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Compare Latvia (2002) - Seychelles (2001)
Compare Latvia (2002) z Seychelles (2001)
| Latvia (2002) | Seychelles (2001) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons | 23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint Louis, Takamaka |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 15.8% (male 191,116; female 182,692)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 775,481; female 847,261) 65 years and over: 15.6% (male 120,304; female 249,661) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
28.27% (male 11,367; female 11,167) 15-64 years: 65.47% (male 25,453; female 26,737) 65 years and over: 6.26% (male 1,673; female 3,318) (2001 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish | coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish |
| Airports | 25 (2001) | 14 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2002) |
total:
6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 7 (2002) |
total:
8 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 4 (2000 est.) |
| Area | total: 64,589 sq km
land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km |
total:
455 sq km land: 455 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than West Virginia | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Background | After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia continues to revamp its economy for eventual integration into various Western European political and economic institutions. | A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. |
| Birth rate | 8.27 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 17.66 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $2.4 billion
expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.) |
revenues:
$249 million expenditures: $262 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
| Capital | Riga | Victoria |
| Climate | maritime; wet, moderate winters | tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon (March to May) |
| Coastline | 531 km | 491 km |
| Constitution | the 1991 Constitutional Law which supplements the 1922 constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms | 18 June 1993 |
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic |
conventional long form:
Republic of Seychelles conventional short form: Seychelles |
| Currency | Latvian lat (LVL) | Seychelles rupee (SCR) |
| Death rate | 14.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 6.65 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Debt - external | $3.4 billion (2000 est.) | $240 million (1999 est.) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Brian E. CARLSON
embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371] 703-6200 FAX: [371] 781-4088 |
the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to Seychelles |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Aivis RONIS
chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MOREL chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785 FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786 |
| Disputes - international | the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation treaty with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights | claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory) |
| Economic aid - recipient | $96.2 million (1995) | $16.4 million (1995) |
| Economy - overview | Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the SKELE government's budget stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. Preparing for EU membership over the next few years continues as a top foreign policy goal. The high current account and internal government deficits remain major concerns. | Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector, which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than 70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. The vulnerability of the tourist sector was illustrated by the sharp drop in 1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war. Although the industry has rebounded, the government recognizes the continuing need for upgrading the sector in the face of stiff international competition. Other issues facing the government are the curbing of the budget deficit and further privatization of public enterprises. Growth slowed in 1998-2000, due to sluggish tourist and tuna sectors. Tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreign exchange have hindered short-term economic prospects. The black market value of the Seychelles ruppee is half the official exchange rate; without a devaluation of the currency the tourist sector should remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such as Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar. |
| Electricity - consumption | 5.16 billion kWh (2000) | 148.8 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - exports | 500 million kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - imports | 2.59 billion kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production | 3.301 billion kWh (2000) | 160 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 33%
hydro: 67% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m |
| Environment - current issues | Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household and hazardous waste management, and reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010 | water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
| Ethnic groups | Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% | Seychellois (mixture of Asians, Africans, Europeans) |
| Exchange rates | lati per US dollar - 0.6384 (January 2002), 0.628 (2001), 0.607 (2000), 0.585 (1999), 0.590 (1998), 0.581 (1997) | Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 6.0397 (November 2000), 5.6009 (2000), 5,3426 (1999), 5.2622 (1998), 5.0263 (1997), 4.9700 (1996) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Einars REPSE (since 7 November 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 17 June 1999 (next to be held by June 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA elected as a compromise candidate in second phase of balloting, second round (after five rounds in first phase failed to produce a clear winner); percent of parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 53%, Valdis BIRKAVS 20%, Ingrida UDRE 9% |
chief of state:
President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President France Albert RENE (since 5 June 1977); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003) election results: France Albert RENE reelected president; percent of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 66.7%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO) 19.5%, Sir James MANCHAM (DP) 13.8% |
| Exports | $2.3 billion f.o.b. (2002) | $111 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
| Exports - commodities | wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs | fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products (reexports) |
| Exports - partners | Germany 17%, UK 16%, Sweden 10%, Lithuania 8%, Russia 6% (2001 est.) | France, UK, Netherlands, Italy, China, Germany, Japan |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Flag description | three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon | five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $20 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $610 million (2000 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5%
industry: 26% services: 70% (2001) |
agriculture:
3.1% industry: 26.3% services: 70.6% (1999) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2000 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.5% (2002 est.) | 1.5% (2000 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 57 00 N, 25 00 E | 4 35 S, 55 40 E |
| Geography - note | most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east | 40 granitic and about 50 coralline islands |
| Highways | total: 59,178 km
