well as other potential tourist sites. In 2006, Rwanda completed the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative and the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) debt initiative, significantly lowering its foreign debt load.

American business interest in Rwanda, other than in tea and telecommunications, is weak, and the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has yet to make a significant impact in Rwanda. Energy needs will stress natural resources in wood and gas, but hydroelectric power development is underway, albeit primarily in the planning stages. Rwanda does not have nuclear power or coal resources. Finally, Rwanda’s fertility rate—averaging 5.43 births (2006 est.) per woman—will continue to stress services, and diseases such as AIDS/HIV transmission, malaria, and tuberculosis will have a major impact on human resources.

Rwanda's government-run radio broadcasts 15 hours a day in English, French, and Kinyarwanda, the national languages. News programs include regular re-broadcasts from international radio such as Voice of America, BBC and Deutsche Welle. There is one government-operated television station. In addition to government-operated Radio Rwanda, there are nine independent FM radio stations. There are few independent newspapers; most newspapers publish in Kinyarwanda on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis. Several Western nations, including the United States, are working to encourage freedom of the press, the free exchange of ideas, and responsible journalism.

==See also==
===References===
[http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/wofact2003/geos/rw.html CIA World factbook entry on Rwanda]
===Websites===
[http://www.gov.rw/ Official Website of the Government of Rwanda]

{{Copyright Details (US Government)}}
source= [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2861.htm]

{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Genocide]]
[[Category:Landlocked Countries]]
[[Category:Rwanda]]
[[Category:African History]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

Talk:Electoral College

2021-01-08T17:54:09Z

FabioZ: delete

I removed the statement "In 1960, John F. Kennedy was similarly elected over Richard Nixon", which followed "In 1888, Grover Cleveland got a plurality of the popular vote (by a margin of 110,476) but Benjamin Harrison won the electoral college vote, and became president". It may be argued that Nixon got more popular votes than Kennedy due to the confusing Alabama results; however, that situation would need to be explained fully. It's hardly "similar" to the 1888 election. [[User:Dadsnagem2|Dadsnagem2]] 15:38, 15 December 2007 (EST)

==1876==
There is a precedent to sidestep the Constitutional process. In 1876, when Electoral ballots were in duspute, the DC legislature established a closed door Committee to investigate. The issue ''was not'' resolved in the House, as Constitution prescribes. Rather, "disputed electors" were awarded to one candidate. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|''#NeverHillary'']] 05:41, 24 December 2016 (EST)

== Inaccurate statements ==

:If the state legislature mandates that mail-in ballots have matching signatures, observed by representatives of both parties and received by 8 PM on Election day, no governor, secretary of state, election commission, local election supervisors, court, state Supreme Court, or federal Supreme Court can override, rewrite, or undo the state legislature's plenary power. These facts are precisely what occurred in three states - Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Wisconsin - with enough electors to overturn the election.

:IMO, the Communist democrats' opposition to the Electoral College is what leads to a misunderstanding of what it is, why it exists, and the system of checks and balances. The people's elected representatives - the legislative branch - decide who the chief executive will be, not dictators and corrupt thieves incumbent in the executive branches throughout the nation. Neither should an independent judiciary get involved in politics, which it doesn't like to do anyway, but is increasingly called upon to do so. They are not the final judge of an election outcome (for example, if the Communist democrats did not like the 2000 ''[[Bush v. Gore]]'' ruling, they were free to present their own slate of electors and challenge the Florida electors before the legislative branch. But they didn't, cause their case had no merit then, as their attempts at election theft again have no merit now. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Free Kyle!]] 23:21, 4 January 2021 (EST)

Talk:Manchuria

2021-01-08T17:53:07Z

FabioZ: delete

:Manchuria has a government in exile, including an administration, national symbols, embassies, ect. and was a country before the Soviet invasion. It is as much a country as Tibet or any other place conquered by the CPC. [[User:JoeJN|JoeJN]] ([[User talk:JoeJN|JoeJN]]) 11:53, 5 January 2021 (EST)
:::Other areas with their own cultures that are controlled by the CCP are referred to as countries on this wiki. In addition, a country being a puppet of another county does not negate its right to soverginity [[User:JoeJN|JoeJN]] ([[User talk:JoeJN|JoeJN]]) 12:51, 5 January 2021 (EST)

::::Why does the Manchurian govt-in-exile use the Japanese name Manchuko? Doesn't that invoke some bad memories? [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Free Kyle!]] 14:08, 5 January 2021 (EST)
:::::I don't know. I suppose it is not our choice to determine how they identify. Part if it is probably the way monarchal titles work.[[User:JoeJN|JoeJN]] ([[User talk:JoeJN|JoeJN]]) 14:22, 5 January 2021 (EST)
:::::::That makes sense than. To avoid further confusion, maybe you should include that in the article.[[User:JoeJN|JoeJN]] ([[User talk:JoeJN|JoeJN]]) 15:38, 5 January 2021 (EST)

::::::Manchuria is definitely a country. Check out these maps [[https://www.loc.gov/resource/g7800.ct001989a/?r=-0.089,0.006,0.979,0.622,0]], [[https://tibettruth.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/1911map.pdf]],[[https://maps.nls.uk/view/101105755]].[[User:Bytemsbu|Bytemsbu]] ([[User talk:Bytemsbu|talk]]) 16:07, 5 January 2021 (EST)

I propose we leave the word country how it is. Bytemsbu has provided a map from the time period before the occupation showing it as a country. However, we should expand the article as it is very limited compared to [[manchukuo]] and [[qing]] both of which only talk about points in its history. [[User:JoeJN|JoeJN]] ([[User talk:JoeJN|JoeJN]]) 16:56, 5 January 2021 (EST)

Talk:Balochistan (country)

2021-01-08T17:52:13Z

FabioZ: delete

:Hmm, good point, as Balochistan just seems to be an arid region in the [[Middle East]]. It seems that Bytemsbu has his agenda of some sort with all of his edits, such as [[Special:Diff/1642699|this one]] from before. —[[User:Liberaltears|<code>'''LT'''</code>]]'''''[[User:Liberaltears/mail|May D.C., his mother, and I.S. be all well!]]''''' Monday, 18:04, 4 January 2021 (EST)

Talk:Electoral Count Act

2021-01-08T17:50:29Z

FabioZ: delete

If there are objections from 4 states, does that mean there is 8 hours of debate? In 2005, the Ohio objection interrupted counting and debate began immediately. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Free Kyle!]] 21:13, 28 December 2020 (EST)

::So there will be no president-elect on January 6. There will be 12 to 14 hours of debate beginning sometime after 1 PM EDT. But with the shuffling back forth between House and Senate, and because of the numbers in the House, the 2 hour debate in the House in 2004 took 3 1/2 hours. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Free Kyle!]] 18:50, 2 January 2021 (EST)

== Confusion ==

:No. That is at the crux of Gohmert's filing. The ECA is unconstitutional. Gohmert's filing got tossed for a lack of standing, not on the merits. This is Joint Session, the rules differ from House and Senate rules. And the House rules are unconstitutional in a matter regarding the Electoral College. The 12th Amendment is the base law. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Free Kyle!]] 19:03, 2 January 2021 (EST)

:IMO, none of this will be followed. We're more likely to see something like in the election of 1876, when the Congress did not follow the Constitution at all. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Free Kyle!]] 19:03, 2 January 2021 (EST)

::The most glaring provision of the ECA that is unconstitutional is the one that says the state Executive branch chooses which slate of Electors is valid in the case of dueling electors, rather than the constitutionally mandated state legislative branch. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Free Kyle!]] 21:31, 4 January 2021 (EST)

Talk:Coronavirus

2021-01-08T17:48:44Z

FabioZ: delete

Chinese experts who reported to the [[WHO]] claim the illness is spreading so fast that not enough technicians are trained or facilities exist to test for the disease. Further, only the most sick who report to emergency rooms are tested and treated first. Because of the incubation period, people without symptoms have to wait in ER waiting rooms. Healthy people showing up for testing then may become infected.

Because of the seriousness of this issue, I suggest avoiding (1) inserting panic type wording in the article, and (2) avoiding conspiratorial langauge of its origins (although it may in fact be a bio-weapon). Experts suggested (a) it has the potential of becoming a global epidemic, requiring (b) "draconian" restrictions on population movements. Educating readers on basic facts is crucial at this point; discussion on a "travel ban" will fall into place by its own in coming weeks and months ''without'' pushing a political agenda. Those who have opposed "travel bans" in the recent past will be left to hang out to dry without our help.

