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Compare Albania (2005) - Solomon Islands (2005)

Compare Albania (2005) z Solomon Islands (2005)

 Albania (2005)Solomon Islands (2005)
 AlbaniaSolomon Islands
Administrative divisions 12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku i Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western
Age structure 0-14 years: 25.6% (male 476,989/female 434,298)


15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,199,964/female 1,144,886)


65 years and over: 8.6% (male 141,559/female 165,416) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 41.9% (male 114,860/female 110,404)


15-64 years: 54.9% (male 149,400/female 145,970)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 8,371/female 9,027) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Airports 11 (2004 est.) 33 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)
total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 8


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
total: 31


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Area total: 28,748 sq km


land: 27,398 sq km


water: 1,350 sq km
total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Maryland
Background Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks with links to government officials, and disruptive political opponents. Albania has made incremental progress in its democratic development since first holding multiiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain - particularly in regard to the rule of law. Despite some lingering problems, international observers have judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime and corruption, promoting economic growth, and decreasing the size of government. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy, large public debt, and an inadequate energy and tranportation infrastructure. Albania has played a largely helpful role in managing inter-ethnic tensions in southeastern Europe, and is continuing to work toward joining NATO and the EU. The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. In June 2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.
Birth rate 15.08 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 30.74 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.05 billion


expenditures: $2.46 billion, including capital expenditures of $500 million (2004 est.)
revenues: $49.7 million


expenditures: $75.1 million, including capital expenditures of $0 (2003)
Capital Tirana Honiara
Climate mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Coastline 362 km 5,313 km
Constitution adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998 7 July 1978
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Albania


conventional short form: Albania


local long form: Republika e Shqiperise


local short form: Shqiperia


former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
Death rate 5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 3.98 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $1.41 billion (2003) $180.4 million (2002)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Marcie B. RIES


embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana


mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510


telephone: [355] (4) 247285


FAX: [355] (4) 374957 and [355] (4) 232222
the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Agim NESHO


chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942


FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342
chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK


chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017


telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193


FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
Disputes - international the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the peaceful resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania," but the idea has little appeal among Albanian nationals; thousands of unemployed Albanians emigrate annually to nearby Italy and other developed countries Australian Defense Force leads the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) at the invitation of the Solomon Islands' Government to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security
Economic aid - recipient ODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000 est.) $28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2003 est.)
Economy - overview Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances from abroad of $600-$800 million, mostly from Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. Agriculture, which accounts for about one-half of GDP, is held back because of frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment, to clarify property rights, and to consolidate small plots of land. Energy shortages and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign investment. The planned construction of a new thermal power plant near Vlore and improved transmission and distribution facilities will help relieve the energy shortages. Also, the government is moving slowly to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic growth. On the positive side: growth was strong in 2003 and 2004, the nation has important oil and gas reserves, and inflation is not a problem. The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. Prior to the arrival of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), severe ethnic violence, the closing of key businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI has enabled a return to law and order, a new period of economic stability, and modest growth as the economy rebuilds.
Electricity - consumption 6.76 billion kWh (2004) 29.76 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 100 million kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 1.08 billion kWh (2004 est.) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 5.68 billion kWh (2004) 32 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m


highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.)


note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)
Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)
Exchange rates leke per US dollar - 102.649 (2004), 121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002), 143.485 (2001), 143.709 (2000) Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24 July 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September 2005)


cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by parliament


elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17 December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) NA
Exports - commodities textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
Exports - partners Italy 71.7%, Canada 4.3%, Germany 4.3% (2004) China 27.8%, South Korea 17.1%, Thailand 15.7%, Japan 9.7%, Philippines 4.8% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description red with a black two-headed eagle in the center divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 46.2%


industry: 25.4%


services: 28.4% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.6% (2004 est.) 5.8% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 41 00 N, 20 00 E 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Geography - note strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea) strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea
Government - note - June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA sought the intervention of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament approved the request for intervention in July 2003; troops from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24 July 2003. By the end of 2004 the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) had been scaled back to 302 police officers and 120 military in addition to civilian technical advisors.
Heliports 1 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 18,000 km


paved: 5,400 km


unpaved: 12,600 km (2002)
total: 1,360 km


paved: 34 km


unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens -
Imports 5,500 bbl/day (2004 est.) NA
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners Italy 34.8%, Greece 19.8%, Turkey 7.7%, Germany 5.3% (2004) Australia 24.6%, Singapore 23.1%, New Zealand 7.7%, Fiji 4.8%, Papua New Guinea 4.7% (2004)
Independence 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire) 7 July 1978 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 3.1% (2004 est.) NA
Industries food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower fish (tuna), mining, timber
Infant mortality rate total: 21.52 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 21.96 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 21.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 21.29 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 24.27 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 18.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.2% (2004 est.) 10% (2003 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 3,400 sq km (1998 est.) NA
Judicial branch Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals and district courts Court of Appeal
Labor force 1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2004 est.) 26,840 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 57%, non-agricultural private sector 20%, public sector 23% (2004 est.) agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total: 720 km


border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 21.09%


permanent crops: 4.42%


other: 74.49% (2001)
arable land: 0.64%


permanent crops: 2%


other: 97.36% (2001)
Languages Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population


note: 120 indigenous languages
Legal system has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens English common law, which is widely disregarded
Legislative branch unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; 100 are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for four-year terms)


elections: last held 4 July 2005 (next to be held July 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PD 55, PS 40, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 22
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than December 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP 20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents 18
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.24 years


male: 74.6 years


female: 80.15 years (2005 est.)
total population: 72.66 years


male: 70.16 years


female: 75.28 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: age 9 and over can read and write


total population: 86.5%


male: 93.3%


female: 79.5% (2003 est.)
definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Map references Europe Oceania
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 40,878 GRT/62,676 DWT


by type: cargo 24, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 2 (Denmark 1, Turkey 1)


registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
-
Military branches General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Defense Command, Logistics Command, Training and Doctrine Command no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $56.5 million (FY02) NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.49% (FY02) NA
National holiday Independence Day, 28 November (1912) Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Nationality noun: Albanian(s)


adjective: Albanian
noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
Natural hazards destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Net migration rate -4.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Nikolle LESI]; Communist Party of Albania or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or PAD [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or PBL [Arjan STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Adriatik ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party or PDR [Dashamir SHEHI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social Democracy Party or PDS [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albanian Party of Labor) [Fatos NANO]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vangjel DULE] Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]


note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions
Political pressure groups and leaders Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA] NA
Population 3,563,112 (July 2005 est.) 538,032 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line 25% (2004 est.) NA
Population growth rate 0.52% (2005 est.) 2.68% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore Honiara, Malloco Bay, Shortland Harbor, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Radio broadcast stations AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 2 (2001) AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)
Railways total: 447 km


standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)
-
Religions Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%


note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice
Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female


total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly 8 lines per 100 people; however, cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective


domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of Albania's Balkan neighbors


international: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines; adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2003)
general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 255,000 (2003) 6,600 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.1 million (2003) 1,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 3 (plus 58 repeaters) (2001) -
Terrain mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Total fertility rate 2.04 children born/woman (2005 est.) 4.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 14.8% officially; may be as high as 30% (2001 est.) NA%
Waterways 43 km (2004) -
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