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Compare Baker Island (2003) - Swaziland (2008)

Compare Baker Island (2003) z Swaziland (2008)

 Baker Island (2003)Swaziland (2008)
 Baker IslandSwaziland
Administrative divisions - 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
Age structure - 0-14 years: 40.3% (male 230,238/female 226,184)


15-64 years: 56.1% (male 304,899/female 331,036)


65 years and over: 3.6% (male 15,870/female 24,839) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products - sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep
Airports 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with vegetation and unusable (2002) 18 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways - total: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 17


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 10 (2007)
Area total: 1.4 sq km


land: 1.4 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 17,363 sq km


land: 17,203 sq km


water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC slightly smaller than New Jersey
Background The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast. Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King MSWATI III, the world's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in 2006, but political parties remain banned. The African United Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official political party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down between the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.
Birth rate - 26.98 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget - revenues: $1.216 billion


expenditures: $1.15 billion (2007 est.)
Capital - name: Mbabane


geographic coordinates: 26 18 S, 31 06 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


note: Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)
Climate equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun varies from tropical to near temperate
Coastline 4.8 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution - signed by the King in July 2005 went into effect on 8 February 2006
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Baker Island
conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland


conventional short form: Swaziland


local long form: Umbuso weSwatini


local short form: eSwatini
Death rate - 30.35 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external - $538.6 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Dependency status unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system -
Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission: Ambassador Maurice S. PARKER


embassy: Central Bank Building, Mahlokahla Street, Mbabane


mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane


telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445


FAX: [268] 404-5959
Diplomatic representation in the US - chief of mission: Ambassador Ephraim Mandla HLOPHE


chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002


FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254
Disputes - international none in 2006, Swazi king advocates resort to ICJ to claim parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal from South Africa
Economic aid - recipient - $46.03 million (2005)
Economy - overview no economic activity In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies approximately 70% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners. In 2007, the sugar industry increased efficiency and diversification efforts, in response to a 17% decline in EU sugar prices. Mining has declined in importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives more than nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends 60% of its exports. Swaziland's currency is pegged to the South African rand, subsuming Swaziland's monetary policy to South Africa. Customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union, which may equal as much as 70% of government revenue this year, and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. Swaziland is not poor enough to merit an IMF program; however, the country is struggling to reduce the size of the civil service and control costs at public enterprises. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. With an estimated 40% unemployment rate, Swaziland's need to increase the number and size of small and medium enterprises and attract foreign direct investment is acute. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2006-07 because of drought, and nearly two-fifths of the adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS.
Electricity - consumption - 1.3 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports - 872 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2007)
Electricity - production - 460 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location 8 m
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m


highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m
Environment - current issues no natural fresh water resources limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups - African 97%, European 3%
Exchange rates - lilangeni per US dollar - 7.4 (2007), 6.85 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003)
Executive branch - chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)


head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14 November 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch from among the elected members of the House of Assembly
Exports - 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities - soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit
Exports - partners - South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2% (2006)
Fiscal year - 1 April - 31 March
Flag description the flag of the US is used three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 11.8%


industry: 45.8%


services: 42.3% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 1.6% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 0 13 N, 176 31 W 26 30 S, 31 30 E
Geography - note treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: 1.6%


highest 10%: 40.7% (2001)
Imports - 3,530 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities - motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners - South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9%, Singapore 0.3% (2006)
Independence - 6 September 1968 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate - 1% (2007 est.)
Industries - coal, wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile and apparel
Infant mortality rate - total: 70.66 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 74 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 67.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 6% (2007 est.)
International organization participation - ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 0 sq km (1998 est.) 500 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch - High Court; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch
Labor force - 300,000 (2006)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
Land boundaries 0 km total: 535 km


border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
arable land: 10.25%


permanent crops: 0.81%


other: 88.94% (2005)
Languages - English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)
Legal system the laws of the US, where applicable, apply based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch - bicameral Parliament or Libandla consists of the Senate (30 seats; 10 members appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats; 10 members appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be held in October 2008)


election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round
Life expectancy at birth - total population: 32.23 years


male: 31.84 years


female: 32.62 years (2007 est.)
Literacy - definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 81.6%


male: 82.6%


female: 80.8% (2003 est.)
Location Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Map references Oceania Africa
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
none (landlocked)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard -
Military branches - Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes air wing), Royal Swaziland Police Force (RSPF) (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 4.7% (2006)
National holiday - Independence Day, 6 September (1968)
Nationality - noun: Swazi(s)


adjective: Swazi
Natural hazards the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard drought
Natural resources guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Net migration rate - 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders - the status of political parties, previously banned, is unclear under the new (2006) Constitution and currently being debated - the following are considered political associations; African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Stanley MAUNDZISA, president]; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]
Political pressure groups and leaders - NA
Population uninhabited


note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2003 est.)
1,133,066


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 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line - 69% (2006)
Population growth rate - -0.337% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast -
Radio broadcast stations - AM 3, FM 2 (plus 4 repeaters), shortwave 3 (2004)
Railways - total: 301 km


narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2006)
Religions - Zionist 40% (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship), Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, other (includes Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish) 30%
Sex ratio - at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.018 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.921 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.639 male(s)/female


total population: 0.947 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage - 18 years of age
Telephone system - general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system


domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership is increasing; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity about 25 telephones per 100 persons; telephone system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay


international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use - 44,000 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 250,000 (2006)
Television broadcast stations - 12 (includes 7 relay stations) (2004)
Terrain low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Total fertility rate - 3.43 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Transportation - note there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast -
Unemployment rate - 40% (2006 est.)
Waterways none -
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