EQUATORIAL GUINEA

Official name: Republic of Equatorial Guinea

Capital: Malabo

Population: 400,000

Currency: CFA franc

Official language: Spanish

Comprising five islands and the territory of Rio Muni on the west coast of Africa, Equatorial Guinea lies just north of the Equator. Mangrove swamps border the mainland coast. It gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of Spanish rule. Multipartyism was accepted in 1991.

CLIMATE: The island of Bioko is extremely wet and humid, with an annual rainfall of 200 centimetres, while the mainland is only marginally drier and cooler.

TRANSPORT: Apart from once or twice weekly Iberia flights, all air links are through neighbouring countries. The Chinese financed the Ncue-Mongomo Highway project in the 1980s.

TOURISM: Equatorial Guinea is restricted to the adventurous, independent tourist despite the attraction of Malabo's scenery and beaches.

PEOPLE: Mainland has a majority of Fang, a people who also inhabit Cameroon and northern Gabon, Bioko is populated by a majority of Bubi and a minority of Creoles (known as Fernandinos). The Macias dictatorship consolidated the power of Fang especially the Mongomo clan, from which both Macias and his successor Obiang come.

POLITICS: Despite becoming a multiparty state in 1991, some of the exiled political parties have not returned. The ruling PDGE was set up in 1987 by Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo after he overthrew his dictator uncle Francisco Macias Nguema's National Worker's Party (PUNT) in 1979. Multipartyism, initiated in 1988, has been marked by instability. The main 1993 elections were boycotted by the main opposition parties, while the presidential poll in 1996 in which Obiang was the only candidate was declared farcical by observers.

WORLD AFFAIRS: The country has sought to rebuild its international links after a period of isolation. However, many are wary of the Obiang regime.

AID: The EU, World Bank, IMF and Arab funds are all important sources of aid.

DEFENCE: Morocco has provided a 360-strong presidential guard since the early 1980s to guarantee Obiang's security. Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon have interests in maintaining the autonomy of the Malabo and Rio Muni regions.

ECONOMICS: GNP: $167 million World GNP ranking: 186th Balance of payments: $-22 million. Strengths: Fertile soils, large tropical timber reserves, cocoa and coffee, extensive potential for fisheries. Oil and natural gas reserves. Weaknesses: Lasting effects of economic regression under the dictatorship. Bad administration and ideological attacks on the educated have restricted growth. Poor communications.

RESOURCES: Electricity production: 19 million kwh. Oil reserves: 3,600,000 billion barrels. Livestock: 36,000 sheep; 8,000 goats; 5,000 cattle.

ENVIRONMENT: The government has failed to take serious measures to stop rainforest depletion.

MEDIA: There is little sign of press liberalisation.

CRIME: Levels of crime are relatively low although a lot goes unreported. Human rights abuses occur.

EDUCATION: Declined in the Macias years when attendance rates fell from 90 per cent to 55 per cent. Funding is poor.

HEALTH: Life expectancy has risen from 37 years in 1960 to 47 in 1990. Restoring health care is a priority.

WEALTH: The little wealth tends to be concentrated in the ruling clan. Position in World (192 countries)

Life expectancy 174 Infant mortality 175 GNP per capita 157 Daily calorie intake 126 Literacy 155 Schooling index 104 Educational rank 104 Human dev. index 142

CHILE

Official name: Republic of Chile

Capital: Santiago

Population: 14.5 million

Total land area: 748 800 sq.km (289 112 sq.miles)

Currency: Chilean peso

Official language: Spanish

Climate: The world's driest desert, the Atacama, which is situated in the north of the country, is frequently cool and cloudy The central regions have a Mediterranean climate, with changeable winters and hot, dry summers. The higher reaches of the Andes have an alpine climate. The south is the wettest region.

Chile extends in a narrow ribbon 4,350 kilometres down the Pacific coast of South America. The plains of the central pampa lie between a coastal range and the Andes. Most people live in the fertile heartland around the capital Santiago. Glaciers are a prominent feature of the southern Andes, as are fjords, lakes and deep sea channels.

TRANSPORT: The country's unusual shape makes air travel essential. Internal air routes are well developed and some are served by air taxis. The Pan-American is the only arterial road, crossing the Peruvian border and running down via Santiago to Puerto Montt.