For now, lets concentrate on what the holy "scientists" and "experts" are saying. If it continues doubling every 6 days without public health intervention, my estimate is 7 million infections in 3-4 months. This is potentially as big a life changing event as 9/11 was, [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 03:21, 27 January 2020 (EST)
:With a fatality rate of 3-5% of 7 million infections, that would 225,000 to 380,000 deaths in four or five months. ''[[The Guardian]]'' reports today there may already be [https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/jan/26/coronavirus-could-infect-100000-globally-experts-warn 100,000 infections rather than the 3000 reported]. We are on the verge of a real panic here unless we get a handle on facts quickly. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 15:34, 27 January 2020 (EST)

:Looks like these projections were not far off. [https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/] [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Live Free or Die]] 00:04, 8 June 2020 (EDT)

== 'Unclean' animals ==

Firstly, this is extremely problematic, to focus on the Biblical notion of 'unclean' as it ignores Acts 10.

Secondly, dooes the writer of this article advocate *not*, for example, eating pigs and shellfish?
:In all honesty guy, does anyone in their right mind want to sit at a table and eat a bowl of soup with a dead bat in it?[https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10828531/chinese-bat-soup-coronavirus-video/]

=== User: Conervative's response ===

[[File:Prophet Moses.jpg|right|150px]]
'''[[Asian atheism|East Asian atheists]] have''' live cats and exotic animals in cages in their food markets, which medical authorities believe likely caused the Wuhan [[coronavirus]][https://www.businessinsider.com/wuhan-virus-china-bans-food-markets-selling-live-animals-wolves-2020-1]. Modern, medical authorities in [[China]] are now using the [[Mosaic Law|Mosaic principle]] of [[quarantine]] to help contain the epidemic.[https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/01/china-quarantine-coronavirus/605455/] See: [[The Bible and health]]

If the Chinese, atheist leaders instituted better quality control in terms of a food delivery system instead of having a barbaric and cruel cat slaughtering industry, perhaps this epidemic may have never happened. See: [[Cat slaughtering practices in China]] and [[Dietary practices of atheists]]

China, which has the largest [[atheist population]] in the world, is now paying a tribute to [[Moses]] by having the largest quarantine in human history! See: [[China and atheism]] [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 12:22, 27 January 2020 (EST)

:It may be [https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/did-china-steal-coronavirus-canada-and-weaponize-it a bio-weapon from Canada]. It's too early to make any definitive conclusions on its origins. Because of the real imminent danger, the focus right now should be on informing the public on wcahat it is and preventative measures. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 15:23, 27 January 2020 (EST)
::That camels are mentioned in the opening sentence of the article is.....a little odd. Some scientists have speculated that the disease jumped from a wild animal at a wet market, but that's about as specific as the published sources are willing to get. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 21:53, 30 January 2020 (EST)

== Questionable Facts ==
This article needs work. Most of the assertions are made without the required references. Many are of dubious value. For instance, the claim, “There is no known treatment…” is false. The CDC lists treatments for the coronavirus. [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/prevention.html]
The death claim, and the math associated with the claim, appear to be without merit. During the SARS-CoV outbreak in China, 2002, the death rate was 9.6% from 8098 probable cases. [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/types.html] --[[User:JLind|JLind]] ([[User talk:JLind|talk]]) 20:17, 28 January 2020 (EST)
:Please, go ahead and expand. For unsourced claims add {{citation needed}} or your references. Thanks. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 01:23, 29 January 2020 (EST)
::The halls of the hospitals across China are crammed with coronavirus patients. And that's true not just in the cities that make the news, but in hundreds of other places as well. It was the same in 2003 with SARS. Eight thousand cases? That number has no relationship to reality. If the real infection rate is vastly higher than reported, that would suggest that the real death rate is lower than reported. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 22:14, 30 January 2020 (EST)
:::There will be 1000 dead by Sunday, 10,000 in two weeks, and one million in three weeks, according to the chart here. [https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/british-airways-ends-all-flights-china-virus-spreads-middle-east?utm_campaign=&utm_content=ZeroHedge%3A+The+Durden+Dispatch&utm_medium=email&utm_source=zh_newsletter] This is "science"'s best estimates for a "novel virus" that nobody knows anything about. Of course, "science" right now is watching how fast people are dropping dead, as that is the only "research" they can do. Then, believe it or not, we have CNN, ''NYT'', and ''WaPo'' to inform us of "facts" coming from the unquestionably reliable Communist government of China. Meanwhile, Medicare For All advocates lead Democrat polls, while the Chinese single payer system doesn't have trained technicians to test for the unknown virus, let alone enough masks or disposable hazmat uniforms for first respondents.
:::But don't panic, yet; impeaching Trump is still our first priority. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 23:08, 30 January 2020 (EST)

:::Coronavirus may ultimately prove to be the [[CCP]]'s "[[Chernobyl]]". [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 00:23, 31 January 2020 (EST)

A puzzling sentence fragment:
*Prior to the government importing the virus from China into the United States.
Was this meant to blame a government, such as the U.S., for some deliberate or negligent act? I wish the text were a little more clear. (Could it mean ''allowing infected people to enter the country''? --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 09:28, 22 March 2020 (EDT)

:It's an Introduction to the next two citations (in reverse order):
:*"Dr. William Walters, Executive Director and Managing Director for Operational Medicine for the Bureau of Medical Services at the U.S. Department of State, made the decision to bring the patients back to the US." [https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2020/03/obama-holdover-obscure-government-arm-helped-cause-daniel-greenfield/]
:*"President Trump was furious about the repatriation of confirmed infected cases without his authorization." [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-furious-americans-infected-with-coronavirus-flew-back-in-u-s-without-his-permission-report]

:It's an effort to get ahead of the inevitable blame game that fake news and NeverTrumpers will lay on Trump's doorstep (also known as 'spin narrative'). Now elsewhere we also mention the fact that 340,000 Chinese students are in the US, and that over 2300 flights left Wuhan environs during and after the Chinese New Year holidays, so that needs some tightening up to show that the US outbreak did not necessarily begin with the Repatriation of US citizens from China and the Crown Princess.

:Ultimately, we'll lay the [[CCP virus]] or [[ChiCom Flu]] blame where it belongs. Here's two good cites in the past two days on that subject. [https://www.theepochtimes.com/heres-why-the-ccp-owns-this-pandemic_3279720.html] [https://www.dailysignal.com/2020/03/20/coronavirus-is-the-chinese-governments-curse-upon-the-world/] [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 10:40, 22 March 2020 (EDT)

== Snakes and alternative theories ==

Now that researchers have [https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/22/health/snakes-wuhan-coronavirus-outbreak-conversation-partner/index.html traced the virus to snakes], I would suggested cutting back on the "alternative theories." [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 23:37, 31 January 2020 (EST)
:The article says "might" come from snakes. More research may need to be done. Right now, they are probably focusing on coming up with a vaccine and slowing down the infection rate. I don't know how important it is in terms of coming up with a vaccine for scientists to know the exact animal type in terms of its origin.[[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 00:17, 1 February 2020 (EST)
::The Chinese are sharing information about the virus. I doubt they would do that if they were intent on creating some biological weapon. It is probably just conspiracy theory bunk. People come up with conspiracy theories sometimes when they don't want to take the time to think things through in terms of determining causes for things.[[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 00:22, 1 February 2020 (EST)
:::If it stays, it's listed as a "bio-weapons theory", and stress on the theory part. And if it is indeed a bogus conspiracy theory - which I think it may be - stress that, too. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] ([[User talk:Karajou|talk]]) 05:59, 1 February 2020 (EST)

==Timestamp==
*4,846 views, up 2,600 from yesterday. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 14:44, 2 February 2020 (EST)

==Methodolgy==
When speaking about the number of reported infections, it should be qualified as "confirmed infections". [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 14:07, 6 February 2020 (EST)

== Naming: It's a coronavirus, but not THE coronavirus ==

It might be a little late to point out a naming concern, but I don't know if this page should really be called "Coronavirus." A coronavirus is a type of virus which has "crown-like" tips. There are many strains of viruses, which are classified as "coronavirus."<ref>https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7782/</ref> It would be better if we could try to be a bit more encyclopediac and professional about this, and use this strain's name, COVID19. The into to this article does a good job of pointing this out, but as you continue into the text, and especially as you look at [[:Template:Coronavirus]], you can see incorrect terminology. --[[User:DavidB4|DavidB4]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 17:59, 17 March 2020 (EDT)
:I'd change the title it to '''Wuhan virus''' or '''Wuhan coronavirus'''. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 07:09, 18 March 2020 (EDT)

::That would work--I'd be fine with that option. --[[User:DavidB4|DavidB4]] ([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]]) 18:15, 18 March 2020 (EDT)

:::I don't see an issue. The first words of the article are "Coronavirus is a family of several viruses", which makes the title accurate for this important page. If there is an issue, it is that there is no page specifically for [[COVID-19]], which needs to be created. [[User:Progressingamerica|Progressingamerica]] ([[User talk:Progressingamerica|talk]]) 19:41, 18 March 2020 (EDT)
:::::Good point. Coronavirus is the virus, COVID-19 is the disease caused by coronavirus. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 11:04, 22 March 2020 (EDT)
::::Eventually, we should separate coronavirus from THIS particular strain of coronavirus, but not just yet. This is a portal page to the current crisis.

