Compare Comoros (2004) - Fiji (2005)

Compare Comoros (2004) z Fiji (2005)

	Comoros (2004)	Fiji (2005)

Administrative divisions	3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou	4 divisions and 1 dependency; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma, Western
Age structure	0-14 years: 42.8% (male 140,083; female 139,245) 15-64 years: 54.2% (male 174,216; female 179,050) 65 years and over: 3% (male 9,136; female 10,171) (2004 est.)	0-14 years: 31.4% (male 143,066/female 137,346) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 288,434/female 287,720) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 16,797/female 19,991) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)	sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish
Airports	4 (2003 est.)	28 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 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: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 2,170 sq km land: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 18,270 sq km land: 18,270 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC	slightly smaller than New Jersey
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 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. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president was sworn in on 26 May 2002.	Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). A 1990 constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government and gave a mandate to the government of Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE.
Birth rate	38 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	22.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $27.6 million expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001 est.)	revenues: $427.9 million expenditures: $531.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)
Capital	Moroni	Suva (Viti Levu)
Climate	tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)	tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
Coastline	340 km	1,129 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	promulgated on 25 July 1990; amended on 25 July 1997 to allow nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998
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: Republic of the Fiji Islands conventional short form: Fiji
Currency	Comoran franc (KMF)	-
Death rate	8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	5.65 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$232 million (2000 est.)	$188.1 million (2001 est.)
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: Ambassador David L. LYON embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva telephone: [679] 331-4466 FAX: [679] 330-0081
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN) chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union 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	chief of mission: Mr. Paula NAVUNISARAVI (Charge D'Affaires ad Interim) chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320 FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996
Disputes - international	claims French-administered Mayotte	none
Economic aid - recipient	$10 million (2001 est.)	$40.3 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, 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 - which is hampered by internal political disputes - 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.	Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist industry - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of industrial activity, but is inefficient. Long-term problems include low investment, uncertain land ownership rights, and the government's ability to manage its budget. Yet short-run economic prospects are good, provided tensions do not again erupt between indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians. Overseas remittances from Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have increased significantly.
Electricity - consumption	19.78 million kWh (2001)	697.5 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	21.27 million kWh (2001)	750 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m
Environment - current issues	soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation	deforestation; soil erosion
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava	Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)
Exchange rates	Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 435.9 (2003), 522.741 (2002), 549.779 (2001), 533.982 (2000), 461.775 (1999) 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	Fijian dollars per US dollar - 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958 (2003), 2.1869 (2002), 2.2766 (2001), 2.1286 (2000)
Executive branch	chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three main islands in the Union; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; note - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn into office in May 2002 election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with 75% of the vote	chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18 July 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10 September 2000) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - there is also a Presidential Council that advises the president on matters of national importance and a Great Council of Chiefs, which consists of the highest ranking members of the traditional chief system elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%
Exports	NA (2001)	NA
Exports - commodities	vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra	sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil
Exports - partners	France 46.9%, Germany 18.8%, US 12.5% (2003)	US 24%, Australia 19%, UK 12.6%, Samoa 6.5%, Japan 4.1% (2004)
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	light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove
GDP	purchasing power parity - $441 million (2002 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.)	agriculture: 16.6% industry: 22.4% services: 61% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $5,900 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	2% (2002 est.)	3.6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	12 10 S, 44 15 E	18 00 S, 175 00 E
Geography - note	important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel	includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited
Highways	total: 880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)	total: 3,440 km paved: 1,692 km unpaved: 1,748 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Imports	NA (2001)	NA
Imports - commodities	rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment	manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals
Imports - partners	France 31.6%, Japan 13.7%, South Africa 10.3%, Kenya 5.1%, UAE 5.1%, Thailand 4.3% (2003)	Australia 25.9%, Singapore 23.1%, New Zealand 21.1% (2004)
Independence	6 July 1975 (from France)	10 October 1970 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	-2% (1999 est.)	NA
Industries	tourism, perfume distillation	tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries
Infant mortality rate	total: 77.22 deaths/1,000 live births male: 85.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 68.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	total: 12.62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3.5% (2001 est.)	1.6% (2002 est.)
