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Compare Christmas Island (2006) - Haiti (2007)

Compare Christmas Island (2006) z Haiti (2007)

 Christmas Island (2006)Haiti (2007)
 Christmas IslandHaiti
Administrative divisions none (territory of Australia) 10 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nippes, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Age structure 0-14 years: NA


15-64 years: NA


65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 42.1% (male 1,846,175/female 1,817,082)


15-64 years: 54.4% (male 2,313,542/female 2,426,326)


65 years and over: 3.5% (male 134,580/female 168,792) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products NA coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum; wood
Airports 1 (2006) 14 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
total: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Area total: 135 sq km


land: 135 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 27,750 sq km


land: 27,560 sq km


water: 190 sq km
Area - comparative about three-quarters 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 began 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. The native Taino Amerindians - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when it was discovered by COLUMBUS in 1492 - were virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola, and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint L'OUVERTURE. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the first black republic to declare its independence in 1804. The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. After an armed rebellion led to the departure of President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE in February 2004, an interim government took office to organize new elections under the auspices of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Continued violence and technical delays prompted repeated postponements, but Haiti finally did inaugurate a democratically elected president and parliament in May of 2006.
Birth rate NA 35.87 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA
revenues: $658 million


expenditures: $726.9 million (2006 est.)
Capital name: The Settlement


geographic coordinates: 18 44 N, 64 19 W


time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Port-au-Prince


geographic coordinates: 18 32 N, 72 20 W


time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October
Climate tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season (December to April) tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds
Coastline 138.9 km 1,771 km
Constitution Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articles reinstated March 1989; constitutional government ousted in a military coup in September 1991, although in October 1991, military government claimed to be observing the constitution; returned to constitutional rule in October 1994; constitution, while technically in force between 2004-2006, was not enforced; returned to constitutional rule in May 2006
Country name conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island


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


conventional short form: Haiti


local long form: Republique d'Haiti/Repiblik d' Ayiti


local short form: Haiti/Ayiti
Death rate NA 10.4 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external - $1.312 billion (2006 est.)
Dependency status non-self governing 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 Janet A. SANDERSON


embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Bicentenaire-Port-au-Prince


mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince


telephone: [509] 222-0200


FAX: [509] 223-9038
Diplomatic representation in the US none (territory of Australia) chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond JOSEPH


chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090


FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Disputes - international none since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians cross into the Dominican Republic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island
Economic aid - recipient $NA $515 million (2005 est.)
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, projected to begin operations in the near future. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by the country's widespread deforestation. A macroeconomic program developed in 2005 with the help of the International Monetary Fund helped the economy grow 1.8% in 2006, the highest growth rate since 1999. Haiti suffers from higher inflation than similar low-income countries, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. In 2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for reengagement with the Bank. The government relies on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability. In 2006, Haiti held a successful donors conference in which the total aid pledged exceeded Haiti's request. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP.
Electricity - consumption - 322 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports - 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production - 535 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


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


highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m
Environment - current issues loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes
Ethnic groups Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%


note: no indigenous population (2001)
black 95%, mulatto and white 5%
Exchange rates Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001) gourdes per US dollar - 40.232 (2006), 40.449 (2005), 38.352 (2004), 42.367 (2003), 29.251 (2002)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general


head of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006)


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
chief of state: President Rene PREVAL (since 14 May 2006)


head of government: Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard ALEXIS (since 30 May 2006)


cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 February 2006 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the National Assembly


election results: Rene PREVAL elected president; percent of vote - Rene PREVAL 51%
Exports $NA NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities phosphate manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa, mangoes
Exports - partners Australia, NZ (2004) US 80%, Dominican Republic 7.6%, Canada 3% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 July - 30 June 1 October - 30 September
Flag description territorial flag; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island; the flag of Australia is used for official purposes two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 28%


industry: 20%


services: 52% (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 2.3% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 10 30 S, 105 40 E 19 00 N, 72 25 W
Geography - note located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA% (2001)
Illicit drugs - Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; substantial bulk cash smuggling activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions; pervasive corruption; significant consumer of cannabis
Imports $NA NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities consumer goods food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, raw materials
Imports - partners principally Australia (2004) US 46.5%, Netherlands Antilles 11.9%, Brazil 3.8% (2006)
Independence none (territory of Australia) 1 January 1804 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate - NA%
Industries tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly based on imported parts
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total: 63.83 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 68.45 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 59.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 13.1% (2006 est.)
International organization participation none ACCT, ACP, Caricom, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIF, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land NA 920 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation
Labor force NA 3.6 million


