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Compare Comoros (2005) - Sri Lanka (2001)
Compare Comoros (2005) z Sri Lanka (2001)
| Comoros (2005) | Sri Lanka (2001) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou | 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 42.8% (male 144,075/female 143,175)
15-64 years: 54.2% (male 179,541/female 184,488) 65 years and over: 3% (male 9,407/female 10,561) (2005 est.) |
0-14 years:
25.99% (male 2,578,618; female 2,464,928) 15-64 years: 67.39% (male 6,369,881; female 6,708,852) 65 years and over: 6.62% (male 615,253; female 671,103) (2001 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca) | rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef |
| Airports | 4 (2004 est.) | 14 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
total:
12 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Area | total: 2,170 sq km
land: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
65,610 sq km land: 64,740 sq km water: 870 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than West Virginia |
| 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 took office in May of 2002. | Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester. |
| Birth rate | 37.52 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 16.58 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $27.6 million
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001 est.) |
revenues:
$3 billion expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
| Capital | Moroni | Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital |
| Climate | tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) | tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) |
| Coastline | 340 km | 1,340 km |
| Constitution | 23 December 2001 | adopted 16 August 1978 |
| 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:
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka conventional short form: Sri Lanka former: Serendib, Ceylon |
| Currency | - | Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) |
| Death rate | 8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Debt - external | $232 million (2000 est.) | $9.9 billion (2000) |
| 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 E. Ashley WILLS embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3 mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo telephone: [94] (1) 448007 FAX: [94] (1) 437345 |
| 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:
Ambassador Warnasena RASAPUTRAM chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028) FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York |
| Disputes - international | claims French-administered Mayotte | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | $10 million (2001 est.) | $577 million (1998) |
| 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, privatize commercial and industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports, promote tourism, and 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. | In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an annual average rate of 5.5% throughout the 1990s until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-98 with growth of 6.4% and 4.7% - but slowed to 4.3% in 1999. Growth increased to 5.6% in 2000, with growth in tourism and exports leading the way. But a resurgence of civil war between the Sinhalese and the minority Tamils and a possible slowdown in tourism dampen prospects for 2001. For the next round of reforms, the central bank of Sri Lanka recommends that Colombo expand market mechanisms in nonplantation agriculture, dismantle the government's monopoly on wheat imports, and promote more competition in the financial sector. |
| Electricity - consumption | 22.17 million kWh (2002) | 5.604 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production | 23.84 million kWh (2002) | 6.026 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
29.9% hydro: 70.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m |
| Environment - current issues | soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation | deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo |
| 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, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
| Ethnic groups | Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava | Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1% |
| Exchange rates | Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003), 522.74 (2002), 549.78 (2001), 533.98 (2000)
note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro |
Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 83.506 (January 2001), 77.005 (2000), 70.635 (1999), 64.450 (1998), 58.995 (1997), 55.271 (1996) |
| 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 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 Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ratnasiri WICKRAMANAYAKE (since 10 August 2000) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ratnasiri WICKRAMANAYAKE (since 10 August 2000) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered to be both the chief of state and the head of the government, this is in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005) election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA) 51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%, other 7% |
| Exports | NA | $5.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
| Exports - commodities | vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra | textiles and apparel, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum products |
| Exports - partners | US 43.8%, France 18.6%, Singapore 16.5%, Turkey 4.8%, Germany 4.5% (2004) | US 39%, UK 13%, Middle East 8%, Germany 5%, Japan 4% (1999) |
| 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 | yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border that goes around the entire flag and extends between the two panels |
| GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $62.7 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 40%
industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.) |
agriculture:
21% industry: 19% services: 60% (1998) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3,250 (2000 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2% (2002 est.) | 5.6% (2000 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 12 10 S, 44 15 E | 7 00 N, 81 00 E |
| Geography - note | important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel | strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes |
| Highways | total: 880 km
paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1999 est) |
total:
11,285 km paved: 10,721 km unpaved: 564 km (1998 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%:
1.8% highest 10%: 39.7% (1995-96 est.) |
| Imports | NA | $6.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
| Imports - commodities | rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment | machinery and equipment, textiles, petroleum, foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners | France 23.5%, South Africa 11.1%, Kenya 7.5%, UAE 7.2%, Italy 4.9%, Pakistan 4.7%, Mauritius 4.2%, Singapore 4.1% (2004) | Japan 10%, India 9%, Hong Kong 8%, Singapore 8%, South Korea 6% (1999) |
| Independence | 6 July 1975 (from France) | 4 February 1948 (from UK) |
| Industrial production growth rate | -2% (1999 est.) | 4% (1999) |
