Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2003) | Zimbabwe (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
0-14 years:
38.68% (male 2,223,332; female 2,172,479) 15-64 years: 57.69% (male 3,319,982; female 3,236,286) 65 years and over: 3.63% (male 208,785; female 204,502) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products | corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs |
Airports | 5 (2002) | 455 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
18 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 9 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2002) |
total:
437 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 209 under 914 m: 224 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 12,173 sq km
land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands |
total:
390,580 sq km land: 386,670 sq km water: 3,910 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Connecticut | slightly larger than Montana |
Background | Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982. | The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated to keep whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | 24.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $66.2 million
expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2 million (FY98/99 est.) |
revenues:
$2.5 billion expenditures: $2.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $279 million (FY96/97 est.) |
Capital | Stanley | Harare |
Climate | cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate | tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March) |
Coastline | 1,288 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998 | 21 December 1979 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
conventional long form:
Republic of Zimbabwe conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia |
Currency | Falkland pound (FKP) | Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 23.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $4.1 billion (2000 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Earl M. IRVING embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 FAX: [263] (4) 796487 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326 |
Disputes - international | claimed by Argentina whose forces briefly occupied it in 1982, but now declares it will no longer seek settlement by force | - |
Economic aid - recipient | none | $200 million (2000 est.) |
Economy - overview | The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost. | The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles to consolidate earlier moves to develop a market-oriented economy. Its involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, has already drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF suffers delays in part because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 59% in 1999 and 60% in 2000. The economy is being steadily weakened by excessive government deficits and AIDS; Zimbabwe has the highest rate of infection in the world. Per capita GDP, which is twice the average of the poorer sub-Saharan nations, will increase little if any in the near-term, and Zimbabwe will suffer continued frustrations in developing its agricultural and mineral resources. |
Electricity - consumption | 15.19 million kWh (2001) | 6.939 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 1.564 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 16.33 million kWh (2001) | 5.78 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel:
69.98% hydro: 30.02% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m |
lowest point:
junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m |
Environment - current issues | overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster | deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | British | African 98% (Shona 71%, Ndebele 16%, other 11%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1% |
Exchange rates | Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.67 (2002), 0.69 (2001), 0.66 (2000), 0.62 (1999), 0.6 (1998); note - the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound | Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 54.9451 (January 2001), 43.2900 (2000), 38.3142 (1999), 21.4133 (1998), 11.8906 (1997), 9.9206 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002); Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA) cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch |
chief of state:
Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote; election last held 16-17 March 1996 (next to be held NA March 2002); co-vice presidents appointed by the president election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of electoral college vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA 4.8%; Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4% |
Exports | NA (2001) | $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | wool, hides, meat | tobacco 29%, gold 7%, ferroalloys 7%, cotton 5% (1999 est.) |
Exports - partners | Spain 76.2%, UK 9.2%, US 7.1% (2002) | South Africa 10%, UK 9%, Malawi 8%, Botswana 8%, Japan 7%, (1999 est.) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT | seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $75 million (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $28.2 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture:
28% industry: 32% services: 40% (1997 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | -6.1% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 51 45 S, 59 00 W | 20 00 S, 30 00 E |
Geography - note | deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season | landlocked |
Highways | total: 440 km
paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2002) |
total:
18,338 km paved: 8,692 km unpaved: 9,646 km (1996 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
1.8% highest 10%: 46.9% (1990) |
Illicit drugs | - | significant transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European markets |
Imports | NA (2001) | $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing | machinery and transport equipment 35%, other manufactures 18%, chemicals 17%, fuels 14% (1999 est.) |
Imports - partners | UK 57.9%, Spain 19.8%, Italy 16.7% (2002) | South Africa 46%, UK 6%, China 4%, Germany 4%, US 3% (1999 est.) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) | 18 April 1980 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | fish and wool processing; tourism | mining (coal, gold, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA%
male: NA% female: NA% |
62.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.6% (1998) | 60% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ICFTU | ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 6 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 1,930 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction | Supreme Court; High Court |
Labor force | 1,100 (est.) | 5.5 million (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing) | agriculture 66%, services 24%, industry 10% (1996 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
3,066 km border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (1998 est.) |
arable land:
7% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 23% other: 57% (1993 est.) |
Languages | English | English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects |
Legal system | English common law | mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor
elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8; note - 71% voter turnout |
unicameral parliament, called House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for six-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors)
elections: last held 24-25 June 2000 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 47.2%, MDC 45.6%, ZANU-Ndonga 0.7%, United Parties 0.7%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 63, MDC 56, ZANU-Ndonga 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
total population:
37.13 years male: 38.51 years female: 35.7 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write English total population: 85% male: 90% female: 80% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina | Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia |
Map references | South America | Africa |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | British Forces Falkland Islands no regular indigenous military forces; (includes Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy), Police Force | Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | $127 million (FY99/00) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | 3.1% (FY99/00) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
2,996,631 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
1,860,167 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) | Independence Day, 18 April (1980) |
Nationality | noun: Falkland Islander(s)
adjective: Falkland Island |
noun:
Zimbabwean(s) adjective: Zimbabwean |
Natural hazards | strong winds persist throughout the year | recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare |
Natural resources | fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss | coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment |
Pipelines | - | petroleum products 212 km |
Political parties and leaders | none; all independents | Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; Popular Democratic Front or PDF [Austin CHAKAODZA]; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Ndabaningi SITHOLE]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert MUGABE]; Zimbabwe Unity Movement or ZUM [Edgar TEKERE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | National Constitutional Assembly or NCA |
Population | 2,967 (July 2003 est.) | 11,365,366
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 60% (1999 est.) |
Population growth rate | 2.44% (2003 est.) | 0.15% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Stanley
note: the primary port is located in Stanley Harbour and known locally as FIPASS (Falkland Interim Port and Storage System); the facility consists of seven permanently moored barges providing 300 meters of berthing space; it was installed by the military after 1982 and handed over to the Falkland Islands Government in 1988 |
Binga, Kariba |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | - | 1.14 million (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | total:
2,759 km (1995) narrow gauge: 2,759 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified; 42 km double track) (1995 est.) |
Religions | primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist | syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1% |
Sex ratio | - | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries |
general assessment:
system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 212,000 (in addition there are about 20,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 70,000 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service)
note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002) |
16 (1997) |
Terrain | rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains | mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 3.28 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | full employment; labor shortage | 50% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | the Mazoe and Zambezi rivers are used for transporting chrome ore from Harare to Mozambique |