TOURISM: The Pinochet years saw a dramatic decrease in tourism from the US and Europe, although neighbouring countries still continued to visit. Since 1988, tourism has grown. The stunning Andean scenery and the long coastline are the main attractions.

PEOPLE: Highly urbanised - 86 per cent of the country's population live in towns. Most people are of mixed Spanish-Indian descent. The Mapuche Indians live almost exclusively in the south. Many Chileans live on subsistence wages.

POLITICS: After 12 years of military rule under General Pinochet, Chile returned to multiparty democracy in 1989 following a popular referendum. Since then politics has been more stable and the economy continues to grow. The armed forces retain an influential role.

WORLD AFFAIRS: The main trading partner is the US. A territorial dispute with Argentina over islands in the Beagle Channel was settled in 1984 with Vatican mediation. Border disputes continue with Bolivia and Peru.

AID: Aid is in the form of debts rescheduled by the World Bank at the instigation of the US.

DEFENCE: The military enjoyed preferential treatment under General Pinochet. Today its considerable influence is demonstrated by the failure to press human rights charges over atrocities committed during the Pinochet years.

RESOURCES: Electricity generation: 22.4 billion kwh Livestock: 4.6 million sheep, 3.7 million cattle, 1.4 million pigs, 600,000 goats Mineral resources: coal, copper, gold, silver, iron, molybdenum, iodine.

ENVIRONMENT: The environment does not rank highly on the political agenda. Pinochet's constitution enshrined the right to live in a pollution-free environment, but bad smogs still cover Santiago due partly to diesel fumes from the city's buses.

MEDIA: Brutally controlled under Pinochet; journalists "disappeared" in the early years of the regime. Today, they are relatively free to write what they want but they can still be tried under military justice for slander of the armed forces.

CRIME: The judiciary is still not independent and is not pursuing human rights cases committed under Pinochet's military rule despite the discovery of mass graves in 1991.

EDUCATION: Environment and human rights now appear on the school curricula.

HEALTH: Eighty per cent of the population are covered by the public health service.

WEALTH: The middle class did well under Pinochet. The poor are 15 per cent worse off than in 1970. Four million people live just above the UN poverty line and one million live below it Position in World (192 countries))

Life expectancy 41 Infant mortality 50 GNP per capita 55 Daily calorie intake 111 Literacy 72 Schooling index 57 Educational rank 555 Human dev. index 33

SRI LANKA

Separated from India by the Palk Strait, Sri Lanka comprises one large island and several coral islets to the northwest known as Adam's Bridge.

TRANSPORT: The main roads are crowded and slow, although those roads leading to resorts are being improved. Air Lanka flies non-stop to Europe.

TOURISM: The tourist industry suffered setbacks in 1995 and 1996 when Colombo became the target of Tamil bomb attacks.

PEOPLE: Civil war erupted in 1983 between the minority Tamils and the majority Sinhalese. Under British rule the Tamils were favoured, but when Sri Lanka (named Ceylon under the British Empire) gained independence in 1948, laws were passed to redress the balance by favouring the Sinhalese. The resulting conflict has a religious dimension; Tamils are mostly Muslim or Hindu while Sinhalese are Buddhist.

POLITICS: The TamiI-Sinhalese conflict influences all political debate. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam want an independent state in the north and east and the government is committed to keeping Sri Lanka unified, although it is now considering plans for regional autonomy. Peace talks collapsed in April 1995. Since then a massive army operation and the resumption of civilian bombing campaigns by the LTTE have hardened attitudes.

WORLD AFFAIRS: Relations with India are important. The 1987 Indo-Sri Lankan accords led to Indian troops playing a peace-keeping role. However they were forced to pull out after becoming embroiled in fighting with the LTTE, which is suspected of killing Rajiv Gandhi in 1992.

AID: President Chandrika Kumaratunga responded positively to Western aid aimed at improving its human rights record.

DEFENCE: Foreign military assistance has been sought to defeat the LTTE.

ECONOMICS: GNP: $11.6 billion World GNP ranking: 78th GNP per capita: $640 Balance of payments: minus $546 million Strengths: World's largest tea exporter. Export Processing Zones and state privatisation programmes attract foreign investments. Weaknesses: Civil war is a drain on funds and deters investors and tourists. Poor infrastructure.

