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Country Profiles

Canada

Geography
Continent: North America
Capital: Ottawa
Population: 31.1 million (2001)
Area Size: 9,970,610 km2
Major Languages: English and French
Major Religions: Roman Catholic (45%) United Church (12%) Anglican (8%)
   
Politics
Official Name: Canada
Joined G-8: 1976
Government: Constitutional monarchy
Legislatures: Senate (Upper Chamber), House of Commons (Lower Chamber)
Leaders: Governor General Clarkson, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien
   
Economics
GDP: US$700.4 billion (2000)
GDP growth: 4.4% (2000)
GDP per capita: US$22,763 (2000)
Exports: $422.69 billion (2000) transportation equipment, capital equipment, pulp and paper, fuels, wood, minerals, aluminum
Imports: $363.3 billion (2000) transportation equipment, capital equipment, electronics, plastic resins, plastic materials, plastic manufactured products
Inflation: 2.7% (2000)
Unemployment: 7.3% (October 2001)

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United States

Geography
Continent: North America
Capital: Washington, D.C.
Population: 283.8 million (March 2001 est.)
Area Size: 9,629,091 km2
Major Languages: English, Spanish
Major Religions: Protestant (56%) Roman Catholic (28%) Jewish (2%)
   
Politics
Official Name: United States
Joined G-8: 1975
Government: Republic
Legislatures: Senate (Upper Chamber) House of Representatives (Lower Chamber)
Leaders: President George W. Bush
   
Economics
GDP: US$9.96 trillion (2000)
GDP growth: 5.0% (2000)
GDP per capita: US$33,888 (2000)
Exports: Machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, aircraft, wheat, chemicals, plastic resins, plastic materials, plastic manufactured products, agricultural products, military supplies
Imports: Petroleum and petroleum products, non-ferrous base metals, fertilizers, agricultural products, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, raw materials
Inflation: 3.4% (2000)
Unemployment: 4.0% (2000)

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United Kingdom

Geography
Continent: Europe
Capital: London
Population: 59.9 million (2001 est.)
Area Size: 241,752 km2
Major Languages: English, Welsh, Gaelic
Major Religions: Anglican (57%) Protestant (15%) Roman Catholic (13%)
   
Politics
Official Name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Joined G-8: 1975
Government: Constitutional monarchy
Legislatures: House of Lords (Upper Chamber) House of Commons (Lower Chamber)
Leaders: Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister Tony Blair
   
Economics
GDP: US$1.42 trillion (2000)
GDP growth: 3.0% (2000)
GDP per capita: US$24,228 (2000)
Exports: Machinery, vehicles, mineral fuels, oil, metals, medical instruments, pharmaceutical products
Imports: Machinery, vehicles, metals, medical instruments, plastic resins, plastic materials, plastic manufactured products, aircraft, spacecraft
Inflation: 2.1% (2000)
Unemployment: 5.6% (2000)

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Italy

Geography
Continent: Europe
Capital: Rome
Population: 57.6 million (1999)
Area Size: 301,255 km2
Major Languages: Italian
Major Religions: Roman Catholic (99%)
   
Politics
Official Name: Republic of Italy
Joined G-8: 1975
Government: Republic
Legislatures: Senate (Upper Chamber), Chamber of Deputies (Lower Chamber)
Leaders: President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
   
Economics
GDP: US$1.08 trillion (2000)
GDP growth: 2.9% (2000)
GDP per capita: US$19,107 (1999)
Exports: Engineering products, textiles, clothing, leather products, transport equipment, chemicals, food, beverages, tobacco
Imports: Engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, minerals and non-ferrous metals, energy products, textiles, clothing, leather products
Inflation: 2.6% (2000)
Unemployment: 10.6% (2000)

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Japan

Geography
Continent: Asia
Capital: Tokyo
Population: 126.9 million (2000 est.)
Area Size: 377,864 km2
Major Languages: Japanese
Major Religions: Shinto and Buddhist (84%) Soka Gaki and Christian (16%)
   
Politics
Official Name: Japan
Joined G-8: 1975
Government: Constitutional monarchy
Legislatures: House of Councillors (Upper Chamber) House of Representatives (Lower Chamber)
Leaders: Emperor Akihito, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi
   
