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Compare Comoros (2001) - Guinea-Bissau (2005)

Compare Comoros (2001) z Guinea-Bissau (2005)

 Comoros (2001)Guinea-Bissau (2005)
 ComorosGuinea-Bissau
Administrative divisions 3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou 9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos
Age structure 0-14 years:
42.81% (male 127,955; female 127,267)

15-64 years:
54.26% (male 159,560; female 163,949)

65 years and over:
2.93% (male 8,326; female 9,145) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 41.5% (male 293,280/female 294,483)


15-64 years: 55.5% (male 376,719/female 409,402)


65 years and over: 3% (male 17,865/female 24,278) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca) rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish
Airports 4 (2000 est.) 28 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
4

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
3 (2000 est.)
total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 25


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)
Area total:
2,170 sq km

land:
2,170 sq km

water:
0 sq km
total: 36,120 sq km


land: 28,000 sq km


water: 8,120 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Background Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He has pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through the 2000 Fomboni Accord, a confederal arrangement that the Organization of African Unity has yet to recognize. Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable upheaval. The founding government consisted of a single party system and command economy. In 1980, a military coup established Joao VIEIRA as president and a path to a market economy and multiparty system was implemented. A number of coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him and in 1994 he was elected president in the country's first free elections. A military coup attempt and civil war in 1998 eventually led to VIEIRA's ouster in 1999. In February 2000, an interim government turned over power when opposition leader Kumba YALA took office following two rounds of transparent presidential elections. YALA was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2003, and Henrique ROSA was sworn in as President. Guinea-Bissau's transition back to democracy will be complicated by its crippled economy, devastated in the civil war.
Birth rate 39.52 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 37.65 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues:
$48 million

expenditures:
$53 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
revenues: NA


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
Capital Moroni Bissau
Climate tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds
Coastline 340 km 350 km
Constitution 20 October 1996 16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996
Country name conventional long form:
Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros

conventional short form:
Comoros

local long form:
Republique Federale Islamique des Comores

local short form:
Comores
conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau


conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau


local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau


local short form: Guine-Bissau


former: Portuguese Guinea
Currency Comoran franc (KMF) -
Death rate 9.35 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 16.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $197 million (1997 est.) $941.5 million (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and military-led junta; US embassy Dakar is responsible for covering Guinea-Bissau: telephone - [221] 823-4296; FAX - [221] 822-5903
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Deputy Permanent Representative Mahmoud Mohamed ABOUD (acting)

chancery:
(temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Federal and Islamic Republic of the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022

telephone:
[1] (212) 972-8010

FAX:
[1] (212) 983-4712
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henrique Adriano DA SILVA


chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 519, Washington, DC 20005


telephone: [1] (202) 347-3950


FAX: [1] (202) 347-3954
Disputes - international claims French-administered Mayotte; the island of Anjouan (Nzwani) has moved to secede from Comoros attempts to stem refugees and cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and political instability from a separatist movement in Senegal's Casamance region
Economic aid - recipient $28.1 million (1997) $115.4 million (1995)
Economy - overview One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture, including fishing, hunting, and forestry, is the leading sector of the economy. It contributes 40% to GDP, employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports. The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government is struggling to upgrade education and technical training, to privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, to improve health services, to diversify exports, to promote tourism, and to reduce the high population growth rate. Continued foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP. One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. However, unexploited offshore oil reserves could provide much-needed revenue in the long run. The inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the world. The government and international donors continue to work out plans to forward economic development from a lamentably low base. In December 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step in to provide emergency budgetary support in the amount of $107 million for 2004, representing over 80% of the total national budget. Government drift and indecision, however, have resulted in continued low growth in 2004.
Electricity - consumption 15.8 million kWh (1999) 51.15 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 17 million kWh (1999) 55 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
88.24%

hydro:
11.76%

nuclear:
0%

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

highest point:
Le Kartala 2,360 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the country 300 m
Environment - current issues soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%
Exchange rates Comoran francs per US dollar - 524.41 (January 2001), 533.98 (2000), 461.77 (1999), 442.46 (1998), 437.75 (1997), 383.66 (1996)

note:
prior to January 1999, the official rate was pegged to the French franc at 75 Comoran francs per French franc; since 1 January 1999, the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)


note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro
Executive branch chief of state:
President AZALI Assoumani (since 6 May 1999); note - the interim government of President Tajiddine Ben Said MASSOUNDE, which had assumed power on 6 November 1998 upon the death of President Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim, was overthrown in a bloodless coup on 30 April 1999

head of government:
Prime Minister Hamada MADI (since late November 2000)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 6 and 16 March 1996 (next to be held NA); prime minister appointed by the president

note:
President AZALI claimed a one-year term at the time of the coup; but elections, promised for spring 2000, were not held