::::When that is done eventually, it needs to be made absolutely clear in no uncertain terms - the term virus may be ambiguous or a misnomer. There certainly are two extremely different types of viruses in the modern world: (1) those that occur in nature; and (2) those engineered in a laboratory. So the thoughts conjured up by the term 'virus' itself in common usage and understanding are incorrect.

::::This is no way is 'conspiratorial' or quackery; in our modern world opium occurs in nature and opioids are engineered in labs. Which is responsible for 'the opioid epidemic' - God and nature, or science and laboratories? [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 10:57, 22 March 2020 (EDT)

::::My recommendation: Fill up the current mainspace with factual detail related to Coronavirus, both the hard scientific facts and the social/economic crisis. When that is outlined or complete, then we'll discuss renaming and spinoffs. Keep in mind this page is a Portal, and you don't want to create confusing or unnecessary forks at a time when there is high interest and traffic, [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 11:10, 22 March 2020 (EDT)

::::As to PeterKa's suggestion, "''I'd change the title it to '''Wuhan virus''' or '''Wuhan coronavirus'''''", Absolutely not. That plays into the ChiCom/DNC/fake news propaganda, branding Coonservapedia as "racist". It is suicide for anything we are trying to achieve. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 11:15, 22 March 2020 (EDT)
:::::"Ebola" is named after a river in Africa. Then there is West Nile Virus and Ross River Fever. None of them are as racist as yellow fever. Don't let yourself be stampeded by irrational accusations of racism. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 03:52, 25 March 2020 (EDT)
::::::You don't walk into the line of fire, either. You circle around and toss a hand grenade into the pill box. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 10:25, 25 March 2020 (EDT)
:::::::The G-7 foreign ministers are holding up a statement over this issue: [https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142456248 G-7 failed to agree on statement after U.S. insisted on calling coronavirus outbreak 'Wuhan virus']." It seems that the Europeans see virus naming yet another way to make an anti-American gesture. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 01:13, 26 March 2020 (EDT)
::::::::Good. Let's see if the handgrenade Trump and Popmeao tossed in the G7 pillbox does any good. But the Euro G7 members aren't the main target; they're just commie fronts for the CCP. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 02:57, 26 March 2020 (EDT)

{{reflist}}

== Exaggerated death numbers ==

Shouldn't there be a note about how the fatalities from the Coronavirus may have been exaggerated? I know [[Candace Owens]] pointed out that there were a few instances where the hospital workers simply listed a deceased version as being killed by Coronavirus due to their happening to have it on them, even when their time of death was most likely unrelated outside of that bit (eg, a baby being smothered by its mother, or someone who was in hospice before the coronavirus outbreak). [[User:Pokeria1|Pokeria1]] ([[User talk:Pokeria1|talk]]) 08:29, 12 April 2020 (EDT)
:Oh yes, but not necessarily in those terms, "maybe". The factual evidence for such needs to be laid out. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 11:56, 12 April 2020 (EDT)

The evidence was provided on Talk:Main Page. Please keep abreast of that page when updating information that appears in the news; it serves as a valuable digest. Here is a copy:

===Inflated United States Wuhan virus death counts===

"Well, Dr. Birx just said it. Anyone in U.S. who dies with Covid 19, regardless of what else may be wrong, is now being recorded as a Covid 19 death." —Brit Hume

VargasMilan (talk) Wednesday, 06:07, 8 April 2020 (EDT)

I'm not going to reprint the directive, but it says the federal government is aiming for 50% accuracy on Wuhan virus reports. The reason is to compensate health care providers with Wuhan virus payments in exchange for the loss of business they are suffering from people not wanting to get infected at their establishments. VargasMilan (talk) Thursday, 01:12, 9 April 2020 (EDT)
:I suggest beginning a page on [[CCP virus in the United States]], or some such title and add the speculative information there. For now, it coud go in [[CCP_global_pandemic#United_States]] as the information is more fully developed and rounded off into its own subheading. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 13:51, 12 April 2020 (EDT)

== Shi Zhengli ==

This article has nothing about [[Shi Zhengli]] yet, although speculation is mounting that the virus might have escaped from her lab. Shi has authored so many papers on bat coronavirus that ''Scientific American'' has dubbed her "bat woman." That there was a lab in Wuhan specializing in this type of virus at the time of the outbreak might not be a coincidence. At least those are the lines along which Shi herself was thinking: "“I had never expected this kind of thing to happen in Wuhan, in central China.” Her studies had shown that the southern, subtropical areas of Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan have the greatest risk of coronaviruses jumping to humans from animals—particularly bats, a known reservoir for many viruses. If coronaviruses were the culprit, she remembers thinking, “could they have come from our lab?”"[https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-chinas-bat-woman-hunted-down-viruses-from-sars-to-the-new-coronavirus1/] Shi runs a civilian lab that publishes the results of its research, so I find it unlikely that this virus is some kind of genetically engineered bioweapon. You can get the conspiracy theory version of what happened from [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le_rfTdayLs&t=1s the ''Epoch Times''] while a debunking is [https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-not-human-made-in-lab.html here]. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 22:37, 13 April 2020 (EDT)
:Conspiracy theory? [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 22:51, 13 April 2020 (EDT)
:Actually, it does have Shi Zhengli. "''On January 23, 2020 the Wuhan virus exploded. While Wuhan announced the lockdown of the city, Dr. Shi Zhengli of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, who had isolated the bat virus, spliced it, and made it transmissible to humans, provided the official Chinese communist cover story that the virus arose in nature.''" [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 00:35, 14 April 2020 (EDT)
::You want the article to state as a fact that Shi genetically engineered the Wuhan virus as a bioweapon? That's a step beyond what ''The Epoch Times'' is doing. Perhaps you should check out the article in ''Live Science'' that I linked to above. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 01:42, 14 April 2020 (EDT)
:::Read the Shi Zhengli article. All the evidence is there: "''[https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/lab-made-coronavirus-triggers-debate-34502 If the new virus escaped, nobody could predict the trajectory. Propagation could happen anywhere.]"'' [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 02:01, 14 April 2020 (EDT)
::::The article you linked to has nothing to do with Shi or Wuhan. It is about a study in North Carolina that was done back in 2015. The Wuhan lab sent out grad students to collect blood samples from bats in southern China and isolated the coronaviruses. One these virus might have escaped from the lab. Or at least that's Shi's explanation of what happened. The scientists at her lab understood that the new virus could be was likely to be a SARS-like global pandemic back in December. That's a big admission on her part and does not conform to the party line. In any case, a first hand account is always valuable. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 02:37, 14 April 2020 (EDT)
:::::Watch the whole video from ''The Epoch Times'', [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le_rfTdayLs&t=1s 1st documentary movie on the origin of CCP virus, Tracking Down the Origin of the Wuhan Coronavirus] with 1.46 million views in 6 days, all 55 minutes, and then we'll talk. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 03:45, 14 April 2020 (EDT)
::::::The scientific community seems to be pretty convinced that this virus could not have been genetically engineered. [https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-0820-9 Here] is a full-length multi-author research paper in ''Nature'', one of the most prestigious journals: "However, since we observed all notable SARS-CoV-2 features, including the optimized RBD and polybasic cleavage site, in related coronaviruses in nature, we do not believe that any type of laboratory-based scenario is plausible." [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 17:52, 15 April 2020 (EDT)
:::::::Oh. Ok. Who's that, some WHO experts? [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 18:57, 15 April 2020 (EDT)
:::::::Me personally, I'll implement screening for scientific experts; if they test negative for communist or leftwing ideology, and demonstrate allegiance to a spiritual higher power other than science, I'll deem them credible enough to pay attention to. But given the record - scientists gave us the nightmare of nuclear weapons and now this, a sentence or two of scientific gobbledgook is meaningless in this situation. Send all all your scientific experts back to the drawing board and have them come up with something meaningful and useful. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 19:03, 15 April 2020 (EDT)
::::::::This story has risen up the foodchain to [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/coronavirus-wuhan-lab-china-compete-us-sources Fox News]. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 20:23, 15 April 2020 (EDT)
:::::::::Bottomline: In the 4 billion year history of the human species, it's just not credible to allege that bat coronavirus was never transmissible to humans until 4 years after ''Scientific American'' credited Shi Zhengli with the honorary title of Batwoman for isolating the virus and engineering a patch to make it transmissible to humans. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 23:32, 15 April 2020 (EDT)
::::::::::SARS and MERS are also bat coronaviruses that transmitted to humans.[https://www.businessinsider.com/wuhan-coronavirus-sars-bats-animals-to-humans-2020-1] [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 23:46, 15 April 2020 (EDT)
:::::::::::Bingo. That's when Shi Zhengli and the Chinese military took interest in this particular virus. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 23:54, 15 April 2020 (EDT)

