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Compare Comoros (2008) - Netherlands Antilles (2001)

Compare Comoros (2008) z Netherlands Antilles (2001)

 Comoros (2008)Netherlands Antilles (2001)
 ComorosNetherlands Antilles
Administrative divisions 3 islands and 4 municipalities*; Grande Comore, Anjouan, Domoni*, Fomboni*, Moheli, Moroni*, Mutsamudu* none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

note:
each island has its own government
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.6% (male 151,920/female 150,851)


15-64 years: 54.4% (male 191,096/female 196,120)


65 years and over: 3% (male 9,933/female 11,497) (2007 est.)
0-14 years:
25.21% (male 27,332; female 26,169)

15-64 years:
66.99% (male 67,562; female 74,599)

65 years and over:
7.8% (male 6,874; female 9,690) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products vanilla, cloves, ylang-ylang, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca) aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Airports 4 (2007) 5 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)
total:
5

over 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
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 Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power in a bloodless coup, and helped negotiate the 2000 Fomboni Accords power-sharing agreement in which the federal presidency rotates among the three islands, and each island maintains its own local government. AZALI won the 2002 Presidential election, and each island in the archipelago elected its own president. AZALI stepped down in 2006 and President SAMBI took office. Since 2006, Anjouan's President Mohamed BACAR has refused to work effectively with the Union presidency. This year BACAR effected Anjouan's de-facto secession from the Union, refusing to step down in favor of fresh Anjouanais elections when Comoros' other islands held legitimate elections in July. The African Union (AU) has stepped in to assist in resolving the political crisis, including applying sanctions and a naval blockade on Anjouan, but the situation remains at an impasse. 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 Sint Maarten is shared with France; its northern portion is named Saint Martin and is part of Guadeloupe.
Birth rate 36.35 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 16.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $27.6 million


expenditures: $NA (2001 est.)
revenues:
$710.8 million

expenditures:
$741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Capital name: Moroni


geographic coordinates: 11 42 S, 43 14 E


time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Willemstad
Climate tropical marine; rainy season (November to May) tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
Coastline 340 km 364 km
Constitution 23 December 2001 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 - Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)
Death rate 7.95 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $232 million (2000 est.) $1.35 billion (1996)
Dependency status - part of 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 Madagascar is accredited to Comoros chief of mission:
Consul General Barbara J. STEPHENSON

consulate(s) general:
J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, 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: Representative to the US and Ambassador to the UN Mohamed TOIHIRI


chancery: Mission to the US, 336 East 45th Street (2nd floor), New York, NY 10017


telephone: [1] (212) 750-1637
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Disputes - international claims French-administered Mayotte none
Economic aid - recipient $25.23 million (2005 est.) IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million
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. The political problems caused the economy to contract in 2007. 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 slightly in each of the past five years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with Venezuela, the US, and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.
Electricity - consumption 18.6 million kWh (2005) 1.032 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 20 million kWh (2005) 1.11 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
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%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian
Exchange rates Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - NA (2007), 392.03 (2006), 395.6 (2005), 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003)


note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.790 (fixed rate since 1989)
Executive branch chief of state: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006)


head of government: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May 2006)


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 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2010); prime minister appointed by the president; note - the post of prime minister has been vacant since May 2002


election results: Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent of vote - Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, Mohamed DJAANFAMI 13.7%
chief of state:
Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH (since NA October 1989)

head of government:
Prime Minister Miguel POURIER (since 8 November 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER (since NA)

note:
Miguel POURIER assumed prime ministership following the resignation of Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER

cabinet:
Council of Ministers elected by the Staten

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 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002)

note:
government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) $276 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), cloves, copra petroleum products
Exports - partners Netherlands 35.8%, France 18.3%, Italy 12.8%, Singapore 7.8%, Turkey 5%, US 4.6% (2006) US 17.5%, Guatemala 8%, Costa Rica 6.5%, The Bahamas 4.6%, Jamaica 4.1%, Chile 3.4% (1998)
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 Mahore (Mayotte - territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros)


note: 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 - $2.4 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 40%


industry: 4%


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

industry:
15%

services:
84% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -1% (2007 est.) -3.5% (2000 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 -
Highways - total:
600 km

