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Compare Christmas Island (2007) - Latvia (2007)
Compare Christmas Island (2007) z Latvia (2007)
| Christmas Island (2007) | Latvia (2007) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none (territory of Australia) | 26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 13.6% (male 157,451/female 150,184)
15-64 years: 69.6% (male 764,910/female 808,848) 65 years and over: 16.7% (male 123,952/female 254,465) (2007 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | NA | grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish |
| Airports | 1 (2007) | 42 (2007) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 9 (2007) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 20 (2007) |
| Area | total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 64,589 sq km
land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than West Virginia |
| 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 name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. |
| Birth rate | NA | 9.43 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
revenues: $7.198 billion
expenditures: $7.255 billion (2006 est.) |
| Capital | name: The Settlement
geographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
name: Riga
geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
| Climate | tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds | maritime; wet, moderate winters |
| Coastline | 138.9 km | 531 km |
| Constitution | Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 | 15 February 1922; restored to force by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21 August 1991; multiple amendments since |
| Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic |
| Death rate | NA | 13.64 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Debt - external | - | $22.94 billion (2006 est.) |
| Dependency status | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd BAILEY
embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371] 703-6200 FAX: [371] 782-0047 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | chief of mission: Ambassador Andrejs PILDEGOVICS
chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860 |
| Disputes - international | none | Russia refuses to sign the 1997 boundary treaty due to Latvian insistence on a unilateral clarificatory declaration referencing Soviet occupation of Latvia and territorial losses; Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documentation in preparation; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia must implement the strict Schengen border rules with Russia |
| Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $162 million (2004) |
| 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, but closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, expected to begin operations in the near future. | Latvia's economy experienced average GDP growth of more than 7.0% over the past several years. In 2006 it reached 10.2% real GDP growth. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account deficit - more than 15% of GDP in 2006 - and inflation remain major concerns. |
| Electricity - consumption | - | 6.09 billion kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - exports | - | 707 million kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - imports | - | 2.855 billion kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - production | - | 4.778 billion kWh (2005) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Galzina Kalns 312 m |
| Environment - current issues | loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining | Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010 |
| Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Ethnic groups | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002) |
| Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002) | lati per US dollar - 0.5597 (2006), - 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (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 Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 May 2007 (next to be held 2011); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Valdis ZATLERS elected president; parliamentary vote - Valdis ZATLERS 58, Aivars ENDZINS 39 |
| Exports | $NA | 6,765 bbl/day (2004) |
| Exports - commodities | phosphate | wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs |
| Exports - partners | Australia, NZ (2006) | Lithuania 14.2%, Estonia 12.3%, Russia 11.5%, Germany 9.8%, UK 7.6%, Sweden 6.3%, Denmark 4.8% (2006) |
| Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
| 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 | three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon |
| GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 3.7%
industry: 21.5% services: 74.8% (2006 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | - | 11.9% (2006 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 10 30 S, 105 40 E | 57 00 N, 25 00 E |
| Geography - note | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean | most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 29.1% (2003) |
| Illicit drugs | - | transshipment and destination point for cocaine, synthetic drugs, opiates, and cannabis from Southwest Asia, Western Europe, Latin America, and neighboring Balkan countries; despite improved legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds |
| Imports | $NA | 39,190 bbl/day (2004) |
| Imports - commodities | consumer goods | machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles |
| Imports - partners | principally Australia (2006) | Germany 15.5%, Lithuania 12.9%, Russia 8%, Estonia 7.7%, Poland 7.2%, Finland 5.7%, Sweden 5%, Belarus 4.7% (2006) |
| Independence | none (territory of Australia) | 18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia) |
| Industrial production growth rate | - | 8.5% (2006 est.) |
| Industries | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) | buses, vans, street and railroad cars; synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials |
| Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 9.16 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 6.5% (2006 est.) |
| International organization participation | none | Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Irrigated land | NA | 200 sq km
note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (2003) |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court | Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament); Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament) |
| Labor force | NA | 1.136 million (2006 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture: 13%
industry: 19% services: 68% (2005 est.) |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1,368 km
border countries: Belarus 167 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km, Russia 282 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: 28.19%
permanent crops: 0.45% other: 71.36% (2005) |
| Languages | English (official), Chinese, Malay | Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census) |
| Legal system | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law | based on civil law system with traces of Socialist legal traditions and practices; has not accepted 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 20 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9 |
unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL 16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 7%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party - TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total population: 71.6 years
male: 66.39 years female: 77.1 years (2007 est.) |
| Literacy | NA | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2000 census) |
| Location | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania |
| Map references | Southeast Asia | Europe |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
| Merchant marine | - | total: 22 ships (1000 GRT or over) 201,684 GRT/221,186 DWT
by type: cargo 9, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Estonia 1) registered in other countries: 122 (Antigua and Barbuda 9, Belize 14, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 1, Dominica 2, Jamaica 2, Liberia 15, Malta 36, Marshall Islands 10, Panama 5, Russia 2, St Kitts and Nevis 4, St Vincent and The Grenadines 20) (2007) |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia | - |
| Military branches | - | Latvian Republic Defense Force: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Spelki), Border Guard, Latvian Home Guard (Latvijas Zemessardze) (2007) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.2% (2005 est.) |
| National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 was the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union |
| Nationality | noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
noun: Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian |
| Natural hazards | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard | NA |
| Natural resources | phosphate, beaches | peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land |
| Net migration rate | NA | -2.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Pipelines | - | gas 1,097 km; oil 82 km; refined products 415 km (2006) |
| Political parties and leaders | none | First Party of Latvia or LPP [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts ZILE, Maris GRINBLATS]; Harmony Center or SC [Janis URBANOVICS, Nils USAKOVS]; Latvian Farmer's Union or LZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]; Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP [Alfreds RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS, Ainars BERZINS]; New Democrats or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE, Krisjanis KARINS]; People's Party or TP [Aigars KALVITIS]; The Union of Latvian Greens and Farmers Party or ZZS [Indulis EMSIS] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | none | Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV] |
| Population | 1,402 (July 2006 est.) (July 2007 est.) | 2,259,810 (July 2007 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 0% (2007 est.) | -0.648% (2007 est.) |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006) | AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Railways | - | total: 2,303 km
broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2006) |
| Religions | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) | Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox |
| Sex ratio | NA | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.946 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.487 male(s)/female total population: 0.862 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
| Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens |
| 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 - 1 INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005) |
general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing competition to the telecommunications sector; the number of fixed lines is decreasing as wireless telephony expands
domestic: number of telecommunications operators has grown rapidly since the fixed-line market opened to competition in 2003; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership is roughly 125 per 100 persons international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden |
| Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 657,400 (2006) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 2.184 million (2006) |
| Television broadcast stations | 0 (TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia) (2006) | 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995) |
| Terrain | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau | low plain |
| Total fertility rate | NA | 1.28 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | - | 6.5% (2006 est.) |
| Waterways | - | 300 km (2006) |
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