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Compare Belarus (2004) - American Samoa (2007)

Compare Belarus (2004) z American Samoa (2007)

 Belarus (2004)American Samoa (2007)
 BelarusAmerican Samoa
Administrative divisions 6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna, Mahilyow, Minsk, Vitsyebsk


note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers
none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western
Age structure 0-14 years: 16.3% (male 859,219; female 823,839)


15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,469,926; female 3,662,203)


65 years and over: 14.5% (male 496,204; female 999,129) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 33.6% (male 10,049/female 9,345)


15-64 years: 63.5% (male 19,041/female 17,556)


65 years and over: 2.9% (male 606/female 1,066) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Airports 135 (2003 est.) 3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 50


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 21


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


under 914 m: 21 (2003 est.)
total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 85


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 64 (2003 est.)
total: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Area total: 207,600 sq km


land: 207,600 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 199 sq km


land: 199 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Kansas slightly larger than Washington, DC
Background After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered" by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.
Birth rate 10.52 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 21.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.976 billion


expenditures: $3.211 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (2003 est.)
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)


expenditures: $127 million (FY96/97)
Capital Minsk name: Pago Pago


geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W


time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 116 km
Constitution 30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing presidential term limits ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Belarus


conventional short form: Belarus


local long form: Respublika Byelarus'


local short form: none


former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa


conventional short form: American Samoa


abbreviation: AS
Currency Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR) -
Death rate 14.1 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 3.24 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $851 million (2001 est.) $NA
Dependency status - unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador George A. KROL


embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002


mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723


telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347, 217-7348


FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV


chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604


FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805


consulate(s) general: New York
none (territory of the US)
Disputes - international 1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing border security; boundaries with Latvia and Lithuania remain undemarcated despite European Union financial support Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) in its 2006 draft constitution
Economic aid - recipient $194.3 million (1995) important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994
Economy - overview Belarus' economy in 2003 posted 6.1 percent growth and is likely to continue expanding through 2004, albeit at a slower growth rate. The Belarusian economy in 2004 is likely to be hampered by high inflation, persistent trade deficits, and ongoing rocky relations with Russia, Belarus' largest trading partner and energy supplier. Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private enterprises. In addition, businesses have been subject to pressure on the part of central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory owners. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at the bottom of the ladder. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market economies. American Samoa has a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts most of its commerce. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism is a promising developing sector.
Electricity - consumption 26.69 billion kWh (2001) 167.4 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 300 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 4.3 billion kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 24.4 billion kWh (2001) 180 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m


highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m
Environment - current issues soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
-
Ethnic groups Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4% native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white 1.2%, mixed 2.8%, other 0.2% (2000 census)
Exchange rates Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 1,790.92 (2003), 1,920 (2002), 1,390 (2001), 876.75 (2000), 248.795 (1999) the US dollar is used
Executive branch chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)


head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKY (since 19 December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since December 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Andrei KOBYAKOV (since December 2003), Vladimir DRAZHIN (since 24 September 2001), Ivan BAMBIZA (since 25 May 2004), Anatoly TYUTYUNOV (since July 2002)


cabinet: Council of Ministers


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999, however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; new election held 9 September 2001; October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits allowing president to run for a third term in September 2006; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president


election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 75.6%, Vladimir GONCHARIK 15.4%
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)


head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet made up of 12 department directors


elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)


election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote - Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%
Exports NA (2001) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals; textiles, foodstuffs canned tuna 93% (2004 est.)
Exports - partners Russia 49.1%, UK 9.4%, Poland 4.4%, Germany 4.2%, Netherlands 4.2% (2003) Indonesia 28.2%, India 22.3%, Australia 15.3%, Japan 11.2%, NZ 7.1% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 October - 30 September
Flag description red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears Belarusian national ornamention in red blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club
GDP purchasing power parity - $62.56 billion (2003 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 11.1%


industry: 36.4%


services: 52.5% (2003 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,100 (2003 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 6.8% (2003 est.) 3% (2003)
Geographic coordinates 53 00 N, 28 00 E 14 20 S, 170 00 W
Geography - note landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes; the country is geologically well endowed with extensive deposits of granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean
Heliports 1 (2003 est.) -
Highways total: 74,385 km