paved:
300 km

unpaved:
300 km (1992)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs - money-laundering center; transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe
Imports 709.1 bbl/day (2004) $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, cement, transport equipment crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Imports - partners France 24.8%, UAE 9.9%, South Africa 6.4%, Pakistan 6.3%, Kenya 5%, China 4.8%, India 4.4%, Italy 4.2% (2006) Venezuela 35.3%, US 21%, Mexico 9.8%, Italy 5.4%, Netherlands 4.8%, Brazil 3.1% (1998)
Independence 6 July 1975 (from France) none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Industrial production growth rate -2% (1999 est.) NA%
Industries fishing, tourism, perfume distillation tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
Infant mortality rate total: 70.66 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 78.86 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 62.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3% (2005 est.) 6.4% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, COMESA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WToO (associate)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 6
Irrigated land NA NA sq km
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.) 89,000
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 80%


industry and services: 20% (1996 est.)
agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (1994 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total:
10.2 km

border countries:
Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km
Land use arable land: 35.87%


permanent crops: 23.32%


other: 40.81% (2005)
arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
0%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
90% (1993 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic) Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish
Legal system French and Islamic law in a new consolidated code based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
Legislative branch unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and 18 by universal suffrage; to serve for five years);


elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held in 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CdIA 12, CRC 6; note - 15 additional seats are filled by deputies from local island assemblies
unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, SPA 1, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, PLKP 3, WIPM 1, SEA 1, DP-St. M 2, FOL 2; no party won enough seats to form a government

note:
the government of Prime Minister Miguel POURIER is a coalition of several parties; current seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, FOL 2, MAN 2, UPB 2, DP-St. M 2, PDB 1, SEA 1, WIPM 1, other 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: 62.73 years


male: 60.37 years


female: 65.15 years (2007 est.)
total population:
74.94 years

male:
72.76 years

female:
77.22 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:
98%

male:
98%

female:
99% (1981 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 Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela; the other is east of the Virgin Islands
Map references Africa Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
exclusive fishing zone:
12 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total: 144 ships (1000 GRT or over) 657,755 GRT/954,498 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 101, chemical tanker 3, container 1, livestock carrier 4, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 70 (Bangladesh 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Greece 8, India 2, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Lebanon 5, Norway 1, Pakistan 2, Philippines 1, Russia 9, Saudi Arabia 1, Syria 8, Turkey 8, Ukraine 13, UAE 5, US 2) (2007)
total:
123 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,113,774 GRT/1,397,841 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 1, cargo 35, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 3, container 19, liquefied gas 4, multi-functional large-load carrier 19, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 7

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 8, Germany 1, Italy 1 (2000 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Military branches National Development Army (AND): Comoran Security Force; Comoran Federal Police (2007) Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard, Police Force
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.8% (2006) -
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
54,284 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
30,405 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
1,610 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 6 July (1975) Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April
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 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Political parties and leaders Convention for the Renewal of the Comoros or CRC [AZALI Assowmani]; Camp of the Autonomous Islands or CdIA (a coalition of parties organized by the islands' presidents in opposition to the Union President); Front National pour la Justice or FNJ [Ahmed RACHID] (Islamic party in opposition); Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE] Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Miguel POURIER]; C 93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or FAME [Eric LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol COVA]; National People's Party or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramon BOOI]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.]; People's Party or PAPU [Richard Hodi]; Pro Curacao Party or PPK [Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor Movement [Steve HASSELL]; Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius Alliance or SEA [Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative People's Party or Sapp [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS [Benny DEMEI]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will JOHNSTON]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald LAK, Editha WRIGHT]

note:
political parties are indigenous to each island
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 711,417 (July 2007 est.) 212,226 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 60% (2002 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.84% (2007 est.) 0.97% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001) AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 217,000 (1997)
Railways - 0 km
Religions Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2% Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.007 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.974 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.864 male(s)/female


total population: 0.985 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.92 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; fixed-line connections only about 2 per 100 persons; mobile cellular usage about 2 per 100 persons


domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay


international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
general assessment:
generally adequate facilities

domestic:
extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

international:
submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 16,900 (2005) 76,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular 16,100 (2005) 13,977 (1996)
Television broadcast stations NA 3 (there is also a cable service which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (1997)
Terrain volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills generally hilly, volcanic interiors
Total fertility rate 4.97 children born/woman (2007 est.) 2.07 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (1996 est.) 14.9% (1998 est.)
Waterways - none
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