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Compare Comoros (2002) - Netherlands Antilles (2008)

Compare Comoros (2002) z Netherlands Antilles (2008)

 Comoros (2002)Netherlands Antilles (2008)
 ComorosNetherlands Antilles
Administrative divisions 3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)


note: each island has its own government
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.9% (male 132,013; female 131,282)


15-64 years: 54.2% (male 164,245; female 168,793)


65 years and over: 2.9% (male 8,588; female 9,461) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 23.6% (male 27,020/female 25,726)


15-64 years: 67.4% (male 72,449/female 78,259)


65 years and over: 9% (male 8,243/female 11,955) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca) aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Airports 4 (2001) 5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
total: 5


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 2,170 sq km


land: 2,170 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 960 sq km


land: 960 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
Area - comparative slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC more than five times the size of Washington, DC
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 a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is shared with France; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern portion, called Saint Martin, is an overseas collectivity of France.
Birth rate 39.01 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 14.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $27.6 million


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $757.9 million


expenditures: $949.5 million (2004)
Capital Moroni name: Willemstad (on Curacao)


geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
Coastline 340 km 364 km
Constitution 23 December 2001


note: a Transitional National Unity Government (GUNT) was formed on 20 January 2002 following the passing of the new constitution; the GUNT governed until the presidential elections on 14 April 2002
29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
Country name conventional long form: Union of the Comoros


conventional short form: Comoros


local long form: Union des Comores


local short form: Comores
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles


local long form: none


local short form: Nederlandse Antillen


former: Curacao and Dependencies
Currency Comoran franc (KMF) -
Death rate 9.1 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 6.39 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $225 million $2.68 billion (2004)
Dependency status - an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON


consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao


mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao


telephone: [599] (9) 4613066


FAX: [599] (9) 4616489
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Ahmed DJABIR (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)


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 and 223-2711


FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Jeffrey CORRION, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Disputes - international claims French-administered Mayotte; the island of Anjouan (Nzwani) has moved to secede from Comoros again after recent military coup none
Economic aid - recipient $10 million (2001 est.) $21.32 million


note: IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million (2004)
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, 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. Increased 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. Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined or grown slightly in each of the past eight years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Most of the oil Netherlands Antilles imports for its refineries come from Venezuela. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary problems hamper reform of the health and pension systems of an aging population.
Electricity - consumption 17.67 million kWh (2000) 891 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 19 million kWh (2000) 1.175 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 89%


hydro: 11%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
Environment - current issues soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation NA
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 Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava mixed black 85%, other 15% (includes Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian)
Exchange rates Comoran francs per US dollar - 557.09 (January 2002), 549.78 (2001), 533.98 (2000), 461.77 (1999), 442.46 (1998), 437.75 (1997)


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
Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003)
Executive branch chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - AZALI Assoumani became president on 6 May 1999 after a bloodless coup on 30 April 1999; on 16 January 2002, President AZALI resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; during that time, Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO served as interim president; AZALI Assoumani sworn in as president on 26 May 2002


head of government: Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO (since NA November 2000); note - on 16 January 2002, President AZALI resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president and Djaffar SALIM interim deputy prime minister


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with 75% of the vote
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE (since 26 March 2006)


cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)


elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the Staten; election last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held by 2010)


note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP-St. M, UPB, WIPM Saba, DP-St. E
Exports $35.3 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) 217,800 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra petroleum products
Exports - partners France 46%, US 18%, Singapore 18%, Germany 9% (1999) US 27.2%, Panama 11.4%, Mexico 9%, Germany 6.2%, Haiti 5.3%, Singapore 4.8%, Bahamas, The 4.2% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and 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 crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
GDP purchasing power parity - $424 million (2001 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 40%


industry: 4%


services: 56% (2001 est.)
agriculture: 1%


industry: 15%


services: 84% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $710 (2001 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2001 est.) 1% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 10 S, 44 15 E 12 15 N, 68 45 W
Geography - note important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao); the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the World shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten
Highways total: 880 km