RESOURCES: Electricity generation: 3.5 billion kwh. Livestock: 1.6 million cattle, 500,000 goats, 90,000 pigs. Mineral resources: gemstones, graphite, iron, monazite, uranium, ilmenite, clay.

ENVIRONMENT: The government is aware of the tourism benefits of protecting its environment and has successfully promoted national parks.

MEDIA: The government of Kumaratunga was criticised after it imposed press censorship in late 1995 in an attempt to control war reporting.

CRIME: Both the army and the LTTE have been accused of human rights' abuses. Civil war has claimed 30,000 lives since 1983.

EDUCATION: Sri Lanka has the highest literacy rate of any developing nation. Many students attend universities in the US.

HEALTH: High spending results in an accessible, feefree system. Ayurvedic medicine is popular.

WEALTH: Economic growth has created a new class of wealthy Sinhalese. Tamil tea workers are the poorest section of society.

Official name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Capital: Colombo

Population: 18.4 million

Total land area: 64,740 sq.km (24,996sq. miles)

Currency: Sri Lanka rupee

Official Language: Sinhalese

Climate: Sri Lanka enjoys a tropical climate with afternoon breezes on the coast and cooler air in the highlands Position in World (192 countries)

Life expectancy 52 Infant mortality 55 GNP per capita 141 Daily calorie intake 140 Literacy 95 Schooling index 89 Educational rank 79 Human dev. index 97

Akron, Ohio, Krispy Kreme Doughnut Shop Offers Recipe for Success

You get no bagels and no cream cheese at the Krispy Kreme on Maple Street. "Just doughnuts," said co-owner Chuck Asente. "We've avoided fads -- no soups, no hot dogs." The company recently attracted national attention when it went public and started adding stores in the dot-com world of the Pacific Northwest. But there is much more than hot doughnuts at the oldest operating Krispy Kreme in America. On a muggy morning this week, groups of old pals came together to sip coffee and spin about their world over glazed doughnuts. "We sit there and talk politics, world events, sports," said Richard T. Montgomery, 63, a retired Summit County Human Services caseworker. Montgomery said he has been coming to Krispy Kreme "religiously" most mornings for about 10 years and about 20 years on and off. He and his friend Walter Childers talked about picking strawberries and fishing. The location at 354 S. Maple St. was opened in 1939 -- one of the first outside Winston-Salem, N.C., where the company started in 1937. Company officials say the Maple Street store is the oldest continuously operated Krispy Kreme in the country. There are now 150 locations in 27 states -- including 12 in Ohio -- with more planned. A scene in the 1998 movie Primary Colors has actor John Travolta playing a Bill Clinton-like politician, eating Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Corporate marketing director Steve Bumgarner said there are no Krispy Kreme doughnut stores in Arkansas, and he didn't know whether Clinton actually is a fan. "You have to ask Bill Clinton," Bumgarner said. The White House did not return a call yesterday seeking that information. When Clinton visited the Cleveland area a few years ago, Asente sent Krispy Kreme doughnuts from the Middleburg Heights store to the rally where the president was appearing. Over the winter, the Maple Street store spent $500,000 to remodel and add a drive-through window and also bought new, automated equipment that doubled the doughnut-making capacity, Asente said. The drive-through window accounts for 25 percent of sales. When store owners were talking about remodeling, there was some discussion about moving to another neighborhood, but that idea never went anywhere, Asente said. "We take our stand right here," he said. The store was opened by Ed Richardson in 1939 and purchased in 1969 by semi-pro baseball manager Robert Simmons Sr., former Ellet High principal. Simmons and his son, Robert "Bobby" Simmons Jr., and Asente, who is Bobby Simmons' brother-in-law, now own six Krispy Kremes in the area. As doughnuts were cranked out this week, disciplining children was a topic for discussion among some friends gathered around a circular table at the front of the store. "We took prayer out of the schools -- and it had nothing to do with beliefs, it was a form of discipline," said Ed Hewitt, a 75-year-old retired construction worker and Red Cross volunteer. As an example, he shared a story about hiring a young man to mow his lawn. The man pushed Hewitt's mower over a rock and ruined the mower. "He tore it up," said Hewitt. "It was like a joke to him." From there, the discussion turned to rising gas prices. "They are gouging us," said Marvin Barner Sr., 61, an Army retiree. Regular Otto Weems talked about the need to fix up Wooster Field on Wooster Avenue. The discussion inside often touches hot issues, too. The subject of race came up one morning as Traian Boyer, 26, a roofer from Akron, said he has learned about the African-American experience from the older men he drinks coffee with each morning. Boyer is white and is married to an African-American woman, Shajuana Boyer. They have three children. "I learn some history and I can find out what it was like 50 years ago," said Boyer. "I don't want to be ignorant. My kids are half black." Otto Weems, a 69-year-old Goodyear retiree and an African-American, said he respected what Boyer was doing. "In order to understand where you are going, you have to understand where you've been," he said. Meanwhile, the doughnuts keep coming. With the ability to make 270 doughnuts an hour, the store can make enough to sell to more than 50 convenience stores. Creme sticks are made at the store on Front Street in Cuyahoga Falls. The keystone of the Maple Street store is the new glazed doughnut machine. Every six to seven seconds, six circles of dough are squeezed out. "It's like making little tires," said manager Rick Schrack, 45. Although the doughnut-making is automated, the jelly, fillings and icing are still added by hand, one at a time. And the retooled shop retains a major touch of the old. The original "hot do-nuts" neon sign still beckons hungry motorists. Asente, 50, has learned after nearly three decades at the store that many people have doughnut stories about Maple Street. He said store owners are thinking about sponsoring an essay contest to collect customers' tales. Ruth Stokes, a 25-year employee, knows what her regular customers will order when they walk in the door. "They are like family," she said. For Montgomery, it isn't just the doughnuts that keeps him coming back to Krispy Kreme. "Good conversations, good doughnuts, good coffee and you see friends," he said. ----- To see more of the Akron Beacon Journal, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.ohio.com/bj