paved: 66,203 km


unpaved: 8,182 km (2000)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 5.1%


highest 10%: 20% (1998)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and lightly regulated financial center; new anti-money-laundering legislation does not meet international standards; few investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities -
Imports NA (2001) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.)
Imports - partners Russia 65.8%, Germany 7.1%, Ukraine 3.1% (2003) Australia 66%, Samoa 13.8%, NZ 10.8% (2006)
Independence 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) none (territory of the US)
Industrial production growth rate 5% (2003 est.) NA%
Industries metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Infant mortality rate total: 13.62 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 14.71 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 12.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 8.88 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 9.47 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 8.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 28.2% (2003 est.) NA%
International organization participation CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU
Irrigated land 1,150 sq km (1998 est.) NA
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives) High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)
Labor force 4.8 million (2000 est.) 17,630 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation NA agriculture: 34%


industry: 33%


services: 33% (1990)
Land boundaries total: 2,900 km


border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 29.55%


permanent crops: 0.6%


other: 69.85% (2001)
arable land: 10%


permanent crops: 15%


other: 75% (2005)
Languages Belarusian, Russian, other Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%, other 2%


note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)
Legal system based on civil law system NA
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by the president, all for 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteliy (110 seats; members elected by universal adult suffrage to serve 4-year terms)


elections: last held 18 March and 1 April 2001 and 17 and 31 October 2004 (bi-election will be held March 2005 to fill one unfilled seat in the Palata Predstaviteliy); international observers widely denounced the October 2004 elections as flawed and undemocratic, based on massive government falsification; pro-Lukashenko candidates won every seat, after many opposition candidates were disqualified for technical reasons


election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Palata Pretsaviteley - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; to serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs to serve four-year terms)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 18


note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held on 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate
Life expectancy at birth total population: 68.57 years


male: 62.79 years


female: 74.65 years (2004 est.)
total population: 76.25 years


male: 72.69 years


female: 80.02 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99.6%


male: 99.8%


female: 99.5% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97%


male: 98%


female: 97% (1980 est.)
Location Eastern Europe, east of Poland Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Map references Europe Oceania
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the US
Military branches Army, Air and Air Defense Force -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $176.1 million (FY02) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.4% (FY02) -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 2,764,856 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 2,164,923 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 86,716 (2004 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Nationality noun: Belarusian(s)


adjective: Belarusian
noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals)


adjective: American Samoan
Natural hazards NA typhoons common from December to March
Natural resources forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay pumice, pumicite
Net migration rate 2.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -21.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines gas 5,223 km; oil 2,443 km; refined products 1,686 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders Pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH, chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH]; Social-Sports Party; Opposition parties: Belarusian Popular Front or BNF [Vintsuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democrat Party Narodnaya Gromada or BSDP NG [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Party Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH, chairman]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatol LEBEDKO]; Party of Communists Belarusian or PKB [Sergei KALYAKIN, chairman]; Women's Party "Nadezhda" [Valentina MATUSEVICH, chairperson]


note: the opposition Belarusian Party of Labor [Aleksandr BUKHVOSTOV] was liquidated in August 2004, but remains active
Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 10,310,520 (July 2004 est.) 57,663 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 22% (1995 est.) NA%
Population growth rate -0.11% (2004 est.) -0.262% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Mazyr -
Radio broadcast stations AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998) AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)
Railways total: 5,523 km


broad gauge: 5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2003)
-
Religions Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.) Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female


total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.075 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.085 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.568 male(s)/female


total population: 1.062 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications controls all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock company) Beltelcom which is a monopoly


domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long; local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity - Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus' fiber optics form synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries' systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational


international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations
general assessment: NA


domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station


international: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 3,071,300 (2003) 10,400 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.118 million (2003) 2,200 (2004)
Television broadcast stations 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995) 1 (2006)
Terrain generally flat and contains much marshland five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Total fertility rate 1.36 children born/woman (2004 est.) 3.07 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number of underemployed workers (2003 est.) 29.8% (2005)
Waterways 2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by shallowness) (2003) -
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