paved: 673 km


unpaved: 207 km (1996)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center
Imports $44.9 million f.o.b. (2001 est.) 282,500 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Imports - partners France 34%, South Africa 14%, Kenya 7%, Pakistan 4% (1999) Venezuela 71.1%, US 10.4%, Italy 3.7% (2006)
Independence 6 July 1975 (from France) none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Industrial production growth rate -2% (1999 est.) NA%
Industries tourism, perfume distillation tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
Infant mortality rate 81.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 9.63 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 10.33 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.5% (2001 est.) 2.1% (2003 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, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO (applicant) Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km NA
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) Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
Labor force 144,500 (1996 est.) 83,600 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% agriculture: 1%


industry: 20%


services: 79% (2005 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 15 km


border countries: Saint Martin 15 km
Land use arable land: 34.98%


permanent crops: 17.94%


other: 47.08% (1998 est.)
arable land: 10%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 90% (2005)
Languages Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) Papiamento 65.4% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect), English 15.9% (widely spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%, Creole 1.6%, other 1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Legal system French and Muslim law in a new consolidated code based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence
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 (42 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 April 2003)


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 the opposition, but if no party accomplishes that, the second most successful party will be in the opposition; in the elections of December 1996 the FNJ appeared to qualify as opposition
unicameral States or Staten (22 seats, Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB 2, DP-St. E 1, DP-St. M 1, PDB 1, WIPM 1


note: the government is a coalition of several parties
Life expectancy at birth total population: 60.79 years


male: 58.56 years


female: 63.09 years (2002 est.)
total population: 76.24 years


male: 73.96 years


female: 78.65 years (2007 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: 96.7%


male: 96.7%


female: 96.8% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Africa, group of islands in the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed of five islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of Venezuela, and Sint Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie east of the US Virgin Islands
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Merchant marine total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 139,779 GRT/205,369 DWT


ships by type: cargo 6


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Malta 1, Pakistan 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)
total: 138 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,096,005 GRT/1,437,692 DWT


by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 4, cargo 70, carrier 12, chemical tanker 3, container 10, liquefied gas 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 25, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 3


foreign-owned: 125 (Belgium 1, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 48, Netherlands 53, Norway 5, Sweden 3, Turkey 12, US 1) (2007)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Military branches Comoran Security Force no regular military forces; National Guard (2008)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $6 million (FY01) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3% (FY01) -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 145,509 (2002 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 86,455 (2002 est.) -
National holiday Independence Day, 6 July (1975) Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)
Nationality noun: Comoran(s)


adjective: Comoran
noun: Dutch Antillean(s)


adjective: Dutch Antillean
Natural hazards cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October
Natural resources NEGL phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Net migration rate NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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] Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI]


Curacao: Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO]; Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni'un Paso Atras [Nelson PIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat I Seguridat [Sonja BERKEMEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular or PLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE LANNOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT]


Saba: Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVENSTONE]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL]


Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St. Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTMAN-WHITFIELD]


Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party [Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN]; People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St. Maarten People's Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People's Labor Party [Bienvenido RICHARDSON]


note: political parties are indigenous to each island
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Unions (AVBO) and Employers Association (VBC)
Population 614,382 (July 2002 est.) 223,652 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 60% (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.99% (2002 est.) 0.777% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2003)
Radios 90,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km -
Religions Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2% (2001 census)
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: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.926 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.929 male(s)/female (2007 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: generally adequate facilities


domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links


international: country code - 599; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the Americas-2 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 7,000 (2000) 81,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 200,000 (2004)
Television broadcast stations NA 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and 4 Venezuelan channels) (2003)
Terrain volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills generally hilly, volcanic interiors
Total fertility rate 5.26 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.99 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (1996 est.) 17% (2002 est.)
Waterways none -
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