Former Ambassador Discusses Politics, World Trade

Former ambassador Rozanne Ridgway says world trade is essential but filled with social and cultural complications.

In April, President Bush met in Quebec with 33 other leaders from the Western Hemisphere for a summit on free trade. But the news occurred outside, where police in riot gear clashed with some of the 1,000 protestors. Security fences girded the meeting site.

It was hardly the first time a meeting on global trade had been upstaged. In 1999, protesters besieged Seattle, host of a meeting for the World Trade Organization. And last year, protesters targeted a global summit in Prague.

Large corporations, meanwhile, see international sales as a critical part of their strategy to maintain growth and ensure stability when different parts of the world's economy slow. Many executives argue that free trade improves economic conditions and supports democracy.

Rozanne Ridgway sees the issue of globalization both as a former ambassador and corporate board member. A Hamline University graduate who's still active with its alumni association, Ridgway joined the U.S. Foreign Service in 1957 and was Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs from 1985 to 1989. She now serves on boards for 3M Co., Boeing Co., Sara Lee Corp. and Emerson Electric Co.

She spoke with reporter Kevin Maler about politics and global trade.

QUESTION: Many large U.S. companies are looking overseas for long-term growth. What are some of the concerns investors should keep in mind?

ANSWER: Whether, in fact, the research has been done on the existence of a market for the product. What kinds of returns are expected over time? And whether or not the company has the experience or can acquire the experience among its personnel overseas to direct the enterprise.

Q: Is it the responsibility of management to weigh factors like human rights abuses before entering a country?

A: I would say, absolutely. I would say you cannot expect a corporation to be treated by the rule of law if the rule of law doesn't exist for its own people. That doesn't mean you're going to find the perfect world. One of the major challenges in an emerging market territory -- China comes to mind -- is how to balance an opportunity against an unattractive setting.

I think most large companies here, and I'm not speaking for any one company, believe that over time, open economies inevitably lead to open societies. I think companies that have gone ahead with investments -- they know there are risks, they know they are often subject to criticism -- but if they make sure their own workplace is an example of what can and should be done, most believe they are making a contribution.

Q: When should a company pull out of a country?

A: The obvious initial one would be interference with how you run your business, interference with your employees, a consistent lack of transparency in the host country, unpredictability and a dramatic change, say, in the business environment, like tax rates or the ability to repatriate profits until suddenly it is not a good business proposition.

Q: Critics of international trade say American companies that source overseas are simply exploiting lax regulations and poor working conditions. Is that true?

A: I know the arguments. The feeling that you're going overseas to run sweatshops. Chain people to machines, pay slave labor wages, put the work force here out of work while supporting unattractive regimes. I believe the companies that engage in that behavior deserve the spotlight they get.

