weather began to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial purposes Literacy: total population: 69.87 years male: 69.7 years female: 54.38 years (1993 est.) Birth rate: 27.99 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $5.1 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: coffee 45%, sugar, shrimp, cotton partners: France, other EC countries. The economy depends heavily on British system National holiday: Independence Day, 1 December 1991, effective 20 January 1993) Member of: ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEEAC (observer), ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, G-15, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, LORCS, OAS, OPANAL, PCA, RG, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador G. Philip HUGHES embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Canada. From January 1, 2001;
dehydration