==Ann Coulter==
Ann Coulter is calling the claim that covid-19 originated in a Wuhan lab a "conspiracy theory."[https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/1250613364092534785] She blames bat-eating and "primitive Chinese customs." Of course, it's not really about bat eating. The disease didn't go directly from bats to humans. It must have gone through a third animal, possibly a pangolin. Pangolins are anteaters from Africa. They are brought to China illegally for wealthy people who like exotic meats. Perhaps the virus started with a horseshoe bat in Yunnan. Eating wild animals is associated with Guangzhou and the Cantonese (near Hong Kong). Various writers have interviewed dozens of people familiar with the Huanan Market. The market was selling camels, koalas, crocodiles, and peacocks.[https://www.dimsumdaily.hk/huanan-seafood-market-in-wuhan-sells-camels-koalas-crocodiles-peacocks-and-peacocks-etc-before-closure/] But there are no reports of bats or pangolins. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 00:47, 16 April 2020 (EDT)
:Shutting down wet markets is an issue related to the WHO. Coulter appears to be angling for an appearance on CNN where she can spew more CCP propaganda. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 01:00, 16 April 2020 (EDT)
:And Chinese wet markets aren't going away anytime soon, given the Global Depression China put the world in. It's not surprising; Chinese progressive communists, inside and outside government, who got rich since China's WTO admission and U.S. [[MFN]] status, refused to "share the wealth" with the poor, the oppressed, the down trodden, and even the ordinary people of China. Instead, Chinese progressive communists used their wealth to expand greater mass surveillance technology, build gulags, and assert control over the people. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 01:05, 16 April 2020 (EDT)
::Chinese wet markets are not the problem. It is wildlife animal sales (live wild animal sales) at wet markets that is the problem. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPpoJGYlW54 [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] ([[User talk:Conservative|talk]]) 02:47, 16 April 2020 (EDT)
:::I watched the video. It is quite interesting. It shows that eating wild animals isn't a primitive Chinese custom, contrary to Coulter. It is a modern form of conspicuous consumption by the ''nouveau riche''. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 07:49, 16 April 2020 (EDT)
::::The problem here again is, from the opening line of the video, "It was News Years Eve and health official in China admitted they had a problem...." -- not true. It was health officials in Taiwan that contacted the WHO on News Year Eve and told them Covid 19 was transmissible between humans. The WHO claims "China" contacted them, and two weeks later said Chinese officials said it ''was not'' transmissible. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 10:49, 16 April 2020 (EDT)
::::Once again, you're ignoring the simple fact that bats were not sold in the Wuhan wet market. Unfortunately, both of you are furthering Communist Chinese propaganda by discussing wet markets in this context at this moment in time. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 10:59, 16 April 2020 (EDT)
::::Let's go one step further: for months the term "Wuhan Seafood Market" was used, to describe a wet market in an inland city where seafood is rare. Seafood, with a very limited shelf life, would have to be trucked in from the coast. CCP propaganda takes advantage of the cultural ignorance Westerners have of China.
::::These simple facts attest to the gullibility of Westerners, and effectiveness of CCP propaganda - (1) no one is questioning the assertion that China contacted the WHO on New Years Eve; (2) no one reports the fact Taiwan told the WHO the virus is transmissible, whereas the WHO accredits China as saying it wasn't transmissible 14 days later; (3) no one bothered to correct the fact that a "Seafood" market did not exist in Wuhan; (4) no one reported the evidence from Chinese student researchers, in support of the "conspiracy theorists" at ''The Lancet'', that bats were not sold at the Wuhan wet market (misreported as "Seafood" market} nor did the virus arise in the market.
::::I for one sympathize with Western reactions; nothing is more frustrating than to have an enormous body of research forcibly thrust upon you that disrupts what you'd rather be doing. The mind looks for shortcuts and rationalizations to digest conflicting and confusing bits of information. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 11:26, 16 April 2020 (EDT)

::::In reviewing all the evidence, I would suggest the mis-translation of "wet market" to "seafood market" originates with Google translators. It was suspect from the beginning: ''How could a seafood market exist in an inland city where lakes and rivers are too polluted to provide a food source for the city, and the residents who eat live animals are too poor to pay the freight of luxury food items trucked in from the coast?'' But the brilliant geniuses at Google Translate, along with the brilliant geniuses in mainstream media are just plainly too stupid to question their own common sense. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 11:41, 16 April 2020 (EDT)
:::::According to the ''[http://news.foodmate.net/2012/09/214347.html Wuhan Evening News]'', the city buys 1.3-1.5 billion yuan ($210 million) worth of seafood a year. The Huanan Market is the "largest seafood and aquatic products wholesale trading market in central China." So, yes, it really is a seafood market. In Chinese, the name is 武汉华南海鲜批发市场/Wǔhàn huánán hǎixiān pīfā shìchǎng. This translates as "Wuhan South China Seafood Wholesale Market." (The article recommends that you eat more seafood as a cure for gout. This is such a stereotype-confirming touch that I had to mention it.)
:::::Every theory that's been floated concerning the origin of the covid-19 pandemic has been convincingly debunked. [https://gulfnews.com/world/coronavirus-did-not-jump-from-wuhans-seafood-market-heres-the-evidence-1.1586936434717 It wasn't the Huanan Market]. [https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-chinas-bat-woman-hunted-down-viruses-from-sars-to-the-new-coronavirus1/ It wasn't Shi Zhengli's lab]. [https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-020-0820-9 It wasn't genetic engineering]. [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jmv.25731 It wasn't pangolins], etc. The virus developed in a bat in a cave in rural Yunnan in the far south. Then, for no obvious reason, it begin infecting humans near a bat coronavirus research lab in central China. Bats and humans don't interact much and disease rarely passes between them, at least not directly. The bat caves of Yunnan are 800 miles from Wuhan. Yet that's the story as it stands. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 06:23, 17 April 2020 (EDT)
::::::Oh. So you're quoting a Communist-controlled media entity to establish facts. You should get job with CNN. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 11:38, 18 April 2020 (EDT)
::::::Let me introduce one more theory that your friends at Google and Microsoft have been censoring: some medical scientists are not even certain 2019-nCoV is even a [[virus]], making all assumptions about the [[pathology]] of viruses moot. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 11:43, 18 April 2020 (EDT)

===Unit 731===
Read this article [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_731]
:''Unit 731 ... was a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit of the Imperial Japanese Army that undertook lethal human experimentation during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) of World War II. It was responsible for some of the most notorious war crimes carried out by Imperial Japan....Unit 731 and its affiliated units (Unit 1644 and Unit 100 among others) were involved in research, development and experimental deployment of epidemic-creating biowarfare weapons in assaults against the Chinese populace (both civilian and military) throughout World War II..''
What is the point of mentioning this? Active biological warfare was conducted against the Chinese population from 1937-1945; in 1949 when the Communist Party came to power, based on their experience, biological warfare was considered an accepted part of modern warfare and incorporated into Chinese Communist military doctrine. China has no tradition of "forgive and forget," and communism is based on the doctrine of scientific progress. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 12:01, 18 April 2020 (EDT)

== Wuhan Center for Disease Control ==

While the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the internationally-connected level 4 lab that Shi Zhengli works at, gets all the attention, there is another lab closer to the Huanan Market that also has bat coronavirus: "[https://coercioncode.com/2020/02/18/china-coronavirus-wuhan-center-for-disease-control-whcdc-laboratory-research-facility-a-mere-300-yards-from-wuhan-wet-fish-market/ China Coronavirus : Wuhan Center for Disease Control (WHCDC) Laboratory: Research Facility A Mere 300 Yards from Wuhan Wet Fish Market]." This lab "kept disease-ridden animals in laboratories, including 605 bats." I assume the reason the U.S. and France helped with the upgrade of WIV was the hope that China would move it's dangerous research to that lab. But it seems that things didn't work out that way. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 10:47, 18 April 2020 (EDT)
:There's much to be investigated here; the Wuhan CDC was a local or provincial entity, while the virology lab was a national or national party-level controlled entity. Also, it appears there may have been some overlap in staffing, personnel, and sharing of facilities between the two. By the time any sort of outside or internal investigation can ever establish and make public any facts, the CCP (should it still exist by then) will have restructured its organization. Reports already claim the Chinese military has taken direct control of the virology lab after the outbreak, and as alluded to earlier, there is overlap between national party-level controlled institutions and local level entities. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|De Plorabus Unum]] 11:35, 18 April 2020 (EDT)

== Costa Rica ==

Spain, Italy, and now Costa Rica all seem to be able to prescribe HCQ without suffering a constitutional crisis: "[https://qcostarica.com/hydroxychloroquine-the-drug-costa-rica-uses-successfully-to-fight-covid-19/ Hydroxychloroquine: The Drug Costa Rica Uses Successfully To Fight Covid-19]." The Costa Ricans steer clear of azithromycin because of cardiac issues. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 03:00, 20 May 2020 (EDT)

== Covid-19 compared to seasonal flu ==

If you leave out the old age homes of New York City, mismanaged by Governor Cuomo, covid-19 was a seasonal flu. See "[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/apr/28/coronavirus-hype-biggest-political-hoax-in-history/ Coronavirus hype biggest political hoax in history]." The mortality rate is between 0.1 percent and 0.2 percent compared to 0.1 percent for the flu, according to this article. It occurs to me that this makes theories about lab leaks and bioweapons a lot less likely. The virus could have circulated in backwater China without anyone noticing for quiet some time. The outbreak was more about mass hysteria than pandemic, a modern version of the [https://www.britannica.com/event/dancing-plague-of-1518 dancing plague of 1518]. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 21:11, 7 June 2020 (EDT)
:Nobody's buying the wet market theory cause the CCP isn't even pitching it anymore. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Live Free or Die]] 21:19, 7 June 2020 (EDT)
::Perhaps some villager in Yunnan got infected at the secret coronavirus bat cave: "[https://nationalpost.com/news/world/cave-full-of-bats-in-china-identified-as-source-of-virus-almost-identical-to-the-one-killing-hundreds-today Cave full of bats in China identified as source of virus almost identical to the one killing hundreds today]." The cave is 900 miles from Wuhan. But if the disease has a low mortality, it could have circulated for a while before anyone noticed. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 22:22, 7 June 2020 (EDT)
:::The consensus seems pretty strong - it came from a lab. To avoid sanctions at this point the CCP must allow outside inspectors in. Not that it would do any good since the [[PLA]] has taken over the lab and has plenty of time to scrub the location. It's too late.

