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Compare Cook Islands (2004) - Belarus (2002)

Compare Cook Islands (2004) z Belarus (2002)

 Cook Islands (2004)Belarus (2002)
 Cook IslandsBelarus
Administrative divisions none 6 voblastsi (singular - voblasts') and one municipality* (harady, singular - horad); Brestskaya (Brest), Homyel'skaya (Homyel'), Horad Minsk*, Hrodzyenskaya (Hrodna), Mahilyowskaya (Mahilyow), Minskaya, Vitsyebskaya (Vitsyebsk); note - when using a place name with the adjectival ending 'skaya' the word voblasts' should be added to the place name


note: voblasti have the administrative center name following in parentheses
Age structure 0-14 years: NA


15-64 years: NA


65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 17.3% (male 914,579; female 876,346)


15-64 years: 68.6% (male 3,443,859; female 3,643,628)


65 years and over: 14.1% (male 482,624; female 974,346) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk
Airports 9 (2003 est.) 136 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total: 33


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 19


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 11 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 7


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 103


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 10


1,524 to 2,437 m: 11


914 to 1,523 m: 14


under 914 m: 65 (2002)
Area total: 240 sq km


land: 240 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 207,600 sq km


land: 207,600 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative 1.3 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Kansas
Background Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems. After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the accord, serious implementation has yet to take place.
Birth rate NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 9.86 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $28 million


expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3 million (FY00/01 est.)
revenues: $4 billion


expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $180 million (1997 est.)
Capital Avarua Minsk
Climate tropical; moderated by trade winds cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between continental and maritime
Coastline 120 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 4 August 1965 30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Cook Islands


former: Harvey Islands
conventional long form: Republic of Belarus


conventional short form: Belarus


local long form: Respublika Byelarus'


local short form: none


former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency New Zealand dollar (NZD) Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)
Death rate NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 13.99 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $141 million (1996 est.) $770 million (2001 est.)
Dependency status self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) chief of mission: Ambassador Michael G. KOZAK


embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83


FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853
Diplomatic representation in the US none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand) chief of mission: Ambassador Valeriy V. TSEPAKLO


chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604


FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international none boundary demarcation with Latvia and Lithuania is pending European Union funding
Economic aid - recipient $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995) $194.3 million (1995) (1995)
Economy - overview Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth. Belarus has seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the country on the path of "market socialism." In keeping with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervene in the management of private enterprise. In addition to the burdens imposed by high inflation and persistent trade deficits, businesses have been subject to pressure on the part of central and local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory owners. Close relations with Russia, possibly leading to reunion, color the pattern of economic developments. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated from the West and its open-market economies.
Electricity - consumption 25.51 million kWh (2001) 26.78 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 300 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 4.15 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 27.43 million kWh (2001) 24.66 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


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


highest point: Te Manga 652 m
lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m


highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m
Environment - current issues NA soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9% Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish, Ukrainian, and other 7.4%
Exchange rates New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999) Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 1,590 (yearend 2001), 1,531.000 (November 2001), 876.750 (2000), 248.795 (1999), 46.127 (1998), 26.020 (1997); note - on 1 January 2000, the national currency was redenominated at one new ruble to 2,000 old rubles
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since July 2001), representative of New Zealand


head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister SIR Geoffrey HENRY (since 14 December 2004)


cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister
chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)


head of government: Prime Minister Gennadiy NOVITSKIY (since 1 October 2001); Deputy Prime Ministers Andrei KOBYAKOV (since 13 March 2000), Aleksandr POPKOV (since 10 November 1998), Sergei SIDORSKY (since NA September 2001), Vladimir DRAZHIN (since NA September 2001)


cabinet: Council of Ministers


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999, however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; new election held 9 September 2001 (next election to be held by September 2006); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president


election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 75.6%, Vladimir GONCHARIK 15.4%
Exports NA (2001) $7.5 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, textiles, foodstuffs, metals
Exports - partners Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000) Russia 51%, Ukraine 8%, Poland 4%, Germany 3% (2000)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears the Belarusian national ornament in red
GDP purchasing power parity - $105 million (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $84.8 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 17%


industry: 7.8%


services: 75.2% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 13%


industry: 42%


services: 45% (2000)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 7.1% (2001 est.) 4.1% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 21 14 S, 159 46 W 53 00 N, 28 00 E
Geography - note the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes; the country is geologically well endowed with extensive deposits of granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay
Highways total: 320 km


paved: 33 km


unpaved: 287 km (2000)
total: 98,200 km


paved: 66,100 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads)