International organization participation	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO	ACP, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land	NA sq km	30 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 (judges are appointed by the president); Court of Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts
Labor force	144,500 (1996 est.)	137,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 80%	agriculture, including subsistence agriculture 70% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 35.87% permanent crops: 23.32% other: 40.81% (2001)	arable land: 10.95% permanent crops: 4.65% other: 84.4% (2001)
Languages	Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)	English (official), Fijian, Hindustani
Legal system	French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code	based on British system
Legislative branch	unicameral Assembly of the Union (30 seats; half the deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the other half by universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years); note - elections for the former legislature, the Federal Assembly (dissolved in 1999) were held on 1 and 8 December 1996; the next elections for the Assembly of the Union were scheduled to be held on 18 and 25 April 2004	bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (34 seats; 24 appointed by the President on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, nine appointed by the president, and one appointed by the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, three reserved for other ethnic groups, one reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 25 August through 1 September and 19 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2006) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - FLP 26.5%, SDL 27.5%, NFP 1.2%, MV 4.2%, NLUP 1.3%, UGP .3%, independents 1.4%; seats by party - FLP 27, SDL 32, MV 6, NFP 1, NLUP 2, UGP 1, independents 2
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 61.57 years male: 59.29 years female: 63.91 years (2004 est.)	total population: 69.53 years male: 67.05 years female: 72.14 years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 56.5% male: 63.6% female: 49.3% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 95.5% female: 91.9% (2003 est.)
Location	Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern Madagascar and northern Mozambique	Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references	Africa	Oceania
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added
Merchant marine	total: 62 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 452,801 GRT/681,343 DWT by type: bulk 9, cargo 31, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 2, specialized tanker 4 foreign-owned: Bahamas 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Greece 7, Honduras 1, India 1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 7, Liberia 1, Marshall Islands 3, Pakistan 4, Panama 2, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Saudi Arabia 2, Syria 4, Turkey 21, United Kingdom 1, United States 1, Yemen 2 (2004 est.)	total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,372 GRT/7,453 DWT by type: passenger 3, passenger/cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Australia 1) (2005)
Military branches	Comoran Security Force	Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Division (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$6 million (2003)	$36 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	3% (2003)	2.2% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 154,843 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 91,825 (2004 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 6 July (1975)	Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)
Nationality	noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran	noun: Fijian(s) adjective: Fijian
Natural hazards	cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano	cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
Natural resources	NEGL	timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders	Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak ABDULHAMID]; Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of 12 parties); Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed RACHID]; Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud MRADABI]; Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist movement) [leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la Democratie or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the government) [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]	Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu Tevita MOMOEDONU]; Conservative Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or MV [Ratu Rakuita VAKALALABURE]; Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic Party or FDP [Felipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED], Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily Fijian) [Felipe BOLE], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Tupeni BABA]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDRHRY]; General Voters Party or GVP [leader NA] (became part of United General Party); Girmit Heritage Party or GHP [leader NA]; Justice and Freedom Party or AIM [leader NA]; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR [leader NA]; National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE]; Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of National Unity or PANU [Meli BOGILEKA]; Party of the Truth or POTT [leader NA]; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United General Party or UGP [Millis Mick BEDDOES]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	NA
Population	651,901 (July 2004 est.)	893,354 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	60% (2002 est.)	25.5% (1990-91)
Population growth rate	2.94% (2004 est.)	1.4% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	Fomboni, Moroni, Moutsamoudou	Lambasa, Lautoka, Suva
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)	AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways	-	total: 597 km narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2003)
Religions	Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%	Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim 8%, other 2% note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is a Muslim minority (1986)
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: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2004 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	21 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: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion	general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center domestic: NA international: country code - 679; access to important cable links between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	13,200 (2003)	102,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	2,000 (2003)	109,900 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	NA	NA
Terrain	volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills	mostly mountains of volcanic origin
Total fertility rate	5.15 children born/woman (2004 est.)	2.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	20% (1996 est.)	7.6% (1999)
Waterways	-	203 km note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges (2004)

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