paved: 22,843 km unpaved: 36,335 km (1998 est.) |
total:
373 km paved: 315 km unpaved: 58 km (1997) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 26% (1998) (1998) |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Illicit drugs | transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; money laundering remains a concern | - |
| Imports | $3.9 billion f.o.b. (2002) | $440 million (c.i.f., 1999) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals |
| Imports - partners | Germany 17%, Russia 9%, Lithuania 8%, Finland 8%, Sweden 7% (2001 est.) | South Africa, UK, China, Singapore, France, Italy |
| Independence | 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) | 29 June 1976 (from UK) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 5.7% (2002 est.) | NA% |
| Industries | buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials | fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages |
| Infant mortality rate | 14.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 17.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2% (2002 est.) | 6% (1999 est.) |
| International organization participation | BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 41 (2001) | 1 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | 200 sq km
note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (1998 est.) |
NA sq km |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament) | Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are appointed by the president |
| Labor force | 1.1 million (2001 est.) | 30,900 (1996) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.) | industry 19%, services 71%, agriculture 10% (1989) |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,150 km
border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km |
0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 29.01%
permanent crops: 0.48% other: 70.51% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
2% permanent crops: 13% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 11% other: 74% (1993 est.) |
| Languages | Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other | English (official), French (official), Creole |
| Legal system | based on civil law system | based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law |
| Legislative branch | unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7 |
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least ten percent of the vote; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20-22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 61.7%, UO 26.1%, DP 12.1%; seats by party - SPPF 30, UO 3, DP 1 note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the share of each party in the total vote |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 69 years
male: 63.13 years female: 75.17 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
70.69 years male: 65.17 years female: 76.37 years (2001 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58% male: 56% female: 60% (1971 est.) |
| Location | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania | Eastern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar |
| Map references | Europe | Africa |
| Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Merchant marine | total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,119 GRT/30,572 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 3 (2002 est.) |
total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,353 GRT/7,638 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military branches | Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guard, National Guard | Army, Coast Guard, air wing, National Guard, Presidential Protection Unit, Police Force |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $87 million (FY01) | $13 million (FY93) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.2% (FY01) | 2.8% (FY93) |
| Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 591,592 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49:
22,951 (2001 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 464,843 (2002 est.) | males age 15-49:
11,452 (2001 est.) |
| Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 19,114 (2002 est.) | - |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 21 August 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union | Constitution Day, 18 June (1993) |
| Nationality | noun: Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian |
noun:
Seychellois (singular and plural) adjective: Seychelles |
| Natural hazards | NA | lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short droughts possible |
| Natural resources | peat, limestone, dolomite, hydropower, wood, arable land, minimal; amber | fish, copra, cinnamon trees |
| Net migration rate | -1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -6.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Pipelines | crude oil 750 km; refined products 780 km; natural gas 560 km (1992) | - |
| Political parties and leaders | Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; CENTER Political Alliance [Juris CELMINS]; First Party of Latvia [Eriks JEKABSONS]; For Fatherland and Freedom or LNNK [Maris GRINBLATS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Janis JURKANS], a coalition of the People's Harmony Party or TSP, the Latvian Socialist Party or LSP, and the Equal Rights Movement; Freedom Party [Ziedonis CEVERS]; Land of Mara [Irena SAPROVSKA]; Latvian Rebirth Party [Andris RUBINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC [Andris BERZINS]; Light of Latgale or LG [Rihards EIGIMS]; New Era Party [Einars REPSE]; Our Land Party [Ilmars ANCANS]; Party of Latvians [Aivars GARDA]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Progressive Center Party [Inta STAMGUTE]; Russian Party [Mihails GAVRILOVS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP [Eriks Andrejs SAULUNS, Janis PUKIS, Sarmite JEGERE] | Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM]; Seychelles National Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or UO) [Wavel RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France Albert RENE] - the governing party |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Roman Catholic Church; trade unions |
| Population | 2,366,515 (July 2002 est.) | 79,715 (July 2001 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
| Population growth rate | -0.77% (2002 est.) | 0.49% (2001 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils | Victoria |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 2 (1998) |
| Radios | 1.76 million (1997) | 42,000 (1997) |
| Railways | total: 2,412 km
broad gauge: 2,379 km 1.520-m gauge (271 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2001) |
0 km |
| Religions | Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox | Roman Catholic 90%, Anglican 8%, other 2% |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens | 17 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use
domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications international: international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998) |
general assessment:
effective system domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the archipelago international: direct radiotelephone communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 734,693 (2000) | 19,635 (1997) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 401,263 (2000) | 16,316 (1999) |
| Television broadcast stations | 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995) | 2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997) |
| Terrain | low plain | Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs |
| Total fertility rate | 1.18 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.83 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 7.6% (2001 est.) | NA% |
| Waterways | 300 km (perennially navigable) | none |
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