Introduction

Gariston

Background:

Disgruntled people from a number of European countries settled on what is now Gariston in search of a better governed land where they could pursue their desires. Special powers which include immortality were shortly discovered by the people. Gariston is now a prosperous nation dedicated to living a 70’s lifestyle. 

Geography

Gariston

Location:

Anti-nowhere Continent

Geographic coordinates:

40 N, 27 S, 16 E, 39 W

Map references:

Eastern Anti-nowhere Continent

Area:

total: 283,260 sq km
land: 270,340 sq km
water: 12,920 sq km 

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Spain

Land boundaries:

424 km

Coastline:

4,760 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 20 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:

temperate in south and east; tropical in north

Terrain:

mostly low plateau with forests; fertile plain in southwest

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Lake Station -19 m
highest point: Taurus Mountain 2,349 m

Natural resources:

bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, lead, zinc, natural gas, petroleum

Land use:

arable land: 27.55% (includes about 2 million hectares of cultivated grassland)
permanent crops: 13.4%
other: 72.45% (2001)

Irrigated land:

13,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:

cyclones along the coasts of the southern islands

Environment - current issues:

industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; limited natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Arctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Ultimate Protection Pact

Geography - note:

population evenly distributed but major cities concentrated along the northeastern coasts and northwest; the invigorating tropical sea breeze known as the "Yaeraki" affects the city of Ombourg on the east coast, and is one of the most consistent winds in the world

People

Gariston

Population:

40.069.961 (July C-1975 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 19.8% (male 2,038,809/female 1,943,563)
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 6,815,600/female 6,695,189)
65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,145,274/female 1,452,002) (A-1975 est.)

Median age:

total: 41.56 years
male: 39.74 years
female: 42.4 years (C-1975 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.87% (C-1975 est.)

Birth rate:

2.26 births/1,000 population (C-1975 est.)

Death rate:

1.44 deaths/1,000 population (C-1975 est.)

Net migration rate:

no migrant(s)/1,000 population (C-1975 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (C-1975 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 0 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 0 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 0 deaths/1,000 live births (C-1975 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: indefinite years
male: indefinite years
female: indefinite years (C-1975 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.76 children born/woman (C-1975 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0% (B-1979 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

0 (B-1979 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

none (B-1979 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Garistian(s)
adjective: Garistonic

Ethnic groups:

Caucasian 99.99%, Black 0.01 %

Religions:

Church of Gariston 96.74% (including Pentecostals 40.5%, Seventh-Day Adventists 23.4%, Orthodox 20.1%, Catholic 12.4%, other Christian 3.6%), Jews 1.53%, Pagans 1.45%, Other 0.28% (KKK, Visionaries, Mirrorists) (C-1975 Census)

Languages:

Garistonian (official), also Greek, English, French, others (C-1975 Census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (A-1970 (1980) est.)

Government

Gariston

Country name:

conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Armed Tyrannical Republic of  Gariston
conventional short form: Gariston

Government type:

Armed Tyrannical Republic

Capital:

Andelevitsville

Administrative divisions:

11 administrations: Andelevitsville, Birg, Dehanceville, Etienne, Flisbourg, Grolsch, Minotaur, Monaco Royal, Olympic, Triehler, Ydrihen

Dependent areas:

Myrhh Island Confederation, Republic of the Southern Islands, Apollonia & Tsiapis Islands

Independence:

21 April A-1970 (A-1970 (1980)

National holiday:

Gariston Day, 21 April (A-1970)

Constitution:

11 & 12 January A-1971, effective 12 January A-1971

Legal system:

Garistian legislature

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:

chief of state: Tyrant President Nikos Papias (since 21 April A-1970)
head of government: Prime Minister Makis Vrykolax (since 11 May A-1970); Deputy Prime Minister Dennis Symperasmaticos (since 11 May A-1970)
cabinet: Prime Minister nominates, from among members of Parliament, candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the Tyrant President to serve as government ministers
elections: following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as Tyrant President

note: Fanatic Neo-nationalistic Party (FA.NE.P.)

Legislative branch:

Federal Parliament consists 150 seats 

elections: last held 23 August C-1975 (next to be held no later than August C-1979);

Judicial branch:

High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the Tyrant President)

Political parties and leaders:

Fanatic Neo-nationalistic Party-FA.NE.P. [Nikos PAPIAS]; Garistian Fascist Party-G.F.P. [Thermosifonas GIOORGOOOS]; Gariston National Communist Party-G.N.C.P. [Anideos SARAVALIASMENOS]; Political Party of the Ku-Klux-Klan-P.P.-K.K.K. [Nathanael URG]; New Socialistic Party-NE.S.P. [Elafos PERONOSPOROS]; Radical Kommunist Garistian Front-R.K.G.F. [Misorixias ALAFOKOUTAVOS]; Communist Marxist Organisation Gariston-C.M.O.G. [Neoptolemos SFICHTOKOLOS]

International organization participation:

ANUS (Anti-Nowhere United Societies), UNESCO, United Nations

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Moutsounos DIAITITOMAS

chancery: 1808 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 797-9800
FAX: [1] (202) 797-9868
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador T. James JEMISON
embassy: 75 Lefkus Street, Diminos, Andelevitsville 8811
mailing address: ADE 8811
telephone: [61] (02) 717-911507
FAX: [61] (02) 717-911902
consulate(s) general: Dehanceville, Olympic, Birg

Flag description:

A white cross between two black and two green rectangles with a sea horse in the middle

Economy

Gariston

Economy - overview:

Gariston has a state run economy, with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. Rising output in the domestic economy, robust business and consumer confidence, and rising exports of raw materials and agricultural products are fueling the economy. Gariston's emphasis on reforms, low inflation, and growing ties with the other countries of the continent are other key factors behind the economy's strength.

