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USA
Full country name: The United States of America (USA)
Population: 285,000,000
Area: 3,618,000 sq miles (9,370,000 sq km)
Capital city: Washington, DC (pop: 570,000)
People: Caucasian (71%), African American (12%), Latino (12%), Asian (4%), Native American (0.9%)
Languages: English, plus many secondary languages, chiefly Spanish
Religion: Protestant (56%), Roman Catholic (28%), Jewish (2%), Muslim (1%)
Government: Federal republic of 50 states
President: George W Bush
GDP: US$9.3 trillion
GDP per head: US$33,900
Annual growth: 4.1%
Inflation: 2.2%
Major industries: Oil, electronics, computers, automobile manufacturing, aerospace industries, agriculture
Major trading partners: Canada, Japan, the EU
Canada
Full country name: Canada
Area: 9,976,000 sq km (3.9 million sq miles)
Population: 31,280,000
Capital city: Ottawa (pop: 1,010,500)
People: British descent (28%), French descent (23%), Italian descent (3%), aboriginal peoples (2%), plus significant minorities of German, Ukrainian, Dutch, Greek, Polish and Chinese descent
Languages: English, French and 53 native languages
Religion: Catholic (45%), Protestant (36%) and minorities from most of the world's major religions
Government: Parliamentary democracy
Prime Minister: Paul Martin
Governor-General: Adrienne Clarkson
GDP: US$774 billion
GDP per head: US$25,000
Annual growth: 3%
Inflation: 3%
Major products/industries: processed and unprocessed minerals, food products, wood and paper products, transportation equipment, chemicals, fish products, petroleum and natural gas
Major trading partners: USA, Japan, EU, China and South Korea
Australia
Full country name: Commonwealth of Australia
Area: 7,682,300 sq km
Population: 19.5 million
Capital city: Canberra (pop: 313,000)
People: 94% European descent, 4% Asian, 1.5% Aboriginal
Languages: English, Aboriginal languages (plus numerous other European, Arabic and Asian languages)
Religion: 75% Christian, 1% Muslim, 1% Buddhist, 0.5% Jewish
Government: Independent member of the British Commonwealth
Prime Minister: John Howard
Governor-General: Dr Peter Hollingworth
GDP: US$418 billion
GDP per head: US$22,000
Annual growth: 4.5%
Inflation: 3%
Major products/industries: Minerals, oil, coal, gold, wool, cereals, meat.
Major trading partners: Japan, ASEAN, South Korea, US and the EU
NZ
Full country name: New Zealand
Area: 269,000 sq km
Population: 3.8 million
Capital city: Wellington (pop 345,000 )
People: 88% European (Pakeha), 12% Maori and Polynesian
Languages: English and Maori
Religion: Predominantly Christian (81%)
Government: Independent member of the British Commonwealth
Prime Minister: Helen Clark
GDP: US$85 billion
GDP per head: US$22,360
Annual growth: 2%
Inflation: 2%
Major industries: Food processing, wood and paper products, wool, textiles, dairy products, iron and steel
Major trading partners: Australia, Japan, the USA
Brazil
Full country name: República Federativa do Brazil
Area: 8,547,403 sq km (3,300,155 sq mi)
Population: 172 million
Capital city: Brasília
People: 55% European descent, 38% mulatto, 6% African descent (according to the 1980 census). In reality, these figures are skewed by whiteness being equated with social stature in Brazil.
Language: Portuguese
Religion: 70% Roman Catholic; also a significant proportion who either belong to various cults or practice Indian animism
Government: Federal republic
President: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
GDP: US$650 billion
GDP per head: US$4060
Inflation: 8% (1999)
Major industries:Textiles, shoes, chemicals, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, motor vehicles and parts, arms, soya beans, orange juice, beef, chicken, coffee, sugar
Major trading partners: EU, Central and South America, Asia, USA
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