Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be important to the island's economy, although international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. Although a referendum on independence from the UK was soundly defeated in 1995, the present government has reopened debate on the issue.
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Population:
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65,773 (July 2006 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 18.6% (male 6,146/female 6,098)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 22,562/female 22,954)
65 years and over: 12.2% (male 3,479/female 4,534) (2006 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 40.2 years
male: 39.3 years
female: 41 years (2006 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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0.61% (2006 est.)
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Birth rate:
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11.4 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Death rate:
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7.74 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 77.96 years
male: 75.85 years
female: 80.1 years (2006 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.297% (2005)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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163 (2005)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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392 (2005)
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Nationality:
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noun: Bermudian(s)
adjective: Bermudian
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Ethnic groups:
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black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%, unspecified 0.4% (2000 census)
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Religions:
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Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census)
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Languages:
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English (official), Portuguese
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (2005 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Bermuda
former: Somers Islands
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Dependency status:
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overseas territory of the UK
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Government type:
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parliamentary British overseas territory with internal self-government
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Capital:
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Hamilton
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Administrative divisions:
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9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's, Southampton, Warwick
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Independence:
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none (overseas territory of the UK)
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National holiday:
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Bermuda Day, 24 May
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Constitution:
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8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003
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Legal system:
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English law
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since 11 April 2002)
head of government: Premier William Alexander SCOTT (since 24 July 2003); Deputy Premier Ewart BROWN
cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed premier by the governor
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve up to five-year terms)
elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held not later than July 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%; seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts
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Political parties and leaders:
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Progressive Labor Party or PLP [William Alexander SCOTT]; United Bermuda Party or UBP [Wayne FURBERT]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]
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International organization participation:
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Caricom (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (overseas territory of the UK)
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Consul General Gregory W. SLAYTON
consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3
mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300
telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342
FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233
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Flag description:
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red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag
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Economy - overview:
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Bermuda enjoys the highest per capita income in the world, more than 50% higher than that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on providing financial services for international business and luxury facilities for tourists. A number of reinsurance companies relocated to the island following 11 September 2001 and again after Hurricane Katrina, contributing to the expansion of an already robust international business sector. Bermuda's tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US - continues to struggle but remains the island's number two industry. Most capital equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is small, although construction continues to be important; the average cost of a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limited with only 20% of the land being arable.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$4.5 billion (2004 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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NA
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4.6% (2004 est.)
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$69,900 (2004 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 1%
industry: 10%
services: 89% (2002 est.)
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Labor force:
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38,360 (2004)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 19%, professional and technical 21%, administrative and managerial 15%, sales 7%, services 19% (2004 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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2.1% (2004 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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19% (2000)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.8% (November 2005)
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Budget:
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revenues: $738 million
expenditures: $665 million (FY04/05)
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Agriculture - products:
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bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products, honey
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Industries:
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international business, tourism, light manufacturing
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA%
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Electricity - production:
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682.5 million kWh (2005)
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Electricity - consumption:
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616.7 million kWh (2005)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2005)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2005)
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2003)
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Oil - consumption:
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4,658 bbl/day (2005 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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NA bbl/day
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Oil - imports:
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NA bbl/day
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2003 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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0 cu m (2003 est.)
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Exports:
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$1.469 billion (2004 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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reexports of pharmaceuticals
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Exports - partners:
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France 73.2%, UK 6.2%, Spain 2.4% (2004)
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Imports:
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$982 million (2004 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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clothing, fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, chemicals, food and live animals
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Imports - partners:
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Kazakhstan 42.9%, France 17.8%, Japan 14.3%, South Korea 9.6%, US 7% (2004)
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Debt - external:
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$160 million (FY99/00)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$NA
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Currency (code):
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Bermudian dollar (BMD)
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Exchange rates:
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Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the US dollar)
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31 March
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Airports:
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1 (2005)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2005)
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Roadways:
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total: 447 km
paved: 447 km
note: public roads - 225 km; private roads - 222 km (2002)
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Merchant marine:
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total: 118 ships (1000 GRT or over) 6,752,122 GRT/7,464,181 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 2, container 25, liquefied gas 17, passenger 16, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 6
foreign-owned: 101 (Australia 2, Canada 21, Finland 2, France 1, Germany 1, Greece 1, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 1, Ireland 1, Israel 1, Netherlands 1, Nigeria 10, Norway 6, Sweden 12, Switzerland 1, UK 8, US 26)
registered in other countries: 9 (Cayman Islands 2, Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 4, Panama 2) (2005)
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Ports and terminals:
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Hamilton, Saint George
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Disputes - international:
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none
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This page was last updated on 16 May, 2006
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