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Compare Kuwait (2005) - Eritrea (2002)

Compare Kuwait (2005) z Eritrea (2002)

 Kuwait (2005)Eritrea (2002)
 KuwaitEritrea
Administrative divisions 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli 6 regions (regions, singular - region); Central, Anelba, Southern Red Sea, Northern Red Sea, Southern, Gash-Barka
Age structure 0-14 years: 27.2% (male 323,382/female 311,700)


15-64 years: 70.1% (male 1,045,589/female 591,243)


65 years and over: 2.7% (male 40,439/female 23,295) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 42.9% (male 958,564; female 955,625)


15-64 years: 53.9% (male 1,192,454; female 1,213,313)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 73,017; female 72,678) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products practically no crops; fish sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal; livestock, goats; fish
Airports 7 (2004 est.) 21 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total: 14


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Area total: 17,820 sq km


land: 17,820 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 121,320 sq km


land: 121,320 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Jersey slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Background Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961. Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two and a half year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN peacekeeping operation that will monitor the border region until an international commission determines and demarcates the boundary between the two countries.
Birth rate 21.88 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 42.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $35.82 billion


expenditures: $19.53 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $206.4 million


expenditures: $615.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Kuwait Asmara (formerly Asmera)
Climate dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-September except in coastal desert
Coastline 499 km 2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 km
Constitution approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented
Country name conventional long form: State of Kuwait


conventional short form: Kuwait


local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt


local short form: Al Kuwayt
conventional long form: State of Eritrea


conventional short form: Eritrea


local long form: Hagere Ertra


local short form: Ertra


former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
Currency - nakfa (ERN)
Death rate 2.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 11.82 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $15.02 billion (2004 est.) $281 million (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Richard LEBARON


embassy: Bayan, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan palace), Kuwait City


mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE 09880-9000


telephone: [965] 539-5307, 5308


FAX: [965] 538-0282
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald J. McCONNELL


embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara


mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara


telephone: [291] (1) 120004


FAX: [291] (1) 127584
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah


chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702


FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868
chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmerom


chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991


FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304


consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)
Disputes - international Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf Eritrea and Ethiopia have expressed general approval of the April 2002 arbitration commission ruling re-delimiting the boundary, the focus of their 1998-2000 war; United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) will monitor activities within the 25-km wide temporary security zone in Eritrea until demarcation and de-mining are complete; Yemen has asserted traditional fishing rights to islands ceded to Eritrea in ICJ ruling
Economic aid - recipient NA (2001) $77 million (1999) (1999)
Economy - overview Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved crude oil reserves of about 96 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country. Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country. Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth in 1999 fell to less than 1%, and GDP decreased by 8.2% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war damaged roads and bridges. Eritrea's economic future remains mixed. The cessation of Ethiopian trade, which mainly used Eritrean ports before the war, leaves Eritrea with a large economic hole to fill. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability to master fundamental social problems like illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and to convert the diaspora's money and expertise into economic growth.
Electricity - consumption 30.16 billion kWh (2002) 195.3 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh NA kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh NA kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 32.43 billion kWh (2002) 210 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: unnamed location 306 m
lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m


highest point: Soira 3,018 m
Environment - current issues limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7% ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%
Exchange rates Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.2947 (2004), 0.298 (2003), 0.3039 (2002), 0.3067 (2001), 0.3068 (2000) nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 9.5 (January 2000), 7.6 (January 1999), 7.2 (March 1998 est.)
Executive branch chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 31 December 1977); Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdullah al-Salim al-Sabah


head of government: Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 13 July 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior NAWWAF al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 2003); Deputy Prime Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 2001) and Muhammad Dayfallah al-SHARAR (since 2003)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch
chief of state: President Afworki ISAIAS (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly


head of government: President Afworki ISAIAS (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly


cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president


elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as anticipated)


election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%
Exports 1.97 million bbl/day (2003) $34.8 million f.o.b. (2000)
Exports - commodities oil and refined products, fertilizers livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures
Exports - partners Japan 20.5%, South Korea 13.7%, US 12.4%, Singapore 11.3%, Taiwan 9.9% (2004) Sudan 27.2%, Ethiopia 26.5%, Japan 13.2%, UAE 7.3%, Italy 5.3% (1998)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle
GDP - purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 0.4%


