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Compare Dominican Republic (2005) - Tonga (2008)

Compare Dominican Republic (2005) z Tonga (2008)

 Dominican Republic (2005)Tonga (2008)
 Dominican RepublicTonga
Administrative divisions 31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde 3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u
Age structure 0-14 years: 32.9% (male 1,505,964/female 1,438,809)


15-64 years: 61.7% (male 2,815,544/female 2,703,012)


65 years and over: 5.4% (male 226,372/female 260,333) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 34.6% (male 20,624/female 19,779)


15-64 years: 61.2% (male 35,551/female 36,052)


65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,087/female 2,828) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish
Airports 31 (2004 est.) 6 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 13


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 3


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


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 18


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 5


under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
total: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 48,730 sq km


land: 48,380 sq km


water: 350 sq km
total: 748 sq km


land: 718 sq km


water: 30 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire four times the size of Washington, DC
Background Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past decade. Tonga - unique among Pacific nations - never completely lost its indigenous governance. The archipelagos of "The Friendly Islands" were united into a Polynesian kingdom in 1845. Tonga became a constitutional monarchy in 1875 and a British protectorate in 1900; it withdrew from the protectorate and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. Tonga remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.
Birth rate 23.28 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 23.67 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.625 billion


expenditures: $3.382 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2004 est.)
revenues: $56.97 million


expenditures: $83.88 million (FY04/05)
Capital Santo Domingo name: Nuku'alofa


geographic coordinates: 21 08 S, 175 12 W


time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
Coastline 1,288 km 419 km
Constitution 28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002 4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967
Country name conventional long form: Dominican Republic


conventional short form: The Dominican


local long form: Republica Dominicana


local short form: La Dominicana
conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga


conventional short form: Tonga


local long form: Pule'anga Tonga


local short form: Tonga


former: Friendly Islands
Death rate 7.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $7.745 billion (2004 est.) $80.7 million (2004)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL


embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo


mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500


telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171


FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437
the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Tonga
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Flavio Dario Espinal JACOBO


chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280


FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
chief of mission: Ambassador Fekitamoeloa 'UTOIKAMANU


chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022


telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025


FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024


consulate(s) general: San Francisco
Disputes - international increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find work none
Economic aid - recipient $239.6 million (1995) $31.75 million (2005)
Economy - overview The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy which enjoyed GDP growth of more than 7% in 1998-2000. Growth subsequently plummeted as part of the global economic slowdown. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. Growth turned negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the US economy (the source of about 85% of export revenues), but recovered slightly in 2004. Resumption of a badly needed IMF loan, slowed due to government repurchase of electrical power plants, is basic to the restoration of social and economic stability. Newly elected President FERNANDEZ in mid-2004 promised belt-tightening reform. His administration has passed tax reform and is working to meet preconditions for a $600 IMF standby arrangement to ease the country's fiscal situation. Tonga has a small, open, South Pacific island economy. It has a narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. The country remains dependent on external aid and remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade deficit. Tourism is the second-largest source of hard currency earnings following remittances. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services. High unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in inflation, pressures for democratic reform, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues facing the government.
Electricity - consumption 8.912 billion kWh (2002) 32.55 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 9.583 billion kWh (2002) 35 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m


highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m
Environment - current issues water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens native sea turtle populations
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73% Polynesian, Europeans
Exchange rates Dominican pesos per US dollar - 42.12 (2004), 30.831 (2003), 18.61 (2002), 16.952 (2001), 16.415 (2000) pa'anga per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.0277 (2006), 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003)
Executive branch chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2008)


election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD) 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA (PRSC) 8.7%
chief of state: King George TUPOU V (since 11 September 2006)


head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Feleti SEVELE (since 11 February 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Viliami TANGI (since 16 May 2006)


cabinet: Cabinet consists of 14 members, 10 appointed by the monarch for life; four appointed from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly, including two each from the nobles' and peoples' representatives serving three-year terms


note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch, the cabinet, and two governors