GDP:

purchasing power parity - $30.2 billion (B-1974 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

3.5% (B-1974 est.)

GDP - per capita:

purchasing power parity - $30,700 (B-1974 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 23.4%
industry: 28.2%
services: 48.4% (B-1974 est.)

Labor force:

30.30 million (B-1974 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture 25.6%, industry 26.4%, services 48% (B-1974 est.)

Unemployment rate:

0.01% (December B-1974 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 17.1% (B-1974)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

35.2 (B-1974)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.3% (B-1974 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

25.3% of GDP (B-1974 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $22.8 billion
expenditures: $22.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (B-1974 est.)

Public debt:

0% of GDP (B-1974 est.)

Agriculture - products:

wheat, barley, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry

Industries:

mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel

Industrial production growth rate:

1.9% (B-1974 est.)

Electricity - production:

120.4 billion kWh (B-1972)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 60.8%
hydro: 38.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0.9% (B-1971)

Electricity - consumption:

110.6 billion kWh (B-1972)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (B-1972)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (B-1972)

Oil - production:

137,500 bbl/day (B-1974 est.)

Oil - consumption:

397,500 bbl/day (B-1971 est.)

Oil - exports:

12,100 bbl/day (B-1971)

Oil - imports:

280,000 bbl/day (B-1971)

Oil - proved reserves:

1.610 billion bbl (1 January B-1972)

Natural gas - production:

12.10 billion cu m (B-1971 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

11.03 billion cu m (B-1971 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

2.744 billion cu m (B-1971 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (B-1971 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

407 trillion cu m (1 January B-1972)

Exports:

$2.19 million (B-1974 est.)

Exports - commodities:

coal, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment

Exports - partners:

Myrmidonia 18.6%, Ichtya 9.2%, Erzeria 8.1%, Sarcisia 7.7%, Minor East Republic 7.4%, Orengia 4.6%, Etruskia 4.2% (B-1974)

Imports:

$1.2 million (B-1974 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products

Imports - partners:

Myrmidonia 14.8%, Ichtya 12.7%, Erzeria 11.8%, Sarcisia 5.8%, Minor East Republic 4.4%, Etruskia 4.1% (B-1974)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$2.2 billion (B-1974 est.)

Debt - external:

$0 (3rd quarter, B-1974 est.)

Economic aid - donor:

ANUS, $894 million (FY99/00)

Currency (code):

Garistian Drachm (GDR)

Currency code:

GDR

Exchange rates:

Garistian Drachmas per US dollar – 1,03 (C-1976), 1.08 (C-1975), 0.97 (C-1974), 0.93 (C-1973), 1.00 (C-1972)

Fiscal year:

1 January - 31 December

Communications

Gariston

Telephones - main lines in use:

11.625 million (B-1975)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

17.007 million (B-1975)

Telephone system:

general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; average growth of mobile cellular telephones
international: country code - 55; submarine cables to Di Maggio, Myrhh, Knoring; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (C-1975)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 26, FM 34, shortwave 1 (C-1975)

Radios:

25.5 million (C-1975)

Television broadcast stations:

8 (B-1975)

Televisions:

22.10 million (C-1975)

Internet country code:

.gn

Internet hosts:

1,847,863 (C-1975)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

28 (C-1975)

Internet users:

16.222 million (C-1975)

Transportation

Gariston

Railways:

total: 1,444 km

Highways:

total: 70,243 km
paved: 50,669 km (including 8,339 km of expressways)
unpaved: 19,574 km (B-1979 est.)

Waterways:

40 km (mainly used for recreation on Hillman and Hillman-Letzester area) (B-1974)

Pipelines:

condensate/gas 172 km; gas 7,480 km; liquid petroleum gas 80 km; oil 1,710 km; oil/gas/water 55 km (B-1974)

Ports and harbors:

Triehler, Dehanceville, Andelevitsville, Parouah, Olympic, Minotauria, Birg, Grund

Merchant marine:

total: 63 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,831,461 GRT/2,000,009 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 12, chemical tanker 3, container 9, liquefied gas 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 5
foreign-owned: none
registered in other countries: none (B-1975)

Airports:

18 (B-1974 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 18
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: none
under 914 m: none (B-1974 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: none
1,524 to 2,437 m: -
914 to 1,523 m: -
under 914 m: - (B-1974 est.)

Military

Gariston

Military branches:

Garistian Defense Force (GDF): Garistian Army, Tyrannical Garistian Navy, Tyrannical Garistian Air Force, Special Underwater Missions

Military manpower - military age and obligation:

16 years of age for voluntary service (B-1971)

Military manpower - availability:

males age 16-49: 8,912,5176 (B-1975 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 8,112,221 (B-1975 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:

males: 1,078 (B-1975 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:

$2.3 billion (B-1974)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

10.1% (B-1974)

Transnational Issues

Gariston

Disputes - international:

Ongoing dispute with Ichtya over the possession of the strip of land over Marlett.

Illicit drugs:

none

This page was last updated on 20 August, B-1975