election results:
results of the last presidential election before the coup were: Mohamed TAKI Abdulkarim elected president; percent of vote - 64.3%
chief of state: President Henrique ROSA (interim; since 28 September 2003); note - a September 2003 coup overthrew the elected government of Kumba YALA; General Verissimo Correia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 to 28 September 2003


head of government: Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 9 May 2004)


cabinet: NA


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to be held May 2005); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature


election results: Kumba YALA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Kumba YALA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%


note: a bloodless coup led to the dissolution of the elected government of Kumba YALA in September 2003; General Verissimo Correia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 September 2003 until stepping aside on 28 September 2003 with the establishment of a caretaker government
Exports $7.9 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) NA
Exports - commodities vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber
Exports - partners France 50%, Germany 25% (1998) India 52.1%, US 22.2%, Nigeria 13.2% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description green with a white crescent in the center of the field, its points facing downward; there are four white five-pointed stars placed in a line between the points of the crescent; the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago - Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros); the design, the most recent of several, is described in the constitution approved by referendum on 7 June 1992 two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP purchasing power parity - $419 million (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
40%

industry:
4%

services:
56% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 62%


industry: 12%


services: 26% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $720 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $700 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 0.5% (2000 est.) 2.6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 10 S, 44 15 E 12 00 N, 15 00 W
Geography - note important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying further inland
Highways total:
880 km

paved:
673 km

unpaved:
207 km (1996)
total: 4,400 km


paved: 453 km


unpaved: 3,947 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: 0.5%


highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)
Imports $55.1 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) NA
Imports - commodities rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products
Imports - partners France 38%, Pakistan 13%, South Africa 8%, Kenya 8% (1998) Senegal 44.6%, Portugal 13.8%, China 4.2% (2004)
Independence 6 July 1975 (from France) 24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate -2% (1999 est.) 2.6% (1997 est.)
Industries tourism, perfume distillation, textiles, furniture, jewelry, construction materials, soft drinks agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks
Infant mortality rate 84.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 107.17 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 117.78 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 96.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.5% (1999) 4% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, CCC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), ILO, IMF, InOC, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant) ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km 170 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of the republic) Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine justices appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases); Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases)
Labor force 144,500 (1996 est.) 480,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% agriculture 82% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 724 km


border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
Land use arable land:
35%

permanent crops:
10%

permanent pastures:
7%

forests and woodland:
18%

other:
30% (1993 est.)
arable land: 10.67%


permanent crops: 8.82%


other: 80.51% (2001)
Languages Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages
Legal system French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code NA
Legislative branch bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (15 seats: five from each island); members selected by regional councils for six-year terms) and a Federal Assembly or Assemblee Federale (43 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - the Federal Assembly was dissolved following the coup of 30 April 1999

elections:
Federal Assembly - last held 1 and 8 December 1996 (next to be held NA)

election results:
Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RND 39, FNJ 3, independent 1

note:
the constitution stipulates that only parties that win six seats in the Federal Assembly (two from each island) are permitted to be in opposition, but if no party accomplishes that, the second most successful party will be in opposition; in the elections of December 1996 the FNJ appeared to qualify as opposition
unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a maximum of four years)


elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%, PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2%; seats by party - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1
Life expectancy at birth total population:
60.41 years

male:
58.2 years

female:
62.68 years (2001 est.)
total population: 46.61 years


male: 44.77 years


female: 48.52 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
57.3%

male:
64.2%

female:
50.4% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 42.4%


male: 58.1%


female: 27.4% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Senegal
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total:
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 19,122 GRT/29,817 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 2 (2000 est.)
-
Military branches Comoran Security Force People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA $8.9 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 3.1% (2004)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
141,120 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
83,920 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Independence Day, 6 July (1975) Independence Day, 24 September (1973)
Nationality noun:
Comoran(s)

adjective:
Comoran
noun: Guinean(s)


adjective: Guinean
Natural hazards cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry season; brush fires
Natural resources NEGL fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum
Net migration rate NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -1.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders Front National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed Abdallah MOHAMED, Ahmed ABOUBACAR, Soidiki M'BAPANOZA]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the government) [Ali Bazi SELIM] African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Front for the Liberation and Independence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY]; Guinea-Bissau Resistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz LOPES]; Guinean Civic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; International League for Ecological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje Bubacar DJALO, president]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE, secretary general]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Union for Change or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary general]; United Platform or UP [coalition formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB]; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Francisco Jose FADUL]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 596,202 (July 2001 est.) 1,416,027 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA
Population growth rate 3.02% (2001 est.) 1.96% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2002)
Radios 90,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km -
Religions Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations

domestic:
HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay

international:
HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
general assessment: small system


domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines, radiotelephone, and cellular communications


international: country code - 245
Telephones - main lines in use 6,000 (1997) 10,600 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 1,300 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 0 (1998) NA (1997)
Terrain volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east
Total fertility rate 5.32 children born/woman (2001 est.) 4.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (1996 est.) NA (1998)
Waterways none 4 largest rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2004)
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