Economics
GDP: US$4.61 trillion (2000)
GDP growth: 1.7% (2000)
GDP per capita: US$37,748 (2000)
Exports: Machinery, motor vehicles, consumer electronics and computers
Imports: Mineral fuels, foodstuffs, raw materials, machinery, metallic ore
Inflation: -0.6% (2000)
Unemployment: 4.7% (2000)

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European Union

Geography
Continent: Europe
Headquarters: Brussels, Strasbourg, Luxembourg
Population: 376 million (2000)
Area Size: 3,241,380 km2
Major Languages: Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish
   
Politics
Official Name: European Union
Joined G-8: 1977 (Observer Status)
Government: Partially sovereign treaty organization comprising Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom
Institutions: Council of the European Union, European Commission, European Parliament, European Court of Justice.
Leaders: Romano Prodi (President of the European Commission), Christopher Patten (Commissioner for External Affairs)
   
Economics
GDP: US$7.8 trillion (2000)
GDP growth: 3.4% (2000)
GDP per capita: US$20,826 (2000)
Exports: Machinery, electrical machinery, vehicles, aircraft, spacecraft, organic chemicals, pharmaceutical products
Imports: Machinery, electrical machinery, mineral fuels, oil, vehicles, medical instruments
Inflation: 2.1% (2000)
Unemployment: 8.3% (2000)

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France

Geography
Continent: Europe
Capital: Paris
Population: 159 million (2000)
Area Size: 550,000 km2
Major Languages: French
Major Religions: Roman Catholic (90%) Protestant (2%) Jewish (1%) Muslim (1%)
   
Politics
Official Name: French Republic
Joined G-8: 1975
Government: Republic
Legislatures: Senate (Upper Chamber), National Assembly (Lower Chamber)
Leaders: President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Lionel Jospin
   
Economics
GDP: $1.448 trillion (2000 est.)
GDP growth: 3.2% (2000)
GDP per capita: US$22,900 (2000)
Exports: Machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, iron and steel products, agricultural products, textiles and clothing
Imports: Crude oil, machinery and equipment, chemicals, agricultural products
Inflation: 1.6% (2000)
Unemployment: 6.9% (February 2001)

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Germany

Geography
Continent: Europe
Capital: Berlin
Population: 82.8 million (July 2000 est.)
Area Size: 357,000 km2
Major Languages: German
Major Religions: Protestant (38%) Roman Catholic (34%) Muslim (1.7%)
   
Politics
Official Name: Federal Republic of Germany
Joined G-8: 1975
Government: Republic
Legislatures: Federal Council (Upper Chamber) (Bundesrat), Federal

Assembly (Lower Chamber) (Bundestag)
Leaders: President Johannes Rau, Chancellor Gerhard Schröder
   
Economics
GDP: US$4.61 trillion (2000)
GDP growth: 3.01% (2000)
GDP per capita: US$22,878 (2000)
Exports: Machinery, vehicles, electrical machinery, plastic resins, plastic materials, plastic manufactured products, medical instruments, aircraft, spacecraft
Imports: Machinery, electrical machinery, vehicles, mineral fuels, plastic resins, plastic materials, plastic manufactured products, aircraft, spacecraft
Inflation: 2.1% (2000)
Unemployment: 7.8% (2000)

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Russia

Geography
Continent: Europe, Asia
Capital: Moscow
Population: 144.8 million (January 2001)
Area Size: 17,075,200 km2
Major Languages: Russian
Major Religions: Russian Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist
   
Politics
Official Name: Russian Federation
Joined G-8: 1997
Government: Republic
Legislatures: Federal Council (Upper Chamber) State Duma (Lower Chamber)
Leaders: President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov
   
Economics
GDP: US$246.7 billion (2000)
GDP growth: 8.3% (2000)
GDP per capita: US$1,672 (2000)
Exports: Energy products, machinery and equipment, minerals and metals, food products, chemicals
Imports: Machinery and equipment, food products, textiles, chemicals, mineral and metal products
Inflation:

20.2% (2000)
Unemployment: 9.6% (February 2001)

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