I think they are the exception, not the rule. The companies are trying to bring into the marketplace, either in the U.S. or outside the U.S., a reasonably priced product. In many instances, that's best done by having overseas manufacturing. In many instances, it's the only way you can compete with products coming into the U.S.

And there are those who would argue, and I think I'm among them, that a broadly based, global economy produces more jobs, more good jobs, than fewer. The problem, and I don't think you can ignore it and you would be a fool to try to, is that there are displacements and adjustments and people are hurt, and I think provisions have to be made for that reality.

Q: Who holds companies accountable?

A: There's a basic body of U.S. law that governs behavior overseas. And there are interest groups. And the topic is accountability.

(Interest groups) are certainly part of the spotlight process. I think all you have to do is go down the list of people who are concerned today -- labor unions, environmentalists, human rights groups -- each comes to the issue from a different standpoint and each may want different outcomes, but they're there, and in many instances the function they perform helps keep us on the right track.

Official name: Republic of Fiji Capital: Suva Population: 800,000 Currency: Fiji dollar Official language: English

Fiji is a volcanic archipelago in the southern Pacific Ocean comprising two large islands and 880 smaller islets. From 1874 to 1970 Fiji was a British colony. The British introduced Indian workers to the islands and by 1946 their descendants, the Indo-Fijians, outnumbered the native Fijian. In 1987 native Fijians overthrew the democratically-elected government. After the coups, thousands of IndoFijians left the country. CLIMATE

The eastern sides of the main islands are wettest, having more than twice the annual rainfall of the western flanks. Fiji lies in a cyclone path. TRANSPORT

On the axis of Australia-US west coast air routes, Fiji is well served by international flights. TOURISM

Tourists -- mainly from Australia, New Zealand and the US west coast --are returning after a 76 per cent drop in numbers following the 1987 coups. PEOPLE

Population density: 44 people per square kilometre

Urban/rural population split: 40 per cent/60 per cent

The exodus of Indo-Fijians after the 1987 coups left native Fijians in the majority for the first time since 1946. Census figures in 1991 confirmed that they made up more than 51 per cent of the population. There are tensions between urban and rural native Fijians. Women, who head 12 per cent of households, are lobbying for more rights. They cannot obtain loans without a husband's or father's consent, while children born of marriages to non-Fijian men are denied full citizenship. POLITICS

The 1987 coups were justified as defending the land rights of native Fijians. In practice, they were a move by native Fijian chiefs to secure their power, which was being threatened both by the growing Indo-Fijian class, and the increasingly Westernised younger native Fijians. Although the 1990 constitution enshrining native Fijian supremacy is being amended, it is unlikely to change radically. WORLD AFFAIRS

Fiji is still working to repair its international reputation following the coups of 1987, the subsequent discriminatory constitution and its expulsion from the Commonwealth. AID

Fiji is one of the world's highest per capita aid recipients. Australia, Japan and the EU are the main donors. DEFENCE

Of the 3,900-strong, almost entirely native Fijian military, 1,200 are assigned to UN duties and have served in Lebanon and Egypt. ECONOMICS

GNP: $1.8 billion World GNP ranking: 137th GNP per capita: $2,320 Balance of payments: $13 million Strengths: Relatively well-diversified economy, with a growing tourist industry. Weaknesses: Migration of many IndoFijian professionals and entrepreneurs following the coups. Major exports sugar, copra and gold -- subject to large fluctuations in world prices.

RESOURCES

Electricity generation: 477 million kwh Livestock: 334,000 cattle, 205,000 goats, 115,000 pigs Fish catch per year: 31,399 tonnes Mineral resources: Gold and silver The varied terrain allows diversified agriculture. There are minerals and hydroelectric potential.

