land to become
a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of
that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New
Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to
about 50 today.

Poland:
Poland gained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by
Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet
satellite country following the war, but one that was comparatively
tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation
of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a
political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and
the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s
enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most
robust in Central Europe, boosting hopes for acceptance to the EU.
Poland joined the NATO alliance in 1999.

Portugal:
Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and
16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the
destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the
Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.
A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six
decades repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a left-wing
military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The following year
Portugal granted independence to all of its African colonies.
Portugal entered the EC in 1985.

Puerto Rico:
Discovered by Columbus in 1493, the island was ceded by
Spain to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. A
popularly elected governor has served since 1948. In plebiscites
held in 1967 and 1993, voters chose to retain commonwealth status.

Qatar:
Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar
transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for
pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural
gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari
economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum
revenues by the amir who had ruled the country since 1972. He was
overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani,
in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its
longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil
and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income
not far below th