| Industries | tourism, perfume distillation | processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 74.93 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 83.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 66.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
16.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.5% (2001 est.) | 8.5% (2000 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 | AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 5 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | 5,500 sq km (1993 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; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president |
| Labor force | 144,500 (1996 est.) | 6.6 million (1998) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 80% | services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% (1998 est.) |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 35.87%
permanent crops: 23.32% other: 40.81% (2001) |
arable land:
14% permanent crops: 15% permanent pastures: 7% forests and woodland: 32% other: 32% (1993 est.) |
| Languages | Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) | Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%
note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population |
| Legal system | French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code | a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Legislative branch | unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the 18 by universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years);
elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009) election results: NA |
unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to serve six-year terms)
elections: last held 10 October 2000 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - PA 45.11%, UNP 40.22%, JVP 6%, NUA 2.29%, SU 1.48%, TULF 1.23%, other 3.67%; seats by party - PA 107, UNP 89, JVP 10, TULF 5, EPDP 4, NUA 4, TELO 3, ACTC 1, SU 1, independent 1 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 61.96 years
male: 59.65 years female: 64.33 years (2005 est.) |
total population:
72.09 years male: 69.58 years female: 74.73 years (2001 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: 90.2% male: 93.4% female: 87.2% (1995 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 | Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India |
| Map references | Africa | Asia |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Merchant marine | total: 79 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 452,801 GRT/681,343 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 55, chemical tanker 1, container 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 35 (Bulgaria 1, Germany 1, Greece 7, India 1, Jordan 1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 3, Nigeria 1, Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Philippines 1, Russia 2, Syria 3, Turkey 6, Ukraine 4, United Kingdom 1) (2005) |
total:
20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 149,902 GRT/247,852 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 16, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military branches | Comoran Security Force | Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $11.6 million (2004) | $719 million (FY98) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3% (2004) | 4.2% (FY98) |
| Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
5,304,323 (2001 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
4,119,511 (2001 est.) |
| Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
193,522 (2001 est.) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 6 July (1975) | Independence Day, 4 February (1948) |
| Nationality | noun: Comoran(s)
adjective: Comoran |
noun:
Sri Lankan(s) adjective: Sri Lankan |
| Natural hazards | cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano | occasional cyclones and tornadoes |
| Natural resources | NEGL | limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | -1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Pipelines | - | crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987) |
| 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] | All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [Nalliah GURUPAUAN]; Ceylon Workers Congress or CLDC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party [Raja COLLURE]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF [Srimani ATHULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRA]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Tilvan SILVA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [leader NA]; People's Alliance or PA [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SIDDATHAN]; Sihala Urumaya or SU [leader NA]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM and Ferial ASHRAFF]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [leader NA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SUBRAMANIUM]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [R. SAMPATHAN]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Upcountry People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either parliament or provincial councils |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE (insurgent group fighting for a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups |
| Population | 671,247 (July 2005 est.) | 19,408,635 (July 2001 est.)
note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of mid-1999, approximately 66,000 were housed in 133 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West |
| Population below poverty line | 60% (2002 est.) | 22% (1997 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 2.91% (2005 est.) | 0.87% (2001 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Mayotte, Moutsamoudou | Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) | AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios | - | 3.85 million (1997) |
| Railways | - | total:
1,463 km broad gauge: 1,404 km 1.676-m gauge narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (1996) |
| Religions | Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% | Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999) |
| 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: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 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: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion |
general assessment:
very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas; some hope for improvement with privatization of national telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good international service (1999) domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999) international: submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 13,200 (2003) | 494,509 (1998) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,000 (2003) | 228,604 (1999) |
| Television broadcast stations | NA | 21 (1997) |
| Terrain | volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills | mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior |
| Total fertility rate | 5.09 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 1.95 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 20% (1996 est.) | 8.8% (1999 est.) |
| Waterways | - | 430 km (navigable by shallow-draft craft) |
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