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Compare Kuwait (2008) - Solomon Islands (2002)

Compare Kuwait (2008) z Solomon Islands (2002)

 Kuwait (2008)Solomon Islands (2002)
 KuwaitSolomon Islands
Administrative divisions 6 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al 'Asimah, Al Farwaniyah, Al Jahra', Hawalli, Mubarak Al Kabir 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul (Lauru), Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell/Bellona, Temotu, Western
Age structure 0-14 years: 26.7% (male 340,814/female 328,663)


15-64 years: 70.5% (male 1,128,231/female 636,967)


65 years and over: 2.8% (male 44,542/female 26,342) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 109,339; female 105,170)


15-64 years: 53.5% (male 134,125; female 130,804)


65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,467; female 7,881) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products practically no crops; fish cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Airports 7 (2007) 31 (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 (2007)
total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
total: 30


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Area total: 17,820 sq km


land: 17,820 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Jersey slightly smaller than Maryland
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. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since returning to power in 1991, and reestablished an elected legislature that in recent years has become increasingly assertive. The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the most bitter fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society.
Birth rate 21.95 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 33.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $66.92 billion


expenditures: $36.39 billion (2007 est.)
revenues: $38 million (2001)


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
Capital name: Kuwait


geographic coordinates: 29 22 N, 47 58 E


time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Honiara
Climate dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Coastline 499 km 5,313 km
Constitution approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 7 July 1978
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: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
Currency - Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
Death rate 2.39 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 4.19 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $33.61 billion (31 December 2007 est.) $137 million (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Alan MISENHEIMER


embassy: Bayan 36302, 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] 259-1001


FAX: [965] 538-0282
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 chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM al-Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah


chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702


FAX: [1] (202) 966-0517
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires 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 Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the Persian Gulf none
Economic aid - recipient $2.6 million (2004) $28 million mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ (2001 est.)
Economy - overview Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with self-reported crude oil reserves of about 104 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. High oil prices in recent years have helped build Kuwait's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. As a result of this positive fiscal situation, the need for economic reforms is less urgent and the government has not earnestly pushed through new initiatives. Despite its vast oil reserves, Kuwait experienced power outages during the summer months in 2006 and 2007 because demand exceeded power generating capacity. Power outages are likely to worsen, given its high population growth rates, unless the government can increase generating capacity. In May 2007 Kuwait changed its currency peg from the US dollar to a basket of currencies in order to curb inflation and to reduce its vulnerability to external shocks. 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 serious economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the nonpayment of bills and by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country.
Electricity - consumption 36.28 billion kWh (2005) 29.76 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 41.11 billion kWh (2005) 32 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: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 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; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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, 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 Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7% Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Exchange rates Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.2844 (2007), 0.29 (2006), 0.292 (2005), 0.2947 (2004), 0.298 (2003) Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.3728 (December 2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: Amir SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 29 January 2006); Crown Prince NAWAF al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah


head of government: Prime Minister NASIR MUHAMMAD al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 3 April 2007); First Deputy Prime Minister JABIR Mubarak al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers MUHAMMAD al-Sabah al-Salim al-Sabah (since 9 February 2006) and Faysal al-HAJJI (since 5 April 2007)


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


elections: none; the amir is hereditary; the amir appoints the prime minister and deputy prime ministers
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir John LAPLI (since NA 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17 December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members 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 2.2 million bbl/day (2004) $165 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)
Exports - commodities oil and refined products, fertilizers timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
Exports - partners Japan 20.4%, South Korea 16.2%, Taiwan 10.8%, Singapore 9.7%, US 9%, Netherlands 5.3%, China 4.1% (2006) Japan 22%, China 15%, Philippines 13%, South Korea 12%, UK 12%, Thailand 5% (2000)
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 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 - $800 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 0.4%


industry: 54.7%


services: 44.9% (2007 est.)
agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.6% (2007 est.) -10% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 N, 45 45 E 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Geography - note strategic location at head of Persian Gulf strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea
Heliports 4 (2007) -
Highways - 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 2,611 bbl/day (2004) $152 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)
Imports - commodities food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners US 14.1%, Germany 7.9%, Japan 7.8%, Saudi Arabia 6.8%, China 5.7%, UK 5.4%, Italy 4.6% (2006) Australia 27%, Singapore 25%, NZ 5.5%, Japan 5.3%, US 5.1% (2000)
Independence 19 June 1961 (from UK) 7 July 1978 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 0.8% (2007 est.) NA%
Industries petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair, water desalination, food processing, construction materials fish (tuna), mining, timber
Infant mortality rate total: 9.47 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 10.48 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 8.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
23.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.9% (2007 est.) 7.9% (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, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 130 sq km (2003) NA sq km
Judicial branch High Court of Appeal Court of Appeal
Labor force 1.167 million


note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2007 est.)
26,842
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total: 462 km


border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 0.84%


permanent crops: 0.17%


other: 98.99% (2005)
arable land: 1.5%


permanent crops: 0.64%


other: 97.86% (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), English widely spoken Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population


note: 120 indigenous languages
Legal system civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction English common law, which is widely disregarded
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; all cabinet ministers are also ex officio voting members of the National Assembly)


elections: last held 29 June 2006 (next election to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote by bloc - NA; seats by bloc - Islamic Bloc (Sunni) 17, Popular Bloc 9, National Action Bloc (liberals) 8, independents 16
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP 20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents 18
Life expectancy at birth total population: 77.36 years


male: 76.25 years


female: 78.52 years (2007 est.)
total population: 71.82 years


male: 69.38 years


female: 74.39 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 93.3%


male: 94.4%


female: 91% (2005 census)
definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Map references Middle East Oceania
Maritime claims 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: 38 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,195,831 GRT/3,566,308 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock carrier 3, petroleum tanker 21


registered in other countries: 28 (Bahrain 3, Comoros 1, Liberia 1, Libya 1, Panama 1, Qatar 7, Saudi Arabia 6, UAE 8) (2007)
none (2002 est.)
Military branches Land Forces, Kuwaiti Navy, Kuwaiti Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya), National Guard (2007) 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 5.3% (2006) NA%
National holiday National Day, 25 February (1950) Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Nationality noun: Kuwaiti(s)


adjective: Kuwaiti
noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
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 typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Natural resources petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Net migration rate 16.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines gas 269 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2007) -
Political parties and leaders none; formation of political parties is in practice illegal, but is not forbidden by law Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]


note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions
Political pressure groups and leaders a number of political groups act as de facto parties; several legislative blocs operate in the National Assembly: tribal groups, merchants, Shi'a activists, Islamists, secular liberals and pro-government deputies; in mid-2006, a coalition of Islamists, liberals, and Shia campaigned successfully for electoral reform to reduce corruption NA
Population 2,505,559


note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)
494,786 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 3.561%


note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of expatriates (2007 est.)
2.91% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Radio broadcast stations AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 57,000 (1997)
Railways - 0 km
Religions Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15% Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.037 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.771 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.691 male(s)/female


total population: 1.526 male(s)/female (2007 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: 0.95 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage NA years of age; universal (adult); note - males in the military or police are not allowed to vote; adult females were allowed to vote as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been citizens for 20 years 21 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; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 2 Arabsat
general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 510,300 (2005) 8,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 2.536 million (2006) 658 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997) 0 (1997)
Terrain flat to slightly undulating desert plain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Total fertility rate 2.86 children born/woman (2007 est.) 4.5 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 2.2% (2004 est.) NA%
Waterways - none
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