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Compare French Polynesia (2003) - Solomon Islands (2001)

Compare French Polynesia (2003) z Solomon Islands (2001)

 French Polynesia (2003)Solomon Islands (2001)
 French PolynesiaSolomon Islands
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent


note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia
7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western; note - there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been abolished
Age structure 0-14 years: 28.3% (male 37,804; female 36,249)


15-64 years: 66.3% (male 90,421; female 83,304)


65 years and over: 5.4% (male 7,226; female 7,121) (2003 est.)
0-14 years:
43.79% (male 107,229; female 103,162)

15-64 years:
53.15% (male 129,315; female 126,021)

65 years and over:
3.06% (male 7,190; female 7,525) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Airports 45 (2002) 31 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 37


over 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 22


under 914 m: 8 (2002)
total:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 8


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 5 (2002)
total:
29

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
10

under 914 m:
18 (2000 est.)
Area total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)


land: 3,660 sq km


water: 507 sq km
total:
28,450 sq km

land:
27,540 sq km

water:
910 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut slightly smaller than Maryland
Background The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Current issues include government deficits, deforestation, and malaria control.
Birth rate 17.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 34.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $1 billion


expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)
revenues:
$147 million

expenditures:
$168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Capital Papeete Honiara
Climate tropical, but moderate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Coastline 2,525 km 5,313 km
Constitution 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) 7 July 1978
Country name conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia


conventional short form: French Polynesia


local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise


local short form: Polynesie Francaise


former: French Colony of Oceania
conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Solomon Islands

former:
British Solomon Islands
Currency Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003 Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
Death rate 4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 4.27 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $NA $152.4 million (1998)
Dependency status overseas territory of France since 1946 -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of France) the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of France) chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Jeremiah MANELE

chancery:
800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017

telephone:
[1] (212) 599-6192, 6193

FAX:
[1] (212) 661-8925
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $367 million (1997) $47 million (1999 est.), mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ
Economy - overview Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services. The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to a continuing economic downslide. Deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) by tankers have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country.
Electricity - consumption 398.3 million kWh (2001) 27.9 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 428.3 million kWh (2001) 30 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 60.7%


hydro: 39.3%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0%; note - sun, wind, biomass (2001)
fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Environment - current issues NA deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment - international agreements - party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Exchange rates Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 126.41 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998)


note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.0968 (November 2000), 5.0864 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997), 3.5664 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001)


head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001)


cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Father John LAPLI (since NA 1999)

head of government:
Prime Minister Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE (since 1 July 2000); Assistant Prime Minister Nathaniel WAENA (since 1 July 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Allan KEMAKEZA (since 1 July 2000); note - Prime Minister Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU was forced to resign his position in June 2000 following the armed takeover of the capital by elements supporting the opposition parties; Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE, who had been opposition leader, was then elected prime minister at a sitting of National Parliament on 30 June 2000

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
Exports NA (2001) $165 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997) timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra
Exports - partners France 37.4%, Japan 35.5%, US 17.5% (2002) Japan 35.5%, other Asian countries 47.3% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
GDP purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $900 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 6%


industry: 18%


services: 76% (1997)
agriculture:
50%

industry:
3.5%

services:
46.5% (1995)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2001 est.) 1% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 15 00 S, 140 00 W 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Geography - note includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru -
Highways total: 2,590 km


paved: 1,735 km


unpaved: 855 km (1999)
total:
1,360 km

paved:
34 km

unpaved:
1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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

highest 10%:
NA%
Imports NA (2001) $152 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners France 58.9%, Australia 12.2%, New Zealand 6.9%, US 6.6% (2002) Australia 38.5%, Singapore 15%, Japan 10.6%, NZ 6.2% (1999)
Independence none (overseas territory of France) 7 July 1978 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA%
Industries tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates fish (tuna), mining, timber
Infant mortality rate total: 8.78 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 10.12 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
24.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.5% 10% (1999 est.)
International organization participation ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 2 (2000) 1 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km NA sq km
Judicial branch Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif Court of Appeal
Labor force 70,000 (1996) 26,842
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997) agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 1.64%


permanent crops: 6.01%


other: 92.35% (1998 est.)
arable land:
1%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
1%

forests and woodland:
88%

other:
9% (1993 est.)
Languages French (official), Tahitian (official) Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population

note:
120 indigenous languages
Legal system based on French system English common law
Legislative branch unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (49 seats - changed from 41 seats for May 2001 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 6 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 13, New Fatherland Party 7, other 1


note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 6 August 1997 (next to be held by August 2001)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6, other 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.45 years


male: 73.08 years


female: 77.93 years (2003 est.)
total population:
71.55 years

male:
69.12 years

female:
74.1 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 14 and over can read and write


total population: 98%


male: 98%


female: 98% (1977 est.)
definition:
NA

total population:
NA%

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Map references Oceania Oceania
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

continental shelf:
200 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 12,679 GRT/13,915 DWT


ships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
none (2000 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of France -
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - NA%
National holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Nationality noun: French Polynesian(s)


adjective: French Polynesian
noun:
Solomon Islander(s)

adjective:
Solomon Islander
Natural hazards occasional cyclonic storms in January typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Natural resources timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Net migration rate 2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Political parties and leaders Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api) [leader NA] there are two main coalitions - Coalition for National Unity, Reconciliation, and Peace or CNURP and Alliance for Change; the CNURP took power on 30 June 2000, it comprises members of the Liberal Party, People's Alliance Party, and the United Party, as well as a number of independents; the Alliance for Change, represents the former government and now is the opposition; in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions; Group for National Unity and Reconciliation or GNUR [leader NA]; Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; National Action Party of Solomon Islands or NAPSI [Francis SAEMALA]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [George LEPPING]; People's Progressive Party [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; United Party or UP [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 262,125 (July 2003 est.) 480,442 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.62% (2003 est.) 2.98% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 57,000 (1997)
Railways 0 km 0 km
Religions Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female


total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment:
NA

domestic:
NA

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 52,000 (1997) 8,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 5,427 (1997) 658 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) 0 (1997)
Terrain mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Total fertility rate 2.14 children born/woman (2003 est.) 4.65 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 11.8% (1994) NA%
Waterways none none
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