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Compare Bahamas, The (2005) - Sri Lanka (2001)

Compare Bahamas, The (2005) z Sri Lanka (2001)

 Bahamas, The (2005)Sri Lanka (2001)
 Bahamas, TheSri Lanka
Administrative divisions 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern
Age structure 0-14 years: 27.9% (male 42,142/female 42,096)


15-64 years: 65.9% (male 97,865/female 101,047)


65 years and over: 6.2% (male 7,616/female 11,024) (2005 est.)
0-14 years:
25.99% (male 2,578,618; female 2,464,928)

15-64 years:
67.39% (male 6,369,881; female 6,708,852)

65 years and over:
6.62% (male 615,253; female 671,103) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products citrus, vegetables; poultry rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef
Airports 63 (2004 est.) 14 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 29


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total:
12

over 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
5

914 to 1,523 m:
6 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 34


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
total:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Area total: 13,940 sq km


land: 10,070 sq km


water: 3,870 sq km
total:
65,610 sq km

land:
64,740 sq km

water:
870 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Connecticut slightly larger than West Virginia
Background Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester.
Birth rate 17.87 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 16.58 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $1 billion


expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $106.7 million (FY03/04)
revenues:
$3 billion

expenditures:
$3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Nassau Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital
Climate tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
Coastline 3,542 km 1,340 km
Constitution 10 July 1973 adopted 16 August 1978
Country name conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas


conventional short form: The Bahamas
conventional long form:
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

conventional short form:
Sri Lanka

former:
Serendib, Ceylon
Currency - Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Death rate 8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $308.5 million (2002) $9.9 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ROOD


embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau


mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC 20521-3370


telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)


FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222
chief of mission:
Ambassador E. Ashley WILLS

embassy:
210 Galle Road, Colombo 3

mailing address:
P. O. Box 106, Colombo

telephone:
[94] (1) 448007

FAX:
[94] (1) 437345
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS


chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660


FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668


consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
chief of mission:
Ambassador Warnasena RASAPUTRAM

chancery:
2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028)

FAX:
[1] (202) 232-7181

consulate(s) general:
Los Angeles

consulate(s):
New York
Disputes - international have not been able to agree on the alignment of a maritime boundary with the US; continues to monitor and interdict Haitian refugees fleeing economic privation and political instability none
Economic aid - recipient $9.8 million (1995) $577 million (1998)
Economy - overview The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in these sectors in 2001-03. Financial services constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors. In addition to tourism and banking, the government supports the development of a "third pillar," e-commerce. In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an annual average rate of 5.5% throughout the 1990s until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-98 with growth of 6.4% and 4.7% - but slowed to 4.3% in 1999. Growth increased to 5.6% in 2000, with growth in tourism and exports leading the way. But a resurgence of civil war between the Sinhalese and the minority Tamils and a possible slowdown in tourism dampen prospects for 2001. For the next round of reforms, the central bank of Sri Lanka recommends that Colombo expand market mechanisms in nonplantation agriculture, dismantle the government's monopoly on wheat imports, and promote more competition in the financial sector.
Electricity - consumption 1.596 billion kWh (2002) 5.604 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 1.716 billion kWh (2002) 6.026 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
29.9%

hydro:
70.1%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Environment - current issues coral reef decay; solid waste disposal deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3% Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%
Exchange rates Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000) Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 83.506 (January 2001), 77.005 (2000), 70.635 (1999), 64.450 (1998), 58.995 (1997), 55.271 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dame Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002) and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
chief of state:
President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ratnasiri WICKRAMANAYAKE (since 10 August 2000) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist

head of government:
President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ratnasiri WICKRAMANAYAKE (since 10 August 2000) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005)

election results:
Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA) 51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%, other 7%
Exports transhipments of 29,000 bbl/day (2003) $5.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals; fruit and vegetables textiles and apparel, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum products
Exports - partners US 40.2%, Poland 13.3%, Spain 11.6%, Germany 5.9%, France 4.3% (2004) US 39%, UK 13%, Middle East 8%, Germany 5%, Japan 4% (1999)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border that goes around the entire flag and extends between the two panels
GDP - purchasing power parity - $62.7 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3%


industry: 7%


services: 90% (2001 est.)
agriculture:
21%

industry:
19%

services:
60% (1998)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,250 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3% (2004 est.) 5.6% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 24 15 N, 76 00 W 7 00 N, 81 00 E
Geography - note strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain of which 30 are inhabited strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes
Heliports 1 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 2,693 km


paved: 1,546 km


unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)
total:
11,285 km

paved:
10,721 km

unpaved:
564 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: 27% (2000)
lowest 10%:
1.8%

