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Compare Christmas Island (2003) - Albania (2001)

Compare Christmas Island (2003) z Albania (2001)

 Christmas Island (2003)Albania (2001)
 Christmas IslandAlbania
Administrative divisions none (territory of Australia) 36 districts (rrethe, singular - rreth) and 1 municipality* (bashki); Berat, Bulqize, Delvine, Devoll (Bilisht), Diber (Peshkopi), Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Has (Krume), Kavaje, Kolonje (Erseke), Korce, Kruje, Kucove, Kukes, Kurbin, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Malesi e Madhe (Koplik), Mallakaster (Ballsh), Mat (Burrel), Mirdite (Rreshen), Peqin, Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar (Corovode), Tepelene, Tirane (Tirana), Tirane* (Tirana), Tropoje (Bajram Curri), Vlore

note:
administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Age structure 0-14 years: NA%


15-64 years: NA%


65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)
0-14 years:
29.53% (male 536,495; female 500,026)

15-64 years:
63.48% (male 1,073,351; female 1,155,115)

65 years and over:
6.99% (male 107,476; female 138,021) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products NA wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products
Airports 1 (2002) 11 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
total:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total:
8

over 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
2

under 914 m:
4 (2000 est.)
Area total: 135 sq km


land: 135 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
28,748 sq km

land:
27,398 sq km

water:
1,350 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Maryland
Background Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. In 1990 Albania ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure, widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged local elections in 2000 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but serious deficiencies remain to be corrected before the the 2001 parliamentary elections.
Birth rate NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 19.01 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
revenues:
$393 million

expenditures:
$676 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Capital The Settlement Tirana
Climate tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Coastline 80 km 362 km
Constitution NA a new constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the vote
Country name conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island


conventional short form: Christmas Island
conventional long form:
Republic of Albania

conventional short form:
Albania

local long form:
Republika e Shqiperise

local short form:
Shqiperia

former:
People's Socialist Republic of Albania
Currency Australian dollar (AUD) lek (ALL)
Death rate NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $NA $1 billion (2000)
Dependency status territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (territory of Australia) chief of mission:
Ambassador Joseph LIMPRECHT

embassy:
Rruga Elbasanit Labinoti 103, Tirana

mailing address:
PSC 59, Box 100(A), APO AE 09624

telephone:
[355] (42) 32875, 33520

FAX:
[355] (42) 32222
Diplomatic representation in the US none (territory of Australia) chief of mission:
Ambassador Petrit BUSHATI

chancery:
2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 223-4942

FAX:
[1] (202) 628-7342
Disputes - international none the Albanian Government supports protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders but has downplayed them to further its primary foreign policy goal of regional cooperation; Albanian majority in Kosovo seeks independence from Yugoslavia; Albanians in The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to public-sector jobs, and representation in government
Economic aid - recipient $NA $NA; aid for energy from China, Germany, Norway (2000)
Economy - overview Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, slated to begin operation in 2003. Poor by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more open-market economy. The economy rebounded in 1993-95 after a severe depression accompanying the end of the previous centrally planned system in 1990 and 1991. However, a weakening of government resolve to maintain stabilization policies in the election year of 1996 contributed to renewal of inflationary pressures, spurred by the budget deficit which exceeded 12% of GDP. The collapse of financial pyramid schemes in early 1997 - which had attracted deposits from a substantial portion of Albania's population - triggered severe social unrest which led to more than 1,500 deaths, widespread destruction of property, and a 7% drop in GDP. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to revive economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances from some 20% of the labor force that works abroad, mostly in Greece and Italy. These remittances supplement GDP and help offset the large foreign trade deficit. Most agricultural land was privatized in 1992, substantially improving peasant incomes. In 1998, Albania recovered the 7% drop in GDP of 1997 and pushed ahead by 8% in 1999 and by 7.5% in 2000. International aid helped defray the high costs of receiving and returning refugees from the Kosovo conflict. Privatization scored some successes in 2000, but other reforms lagged.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh 5.379 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports - 100 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports - 600 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production NA kWh 5.332 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: NA%


hydro: NA%


nuclear: NA%


other: NA%
fossil fuel:
3.81%

hydro:
96.19%

nuclear:
0%

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


highest point: Murray Hill 361 m
lowest point:
Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point:
Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m
Environment - current issues NA deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
Environment - international agreements - party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%


note: no indigenous population (2001)
Albanian 95%, Greeks 3%, other 2% (Vlachs, Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians) (1989 est.)

note:
in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)
Exchange rates Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998) leke per US dollar - 146.08 (December 2000),143.71 (2000) 137.69 (1999), 150.63 (1998), 148.93 (1997), 104.50 (1996); note - leke is the plural of lek
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general


head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999)


