Compare Jamaica (2006) - Comoros (2005)

Compare Jamaica (2006) z Comoros (2005)

	Jamaica (2006)	Comoros (2005)

Administrative divisions	14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation	3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou
Age structure	0-14 years: 33.1% (male 464,297/female 449,181) 15-64 years: 59.6% (male 808,718/female 835,394) 65 years and over: 7.3% (male 90,100/female 110,434) (2006 est.)	0-14 years: 42.8% (male 144,075/female 143,175) 15-64 years: 54.2% (male 179,541/female 184,488) 65 years and over: 3% (male 9,407/female 10,561) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, ackees, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk; crustaceans, mollusks	vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca)
Airports	35 (2006)	4 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2006)	total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2006)	-
Area	total: 10,991 sq km land: 10,831 sq km water: 160 sq km	total: 2,170 sq km land: 2,170 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Connecticut	slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native Taino Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated, replaced by African slaves. England siezed the island in 1655 and a plantation economy - based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee - was established. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter million slaves, many of which became small farmers. Jamaica gradually obtained increasing independence from Britain, and in 1958 it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when it withdrew from the federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs created by the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. The cycle of violence, drugs, and poverty has served to impoverish large sectors of the populace. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy.	Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president took office in May of 2002.
Birth rate	20.82 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	37.52 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $2.8 billion expenditures: $3.21 billion; including capital expenditures of $180.4 million (2005 est.)	revenues: $27.6 million expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001 est.)
Capital	name: Kingston geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 76 48 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Moroni
Climate	tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior	tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)
Coastline	1,022 km	340 km
Constitution	6 August 1962	23 December 2001
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jamaica	conventional long form: Union of the Comoros conventional short form: Comoros local long form: Union des Comores local short form: Comores
Death rate	6.52 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$7.162 billion (2005 est.)	$232 million (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Brenda LaGrange JOHNSON embassy: Mutual Life Building, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859 FAX: [1] (876) 935-6001	the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEY chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660 FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081 consulate(s) general: Miami, New York	chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN) chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union of the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711 FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699
Disputes - international	none	claims French-administered Mayotte
Economic aid - recipient	$18.5 million; note - US aid only (2004)	$10 million (2001 est.)
Economy - overview	The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which now account for 60% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of its foreign exchange from remittances, tourism, and bauxite/alumina. The global economic slowdown, particularly after the terrorist attacks in the US on 11 September 2001, stunted economic growth; the economy rebounded moderately in 2003-04, with brisk tourist seasons. But the economy faces serious long-term problems: high interest rates, increased foreign competition, exchange rate instability, a sizable merchandise trade deficit, large-scale unemployment and underemployment, and a growing stock of internal debt - the result of government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy, most notably the financial sector in the mid-1990s. The ratio of debt to GDP is 135%. Inflation, previously a bright spot, is expected to remain in the double digits. Uncertain economic conditions have led to increased civil unrest, including gang violence fueled by the drug trade. In 2004, the government faced the difficult prospect of having to achieve fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt payments while simultaneously attacking a serious and growing crime problem that is hampering economic growth. Attempts at deficit control were derailed by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, which required substantial government spending to repair the damage. Despite the hurricane, tourism looks set to enjoy solid growth for the foreseeable future.	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. Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help supplement GDP.
Electricity - consumption	2.974 billion kWh (2004)	22.17 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2004)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2004)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	3.717 billion kWh (2004)	23.84 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m
Environment - current issues	heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions	soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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	black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%	Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava
Exchange rates	Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 62.51 (2005), 61.197 (2004), 57.741 (2003), 48.416 (2002), 45.996 (2001)	Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003), 522.74 (2002), 549.78 (2001), 533.98 (2000) note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677 Comoran francs per euro
Executive branch	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Kenneth O. HALL (since 15 February 2006) head of government: Prime Minister Portia SIMPSON-MILLER (since 30 March 2006) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime minister	chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002 presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May 2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government 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 April 2002 (next to be held April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; note - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn into office in May 2002 election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with 75% of the vote
Exports	NA bbl/day	NA
Exports - commodities	alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams, beverages, chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels	vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra
Exports - partners	US 25.8%, Canada 19.3%, UK 10.7%, Netherlands 8.6%, China 7%, Norway 6.4%, Germany 5.6% (2005)	US 43.8%, France 18.6%, Singapore 16.5%, Turkey 4.8%, Germany 4.5% (2004)
