Flag Of Central African Republic
Africa
Bureau of Public Affairs Electronic Information and Publications Office [Read More]
Background Notes
111111-- Central African Republic (06/05) ... 111111-- Czech Republic (04/05) ... 111111-- Dominican Republic (05/05) ... [Read More]
Consular Assistance Abroad U.S. Department of State
U.S. Department of State [Read More]
Liberia (04/05)
Liberia is a founding member of the United Nations and its specialized agencies and is a member of the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Development Bank (ADB), the Mano River Union (MRU), and the Non-Aligned Movement. ... Thousands of freed slaves from America soon arrived during the following years, leading to the formation of more settlements and culminating in a declaration of independence on July 26, 1847 of the Republic of Liberia. The idea of resettling free slaves in Africa was nurtured by the American Colonization Society (ACS), an organization that governed the Commonwealth of Liberia until independence in 1847. The new Republic of Liberia adopted American styles of life and established thriving trade links with other West Africans. ... [Read More]
Yugoslavia, Federal Republic of
The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Yugoslavia) [1], a constitutional republic consisting of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro, has a president and a parliamentary system of government based on multiparty elections. The new federal Government, which was formed on November 4, dropped any claim to being the sole successor state of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (which dissolved in 1992), and was recognized by the international community. Vojislav Kostunica was elected President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on September 24, and took office on October 7, after mass demonstrations by citizens protesting Slobodan Milosevic's attempts to manipulate the Federal Election Commission and force a second election round led Milosevic to concede defeat. Prior to Kostunica's election, former Yugoslav President Milosevic had brought Serbia closer to open dictatorship than ever before. Immediately following the 1999 war in Kosovo, Milosevic moved to cons ... [Read More]
Dominican Republic
On July 18, in Guayabin, on the northern border with Haiti, military agents shot and killed 6 Haitians and 1 Dominican citizen and wounded 13 others after they crossed the border illegally in a truck. The truck had sped through several military checkpoints, and members of the military pursued it until it crashed. Controversy exists as to whether the military personnel knew that the truck was filled with immigrants when they fired at it. A Commission with members from Haiti and the Dominican Republic was established to investigate the incident. The officers reportedly were tried in a military court, given letters of reprimand, and returned to military service. ... [Read More]
Congo-Kinshasa
Ferry and riverboat service to the Central African Republic is suspended due to rebel control of the Ubangui River. ... ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A passport, visa and evidence of yellow fever vaccination are required for entry. Some travelers arriving in Congo-Kinshasa without proper proof of yellow fever vaccination have been temporarily detained, had their passports confiscated, or been required to pay a fine. Visas should be obtained from an Embassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo-Kinshasa) prior to arrival. In years past, travelers entering with visas and/or entry/exit stamps from Rwanda, Uganda or Burundi have sometimes experienced difficulties at ports of entry. Additional information about visas may be obtained from the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo , 1726 M Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036, tel. (202) 234-7690, or Congo-Kinshasa's Permanent Mission to the U.N, 866 United ... [Read More]
wwwhbenbgnt
The majority of Benin's 6.59 million people livein the south. The population is young, with a life expectancy of 50 years.About 42 African ethnic groups live in this country: these various groupssettled in Benin at different times and also migrated within the country.Ethnic groups include the Yoruba in the southeast (migrated from Nigeriain the 12th century); the Dendi in the north-central area (theycame from Mali in the 16th century); the Bariba and the Fulbe(Peul) in the northeast; the Betammaribe and the Somba in the Atacora Range;the Fon in the area around Abomey in the South Central and the Mina, Xueda,and Aja (who came from Togo) on the coast. ... [Read More]
Mauritania (03/05)
French colonization at the beginning of the 20th century brought legal prohibitions against slavery and an end to interclan warfare. During the colonial period, the population remained nomadic, but sedentary black Africans, whose ancestors had been expelled centuries earlier by the Moors, began to trickle back into southern Mauritania. As the country gained independence in 1960, the capital city Nouakchott was founded at the site of a small colonial village, the Ksar, and 90% of the population was still nomadic. With independence, larger numbers of ethnic Sub-Saharan Africans (Haalpulaar, Soninke, and Wolof) entered Mauritania, moving into the area north of the Senegal River. Educated in French language and customs, many of these recent arrivals became clerks, soldiers, and administrators in the new state. ... [Read More]
|