industry: 60.5%


services: 39.1% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 17%


industry: 29%


services: 54% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $21,300 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $740 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.8% (2004 est.) 7% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 N, 45 45 E 15 00 N, 39 00 E
Geography - note strategic location at head of Persian Gulf strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993
Heliports 3 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 4,450 km


paved: 3,587 km


unpaved: 863 km (1999 est.)
total: 3,850 km


paved: 810 km


unpaved: 3,040 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports NA $470.5 million c.i.f. (2000)
Imports - commodities food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Imports - partners US 12.9%, Germany 11.9%, Japan 7.9%, UK 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 5.5%, Italy 5%, France 4.5%, China 4.1% (2004) Italy 17.4%, UAE 16.2%, Germany 5.7%, UK 4.5%, Korea 4.4% (1998)
Independence 19 June 1961 (from UK) 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)
Industrial production growth rate -5% (2002 est.) NA%
Industries petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, desalination, food processing, construction materials food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles
Infant mortality rate total: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 10.96 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
73.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.3% (2004 est.) 15% (2001 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 5 (2001)
Irrigated land 60 sq km (1998 est.) 220 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch High Court of Appeal High court, regional, subregional, and village courts; also have military and special courts
Labor force 1.42 million


note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2004 est.)
NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%
Land boundaries total: 462 km


border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
total: 1,626 km


border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km
Land use arable land: 0.73%


permanent crops: 0.11%


other: 99.16% (2001)
arable land: 3.87%


permanent crops: 0.02%


other: 96.11% (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), English widely spoken Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages
Legal system civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Islamists 21, government supporters 14, liberals 3, and independents 12; note - all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National Assembly
unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not established)


elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member Constituent Assembly which had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinately
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.03 years


male: 76.01 years


female: 78.1 years (2005 est.)
total population: 56.57 years


male: 54.09 years


female: 59.13 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 83.5%


male: 85.1%


female: 81.7% (2003 est.)
definition: NA


total population: 25%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Map references Middle East Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,319,082 GRT/3,768,828 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 3, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 5, petroleum tanker 20


registered in other countries: 19 (2005)
total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 19,100 GRT/23,399 DWT


ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 2, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Land Forces, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense Force), National Guard (2002) Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $2,584.5 million (2004) $138.3 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 5.3% (2004) 19.8% (FY01)
National holiday National Day, 25 February (1950) Independence Day, 24 May (1993)
Nationality noun: Kuwaiti(s)


adjective: Kuwaiti
noun: Eritrean(s)


adjective: Eritrean
Natural hazards sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and August frequent droughts; locust swarms
Natural resources petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish
Net migration rate 14.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 7.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2000 (2002 est.)
Pipelines gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders none; formation of political parties is illegal People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party recognized by the government [Afworki ISAIAS]; note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly had not yet debated or voted on it as of December 2001
Political pressure groups and leaders several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins, merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and nationalists Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ; Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean Liberation Front-Revolutionary Council or ELF-RC [Ahmed NASSER]; Eritrean Liberation Front-United Organization or ELF-UO [Mohammed Said NAWD]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]
Population 2,335,648


note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)
4,465,651 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate 3.44%


note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2005 est.)
3.8% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)
Radios - 345,000 (1997)
Railways - total: 317 km


narrow gauge: 317 km 0.950-m gauge


note: links Ak'ordat and Asmara with the port of Massawa; nonoperational since 1978 except for about a 5 km stretch that was reopened in Massawa in 1994; rehabilitation of the remainder and of the rolling stock is under way (2001 est.)
Religions Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15% Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
Sex ratio at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.74 male(s)/female


total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at age 21


note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996, naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the first time
18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: the quality of service is excellent


domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well supplied with pay telephones


international: country code - 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat
general assessment: inadequate


domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)


international: NA; note - international connections exist
Telephones - main lines in use 486,900 (2003) 30,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.42 million (2003) NA; note - mobile cellular service was introduced in May 2001
Television broadcast stations 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997) 1 (2000)
Terrain flat to slightly undulating desert plain dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains
Total fertility rate 2.97 children born/woman (2005 est.) 5.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 2.2% (2004 est.) NA%
Waterways - none
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