:::De-coupling relations will take awhile. The [[D10]] organization is already being formed which is the G7 + India, South Korea, and Australia. Air travel is cancelled. Next will be cancelling student exchange programs - the D10 nations will not be training any more microbiologists for the PLA. Businesses need more time to withdraw, but the government of Japan is already granting taxbreaks to companies to withdraw. Other D10 countries probably will follow this model.

:::Then there's the Global Magnitsky Act - John McCain's legacy. This means once all D-10 nations severe commercial relations (over the next two years roughly), smaller economies outside the D10 likewise may face sanctions from all D10 countries if they continue trade with the CCP.

:::The big question is, can the CCP survive this upheaval internally? Make no mistake, none of this is happening cause of a dispute or misunderstanding over whether the virus came from a wet market or not. If it did, the CCP would have shown evidence to contradict the evidence of lab origins by now.

:::The CCP right now is biding its time and pulling out the stops in hopes to defeat Trump; but if Trump wins, and Xi overcomes internal challenges on policy, they have to decide on escalating the dispute to blackmail their way back into the global trading system with either a bio or conventional attack. (The blackmail strategy is almost certain with a Trump defeat).

:::We got 40 million unemployed, but except for the Democrats and violent revolution, there is hope for a comeback; China by contrast has way more than 40 million now more or less permanently unemployed, unless young people begin returning from the cities to farm villages and rice paddies to eat. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Live Free or Die]] 23:04, 7 June 2020 (EDT)

:::As to wet market claims, the evidence is the same as how the FBI got a FISA warrant against Carter Page; the FBI leaked BS to Yahoo News about Page, than cut and pasted the Yahoo News article into a FISA warrant claiming it was independent corroborative evidence. CCP did the same thing - fed world media BS talking points which remains the only evidence of wet market origins - contradicted by independent lab investigations outside of China. It's just not worth inflaming world public opinion and starting WWIII over. A phased de-coupling is in order, while being ever alert to more Chinese hostile deception. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Live Free or Die]] 23:25, 7 June 2020 (EDT)

== Covid-19 is not a synonym to the virus ==

I may be a parodist, but the following real error exists in the definition:

" Covid-19 or the Wuhan coronavirus as CNN refers to it,"

Covid-19 is the name of the disease casue by the virus, but not of the virus itself. As is AIDS to HIV - AIDS is the disease, HIV is the virus that causes it.

YOu may ban me now, but please fix this. Look it up if you don't believe me. --[[User:Greg Jones|Greg Jones]] ([[User talk:Greg Jones|talk]]) 14:16, 22 September 2020 (EDT)
:No sh** Sherlock. And what do you know about Covid and/or coronavirus from CNN? [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Free Kyle!]]
:And why split hairs? Since racism is a characteristic of all Democrats, and all Democrats are racists, and fascism is a characteristic of liberalism and all liberals are fascists, why can't they be used interchangeably? [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Free Kyle!]] 14:27, 22 September 2020 (EDT)

Talk:Trump's inept advisers

2021-01-08T17:47:03Z

FabioZ: delete

== Karl Rove ==

I think it would be helpful to have a section on neocon [[RINO]] [[Karl Rove]], as he reportedly [https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/05/21/report-karl-rove-advising-trumps-reelection-campaign/ had been advising Trump's campaign for months]. However, I don't know enough about this type of stuff as Andy does, though it certainly doesn't seem like a coincidence in regards to his presence and some setbacks that have happened. —[[User:Liberaltears|<code>'''LT'''</code>]]'''''[[User:Liberaltears/mail|May D.C., his mother, and I.S. be all well!]]''''' Wednesday, 01:16, 23 December 2020 (EST)

== Question ==

:Here's a good timely cite. [https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/12/its_for_mike_pence_to_judge_whether_a_presidential_election_was_held_at_all.html] I got more, too, if you need more help. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]][[User talk:RobSmith|Free Kyle!]] 18:59, 27 December 2020 (EST)

Mayotte

2021-01-08T17:42:36Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''Department Collectivity of Mayotte''
|map =
|map2 =
|flag =
|arms =
|capital =Mamoudzou
|capital-raw =
|government =
|government-raw =Departmental collectivity of [[France]]
|language =French
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Nicolas Sarkozy
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =374 sq km
|pop =272,500 (2020)
|pop-basis =2011
|gdp =$953.6 million
|gdp-year =2005
|gdp-pc =$4,900
|currency =Euro
|idd =
|tld =
}}
'''Mayotte''' was ceded to [[France]] along with the other islands of the [[Comoros]] group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego independence. In March 2009, Mayotte voted overwhelmingly to become France's 101st department - and fifth overseas department - a change scheduled to become official in 2011.

==Geography==
Mayotte is located in the Southern [[Indian Ocean]], island in the Mozambique Channel, about halfway between northern [[Madagascar]] and northern [[Mozambique]]

==People==
*Nationality: Mahorais
*Population (2011 est.): 209,530
*Annual growth rate (2011): 1.533%
*Religions: Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 3%
*Languages: Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population.
*Education: Literacy—86%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate—16.17 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy (at birth)--76.83 years.

==Government and Political Conditions==

===Principal Government Officials===
*Chief of state: President [[Nicolas Sarkozy]] (since 16 May 2007); represented by Prefect Hubert DERACHE (since 22 July 2009)
*Head of government: President of the General Council Ahmed Attoumani DOUCHINA (since March 2008)

===Foreign Relations===
The island is claimed by the [[Comoros]].

==Economy==
Economic activity is based primarily on the [[agricultural]] sector, including [[fishing]] and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from [[France]]. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism.

*GDP (2005 est.): $953.6 million.
*Per capita GDP (2005 est.): $4,900.
*Unemployment rate (2005): 25.4%.
*Inflation Rate (2005 est.): 1.7%
*Agriculture: vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra; fish, livestock.
*Industry: newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction.
*Trade (2005 est.): Exports--$6.5 million: ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon. Imports--$341 million: ffood, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals.

{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''
|-
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:
|style=" background-color: none;"| This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code
|-
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/7231.htm]}}}.
|}

{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Islands]]
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]

Mauritius

2021-01-08T17:42:06Z

FabioZ:

{{country
|name=''République de Maurice''
|map=Mauritius rel90.jpg
|flag=Flag of Mauritius.png
|arms=Arms of Mauritius.png
|capital=Port Louis
|government=Republic
|language=English
|president=Rajkeswur Purryag
|pm=Anerood Jugnauth
|area=787 sq. mi.
|pop=1,275,000 (2020)
|pop-basis=
|gdp=$16.0 billion
|gdp-year=(2006 estimate)
|gdp-pc=$13,703
|currency=Mauritian rupee
}}
'''Mauritius''' is an [[archipelago]] nation situated near [[Madagascar]] in the [[Indian Ocean]], composed of one main island (île Maurice), and smaller islands. The capital city is Port Louis.

==People==
*Population (2005): 1,248,592, including Rodrigues, Agalega, and St. Brandon.
*Avg. annual population growth (2005): 0.9%. Density—612/km2.
*Ethnic groups: Indo-Mauritians 68%, Creoles 27%, Sino-Mauritians 3%, Franco-Mauritians 2%.
*Religions: Hindu, Roman Catholic, Muslim.
*Languages: Creole (common), French, English (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri.
*Education: Years compulsory—11 (primary school). Attendance (primary school)--virtually universal. Literacy—adult population 85%; school population 90%.
*Health (2005): Infant mortality rate—14.8/1000. Life expectancy—male 68.6 yrs., female 75.5 yrs.
*Work force (2005, 543,900): Manufacturing—19.8%; construction—9.7%; trade and tourism—22.3%; government services—16.6%; agriculture and fishing—9.6%; other—31.7%.