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
chief of state:
President of the Republic Rexhep MEIDANI (since 24 July 1997)

head of government:
Prime Minister Ilir META (since 29 October 1999)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president

elections:
president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister appointed by the president

election results:
Rexhep MEIDANI elected president; People's Assembly vote by number - total votes 122, for 110, against 3, abstained 2, invalid 7
Exports $NA $310 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities phosphate textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco
Exports - partners Australia, NZ Italy 67%, Greece 15%, Germany 5%, Austria 2%, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 2% (2000)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June calendar year
Flag description the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory red with a black two-headed eagle in the center
GDP purchasing power parity - $NA purchasing power parity - $10.5 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture:
55%

industry:
24%

services:
21% (2000)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $NA purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 7.5% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 10 30 S, 105 40 E 41 00 N, 20 00 E
Geography - note located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
Heliports - 1 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 240 km


paved: 30 km


unpaved: 210 km (2000)
total:
18,000 km

paved:
5,400 km

unpaved:
12,600 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs - increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and rapidly expanding in Europe
Imports $NA $1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities consumer goods machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals
Imports - partners principally Australia Italy 37%, Greece 28%, Turkey 6%, Germany 6%, Bulgaria 3% (2000)
Independence none (territory of Australia) 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 9% (2000 est.)
Industries tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Infant mortality rate total: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
39.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 1% (2000 est.)
International organization participation none ACCT (associate), BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 2 (2000) 7 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 3,410 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term)
Labor force NA 1.692 million (including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed) (1994 est.)
Labor force - by occupation tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995) agriculture 50%, industry and services 50%
Land boundaries 0 km total:
720 km

border countries:
Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Yugoslavia 287 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100%


note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.)
arable land:
21%

permanent crops:
5%

permanent pastures:
15%

forests and woodland:
38%

other:
21% (1993 est.)
Languages English (official), Chinese, Malay Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek
Legal system under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)


elections: last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9
unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (155 seats; most members are elected by direct popular vote and some by proportional vote for four-year terms)

elections:
last held 29 June 1997 (next held 24 June 2001, 2nd round 8 July 2001)

election results:
percent of vote by party - PS 53.36%, PD 25.33%, PSD 2.5%, PBDNJ 2.78%, PBK 2.36%, PAD 2.85%, PR 2.25%, PLL 3.09%, PDK 1.00%, PBSD 0.84%; seats by party - PS 101, PD 27, PSD 8, PBDNJ 4, PBK 3, PAD 2, PR 2, PLL 2, PDK 1, PBSD 1, PUK 1, independents 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA years


male: NA years


female: NA years (2003 est.)
total population:
71.83 years

male:
69.01 years

female:
74.87 years (2001 est.)
Literacy NA definition:
age 9 and over can read and write

total population:
93% (1997 est.)

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Map references Southeast Asia Europe
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 12 NM


exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) total:
9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,797 GRT/26,324 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 9 (2000 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of Australia -
Military branches - Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $42 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.5% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
870,768 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
712,763 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 19 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
35,792 (2001 est.)
National holiday NA Independence Day, 28 November (1912)
Nationality noun: Christmas Islander(s)


adjective: Christmas Island
noun:
Albanian(s)

adjective:
Albanian
Natural hazards the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; drought
Natural resources phosphate, beaches petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel, hydropower
Net migration rate NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) -3.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 145 km; petroleum products 55 km; natural gas 64 km (1991)
Political parties and leaders none Albanian National Front (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Abaz ERMENJI]; Albanian Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Albanian Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albania Workers Party) [Fatos NANO, chairman]; Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Zef BUSHATI]; Democratic Alliance or PAD [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Group of Reformist Democrats [Leonard NDOKA]; Liberal Union Party [Teodor LACO]; note - Teodor LACO of the Liberal Union Party was leader of the Social Democratic Union of Albania or PBSD; Movement of Legality Party or PLL [Nderim KUPI]; OMONIA [Vagjelis DULES]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQUIRI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Unity for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vasil MELO, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders none NA
Population 433 (July 2003 est.) 3,510,484 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 19.6% (1996 est.)
Population growth rate -9% (2003 est.) 0.88% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Flying Fish Cove Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 2 (1999)
Radios - 810,000 (1997)
Railways 24 km to serve phosphate mines total:
447 km

standard gauge:
447 km 1.435-m gauge (2001)
Religions Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%

note:
all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice
Sex ratio NA (2003 est.) at birth:
1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.07 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage - 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment: service provided by the Australian network


domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available


international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)
general assessment:
Albania has the poorest telephone service in Europe with fewer than two telephones per 100 inhabitants; it is doubtful that every village has telephone service

domestic:
obsolete wire system; no longer provides a telephone for every village; in 1992, following the fall of the communist government, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used it to build fences

international:
inadequate; international traffic carried by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece
Telephones - main lines in use NA 87,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 3,100 (1999)
Television broadcast stations NA 9 (plus 264 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Total fertility rate NA children born/woman (2003 est.) 2.32 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 16% (2000 est.) officially; may be as high as 25%
Waterways none 43 km

note:
includes Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990)
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