unpaved: 32,100 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 5%


highest 10%: 20% (1998)
Illicit drugs - limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; lax money-laundering and banking regulations
Imports NA (2001) $8.1 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, metals
Imports - partners New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000) Russia 65%, Germany 7%, Poland 3% (2000)
Independence none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action) 25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate 1% (2002) 5.4% (2001 est.)
Industries fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers, motorcycles, television sets, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles, radios, refrigerators
Infant mortality rate total: NA


male: NA


female: NA (2004 est.)
14.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.2% (2000 est.) 46.1% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO CCC, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 23 (2002)
Irrigated land NA sq km 1,150 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch High Court Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)
Labor force 8,000 (1996) 4.8 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56%


note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)
industry and construction NA%, agriculture and forestry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries 0 km total: 2,900 km


border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km, Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km
Land use arable land: 17.39%


permanent crops: 13.04%


other: 69.57% (2001)
arable land: 29.76%


permanent crops: 0.69%


other: 69.55% (1998 est.)
Languages English (official), Maori Belarusian, Russian, other
Legal system based on New Zealand law and English common law based on civil law system
Legislative branch unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 7 September 2004 (next to be held by 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CIP 10, DAP 9, Demo Tumu 4, independent 1; note - one seat undecided pending by-election


note: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers
bicameral Parliament or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by the president, all for 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Pretsaviteley (110 seats; members elected by universal adult suffrage to serve 4-year terms)


elections: last held October 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: party affiliation data unavailable; under present political conditions party designations are meaningless
Life expectancy at birth total population: NA years


male: NA years


female: NA years (2004 est.)
total population: 68.28 years


male: 62.3 years


female: 74.56 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: 95%


male: NA


female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 98%


male: 99%


female: 97% (1989 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand Eastern Europe, east of Poland
Map references Oceania Europe
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,074 GRT/7,520 DWT


by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1


foreign-owned: Australia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.)
-
Military - note defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request -
Military branches - Army, Air Force (including air defense), Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $156 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 2,744,267 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 2,149,873 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 86,396 (2002 est.)
National holiday Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965) Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union
Nationality noun: Cook Islander(s)


adjective: Cook Islander
noun: Belarusian(s)


adjective: Belarusian
Natural hazards typhoons (November to March) NA
Natural resources NEGL forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay
Net migration rate - 2.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 1,470 km; refined products 1,100 km; natural gas 1,980 km (1992)
Political parties and leaders Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY]; Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP [Norman GEORGE]; Cook Islands National Party or CIN [Teariki HEATHER]; Demo Party Tumu [Robert WOONTON] Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY]; Belarusian Communist Party or KPB [Viktor CHIKIN, chairman]; Belarusian Ecological Green Party (merger of Belarusian Ecological Party and Green Party of Belarus) [leader NA]; Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Popular Front or BNF [Vintsuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democrat Party or SDBP [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Social-Democratic Party or Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH, chairman]; Belarusian Socialist Party [Vyacheslav KUZNETSOV]; Civic Accord Bloc (United Civic Party) or CAB [Anatol LIABEDZKA]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDPB [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH, chairman]; Party of Communists Belarusian or PKB [Sergei KALYAKIN, chairman]; Republican Party of Labor and Justice or RPPS [Anatoliy NETYLKIN, chairman]; Social-Democrat Party of Popular Accord or PPA [Leanid SECHKA]; Women's Party or "Nadezhda" [Valentina POLEVIKOVA, chairperson]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 21,200 (July 2004 est.) 10,335,382 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 22% (1995 est.)
Population growth rate NA (2004 est.) -0.14% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Avarua, Avatiu Mazyr
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)
Radios - 3.02 million (1997)
Railways - total: 5,523 km


broad gauge: 5,523 km 1.520-m gauge (875 km electrified) (2000 est.)
Religions Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands Christian Church) Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)
Sex ratio NA (2004 est.) at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female


total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage NA years of age; universal adult 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex


domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable


international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications controls all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock company) Beltelcom which is a monopoly


domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long; local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity - Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus's fiber optics form synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries' systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational


international: Belarus is a member of the Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line, and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations
Telephones - main lines in use 6,200 (2002) 2.313 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,500 (2002) 8,167 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004) 47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south generally flat and contains much marshland
Total fertility rate NA children born/woman (2004 est.) 1.31 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 13% (1996) 2.1% officially registered unemployed (December 2000); large number of underemployed workers
Waterways - NA km; note - Belarus has extensive and widely used canal and river systems
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