Compare Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2008) - Mauritania (2004)

Compare Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2008) z Mauritania (2004)

	Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2008)	Mauritania (2004)

Administrative divisions	none (territory of Australia)	12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza
Age structure	0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA	0-14 years: 45.9% (male 689,371; female 686,486) 15-64 years: 51.9% (male 767,551; female 788,520) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 27,106; female 39,529) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts	dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep
Airports	1 (2007)	24 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)	total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 14 sq km land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island	total: 1,030,700 sq km land: 1,030,400 sq km water: 300 sq km
Area - comparative	about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC	slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
Background	There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until the 19th century. From the 1820s to 1978, members of the CLUNIE-ROSS family controlled the islands and the copra produced from local coconuts. Annexed by the UK in 1857, the Cocos Islands were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.	Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were generally free and open. Mauritania remains, in reality, a one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between its black population and the dominant Moor (Arab-Berber) populace.
Birth rate	NA	41.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA	revenues: $421 million expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154 million (2002 est.)
Capital	name: West Island geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 50 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Nouakchott
Climate	tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year	desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Coastline	26 km	754 km
Constitution	Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992	12 July 1991
Country name	conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands	conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania conventional short form: Mauritania local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah local short form: Muritaniyah
Currency	-	ouguiya (MRO)
Death rate	NA	12.74 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	-	$2.5 billion (2000)
Dependency status	non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (territory of Australia)	chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott telephone: [222] 525-2660/525-2663 FAX: [222] 25-25-92
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (territory of Australia)	chief of mission: Ambassador Tijani Ould KERIM chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623
Disputes - international	none	Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years
Economic aid - recipient	$NA	$220 million (2000)
Economy - overview	Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry.	Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current world oil prices. A new investment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. Substantial oil production and exports probably will not begin until 2005. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy.
Electricity - consumption	-	146.3 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	-	157.4 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m	lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m
Environment - current issues	fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs	overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial river; locust infestation
Environment - international agreements	-	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, 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	Europeans, Cocos Malays	mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%
Exchange rates	Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003)	ouguiyas per US dollar - NA (2003), 271.739 (2002), 255.629 (2001)
Executive branch	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia	chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984) head of government: Prime Minister Sghair Ould M'BARECK (since 6 July 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held NA 2009); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected for a third term with 60.8% of the vote
Exports	$NA	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	copra	iron ore, fish and fish products, gold
Exports - partners	Australia (2006)	Japan 12.5%, France 12.1%, Spain 11.4%, Italy 10.4%, Belgium 7.8%, Germany 7.4%, Russia 5%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2%, Netherlands 4% (2003)
Fiscal year	1 July - 30 June	calendar year
Flag description	the flag of Australia is used	green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $5.195 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	4.5% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	12 30 S, 96 50 E	20 00 N, 12 00 W
Geography - note	islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation	most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country
Highways	-	total: 7,720 km paved: 830 km unpaved: 6,890 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)
Imports	$NA	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	foodstuffs	machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners	Australia (2006)	France 16.8%, Spain 7.7%, China 6.3%, Belgium 5.1%, Germany 4.9%, Japan 4.3%, UK 4.1%, US 4% (2003)
Independence	none (territory of Australia)	28 November 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	-	2% (2000 est.)
Industries	copra products and tourism	fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
Infant mortality rate	total: NA male: NA female: NA	total: 72.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 75.22 deaths/1,000 live births female: 69.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	7% (2003 est.)
International organization participation	none	ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land	NA	490 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court	Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts
Labor force	NA	786,000 (2001)
Labor force - by occupation	note: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others	agriculture 50%, industry 10%, services 40% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 5,074 km border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)	arable land: 0.48% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.51% (2001)
Languages	Malay (Cocos dialect), English	Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof
Legal system	based upon the laws of Australia and local laws	a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law
Legislative branch	unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats) elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007)	bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2004); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PRDS 54, RFD 1, UNDD 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - PRDS 79%, RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%; seats by party - PRDS 64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1
Life expectancy at birth	total population: NA male: NA female: NA	total population: 52.32 years male: 50.15 years female: 54.56 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	NA	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 41.7% male: 51.8% female: 31.9% (2003 est.)
Location	Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka	Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara
Map references	Southeast Asia	Africa
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine	-	none
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory has a five-person police force	-
Military branches	-	Army, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard (BSSP)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$40.8 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	3.7% (2003)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 686,629 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 332,633 (2004 est.)
National holiday	Australia Day, 26 January (1788)	Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Nationality	noun: Cocos Islander(s) adjective: Cocos Islander	noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian
Natural hazards	cyclone season is October to April	hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts
Natural resources	fish	iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish
Net migration rate	NA	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders	none	Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Alliance for Justice and Democracy or AJD [Kebe ABDOULAYE]; Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party) [President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for Renewal and Concorde or PMRC [Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National Union for Democracy and Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party for Liberty, Equality and Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Popular Social and Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force Union or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS] note: the Action for Change party was banned in January 2002 although its members were permitted to keep their seats in the National Assembly; parties legalized by constitution ratified 12 July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based
Political pressure groups and leaders	none	Arab nationalists; Ba'athists; General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general]; Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]
Population	596 (July 2007 est.)	2,998,563 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	50% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate	0% (2007 est.)	2.91% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)	AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)
Railways	-	717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Religions	Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)	Muslim 100%
Sex ratio	-	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage	NA	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication system domestic: NA international: country code - 61; telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 INTELSAT satellite earth station (2001)	general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations (improvements being made) domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat
Telephones - main lines in use	287 (1992)	31,500 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	300,000 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	NA	1 (2002)
Terrain	flat, low-lying coral atolls	mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Total fertility rate	NA	6.01 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	60% (2000 est.)	21% (1999 est.)
Waterways	-	some ferry traffic on Senegal River (2004)

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