note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture: 66%


industry: 9%


services: 25% (1995)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 360 km


border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005)
arable land: 28.11%


permanent crops: 11.53%


other: 60.36% (2005)
Languages English (official), Chinese, Malay French (official), Creole (official)
Legal system under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007)


election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9
bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (30 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - in reestablishing the Senate, the candidate in each department receiving the most votes in the last election serves six years, the candidate with the second most votes serves four years, and the candidate with the third most votes serves two years


elections: Senate - last held 21 April 2006 with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 (next regular election, for one third of seats, to be held in 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 April 2006 with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 (next regular election to be held in 2010)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - L'ESPWA 11, FUSION 5, OPL 4, FL 3, LAAA 2, UNCRH 2, PONT 2, ALYANS 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - L'ESPWA 23, FUSION 17, FRN 12, OPL 10, ALYANS 10, LAAA 5, MPH 3, MOCHRENA 3, other 10; results for six other seats contested on 3 December 2006 remain unknown
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
total population: 57.03 years


male: 55.35 years


female: 58.75 years (2007 est.)
Literacy NA definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 52.9%


male: 54.8%


female: 51.2% (2003 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic
Map references Southeast Asia Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
Military - note defense is the responsibility of Australia -
Military branches - no regular military forces - small coast guard; the regular Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH) - Army, Navy, and Air Force - have been demobilized but still exist on paper unless they are constitutionally abolished (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 0.4% (2006)
National holiday Australia Day, 26 January (1788) Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Nationality noun: Christmas Islander(s)


adjective: Christmas Island
noun: Haitian(s)


adjective: Haitian
Natural hazards the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes; periodic droughts
Natural resources phosphate, beaches bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower
Net migration rate NA -0.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders none Artibonite in Action or LAAA [Youri LATORTUE]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Convention for Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; Cooperative Action to Build Haiti or KONBA [Evans LESCOUFALIR]; Democratic Alliance or ALYANS [Evans PAUL] (coalition composed of KID and PPRH); Effort and Solidarity to Create an Alternative for the People or ESKAMP [Joseph JASME]; For Us All or PONT [Jean-Marie CHERESTAL]; Front for Hope or L'ESPWA [Rene PREVAL] (alliance of ESKAMP, PLB, and grass-roots organizations Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, the Central Plateau Peasants' Group, and Kombit Sudest); Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany TOUSSAINT and Pierre Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together or Tet-Ansanm [Dr. Gerard BLOT]; Independent Movement for National Reconciliation or MIRN [Luc FLEURINORD]; Justice for Peace and National Development or JPDN [Rigaud DUPLAN]; Fanmi Lavalas or FL [Rudy HERIVEAUX]; Liberal Party of Haiti or PLH [Gehy MICHEL]; Merging of Haitian Social Democratic Parties or FUSION or FPSDH [Serge GILLES] (coalition of Ayiti Capable, Haitian National Revolutionary Party, and National Congress of Democratic Movements); Mobilization for Haiti's Development or MPH [Samir MOURRA]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN [Hubert de RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN [Jean Henold BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; National Christian Union for the Reconstruction of Haiti or UNCRH [Marie Claude GERMAIN]; National Front for the Reconstruction of Haiti or FRN [Guy PHILIPPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate Party or PLB [Anes LUBIN]; Popular Party for the Renewal of Haiti or PPRH [Claude ROMAIN]; Struggling People's Organization or OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]; Union of Nationalist and Progressive Haitians or UNITE [Edouard FRANCISQUE]
Political pressure groups and leaders none Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole ST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of Workers Trade Unions or FOS; General Organization of Independent Haitian Workers [Patrick NUMAS]; Grand-Anse Resistance Committee, or KOREGA; National Popular Assembly or APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE]; Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic Church; Protestant Federation of Haiti
Population 1,493 (July 2006 est.) 8,706,497


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 - 80% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate 0% (2006 est.) 2.453% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006) AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)
Religions Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3%


note: roughly half of the population practices voodoo
Sex ratio NA at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.016 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.954 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.797 male(s)/female


total population: 0.973 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage - 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: service provided by the Australian network


domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005


international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth stations - one INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005)
general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate; international facilities slightly better; telephone density in Haiti remains the lowest in the Latin American and Caribbean region


domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service; combined fixed and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 8 per 100 persons


international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use NA 145,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 500,200 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 0; note - TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia (2006) 2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)
Terrain steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau mostly rough and mountainous
Total fertility rate NA 4.86 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate - widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)
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