ENVIRONMENT

Tourism is damaging the coral reefs. MEDIA

Newspapers and video tapes are the major source of information on the islands. CRIME

Theft and drink-related violence top the crime list. Fiji also has one of the world's highest crime passionel rates EDUCATION

Education, originally modelled on the British system, is now mostly run by local committees and is increasingly racially segregated. Attendance, though high, is not compulsory. HEALTH

People living in rural areas and on the outlying islands are served by 95 nursing stations. Fiji is free of almost all tropical diseases, including malaria. WEALTH

Ostentatious displays of wealth are rare; prestige derives from family and land-holdings. The professional middle class, while still dominated by IndoFijians, is becoming more mixed. WORLD RANKING

Position in World (192 countries)

Life expectancy 52 Infant mortality 73 GNP per capita 74 Daily calorie intake 54 Literacy 99 Schooling index 22 Educational rank 61

HAITI

Official name: Republic of Haiti

Capital: Port-au-Prince

Population: 7.2 million

Currency: Gourde

Official languages: French and French Creole

Haiti occupies the western third of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Formerly a French colony, it was the first Caribbean island to achieve independence in 1804, and has been in a state of political chaos ever since -- most memorably, the exile of JeanClaude Duvalier in 1986. CLIMATE

Haiti lies mostly in the rain shadow of the central mountains so is slightly less humid than average for the Caribbean. TRANSPORT

By regional standards, Haiti has a poor road system. Ferries provide the main transport to the southern peninsula. TOURISM

Haiti's location, history and culture provided much of its attraction for tourists in the 1960s and 1970s. The resurgence of political instability and violence in the 1980s led to the industry's near collapse. PEOPLE

Population density: 261 people per square kilometre

Urban/rural population split: 30 per cent/70 per cent

Ethnic make-up: Most Haitians are descendants of Africans; a few have European roots, primarily French. Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas; Portau-Prince has the worst slums in the Caribbean. Social tensions run high, and focus on class rather than race. In recent years, the combination of political repression and a collapsing economy led many to emigrate illegally to the US, or the Dominican Republic. POLITICS

Haiti's politics has long been directly managed by the wealthy businessmen who live in palatial style above Port-au-Prince. It was this group, backed by the military, that supported the popularly detested "Baby Doc" Duvalier regime. Since his overthrow in 1986 they have financed regular coups to ensure that the 1987 democratic constitution cannot be implemented. The military last intervened in 1991 following the 1990 election of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Following Aristide's exile by the army, the UN imposed sanctions and the US government intervened militarily to restore him to office in 1994, primarily to stem the flow of refugees. In 1995, his left-wing, Lavalas Party won the legislative and presidential election and in 1996 Rene Preval was inaugurated as the new president. His administration is under strong US pressure to impose free-market politics. WORLD AFFAIRS

Following three years of sanctions, Haiti's economic links with the outside have been restored. AID

In 1995 the US made $134 million in aid conditional on a programme of privatisation. It has pledged $5 million for police training. The IMF is setting stiff conditions for loan support. DEFENCE

In 1994, the military were ousted and democracy restored. The armed forces and police were disbanded and an interim public security force of 3,000 formed. The US is now training a 4,000 strong police force. ECONOMICS

GNP: $1.5 billion

World GNP ranking: 143rd

GNP per capita: $220

Balance of payments: $4 million

Strengths: Few, although the outlook has been improved with the lifting of sanctions. Income comes from coffee and from Haitians living abroad. The transportation of narcotics to the US also provides large profits.

Weaknesses: Political instability. Manufacturing collapsed following sanctions in 1991. RESOURCES

Electricity generation: 430 million kwh Fish catch per year: 5,600 tonnes Livestock: 1.6 million cattle, 950,000 pigs, 432,000 horses

Mineral resources: marble, limestone, clay, silver, gold, natural asphalt

Haiti has no strategic resources. Under the recent economic sanctions, it had to find unofficial sources of oil; much was imported from Europe. ENVIRONMENT

Haiti's ecological problems receive little attention and it is one of the most environmentally degraded countries in the world. MEDIA

The media was largely controlled by intimidation under the military. Today, Haiti has a more open press. CRIME

Gun possession is widespread and crime levels are high. EDUCATION

Run by the state and the Roman Catholic and missionary churches, education is based on the French system. HEALTH

Most Haitians cannot afford health care. In rural areas, help is often sought from voodoo priests. WEALTH

The rigid class structure maintains extreme disparities of wealth between the mass of the population, who live in slums without running water or sanitation, and a few wealthy families, who live in luxury and educate their children in France. World Ranking

Position in World (192 countries)

Life expectancy 145 Infant mortality 153 GNP per capita 182 Daily calorie intake 184 Literacy 177 Schooling index 159 Educational rank 151 Human dev. index 148