Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) - Somalia (2004)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) z Somalia (2004)

	British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)	Somalia (2004)

Administrative divisions	-	18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed
Age structure	-	0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,860,451; female 1,849,484) 15-64 years: 52.7% (male 2,197,572; female 2,176,762) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 94,905; female 125,427) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	-	cattle, sheep, goats; bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish
Airports	1 (2001)	60 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)	total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 54 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago	total: 637,657 sq km land: 627,337 sq km water: 10,320 sq km
Area - comparative	about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC	slightly smaller than Texas
Background	Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.	The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy have followed in the years since. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG), created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expired in August 2003. New Somali President Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed has formed a new Transitional Federal Government (TFG) consisting of a 275-member parliament. It was established in October 2004 to replace the TNG but has not yet moved to Mogadishu. Discussions regarding the establishment of a new government in Mogadishu are ongoing in Kenya. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control of the capital city as well as for other southern regions. Suspicion of Somali links with global terrorism further complicates the picture.
Birth rate	-	46.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: NA expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
Capital	-	Mogadishu
Climate	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds	principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons
Coastline	698 km	3,025 km
Constitution	-	25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979 note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 had a three-year mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections, this goal was not achieved but the process is ongoing
Country name	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Somalia former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic
Currency	-	Somali shilling (SOS)
Death rate	-	17.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	-	$2.6 billion (2000 est.)
Dependency status	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at Mombasa Road; mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 537800; FAX [254] (2) 537810
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have representatives in Washington and at the United Nations
Disputes - international	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain	"Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities to land-locked Ethiopia and establish commercial ties with regional states; "Puntland" secessionists clash with "Somaliland" secessionists to establish territorial limits and clan loyalties, each seeking support from neighboring states; Ethiopia maintains only an administrative line with the Oromo region of southern Somalia and maintains alliances with local Somali clans opposed to the unrecognized Transitional National Government in Mogadishu
Economic aid - recipient	-	$60 million (1999 est.)
Economy - overview	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.	Somalia's economic fortunes are being driven by its deep political divisions. The northern area has declared its independence as "Somaliland"; the central area, Puntland, is a self-declared autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is riddled with the struggles of rival factions. Economic life continues, in part because much activity is local and relatively easily protected. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings, but Saudi Arabia's recent ban on Somali livestock, because of Rift Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the sector. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $200 million and $500 million in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate, and militias provide security. The ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have interfered with any broad-based economic development and international aid arrangements. In 2002 Somalia's overdue financial obligations to the IMF continued to grow. Statistics on Somalia's GDP, growth, per capita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically.
Electricity - consumption	NA kWh	227.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military	245.1 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m
Environment - current issues	NA	famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Environment - international agreements	-	party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
Ethnic groups	-	Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)
Exchange rates	-	Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000), 2,620 (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995) note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling
Executive branch	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch	chief of state: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed (since 14 October 2004); note - a new Transitional Federal Government consisting of a 275-member parliament was established in October 2004 replacing the Transitional National Government created in 2000 head of government: Prime Minister Ali Muhammad GHEDI (since 3 November 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister election results: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed, the leader of the Puntland region of Somalia, was elected president by the Transitional Federal Government
Exports	-	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	-	livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal
Exports - partners	-	UAE 37.2%, Yemen 22.3%, Oman 10.1%, China 6%, Kuwait 4.4%, Nigeria 4% (2003)
Fiscal year	-	NA
Flag description	white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag	light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $4.361 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 65% industry: 10% services: 25% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $500 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	2.1% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	6 00 S, 71 30 E	10 00 N, 49 00 E
Geography - note	archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility	strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal
Government - note	-	although an interim government was created in 2000 other governing bodies continue to exist and control various cities and regions of the country, including Somaliland, Puntland, and traditional clan and faction strongholds
Highways	total: NA km paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km	total: 22,100 km paved: 2,608 km unpaved: 19,492 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Imports	-	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	-	manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, qat
Imports - partners	-	Djibouti 33.9%, Kenya 15.5%, Brazil 6.6%, UAE 5.1%, Thailand 4.2% (2003)
Independence	-	1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
Industrial production growth rate	-	NA
Industries	-	a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down), wireless communication
Infant mortality rate	-	total: 118.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 127.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 108.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	note - businesses print their own money, so inflation rates cannot be sensibly determined (2003 est.)
International organization participation	-	ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	0 sq km (1998 est.)	2,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	-	following the breakdown of national government, most regions have reverted to either Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences, or traditional clan-based arbitration
Labor force	-	3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)
Labor force - by occupation	-	agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29%
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 2,340 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km
Land use	arable land: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)	arable land: 1.67% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 98.29% (2001)
Languages	-	Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
Legal system	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply	no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some localities
Legislative branch	-	unicameral National Assembly note: fledgling parliament; a 275-member Transitional Federal Government replaced the Transitional National Government created in 2000; the new parliament consists of 61 seats assigned to each of four large clan groups (Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir, and Hawiye) with the remaining 31 seats divided between minority clans
Life expectancy at birth	-	total population: 47.71 years male: 46.02 years female: 49.46 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 37.8% male: 49.7% female: 25.8% (2001 est.)
Location	Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia	Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia
Map references	Political Map of the World	Africa
Maritime claims	exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM	territorial sea: 200 nm
Merchant marine	-	none
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016	-
Military branches	-	A Somali National Army was attempted under the interim government; numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and the Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their own security and police forces
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$18.9 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	0.9% (2003)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 2,010,152 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 1,109,405 (2004 est.)
National holiday	-	Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland
Nationality	-	noun: Somali(s) adjective: Somali
Natural hazards	NA	recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season
Natural resources	coconuts, fish, sugarcane	uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves
Net migration rate	-	5.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders	-	none
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2002 est.)	8,304,601 note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	NA
Population growth rate	-	3.41% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	Diego Garcia	Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1 FM in Somaliland (2001)
Radios	NA	-
Religions	-	Sunni Muslim
Sex ratio	-	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage	-	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)	general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and charge the lowest international rates on the continent domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers international: country code - 252; international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite
Telephones - main lines in use	NA	100,000 est (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	35,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	1 (1997)	4 note: two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)
Terrain	flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)	mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
Total fertility rate	-	6.91 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	NA
Waterways	none	-

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