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Compare Aruba (2004) - Congo, Republic of the (2001)

Compare Aruba (2004) z Congo, Republic of the (2001)

 Aruba (2004)Congo, Republic of the (2001)
 ArubaCongo, Republic of the
Administrative divisions none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) 9 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha
Age structure 0-14 years: 20.3% (male 7,429; female 7,051)


15-64 years: 68.2% (male 23,587; female 25,007)


65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,347; female 4,797) (2004 est.)
0-14 years:
42.43% (male 618,411; female 609,633)

15-64 years:
54.23% (male 765,501; female 804,125)

65 years and over:
3.34% (male 38,772; female 57,894) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products aloes; livestock; fish cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
Airports 1 (2003 est.) 33 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total:
4

over 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total:
29

1,524 to 2,437 m:
7

914 to 1,523 m:
12

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
Area total: 193 sq km


land: 193 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
342,000 sq km

land:
341,500 sq km

water:
500 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Washington, DC slightly smaller than Montana
Background Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990. Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO.
Birth rate 11.53 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 38.24 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $135.8 million


expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000)
revenues:
$870 million

expenditures:
$970 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Capital Oranjestad Brazzaville
Climate tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Coastline 68.5 km 169 km
Constitution 1 January 1986 Draft constitution approved by transitional parliament in September 2000
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Aruba
conventional long form:
Republic of the Congo

conventional short form:
none

local long form:
Republique du Congo

local short form:
none

former:
Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
Currency Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Death rate 6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 16.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $285 million (1996) $5 billion (1999 est.)
Dependency status part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs -
Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles, Robert E. SORENSON, is accredited to Aruba chief of mission:
Ambassador David H. KAEUPER

embassy:
NA

mailing address:
NA

telephone:
[243] (88) 43608

FAX:
[243] (88) 41036

note:
the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)
Diplomatic representation in the US none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) chief of mission:
(vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Serge MOMBOULI

chancery:
4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone:
[1] (202) 726-5500

FAX:
[1] (202) 726-1860
Disputes - international none most of the Congo river boundary with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite (no agreement has been reached on the division of the river or its islands, except in the Stanley Pool/Pool Malebo area)
Economic aid - recipient $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996 $159.1 million (1995)
Economy - overview Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and low unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. Tourist arrivals have declined in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. The government now must deal with a budget deficit and a negative trade balance. The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. Moreover, the government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to the government's shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994, but inflation has subsided since. Economic reform efforts continued with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. However, economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the Republic of the Congo's budget deficit. Even with the IMF's renewed confidence and high world oil prices, Congo is unlikely to realize growth of more than 5% in 2001-02. With the return to fragile peace, the IMF approved a $14 million credit in November 2000 to aid post-conflict reconstruction.
Electricity - consumption 494.7 million kWh (2001) 406.9 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 126 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 531.9 million kWh (2001) 302 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
0.66%

hydro:
99.34%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mount Berongou 903 m
Environment - current issues NA air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements - party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans NA%; note - Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997 civil war; may be half that of 1998, following the widespread destruction of foreign businesses in 1997
Exchange rates Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999) Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XAF per euro
Executive branch chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001)


cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)


elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)


election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA
chief of state:
President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 August 1992 (next was to be held 27 July 1997 but will be delayed for several years pending the drafting of a new constitution)

election results:
Pascal LISSOUBA elected president in 1992; percent of vote - Pascal LISSOUBA 61.3%, Bernard KOLELAS 38.7%; note - LISSOUBA was deposed in 1997, replaced by Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO
Exports NA (2001) $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment petroleum 50%, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Exports - partners Netherlands 33.7%, Colombia 12%, Netherlands Antilles 12%, Panama 12%, Venezuela 10.8%, US 9.6% (2003) US 23%, Benelux 14%, Germany, Italy, Taiwan, China (1998)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $3.1 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA


industry: NA


services: NA
agriculture:
10%

industry:
48%

services:
42% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -1.5% (2002 est.) 3.8% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 30 N, 69 58 W 1 00 S, 15 00 E
Geography - note a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
Highways total: 800 km


paved: 513 km


unpaved: 287 km


note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior (1995)
total:
12,800 km

paved:
1,242 km

unpaved:
11,558 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity -
Imports NA (2001) $870 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs petroleum products, capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Imports - partners US 55.3%, Netherlands 13%, Netherlands Antilles 3.1% (2003) France 23%, US 9%, Belgium 8%, UK 7%, Italy (1997 est.)
Independence none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) 15 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA (2002 est.) NA%
Industries tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining petroleum extraction, cement kilning, lumbering, brewing, sugar milling, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarette making
Infant mortality rate total: 6.02 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 6.85 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
99.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.2% (2002 est.) 3.5% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WToO (associate) ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) 10 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch) Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Labor force 41,500 (1997 est.) NA
Labor force - by occupation most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining -
Land boundaries 0 km total:
5,504 km

border countries:
Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon 1,903 km
Land use arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.47% (2001)
arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
29%

forests and woodland:
62%

other:
9% (1993 est.)
Languages Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo has the most users)
Legal system based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence based on French civil law system and customary law
Legislative branch unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%, PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP 12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1
unicameral National Transitional Council (75 seats, members elected by reconciliation forum of 1,420 delegates on NA January 1998); note - the National Transitional Council replaced the bicameral Parliament

elections:
National Transitional Council - last held NA January 1998 (next to be held NA 2001); note - at that election the National Transitional Council is to be replaced by a bicameral assembly

election results:
National Transitional Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.98 years


male: 75.64 years


female: 82.49 years (2004 est.)
total population:
47.57 years

male:
44.38 years

female:
50.85 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition:


total population: 97%


male: NA


female: NA
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
74.9%

male:
83.1%

female:
67.2% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm territorial sea:
200 NM
Merchant marine total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,772 GRT/7,068 DWT


by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2


foreign-owned: Germany 1, Russia 1


registered in other countries: 1 (2003 est.)
-
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands -
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard Army, Air Force, Navy, Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $110 million (FY93)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 3.8% (FY93)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
684,922 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
347,946 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
32,350 (2001 est.)
National holiday Flag Day, 18 March Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
Nationality noun: Aruban(s)


adjective: Aruban; Dutch
noun:
Congolese (singular and plural)

adjective:
Congolese or Congo
Natural hazards lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt seasonal flooding
Natural resources NEGL; white sandy beaches petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 25 km
Political parties and leaders Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Alliance or Aliansa [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Party or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Jan (Henny) H. EMAN]; Concentration for the Liberation of Aruba or CLA [leader NA]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or PARA [Urbana LOPEZ]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY] the most important of the many parties are the Democratic and Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of Convention for Alternative Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party, National Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic Union for the National Reconstruction, and Union for the National Renewal) [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Association for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC
Population 71,218 (July 2004 est.) 2,894,336

note:
estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate 0.51% (2004 est.) 2.2% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire
Radio broadcast stations AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)
Radios - 341,000 (1997)
Railways - total:
894 km

narrow gauge:
894 km 1.067-m gauge (2000)
Religions Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: more than adequate


international: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
general assessment:
services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out-of-order

domestic:
primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 37,100 (2002) 22,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 53,000 (2001) 1,000 (1996)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 1 (1999)
Terrain flat with a few hills; scant vegetation coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Total fertility rate 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.) 5 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 0.6% (2003 est.) NA%
Waterways - 1,120 km

note:
the Congo and Ubangi (Oubangui) rivers provide 1,120 km of commercially navigable water transport; other rivers are used for local traffic only
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