==Government and Political Conditions==
Mauritian politics are vibrant and characterized by coalition and alliance building. All parties are centrist and reflect a national consensus that supports democratic politics and a relatively open economy with a strong private sector. Parliamentary elections were held July 3, 2005.

Alone or in coalition, the Mauritian Labor Party (MLP) ruled from 1947 through 1982 and returned to power in 1995. The Mauritian Militant Movement/Mauritian Socialist Party (MMM/PSM) alliance won the 1982 election. In 1983, defectors from the MMM joined with the PSM to form the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) and won a working majority. In July 1990, the MSM realigned with the MMM, and in September 1991, national elections won 59 of the 62 directly elected seats in parliament. In December 1995, the MLP returned to power, this time in coalition with the MMM. Labor's Navinchandra Ramgoolam, son of the country's first prime minister, became prime minister himself. Ramgoolam dismissed his MMM coalition partners in mid-1997, leaving Labor in power except for several small parties allied with it. Elections in September 2000 saw the re-emergence of the MSM-MMM as a winning alliance, as the coalition garnered 51.7% of the vote, and Sir Anerood Jugnauth once again became the prime minister with the caveat that mid-term, the leader of the MMM party would take over as prime minister. In September 2003, in keeping with the campaign promise which forged the coalition, Jugnauth stepped down from office and deputy prime minister Paul Raymond Berenger became prime minister. One month later, Sir Anerood Jugnauth was sworn in as President of the Republic. Berenger became the first Catholic, Franco-Mauritian to head the government. The move created an historic precedent of having a non-Hindu, non-majority member head the national government. The 2005 parliamentary elections returned Navinchandra Ramgoolam to office as prime minister.

Mauritius became a republic on March 12, 1992. The most immediate result was that a Mauritian-born president became head of state, replacing Queen Elizabeth II. Under the amended constitution, political power remained with parliament. The Council of Ministers (cabinet), responsible for the direction and control of the government, consists of the prime minister (head of government), the leader of the majority party in the legislature, and about 20 ministries.

The unicameral National Assembly has up to 70 deputies. Sixty-two are elected by universal suffrage, and as many as eight "best losers" are chosen from the runners-up by the Electoral Supervisory Commission using a formula designed to give at least minimal representation to all ethnic communities and under-represented parties. Elections are scheduled at least every 5 years.

Mauritian law is an amalgam of French and British legal traditions. The Supreme Court—a chief justice and five other judges—is the highest judicial authority. There is an additional right of appeal to the Queen's Privy Council. Local government has nine administrative divisions, with municipal and town councils in urban areas and district and village councils in rural areas. The island of Rodrigues forms the country's 10th administrative division.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President—Rajkeswur Purryag
*Vice President—Raouf Bundhun
*Prime Minister—Anerood Jugnauth
*Ambassador to the United States—Keertee Coomar (Kailash) Ruhee
*Ambassador to the United Nations—Somduth Soboron

===Foreign Relations===
Mauritius has strong and friendly relations with the West as well as with India and the countries of southern and eastern Africa. It is a member of the African Union (AU), World Trade Organization (WTO), the Commonwealth, La Francophonie, the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), the Indian Ocean Commission, Community of Eastern and South African States (COMESA), and the recently formed Indian Ocean Rim Association. In 2004, then-Prime Minister Berenger became chairman of SADC for a one-year term.

Trade, commitment to democracy, colonial and cultural ties, and the country's small size are driving forces behind Mauritian foreign policy. The country's political heritage and dependence on Western markets have led to close ties with the European Union and its member states, particularly the United Kingdom and France, which exercises sovereignty over neighboring Reunion.

Considered part of Africa geographically, Mauritius has friendly relations with other African states in the region, particularly South Africa, by far its largest continental trading partner. Mauritian investors are gradually entering African markets, notably Madagascar and Mozambique. Mauritius coordinates much of its foreign policy with the Southern Africa Development Community and the African Union.

Relations with India are strong for both historical and commercial reasons. Foreign embassies in Mauritius include Australia, the United Kingdom, China, Egypt, France, India, Madagascar, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, and the United States.

==Defense==
Mauritius does not have a standing army. All military, police, and security functions are carried out by 10,000 active-duty personnel under the command of the Commissioner of Police. The 8,000-member National Police is responsible for domestic law enforcement. The 1,400-member Special Mobile Force (SMF) and the 688-member National Coast Guard are the only two paramilitary units in Mauritius. Both units are composed of police officers on lengthy rotations to those services.

The SMF is organized as a ground infantry unit and engages extensively in civic works projects. The Coast Guard has four patrol craft for search-and-rescue missions and surveillance of territorial waters. A 100-member police helicopter squadron assists in search-and-rescue operations. There also is a special supporting unit of 270 members trained in riot control.

Military advisers from the United Kingdom and India work with the SMF, the Coast Guard, and the Police Helicopter Unit, and Mauritian police officers are trained in the United Kingdom, India, and France. The United States provides training to Mauritian security officers in such fields as counter-terrorism methods, seamanship, and maritime law enforcement.

==Economy==
Mauritius has one of the most successful and competitive economies in Africa; 2006 GDP at market prices was estimated at $6.5 billion and per capita income at $5,214, one of the highest in Africa. The economy is based on tourism, textiles, sugar, and financial services. In recent years, information and communication technology (ICT) and seafood have emerged as important sectors of the economy, growing by an average of 40% last year. Over the past two decades, real output growth averaged just below 6% per year, leading to a more than doubling of per capita income and a marked improvement in social indicators. However, since 2002, the economy started to face some serious challenges as a result of globalization, involving the erosion of trade preferences for both textiles and sugar, two pillars of the economy. Economic growth declined to 3-4% while unemployment, government budget deficit, and public debt increased steadily.

The government that took office in July 2005 embarked on a bold economic reform program aimed at moving Mauritius from reliance on trade preferences to global competitiveness. The reform strategy, outlined in the FY 2006-2007 government budget, was designed not only to remedy fiscal weaknesses but also to open up the economy, facilitate business, improve the investment climate, and mobilize foreign direct investment and expertise. The reforms and the opening up of the economy have already started to positively impact the economy. GDP growth increased to 5% in 2006, and the same rate is expected in 2007.

In addition to encouraging the restructuring and modernization of the textile and sugar sectors, the government is putting much emphasis on the development of the ICT sector and the promotion of Mauritius as a seafood hub in the region, using existing logistics and distribution facilities at the Freeport (free trade zone at the port and airport). To further diversify the economic base and generate sustainable growth, the government is actively encouraging the following economic activities: (i) the land-based oceanic industry, (ii) hospitality and property development, (iii) healthcare and biomedical industry, (iv) agro-processing and biotechnology, and (v) the knowledge industry.

The business climate is friendly yet extremely competitive. The World Bank 2007 Doing Business Survey ranks Mauritius 32nd in the world and second in Africa for ease of doing business. Mauritius has a long tradition of private entrepreneurship, which has led to a strong and dynamic private sector. Firms entering the market will find a well-developed legal and commercial infrastructure. With regard to telecommunications, Mauritius has a well-developed digital infrastructure and offers state-of-the-art telecommunications facilities including international leased lines and high speed Internet access. Telecommunications services were liberalized in January 2003. The government policy is to act as a facilitator to business, leaving production to the private sector. However, it still controls key utility services directly or through parastatals, including electricity, water, waste water, postal services, and broadcasting. The State Trading Corporation controls imports of rice, flour, petroleum products, and cement.
*GDP (2006) $6.5 billion.
*Real growth rate (2006): 5%.
*Per capita income (2006): $5,214.
*Avg. inflation rate (2006): 8.9%.
*Natural resources: None.
*Agriculture (5.6% of GDP): Products—sugar, sugar derivatives, tea, tobacco, vegetables, fruits, flowers and fishing.
Manufacturing, including export processing zone (20% of GDP): Types—labor-intensive goods for export, including textiles and clothing, watches and clocks, jewelry, optical goods, toys and games, and cut flowers.
*Tourism sector (8.5% of GDP): Main countries of origin—France, including nearby French island Reunion, South Africa, and west European countries.
*Financial services: 10.3% of GDP.
*Trade (2006): Exports--$2.2 billion: textiles and clothing, sugar, canned tuna, watches and clocks, jewelry, optical goods, toys and games, and flowers. Major markets—Europe and the U.S. Imports--$3.7 billion: meat, dairy products, fish, wheat, rice, wheat flour, vegetable oil, petroleum products, iron and steel, cement, fertilizers, machinery and transport equipment, and textile industry raw materials. Major suppliers—South Africa, France, China, India, Bahrain, Finland, U.K., Japan, Australia, and Germany.
*Fiscal year: July 1-June 30.

==History==
While Arab and Malay sailors knew of Mauritius as early as the 10th century AD and Portuguese sailors first visited in the 16th century, the island was first colonized in 1638 by the Dutch. Mauritius was populated over the next few centuries by waves of traders, planters and their slaves, indentured laborers, merchants, and artisans. The island was named in honor of Prince Maurice of Nassau by the Dutch, who abandoned the colony in 1710.