highest 10%:
39.7% (1995-96 est.)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; offshore financial center -
Imports NA $6.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals machinery and equipment, textiles, petroleum, foodstuffs
Imports - partners US 22.4%, South Korea 18.9%, Brazil 9.2%, Japan 7.9%, Italy 7.8%, Venezuela 6.6% (2004) Japan 10%, India 9%, Hong Kong 8%, Singapore 8%, South Korea 6% (1999)
Independence 10 July 1973 (from UK) 4 February 1948 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA 4% (1999)
Industries tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco
Infant mortality rate total: 25.21 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 31.02 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 19.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
16.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.2% (year ending September 2004) 8.5% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM, IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 5 (2000)
Irrigated land NA 5,500 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president
Labor force 156,000 (1999) 6.6 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (1999 est.) services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% (1998 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 0.8%


permanent crops: 0.4%


other: 98.8% (2001)
arable land:
14%

permanent crops:
15%

permanent pastures:
7%

forests and woodland:
32%

other:
32% (1993 est.)
Languages English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants) Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%

note:
English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population
Legal system based on English common law a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the parliament and call elections at any time


elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%, independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4
unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to serve six-year terms)

elections:
last held 10 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2006)

election results:
percent of vote by party - PA 45.11%, UNP 40.22%, JVP 6%, NUA 2.29%, SU 1.48%, TULF 1.23%, other 3.67%; seats by party - PA 107, UNP 89, JVP 10, TULF 5, EPDP 4, NUA 4, TELO 3, ACTC 1, SU 1, independent 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 65.54 years


male: 62.11 years


female: 69.04 years (2005 est.)
total population:
72.09 years

male:
69.58 years

female:
74.73 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 95.6%


male: 94.7%


female: 96.5% (2003 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
90.2%

male:
93.4%

female:
87.2% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total: 1,119


by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 183, cargo 259, chemical tanker 54, combination ore/oil 17, container 74, liquefied gas 28, livestock carrier 2, passenger 116, passenger/cargo 40, petroleum tanker 168, refrigerated cargo 130, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 24


foreign-owned: 968 (Angola 4, Australia 4, Belgium 17, Canada 9, China 3, Croatia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 13, Denmark 18, Estonia 1, Finland 7, France 28, Germany 15, Greece 194, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 1, Italy 7, Japan 49, Jordan 2, Kenya 1, Latvia 1, Malaysia 12, Monaco 15, Netherlands 24, New Zealand 1, Nigeria 2, Norway 229, Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 12, Serbia & Montenegro 2, Singapore 11, Slovenia 1, South Korea 1, Spain 6, Sweden 9, Switzerland 4, Thailand 1, Trinidad & Tobago 2, Turkey 7, UAE 12, United Kingdom 55, United States 154, Uruguay 2)


registered in other countries: 35 (2005)
total:
20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 149,902 GRT/247,852 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 1, cargo 16, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches Royal Bahamaian Defense Force (naval forces) (2004) Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA $719 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 4.2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
5,304,323 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
4,119,511 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
193,522 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 10 July (1973) Independence Day, 4 February (1948)
Nationality noun: Bahamian(s)


adjective: Bahamian
noun:
Sri Lankan(s)

adjective:
Sri Lankan
Natural hazards hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind damage occasional cyclones and tornadoes
Natural resources salt, aragonite, timber, arable land limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower
Net migration rate -2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987)
Political parties and leaders Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE] All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [Nalliah GURUPAUAN]; Ceylon Workers Congress or CLDC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party [Raja COLLURE]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF [Srimani ATHULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRA]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Tilvan SILVA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [leader NA]; People's Alliance or PA [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SIDDATHAN]; Sihala Urumaya or SU [leader NA]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM and Ferial ASHRAFF]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [leader NA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SUBRAMANIUM]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [R. SAMPATHAN]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Upcountry People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either parliament or provincial councils
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE (insurgent group fighting for a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups
Population 301,790


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 2005 est.)
19,408,635 (July 2001 est.)

note:
since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of mid-1999, approximately 66,000 were housed in 133 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West
Population below poverty line NA 22% (1997 est.)
Population growth rate 0.67% (2005 est.) 0.87% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios - 3.85 million (1997)
Railways - total:
1,463 km

broad gauge:
1,404 km 1.676-m gauge

narrow gauge:
59 km 0.762-m gauge (1996)
Religions Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census) Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

65 years and over:
0.92 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: modern facilities


domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed


international: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)
general assessment:
very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas; some hope for improvement with privatization of national telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good international service (1999)

domestic:
national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)

international:
submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)
Telephones - main lines in use 131,700 (2003) 494,509 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 121,800 (2002) 228,604 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 2 (2004) 21 (1997)
Terrain long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Total fertility rate 2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.) 1.95 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 10.2% (2004 est.) 8.8% (1999 est.)
Waterways - 430 km (navigable by shallow-draft craft)
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