Compare Latvia (2004) - New Caledonia (2007)

Compare Latvia (2004) z New Caledonia (2007)

	Latvia (2004)	New Caledonia (2007)

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	none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province Sud
Age structure	0-14 years: 15% (male 177,223; female 169,241) 15-64 years: 69.2% (male 772,496; female 823,410) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 118,035; female 245,901) (2004 est.)	0-14 years: 27.9% (male 31,578/female 30,270) 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 72,821/female 72,109) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 7,047/female 8,118) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish	vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish
Airports	51 (2003 est.)	25 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 27 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2003 est.)	total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 20 (2003 est.)	total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 6 (2007)
Area	total: 64,589 sq km land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km	total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than West Virginia	slightly smaller than New Jersey
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 joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.	Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.
Birth rate	8.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	17.75 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $3.691 billion expenditures: $3.871 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)	revenues: $996 million expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.)
Capital	Riga	name: Noumea geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	maritime; wet, moderate winters	tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Coastline	531 km	2,254 km
Constitution	15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented the constitution	4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
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: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies conventional short form: New Caledonia local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
Currency	Latvian lat (LVL)	-
Death rate	13.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	5.72 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$6.793 billion (2003 est.)	$79 million (1998 est.)
Dependency status	-	territorial collectivity of France since 1998
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd-Bailey 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] 782-0047	none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785	none (overseas territory of France)
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	Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu
Economic aid - recipient	$96.2 million (1995)	$524.3 million annual subsidy from France (2004)
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, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. Preparing for EU membership continues as a top foreign policy goal. The current account and internal government deficits remain major concerns, but the government's efforts to increase efficiency in revenue collection may lessen the budget deficit.	New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years.
Electricity - consumption	6.046 billion kWh (2001)	1.403 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	703 million kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	2.69 billion kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	4.365 billion kWh (2001)	1.508 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 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	erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires
Environment - international agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants	-
Ethnic groups	Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)	Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%
Exchange rates	lati per US dollar - 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001), 0.6065 (2000), 0.5852 (1999)	Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.025 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president; parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast	chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Commissioner Yves DASSONVILLE (since 9 November 2007) head of government: President of the Government Harold MARTIN (since 7 August 2007) cabinet: Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the Territorial Congress elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 7 August 2007 when Harold MARTIN was elected following the resignation of Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU as president on 24 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
Exports	NA (2001)	NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities	wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs	ferronickels, nickel ore, fish
Exports - partners	UK 15.6%, Germany 14.8%, Sweden 10.5%, Lithuania 8.2%, Estonia 6.6%, Denmark 6%, Russia 5.4% (2003)	Japan 17.8%, Taiwan 14.9%, France 13.7%, China 11.1%, Spain 9.7%, Belgium 7.5%, Italy 6.2%, Australia 4.7% (2006)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon	the flag of France is used
GDP	purchasing power parity - $23.9 billion (2003 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 4.5% industry: 24.5% services: 70.9% (2003)	agriculture: 15% industry: 8.8% services: 76.2% (2003)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $10,200 (2003 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	7.4% (2003 est.)	NA%
Geographic coordinates	57 00 N, 25 00 E	21 30 S, 165 30 E
Geography - note	most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east	consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls
Heliports	-	6 (2007)
Highways	total: 73,202 km paved: 28,256 km unpaved: 44,946 km (2000)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.9% (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; vulnerable to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies, exchange firms, and the gaming industry; organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds	-
Imports	NA (2001)	NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles	machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners	Germany 16.1%, Lithuania 9.7%, Russia 8.7%, Finland 7.4%, Estonia 6.4%, Sweden 6.3%, Poland 5.1%, Italy 4.4% (2003)	France 38.9%, Singapore 15.3%, Australia 11.4%, NZ 4.8% (2006)
Independence	21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)	none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014
Industrial production growth rate	8% (2003 est.)	-0.6% (1996)
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	nickel mining and smelting
Infant mortality rate	total: 9.67 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	total: 7.42 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.9% (2003 est.)	1.4% (2000 est.)
International organization participation	Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO	ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO
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.)	100 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)	Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court
Labor force	1.18 million (2003 est.)	78,990 (2004)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)	agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (2002)
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: 29.67% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 69.86% (2001)	arable land: 0.32% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.46% (2005)
Languages	Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other	French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Legal system	based on civil law system	based on French civil law; the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands
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 Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3 note: New Caledonia currently holds one seat in the French Senate; by 2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 10 and 17 June 2007 (next to be held on June 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 70.86 years male: 65.91 years female: 76.09 years (2004 est.)	total population: 74.5 years male: 71.52 years female: 77.63 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.2% male: 96.8% female: 95.5% (1996 census)
Location	Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania	Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Map references	Europe	Oceania
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1 foreign-owned: Germany 1, Greece 1, Ukraine 1 registered in other countries: 96 (2004 est.)	total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,566 GRT/2,543 DWT by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2007)
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches	Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)	no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$87 million (FY01)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.2% (FY01)	NA
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 594,596 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 466,659 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 19,209 (2004 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union	Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality	noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian	noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian
Natural hazards	NA	cyclones, most frequent from November to March
Natural resources	peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land	nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
Net migration rate	-2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2007 est.)
Pipelines	gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004)	-
Political parties and leaders	Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; First Party of Latvia [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For Our Latvia or ML [Rihards Jablokovs]; Latvian National Democratic Party or LNDP [Jevgenijs Osiopovs]; Latvian National Front [Aivars GARDA]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Alfred RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC; Light of Latgale or LG; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; New Politics Party or JP [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS]; People's Harmony Party or TSP [Janis JURKANS]; People's Party or TP [Atis SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Union for the Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK or TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; United Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP	Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonian Union or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independence) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]
Political pressure groups and leaders	Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]	NA
Population	2,306,306 (July 2004 est.)	221,943 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	NA%
Population growth rate	-0.71% (2004 est.)	1.203% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors	Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways	total: 2,303 km broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2003)	-
Religions	Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox	Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2004 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.868 male(s)/female total population: 1.009 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens	18 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: country code - 371; international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	653,900 (2003)	55,300 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	1,219,600 (2003)	134,300 (2005)
Television broadcast stations	44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)	6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain	low plain	coastal plains with interior mountains
Total fertility rate	1.25 children born/woman (2004 est.)	2.25 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	8.6% (2003 est.)	17.1% (2004)
Waterways	300 km (2004)	-

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