The French claimed Mauritius in 1715 and renamed it Ile de France. It became a prosperous colony under the French East India Company. The French Government took control in 1767, and the island served as a naval and privateer base during the Napoleonic wars. In 1810, Mauritius was captured by the British, whose possession of the island was confirmed 4 years later by the Treaty of Paris. French institutions, including the Napoleonic code of law, were maintained. The French language is still used more widely than English.

Mauritian Creoles trace their origins to the plantation owners and slaves who were brought to work the sugar fields. Indo-Mauritians are descended from Indian immigrants who arrived in the 19th century to work as indentured laborers after slavery was abolished in 1835. Included in the Indo-Mauritian community are Muslims (about 17% of the population) from the Indian subcontinent.

Franco-Mauritians control nearly all of the large sugar estates and are active in business and banking. As the Indian population became numerically dominant and the voting franchise was extended, political power shifted from the Franco-Mauritians and their Creole allies to the Hindus.

Elections in 1947 for the newly created Legislative Assembly marked Mauritius' first steps toward self-rule. An independence campaign gained momentum after 1961, when the British agreed to permit additional self-government and eventual independence. A coalition composed of the Mauritian Labor Party (MLP), the Muslim Committee of Action (CAM), and the Independent Forward Bloc (IFB)--a traditionalist Hindu party—won a majority in the 1967 Legislative Assembly election, despite opposition from Franco-Mauritian and Creole supporters of Gaetan Duval's Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD). The contest was interpreted locally as a referendum on independence. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, MLP leader and chief minister in the colonial government, became the first prime minister at independence, on March 12, 1968. This event was preceded by a period of communal strife, brought under control with assistance from British troops.

==References==

[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2833.htm U.S. State Department page on Mauritius]

{{African Countries}}

Malawi

2021-01-08T17:41:36Z

FabioZ:

{{Country
|name =''Dziko la Malaŵi''
|map =Malawi rel 85.JPG
|map2 =Location of Malawi.png
|flag =Flag of Malawi.png
|arms =Arms of Malawi.png
|capital =Lilongwe
|capital-raw =
|government =
|government-raw =Multi-party democracy
|language =English, Chichewa
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =Peter Mutharika
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =45,747 sq. mi.
|pop =19,150,000 (2020)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$3.8 billion
|gdp-year =2008
|gdp-pc =$289
|currency =Kwatcha
|idd =
|tld =
}}
The '''Republic of Malawi''', formerly known as Nyasaland is a densely populated democracy in southeastern [[Africa]]. It borders on [[Zambia]], [[Tanzania]] and [[Mozambique]].

==Geography==
Malawi is situated in southeastern Africa. The Great Rift Valley traverses the country from north to south. In this deep trough lies Lake Malawi, the third-largest lake in Africa, comprising about 20% of Malawi's area. The Shire River flows from the south end of the lake and joins the Zambezi River 400 kilometers (250 mi.) farther south in Mozambique. East and west of the Rift Valley, the land forms high plateaus, generally between 900 and 1,200 meters (3,000-4,000 ft.) above sea level. In the north, the Nyika Uplands rise as high as 2,600 meters (8,500 ft.); south of the lake lie the Shire Highlands, with an elevation of 600-1,600 meters (2,000-5,000 ft.), rising to Mts. Zomba and Mulanje, 2,130 and 3,048 meters (7,000 and 10,000 ft.). In the extreme south, the elevation is only 60–90 meters (200–300 ft.) above sea level.

Malawi is one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most densely populated countries. The population of Lilongwe - Malawi's capital since 1971 - of 670,000 makes it the largest city in the country (preliminary results from the 2008 Malawi population and housing census). All government ministries and the parliament are located in Lilongwe. Blantyre remains Malawi's major commercial center with a population of 660,000. Malawi's President resides in Lilongwe. The Supreme Court is seated in Blantyre.

Malawi's climate is generally subtropical. A rainy season runs from November through April. There is little to no rainfall throughout most of the country from May to October. It is hot and humid from October to April along the lake and in the Lower Shire Valley. Lilongwe is also hot and humid during these months, albeit far less than in the south. The rest of the country is warm during those months. From June through August, the lake areas and far south are comfortably warm, but the rest of Malawi can be chilly at night, with temperatures ranging from 5o-14oC (41o-57oF).
*Area: 118,484 km2. (45,747 sq. mi.); land the size of Pennsylvania, with a lake the size of Vermont.
*Cities: Capital—Lilongwe. Other cities—Blantyre (the commercial capital), Zomba, Mzuzu.
*Terrain: Plateaus, highlands, and valleys. Lake Malawi (formerly referred to as Lake Nyasa) comprises about 20% of total area.
*Climate: Predominately subtropical.

==People==
Malawi derives its name from the Maravi, a Bantu people who came from the southern Congo about 600 years ago. On reaching the area north of Lake Malawi, the Maravi divided. One branch, the ancestors of the present-day Chewas, moved south to the west bank of the lake. The other, the ancestors of the Nyanjas, moved down the east bank to the southern part of the country. By AD 1500, the two divisions of the tribe had established a kingdom stretching from north of the present-day city of Nkhotakota to the Zambezi River in the south, and from Lake Malawi in the east, to the Luangwa River in Zambia in the west.

Migrations and tribal conflicts precluded the formation of a cohesive Malawian society until the turn of the 20th century. In more recent years, ethnic and tribal distinctions have diminished. Regional distinctions and rivalries, however, persist. Despite some clear differences, no significant friction currently exists between tribal groups, and the concept of a Malawian nationality has begun to take hold. Predominately a rural people, Malawians are generally conservative and traditionally nonviolent.

The Chewas constitute 90% of the population of the central region; the Nyanja tribe predominates in the south and the Tumbuka in the north. In addition, significant numbers of the Tongas live in the north; Ngonis—an offshoot of the Zulus who came from South Africa in the early 1800s—live in the lower northern and lower central regions; and the Yao, who are mostly Muslim, live along the southeastern border with Mozambique.
*Nationality: Noun and adjective—Malawian(s).
*Population (2008 est.): 13,066,320 (preliminary results from the 2008 Malawi population and housing census).
*Annual growth rate (2008): 2.8%.
*Ethnic groups: Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian, European.
*Religions: Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 3%, other 2%.
*Languages: English (official), Chichewa (official), regional dialects, i.e., Chitumbuka, Chiyao, Chilomwe.
*Education: Years compulsory—none. Enrollment (2006)--primary, 86%. Literacy (2004 est., age 15 and older)--69%.
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006)--72 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy (at birth, 2005 est.)--40 yrs.

==Government and Political Conditions==
The Government of Malawi has been a multi-party democracy since 1994. Under the 1995 constitution, the president, who is both chief of state and head of the government, is chosen through universal direct suffrage every 5 years. Malawi has a vice president who is elected with the president. The president has the option of appointing a second vice president, who must be from a different party. The members of the presidentially appointed cabinet can be drawn from either within or outside of the legislature. Malawi's National Assembly has 193 seats, all directly elected to serve 5-year terms. The constitution also provides for a second house, a Senate of 80 seats, but to date no action has been taken to create the Senate. The Senate is intended to provide representation for traditional leaders and the different geographical districts, as well as various special interest groups, such as women, youth, and the disabled.

The constitution provides for an independent judiciary. Malawi's judicial system, based on the English model, is made up of magisterial lower courts, a high court, a Supreme Court of Appeal, and a constitutional court. Local government is carried out in 28 districts within three regions administered by regional administrators and district commissioners who are appointed by the central government. Local elections, the first in the multi-party era, took place in on November 21, 2000. The UDF party won 70% of the seats in this election. The second round of constitutionally-mandated local elections, originally scheduled for May 2005, was cancelled by the government and have yet to be held.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President: Peter Mutharika
*Vice President: Cassim Chilumpha
*Minister of Foreign Affairs: Joyce Banda
*Minister of National Defense: Aaron Sangala
*Minister of Justice: Henry Phoya

===Foreign Relations===
Malawi has continued the pro-Western foreign policy established by former President Banda. It maintains excellent diplomatic relations with principal Western countries. Malawi's close relations with South Africa throughout the apartheid era strained its relations with other African nations. Following the collapse of apartheid in 1994, Malawi developed, and currently maintains, diplomatic relations with all African countries.

Between 1985 and 1995, Malawi accommodated more than a million refugees from Mozambique. The refugee crisis placed a substantial strain on Malawi's economy but also drew significant inflows of international assistance. The accommodation and eventual repatriation of the Mozambicans is considered a major success by international organizations. In 1996, Malawi received a number of Rwandan and Congolese refugees seeking asylum. The government did not turn away refugees, but it did invoke the principle of "first country of asylum." Under this principle, refugees who requested asylum in another country first, or who had the opportunity to do so, would not subsequently be granted asylum in Malawi. There were no reports of the forcible repatriation of refugees.

