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Compare Kuwait (2005) - Mauritania (2008)

Compare Kuwait (2005) z Mauritania (2008)

 Kuwait (2005)Mauritania (2008)
 KuwaitMauritania
Administrative divisions 5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli 12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza
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: 45.5% (male 744,995/female 741,369)


15-64 years: 52.4% (male 845,272/female 866,998)


65 years and over: 2.2% (male 28,564/female 42,867) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products practically no crops; fish dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep
Airports 7 (2004 est.) 25 (2007)
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: 8


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total: 17


1,524 to 2,437 m: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 17,820 sq km


land: 17,820 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 1,030,700 sq km


land: 1,030,400 sq km


water: 300 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Jersey slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
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. Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984 and ruled Mauritania with a heavy hand for over two decades. A series of presidential elections that he held were widely seen as flawed. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council that oversaw a transition to democratic rule. Independent candidate Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDALLAHI was inaugurated in April 2007 as Mauritania's first freely and fairly elected president. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population (Afro-Mauritanians) and White and Black Moor (Arab-Berber) communities, although the new government is attempting to ameliorate some of these tensions.
Birth rate 21.88 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 40.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $35.82 billion


expenditures: $19.53 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $421 million


expenditures: $378 million (2002 est.)
Capital Kuwait name: Nouakchott


geographic coordinates: 18 07 N, 16 02 W


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Coastline 499 km 754 km
Constitution approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 12 July 1991
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: Islamic Republic of Mauritania


conventional short form: Mauritania


local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah


local short form: Muritaniyah
Death rate 2.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 11.89 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $15.02 billion (2004 est.) $2.5 billion (2000)
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 Mark M. BOULWARE


embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott


mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott


telephone: [222] 525-2660/525-2663


FAX: [222] 525-1592
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 Ibrahima DIA


chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701


FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623
Disputes - international Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant
Economic aid - recipient NA (2001) $190.4 million (2005)
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. Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt, which now stands at more than three times the level of annual exports. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. A new investment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current world oil prices. Oil prospects, while initially promising, have failed to materialize. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy.
Electricity - consumption 30.16 billion kWh (2002) 230.6 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 32.43 billion kWh (2002) 248 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: unnamed location 306 m
lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m


highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 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 overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial river; locust infestation
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7% mixed Moor/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%
Exchange rates Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.2947 (2004), 0.298 (2003), 0.3039 (2002), 0.3067 (2001), 0.3068 (2000) ouguiyas per US dollar - NA (2007), 271.3 (2006), 267.04 (2005), 265.8 (2004), 263.03 (2003)
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: Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI (since 19 April 2007)


head of government: Prime Minister Zeine Ould ZEIDANE (since 20 April 2007)


cabinet: Council of Ministers


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 11 March 2007 with a runoff between the two leading candidates held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held 2012); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: percent of vote - (second round) Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI 52.8%, Ahmed Ould DADDAH 47.2%
Exports 1.97 million bbl/day (2003) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities oil and refined products, fertilizers iron ore, fish and fish products, gold
Exports - partners Japan 20.5%, South Korea 13.7%, US 12.4%, Singapore 11.3%, Taiwan 9.9% (2004) China 26.1%, Italy 11.7%, France 10.5%, Spain 6.9%, Belgium 6.8%, Japan 5.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.6% (2006)
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 green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 0.4%


industry: 60.5%


services: 39.1% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 25%


industry: 29%


services: 46% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $21,300 (2004 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 6.8% (2004 est.) 1.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 N, 45 45 E 20 00 N, 12 00 W
Geography - note strategic location at head of Persian Gulf most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country
Heliports 3 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 4,450 km


paved: 3,587 km


unpaved: 863 km (1999 est.)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 2.5%


highest 10%: 29.5% (2000)
Imports NA 19,960 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer 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) France 11.9%, China 8.1%, Belgium 6.8%, US 6.7%, Italy 5.9%, Spain 5.7%, Brazil 5.5% (2006)
Independence 19 June 1961 (from UK) 28 November 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate -5% (2002 est.) 2% (2000 est.)
Industries petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, desalination, food processing, construction materials fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
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.)
total: 68.07 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 71.07 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 64.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.3% (2004 est.) 7% (2003 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 ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 60 sq km (1998 est.) 490 sq km (2002)
Judicial branch High Court of Appeal Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts
Labor force 1.42 million


note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2004 est.)
786,000 (2001)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA agriculture: 50%


industry: 10%


services: 40% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries total: 462 km


border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
total: 5,074 km


border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km
Land use arable land: 0.73%


permanent crops: 0.11%


other: 99.16% (2001)
arable land: 0.2%


permanent crops: 0.01%


other: 99.79% (2005)
Languages Arabic (official), English widely spoken Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof
Legal system civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction a combination of Islamic law and French civil law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms; a portion of seats up for election every two years) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (95 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 21 January and 4 February 2007 (next to be held 2009); National Assembly - last held 19 November and 3 December 2006 (next to be held in 2011)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime) 37, CFCD (coalition of political parties) 15, representatives of the diaspora (yet to be chosen) 3, undecided 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Mithaq 51 (independents 37, PRDR 7, UDP 3, RDU 3, Alternative (El-Badil) 1), CFCD 41 (RFD 16, UFP 9, APP 6, Centrist Reformists 4, HATEM-PMUC 3, RD 2, PUDS 1), RNDLE 1, UCD 1, FP 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.03 years


male: 76.01 years


female: 78.1 years (2005 est.)
total population: 53.51 years


male: 51.24 years


female: 55.85 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 83.5%


male: 85.1%


female: 81.7% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 51.2%


male: 59.5%


female: 43.4% (2000 census)
Location Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara
Map references Middle East Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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)
-
Military branches Land Forces, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense Force), National Guard (2002) Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Mauritanian Navy (Marine Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2007)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $2,584.5 million (2004) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 5.3% (2004) 5.5% (2006)
National holiday National Day, 25 February (1950) Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Nationality noun: Kuwaiti(s)


adjective: Kuwaiti
noun: Mauritanian(s)


adjective: Mauritanian
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 hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts
Natural resources petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish
Net migration rate 14.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders none; formation of political parties is illegal Alternative or El-Badil; Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists); Coalition for Forces for Democratic Change or CFCD (coalition of political parties including APP, Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists), HATEM-PMUC, PUDS, RD, RFD, UFP); Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS; Democratic Renewal or RD; Mauritanian Party for Unity and Change or HATEM-PMUC; Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime including Alternative or El-Badil, PRDR, UDP, RDU); National Rally for Freedom, Democracy and Equality or RNDLE; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Boullah Ould MOGUEYA] (formerly ruling Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS); Socialist and Democratic Unity Party or PUDS; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]; Union of Democratic Centre or UCD; Union of the Forces for Progress or UFP
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 Arab nationalists; Ba'thists; General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general]; Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]
Population 2,335,648


note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)
3,270,065 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 40% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate 3.44%


note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2005 est.)
2.867% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud -
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)
Railways - 717 km


standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Religions Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and other 15% Muslim 100%
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: 1.005 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.975 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.666 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2007 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: limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations; mobile-cellular services expanding rapidly


domestic: Mauritel, the national telecommunications company, was privatized in 2001 but remains the monopoly provider of fixed-line services; fixed-line teledensity 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity approaching 35 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals


international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 2 Arabsat
Telephones - main lines in use 486,900 (2003) 34,900 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.42 million (2003) 1.06 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997) 1 (2002)
Terrain flat to slightly undulating desert plain mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Total fertility rate 2.97 children born/woman (2005 est.) 5.78 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 2.2% (2004 est.) 20% (2004 est.)
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