Fiscal year	1 April - 31 March	calendar year
Flag description	diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)	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 Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 4.9% industry: 33.7% services: 61.5% (2005 est.)	agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	1.8% (2005 est.)	2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	18 15 N, 77 30 W	12 10 S, 44 15 E
Geography - note	strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal	important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel
Highways	-	total: 880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs	transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major concern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions	-
Imports	NA bbl/day	NA
Imports - commodities	food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts and accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials	rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products, cement, transport equipment
Imports - partners	US 41.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 14%, Venezuela 5.5%, Japan 4.6% (2005)	France 23.5%, South Africa 11.1%, Kenya 7.5%, UAE 7.2%, Italy 4.9%, Pakistan 4.7%, Mauritius 4.2%, Singapore 4.1% (2004)
Independence	6 August 1962 (from UK)	6 July 1975 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	-2% (2000 est.)	-2% (1999 est.)
Industries	tourism, bauxite/alumina, agro processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products, telecommunications	tourism, perfume distillation
Infant mortality rate	total: 15.98 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.66 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)	total: 74.93 deaths/1,000 live births male: 83.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 66.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	15.3% (2005 est.)	3.5% (2001 est.)
International organization participation	ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO
Irrigated land	250 sq km (2002)	NA sq km
Judicial branch	Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal	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)
Labor force	1.2 million (2005 est.)	144,500 (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 19.3% industry: 16.6% services: 64.1% (2004)	agriculture 80%
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 15.83% permanent crops: 10.01% other: 74.16% (2005)	arable land: 35.87% permanent crops: 23.32% other: 40.81% (2001)
Languages	English, patois English	Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)
Legal system	based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code
Legislative branch	bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held no later than October 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%; seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26	unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the 18 by universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years); elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009) election results: NA
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 73.24 years male: 71.54 years female: 75.03 years (2006 est.)	total population: 61.96 years male: 59.65 years female: 64.33 years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 87.9% male: 84.1% female: 91.6% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 56.5% male: 63.6% female: 49.3% (2003 est.)
Location	Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba	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
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Africa
Maritime claims	measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 10 ships (1000 GRT or over) 124,323 GRT/184,247 DWT by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 10 (Germany 3, Greece 6, Italy 1) (2006)	total: 79 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 452,801 GRT/681,343 DWT by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 55, chemical tanker 1, container 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 35 (Bulgaria 1, Germany 1, Greece 7, India 1, Jordan 1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 3, Nigeria 1, Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Philippines 1, Russia 2, Syria 3, Turkey 6, Ukraine 4, United Kingdom 1) (2005)
Military branches	Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing	Comoran Security Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$31.17 million (2003 est.)	$11.6 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0.4% (2003 est.)	3% (2004)
National holiday	Independence Day, 6 August (1962)	Independence Day, 6 July (1975)
Nationality	noun: Jamaican(s) adjective: Jamaican	noun: Comoran(s) adjective: Comoran
Natural hazards	hurricanes (especially July to November)	cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano
Natural resources	bauxite, gypsum, limestone	NEGL
Net migration rate	-6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders	Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Bruce GOLDING]; National Democratic Movement or NDM [Hyacinth BENNETT]; People's National Party or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON]	Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak ABDULHAMID]; Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of 12 parties); Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed RACHID]; Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud MRADABI]; Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist movement) [leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la Democratie or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE]; Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the government) [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]
Political pressure groups and leaders	New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)	NA
Population	2,758,124 (July 2006 est.)	671,247 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	19.1% (2003 est.)	60% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate	0.8% (2006 est.)	2.91% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Mayotte, Moutsamoudou
Radio broadcast stations	AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)
Railways	total: 272 km standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge note: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)	-
Religions	Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Baptist 8.8%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 5.5%, Methodist 2.7%, United Church 2.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Brethren 1.1%, Moravian 1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual cults 34.7%	Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network domestic: NA international: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables	general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communication stations domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications to Madagascar and Reunion
Telephones - main lines in use	342,000 (2005)	13,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	2.7 million (2005)	2,000 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	7 (1997)	NA
Terrain	mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain	volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills
Total fertility rate	2.41 children born/woman (2006 est.)	5.09 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	11.5% (2005 est.)	20% (1996 est.)

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