Important bilateral donors, in addition to the U.S., include Canada, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Multilateral donors include the World Bank, the IMF, the European Union, the African Development Bank, and the United Nations organizations.

Malawi is a member of the following international organizations: UN and some of its specialized and related agencies (i.e., UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO), IMF, World Bank, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Berne Convention, Universal Copyright Convention, African Union, Lome Convention, African Development Bank (AFDB), Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), Nonaligned Movement, G-77, and the World Health Organization (WHO).

==Economy==
Malawi is a landlocked, densely populated country. Its economy is heavily dependent on agriculture. Malawi has few exploitable mineral resources. Its most important export crops are tobacco, tea, and sugar. Traditionally Malawi has been self-sufficient in its staple food, maize, and during the 1980s exported substantial quantities to its drought-stricken neighbors. Agriculture represents 34.7% of the GDP and represents about 80% of all exports. Nearly 90% of the population engages in subsistence farming. Smallholder farmers produce a variety of crops, including maize (corn), beans, rice, cassava, tobacco, and groundnuts (peanuts). The agricultural sector contributes about 63.7% of total income for the rural population, 65% of manufacturing sector's raw materials, and approximately 87% of total employment. Financial wealth is generally concentrated in the hands of a small elite. Malawi's manufacturing industries are situated around the city of Blantyre.
*GDP (2008 est.): $3.8 billion.
*Annual real GDP growth rate (2008 est.): 7.1%.
*Per capita GNI (2008 est.): Approx. $289.
*Avg. inflation rate (2008): 8.7%.
*Natural resources: Limestone, uranium, coal, bauxite, phosphates, graphite, granite, black granite, vermilite, aquamarine, tourmaline, rubies, sapphires, rare earths.
*Agriculture (approx. 34.7% of GDP): Products—tobacco, sugar, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, coffee, rice, groundnuts. *Arable land—34%, of which 86% is cultivated.
*Industry (19.4% of GDP): Types—tea, tobacco, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods.
*Trade (2005 est.): Exports--$578 million: tobacco, tea, sugar, coffee, peanuts, wood products. Partners—U.S., U.K., South Africa, Germany, Japan. Imports--$1.066 billion: food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment. Partners—South Africa, Zimbabwe, Japan, U.S., U.K., Germany.
*Fiscal year: July 1-June 30.

Malawi's economic reliance on the export of agricultural commodities renders it particularly vulnerable to external shocks such as declining terms of trade and drought. High transport costs, which can comprise over 50% of its total import bill, constitute a serious impediment to economic development and trade. Malawi must import all its fuel products. Paucity of skilled labor; difficulty in obtaining expatriate employment permits; bureaucratic red tape; corruption; and inadequate and deteriorating transportation, electricity, water, and telecommunications infrastructure further hinder economic development in Malawi. However, recent government initiatives targeting improvements in the road infrastructure, together with private sector participation in telecommunications, have begun to render the investment environment more attractive.

Malawi has undertaken economic structural adjustment programs supported by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and other donors since 1981. Broad reform objectives include stimulation of private sector activity and participation through the elimination of price controls and industrial licensing, liberalization of trade and foreign exchange, rationalization of taxes, privatization of state-owned enterprises, and civil service reform.

In August 2005 the IMF approved a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) for Malawi. In August 2006 Malawi successfully reached the completion point under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, resulting in debt relief from multilateral and Paris Club creditors. Over $2 billion in debt has since been cancelled, enabling the government to increase expenditures for development. Real GDP increased by an estimated 7.1% in 2008. Inflation has been largely under control since 2003, averaging 10% in that year and 7% in 2007. Discount and commercial lending rates have also declined from 40%-45% in 2003 to 22.5% currently. The government has allowed some adjustment to the exchange rate, although the Kwacha’s rate against the dollar has not changed since 2004. As of January 2008 the Kwacha had depreciated to 140 to the U.S. dollar. The Kwacha is now generally considered overvalued and with imports still heavily outweighing exports, the country continues to suffer from a severe shortage of foreign exchange.

Malawi has bilateral trade agreements with its two major trading partners, South Africa and Zimbabwe, both of which allow duty-free entry of Malawian products into their countries.

==History==
Mainstream science claims hominid remains and stone implements have been identified in Malawi dating back more than 1 million years, and early humans inhabited the vicinity of Lake Malawi 50,000 to 60,000 years ago. Human remains at a site dated about 8000 BC show physical characteristics similar to peoples living today in the Horn of Africa. At another site, dated 1500 BC, the remains possess features resembling sub-Saharan and Bushman people.

Although the Portuguese reached the area in the 16th century, the first significant Western contact was the arrival of David Livingstone along the shore of Lake Malawi in 1859. Subsequently, Scottish Presbyterian churches established missions in Malawi. One of their objectives was to end the slave trade to the Persian Gulf that continued to the end of the 19th century. In 1878, a number of traders, mostly from Glasgow, formed the African Lakes Company to supply goods and services to the missionaries. Other missionaries, traders, hunters, and planters soon followed.

In 1883, a consul of the British Government was accredited to the "Kings and Chiefs of Central Africa," and in 1891, the British established the Nyasaland Protectorate (Nyasa is the Yao word for "lake"). Although the British remained in control during the first half of the 1900s, this period was marked by a number of unsuccessful Malawian attempts to obtain independence. A growing European and U.S.-educated African elite became increasingly vocal and politically active—first through associations, and after 1944, through the Nyasaland African Congress (NAC).

During the 1950s, pressure for independence increased when Nyasaland was joined with Northern and Southern Rhodesia in 1953 to form the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. In July 1958, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda returned to the country after a long absence in the United States (where he had obtained his medical degree at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee in 1937), the United Kingdom (where he practiced medicine), and Ghana. He assumed leadership of the NAC, which later became the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). In 1959, Banda was sent to Gwelo Prison for his political activities but was released in 1960 to participate in a constitutional conference in London.

On April 15, 1961, the MCP won an overwhelming victory in elections for a new Legislative Council. It also gained an important role in the new Executive Council and ruled Nyasaland in all but name a year later. In a second constitutional conference in London in November 1962, the British Government agreed to give Nyasaland self-governing status the following year.

Dr. Banda became Prime Minister on February 1, 1963, although the British still controlled Malawi's financial, security, and judicial systems. A new constitution took effect in May 1963, providing for virtually complete internal self-government. The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was dissolved on December 31, 1963, and Malawi became a fully independent member of the Commonwealth (formerly the British Commonwealth) on July 6, 1964. Two years later, Malawi adopted a new constitution and became a one-party state with Dr. Banda as its first President.

In 1970 Dr. Banda was declared President for life of the MCP, and in 1971 Banda consolidated his power and was named President for life of Malawi itself. The paramilitary wing of the Malawi Congress Party, the Young Pioneers, helped keep Malawi under authoritarian control until the 1990s. Increasing domestic unrest and pressure from Malawian churches and from the international community led to a referendum in which the Malawian people were asked to vote for either a multi-party democracy or the continuation of a one-party state. On June 14, 1993, the people of Malawi voted overwhelmingly in favor of multi-party democracy. Free and fair national elections were held on May 17, 1994.

Bakili Muluzi, leader of the United Democratic Front (UDF), was elected President in 1994. The UDF won 82 of the 177 seats in the National Assembly and formed a coalition government with the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD). That coalition disbanded in June 1996, but some of its members remained in the government. The President was referred to as Dr. Muluzi, having received an honorary degree at Lincoln University in Missouri in 1995. Malawi's newly written constitution (1995) eliminated special powers previously reserved for the Malawi Congress Party. Accelerated economic liberalization and structural reform accompanied the political transition. On June 15, 1999, Malawi held its second democratic elections. Dr. Muluzi was re-elected to serve a second 5-year term as President, despite an MCP-AFORD alliance that ran a joint slate against the UDF.

Malawi saw its first transition between democratically elected presidents in May 2004, when the UDF's presidential candidate Bingu wa Mutharika defeated MCP candidate John Tembo and Gwanda Chakuamba, who was backed by a grouping of opposition parties. European Union and Commonwealth observers said although voting passed peacefully, they were concerned about "serious inadequacies" in the poll. The UDF also did not win a majority of seats in parliament, as it had done in 1994 and 1999 elections. Through the politicking of party chairperson and former President Bakili Muluzi, the party successfully secured a majority by forming a "government of national unity" with several opposition parties. President Bingu wa Mutharika left the UDF party on February 5, 2005, citing differences with the UDF, particularly over his anti-corruption campaign. He formed the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) shortly thereafter, attracting a number of UDF and independent members of parliament (MPs) to his new party. The DPP, however, has also failed to acquire enough support for a majority in parliament, and continues to face stiff opposition. Malawi is scheduled to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on May 19, 2009, and Muluzi, Tembo, and Mutharika have all declared their candidacy for president.

{{African Countries}}
[[Category:Landlocked Countries]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]

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!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''
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!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:
|style=" background-color: none;"| This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code
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