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the monarch
Exports NA 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops
Exports - partners US 80%, South Korea 2.1%, Canada 1.9% (2004) US 39.7%, Japan 27.8%, NZ 8.2%, South Korea 7.6% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
Flag description a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 10.7%


industry: 31.5%


services: 57.8% (2003)
agriculture: 23%


industry: 27%


services: 50% (FY03/04 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2004 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 1.7% (2004 est.) 2.4% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 19 00 N, 70 40 W 20 00 S, 175 00 W
Geography - note shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)
Highways total: 12,600 km


paved: 6,224 km


unpaved: 6,376 km (1999)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.1%


highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions -
Imports 129,900 bbl/day (2003) 842.3 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners US 48.1%, Venezuela 13.5%, Colombia 4.8%, Mexico 4.8% (2004) Fiji 30.3%, NZ 27.7%, US 8.2%, Australia 7.5%, France 5.7%, UK 4.7% (2006)
Independence 27 February 1844 (from Haiti) 4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
Industrial production growth rate 2% (2001 est.) 1% (2003 est.)
Industries tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco tourism, fishing
Infant mortality rate total: 32.38 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 34.81 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 29.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 11.99 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 10.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 55% (2004 est.) 11.1% (2005 est.)
International organization participation ACP, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ACP, ADB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 2,590 sq km (1998 est.) NA
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by a the National Judicial Council comprised of the President, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the President of the Supreme Court, and an opposition or non-governing party member) Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of Appeal (Chief Justice and high court justices from overseas chosen and approved by Privy Council)
Labor force 2.3 million - 2.6 million (2000 est.) 33,910 (2003)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 17%, industry 24.3%, services and government 58.7% (1998 est.) agriculture: 65%


industry and services: 35% (1997 est.)
Land boundaries total: 360 km


border countries: Haiti 360 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 22.65%


permanent crops: 10.33%


other: 67.02% (2001)
arable land: 20%


permanent crops: 14.67%


other: 65.33% (2005)
Languages Spanish Tongan, English
Legal system based on French civil codes; undergoing modification in 2004 towards an accusatory system based on English common law
Legislative branch bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held May 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held May 2006)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 73, PLD 41, PRSC 36
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (32 seats - 14 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms)


elections: last held on 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008)


election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%, other 30%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.44 years


male: 69.94 years


female: 73.03 years (2005 est.)
total population: 70.12 years


male: 67.6 years


female: 72.76 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.7%


male: 84.6%


female: 84.8% (2003 est.)
definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English


total population: 98.9%


male: 98.8%


female: 99% (1999 est.)
Location Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Oceania
Maritime claims territorial sea: 6 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,230 GRT/17,011 DWT


by type: cargo 3 (2005)
total: 14 ships (1000 GRT or over) 58,756 GRT/67,889 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 9, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1


foreign-owned: 3 (Australia 1, Switzerland 1, UK 1) (2007)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force Tonga Defense Services (TDS): Land Force (Royal Guard), Naval Force (includes Royal Marines, Air Wing) (2008)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $180 million (1998) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.1% (1998) 0.9% (2006 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 27 February (1844) Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)
Nationality noun: Dominican(s)


adjective: Dominican
noun: Tongan(s)


adjective: Tongan
Natural hazards lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on Fonuafo'ou
Natural resources nickel, bauxite, gold, silver fish, fertile soil
Net migration rate -3.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Vicente Sanchez BARET]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ATUN] People's Democratic Party [Tesina FUKO]
Political pressure groups and leaders Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Foundation for Institution-Building (FINJUS) Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote VEA, chairman]; Public Servant's Association [Finau TUTONE]
Population 8,950,034 (July 2005 est.) 116,921 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 25% 24% (FY03/04)
Population growth rate 1.29% (2005 est.) 1.847% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Boca Chica, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo -
Radio broadcast stations AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998) AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Railways total: 1,743 km


standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge


note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m, 0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2004)
-
Religions Roman Catholic 95% Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.986 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.738 male(s)/female


total population: 0.993 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age


note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote
21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave radio relay network


international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: competition between Tonga Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT recently granted authority to develop high-speed digital service for telephone, Internet, and television


domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 40 telephones per 100 persons; fully automatic switched network


international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004)
Telephones - main lines in use 901,800 (2003) 13,700 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2,120,400 (2003) 29,900 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 25 (2003) 3 (2004)
Terrain rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Total fertility rate 2.86 children born/woman (2005 est.) 2.75 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 17% (2004 est.) 13% (FY03/04 est.)
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