Compare Christmas Island (2003) - Congo, Republic of the (2004)

Compare Christmas Island (2003) z Congo, Republic of the (2004)

	Christmas Island (2003)	Congo, Republic of the (2004)

Administrative divisions	none (territory of Australia)	10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune; Bouenza, Brazzaville, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha
Age structure	0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.)	0-14 years: 37.9% (male 571,224; female 563,723) 15-64 years: 58.5% (male 865,596; female 888,125) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 45,093; female 64,279) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	NA	cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products
Airports	1 (2002)	32 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)	total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 135 sq km land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 342,000 sq km land: 341,500 sq km water: 500 sq km
Area - comparative	about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC	slightly smaller than Montana
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.	Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO, but ushered in a period of ethnic unrest. Southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003. The Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers with significant potential for offshore development.
Birth rate	NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	28.66 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA	revenues: $1.025 billion expenditures: $946.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Capital	The Settlement	Brazzaville
Climate	tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds	tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator
Coastline	80 km	169 km
Constitution	NA	constitution approved by referendum 20 January 2002
Country name	conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island conventional short form: Christmas Island	conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: none former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo
Currency	Australian dollar (AUD)	Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States
Death rate	NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	14.49 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	$NA	$5 billion (2000 est.)
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 Robin R. SANDERS embassy: NA mailing address: NA telephone: [243] (88) 43608 note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (territory of Australia)	chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
Disputes - international	none	the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area
Economic aid - recipient	$NA	$159.1 million (1995)
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.	The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to a shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994, but inflation has subsided since. Economic reform efforts continued with the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. However, economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic's budget deficit. The current administration presides over an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic problems of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty.
Electricity - consumption	NA kWh	633 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	-	300 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	NA kWh	358.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m
Environment - current issues	NA	air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation
Environment - international agreements	-	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups	Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10% note: no indigenous population (2001)	Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3% note: Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997 civil war; may be half that in 1998, following the widespread destruction of foreign businesses in 1997
Exchange rates	Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998)	Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 581.2 (2003), 696.988 (2002), 733.039 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999)
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 Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second seven-year term); election last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held NA 2009) election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU 2.7%
Exports	$NA	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	phosphate	petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds
Exports - partners	Australia, NZ	China 28.6%, Taiwan 19.3%, US 16%, South Korea 12.9% (2003)
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	divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP	purchasing power parity - $NA	purchasing power parity - $2.148 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%	agriculture: 6.9% industry: 53.9% services: 39.2% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $NA	purchasing power parity - $700 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	NA%	1.3% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	10 30 S, 105 40 E	1 00 S, 15 00 E
Geography - note	located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean	about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them
Highways	total: 240 km paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000)	total: 12,800 km paved: 1,242 km unpaved: 11,558 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Imports	$NA	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	consumer goods	capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs
Imports - partners	principally Australia	France 22.2%, US 6.8%, Italy 6.2%, China 5.1%, Belgium 4.6%, India 4.4% (2003)
Independence	none (territory of Australia)	15 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	0% (2002 est.)
Industries	tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)	petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes
Infant mortality rate	total: NA% male: NA% female: NA%	total: 93.86 deaths/1,000 live births male: 99.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 87.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	NA%	2.4% (2003 est.)
International organization participation	none	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	2 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	NA sq km	10 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court	Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Labor force	NA	NA (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995)	-
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 5,504 km border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon 1,903 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: 0.51% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 99.36% (2001)
Languages	English (official), Chinese, Malay	French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
Legal system	under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law	based on French civil law system and customary law
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	bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held NA July 2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next to be held by NA May 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45
Life expectancy at birth	total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.)	total population: 49.51 years male: 48.51 years female: 50.55 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	NA	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.8% male: 89.6% female: 78.4% (2003 est.)
Location	Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia	Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon
Map references	Southeast Asia	Africa
Maritime claims	contiguous zone: 12 NM exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 200 nm
Merchant marine	none (2002 est.)	-
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of Australia	-
Military branches	-	Congolese Armed Forces (FAC): Army, Air Force, Navy
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$68.6 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	2.8% (2003)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 773,790 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 390,884 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 31,964 (2004 est.)
National holiday	NA	Independence Day, 15 August (1960)
Nationality	noun: Christmas Islander(s) adjective: Christmas Island	noun: Congolese (singular and plural) adjective: Congolese or Congo
Natural hazards	the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard	seasonal flooding
Natural resources	phosphate, beaches	petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower
Net migration rate	NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines	-	gas 53 km; oil 646 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	none	the most important of the many parties are the Democratic and Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of Convention for Alternative Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party, National Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic Union for the National Reconstruction, and Union for the National Renewal) [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [leader NA]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]
Political pressure groups and leaders	none	Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC
Population	433 (July 2003 est.)	2,998,040 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 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA
Population growth rate	-9% (2003 est.)	1.42% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	Flying Fish Cove	Brazzaville, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)
Railways	24 km to serve phosphate mines	total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
Religions	Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)	Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%
Sex ratio	NA (2003 est.)	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage	-	18 years of age; universal
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: services barely adequate for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	NA	7,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	NA	330,000 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	NA	1 (2002)
Terrain	steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau	coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin
Total fertility rate	NA children born/woman (2003 est.)	3.54 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	NA%	NA (2003)
Waterways	none	4,385 km (on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2004)

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