Compare Lebanon (2004) - Cook Islands (2004)

Compare Lebanon (2004) z Cook Islands (2004)

	Lebanon (2004)	Cook Islands (2004)

Administrative divisions	6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth, Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye	none
Age structure	0-14 years: 26.9% (male 517,356; female 496,888) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,197,430; female 1,305,339) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 117,930; female 142,275) (2004 est.)	0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives, tobacco; sheep, goats	copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry
Airports	8 (2003 est.)	9 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)	total: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 10,400 sq km land: 10,230 sq km water: 170 sq km	total: 240 sq km land: 240 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut	1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 15-year civil war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the country. Hizballah, a radical Shia organization, retains its weapons. Syria maintains about 16,000 troops in Lebanon, based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop deployment was legitimized by the Arab League during Lebanon's civil war and in the Ta'if Accord. Damascus justifies its continued military presence in Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests and the failure of the Lebanese Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000, however, encouraged some Lebanese groups to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as well. The passage of UNSCR 1559 in early October 2004 - a resolution calling for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its interference in Lebanese affairs - further emboldened Lebanese groups opposed to Syria's presence in Lebanon.	Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems.
Birth rate	19.31 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $4.414 billion expenditures: $7.026 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)	revenues: $28 million expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3 million (FY00/01 est.)
Capital	Beirut	Avarua
Climate	Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows	tropical; moderated by trade winds
Coastline	225 km	120 km
Constitution	23 May 1926, amended a number of times, most recently Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989	4 August 1965
Country name	conventional long form: Lebanese Republic conventional short form: Lebanon local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah local short form: Lubnan	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cook Islands former: Harvey Islands
Currency	Lebanese pound (LBP)	New Zealand dollar (NZD)
Death rate	6.28 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	$20.79 billion (2003 est.)	$141 million (1996 est.)
Dependency status	-	self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey D. FELTMAN embassy: Awkar, Lebanon mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002 telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600 FAX: [961] (4) 544136	none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324 consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles	none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Disputes - international	Syrian troops in central and eastern Lebanon since October 1976; Lebanese Government claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied Golan Heights	none
Economic aid - recipient	$3.5 billion (pledges 1997-2001); $4.2 billion in soft loan pledges November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference (2002)	$13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995)
Economy - overview	The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. Peace enabled the central government to restore control in Beirut, begin collecting taxes, and regain access to key port and government facilities. Economic recovery was helped by a financially sound banking system and resilient small- and medium-scale manufacturers. Family remittances, banking services, manufactured and farm exports, and international aid provided the main sources of foreign exchange. Lebanon's economy made impressive gains since the launch in 1993 of "Horizon 2000," the government's $20 billion reconstruction program. Real GDP grew 8% in 1994, 7% in 1995, 4% in 1996 and in 1997, but slowed to 1.2% in 1998, -1.6% in 1999, -0.6% in 2000, 0.8% in 2001, 1.5% in 2002, and 3% in 2003. During the 1990s, annual inflation fell to almost 0% from more than 100%. Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical and financial infrastructure. The government nonetheless faces serious challenges in the economic arena. It has funded reconstruction by borrowing heavily - mostly from domestic banks. In order to reduce the ballooning national debt, the re-installed HARIRI government began an economic austerity program to rein in government expenditures, increase revenue collection, and privatize state enterprises. The HARIRI government met with international donors at the Paris II conference in November 2002 to seek bilateral assistance restructuring its domestic debt at lower rates of interest. While privatization of state-owned enterprises had not occurred by the end of 2003, massive receipts from donor nations stabilized government finances in 2002-04.	Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.
Electricity - consumption	7.44 billion kWh (2001)	25.51 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	1.183 billion kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	6.728 billion kWh (2001)	27.43 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Te Manga 652 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills	NA
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life Conservation	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%	Polynesian (full blood) 81.3%, Polynesian and European 7.7%, Polynesian and non-European 7.7%, European 2.4%, other 0.9%
Exchange rates	Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2003), 1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5 (2001), 1,507.5 (2000), 1,507.84 (1999)	New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.7229 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3776 (2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998) head of government: Prime Minister Omar KARAMI (since 21 October 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Issam FARES (since 23 October 2000) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and members of the National Assembly elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next election date NA); note - on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted 96 to 29 to extend Emile LAHUD's six-year term by three years; the prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the legislature is a Shia Muslim election results: For 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD elected president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against, 10 abstentions	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since July 2001), representative of New Zealand head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister SIR Geoffrey HENRY (since 14 December 2004) cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister
Exports	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous consumer goods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper	copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing
Exports - partners	Switzerland 10.8%, UAE 10%, Saudi Arabia 7.5%, US 7.3%, Turkey 5.5%, Jordan 4.4% (2003)	Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000)
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 April - 31 March
Flag description	three horizontal bands of red (top), white (double width), and red with a green cedar tree centered in the white band	blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag
GDP	purchasing power parity - $17.82 billion (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $105 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 12% industry: 21% services: 67% (2000)	agriculture: 17% industry: 7.8% services: 75.2% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	3% (2003 est.)	7.1% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates	33 50 N, 35 50 E	21 14 S, 159 46 W
Geography - note	Nahr el Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate, protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion, clan, and ethnicity	the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives
Highways	total: 7,300 km paved: 6,198 km unpaved: 1,102 km (1999 est.)	total: 320 km paved: 33 km unpaved: 287 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs	cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in 2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption	-
Imports	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco	foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods
Imports - partners	France 13.4%, Germany 11.7%, Italy 10.7%, Syria 5.3%, China 5.2%, UK 4.9%, US 4.5% (2003)	New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000)
Independence	22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)	none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)
Industrial production growth rate	NA	1% (2002)
Industries	banking; food processing; jewelry; cement; textiles; mineral and chemical products; wood and furniture products; oil refining; metal fabricating	fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate	total: 25.48 deaths/1,000 live births male: 28.21 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	total: NA male: NA female: NA (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.5% (2003 est.)	3.2% (2000 est.)
International organization participation	ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)	ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Irrigated land	1,200 sq km (1998 est.)	NA sq km
Judicial branch	four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime minister as needed)	High Court
Labor force	1.5 million note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers (2001 est.)	8,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA	agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56% note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)
Land boundaries	total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 16.62% permanent crops: 13.98% other: 69.4% (2001)	arable land: 17.39% permanent crops: 13.04% other: 69.57% (2001)
Languages	Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian	English (official), Maori
Legal system	mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on New Zealand law and English common law
Legislative branch	unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 August and 3 September 2000 (next to be held spring 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by sect - Muslim 64 ( of which Sunnis 27, Shia 27, Druze 8, Alawite 2), Christian 64 (of which Maronite 34)	unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 7 September 2004 (next to be held by 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CIP 10, DAP 9, Demo Tumu 4, independent 1; note - one seat undecided pending by-election note: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 72.35 years male: 69.91 years female: 74.91 years (2004 est.)	total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years (2004 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: 93.1% female: 82.2% (2003 est.)	definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA female: NA
Location	Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria	Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references	Middle East	Oceania
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine	total: 49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 198,602 GRT/248,313 DWT by type: bulk 5, cargo 23, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, container 2, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 8, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 3 foreign-owned: Greece 7, India 1, Netherlands 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1, Syria 2 registered in other countries: 52 (2004 est.)	total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,074 GRT/7,520 DWT by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: Australia 1, United Kingdom 1 (2004 est.)
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request
Military branches	Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF; includes Army, Navy, and Air Force)	-
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$541 million (2002)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	4.8% (FY99)	-
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 1,049,097 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 643,050 (2004 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 22 November (1943)	Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)
Nationality	noun: Lebanese (singular and plural) adjective: Lebanese	noun: Cook Islander(s) adjective: Cook Islander
Natural hazards	dust storms, sandstorms	typhoons (November to March)
Natural resources	limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit region, arable land	NEGL
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-
Pipelines	oil 209 km (2004)	-
Political parties and leaders	political activity is organized along largely sectarian lines; numerous political groupings exist, consisting of individual political figures and followers motivated by religious, ethnic, clan, and economic considerations	Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY]; Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP [Norman GEORGE]; Cook Islands National Party or CIN [Teariki HEATHER]; Demo Party Tumu [Robert WOONTON]
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	NA
Population	3,777,218 (July 2004 est.)	21,200 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	28% (1999 est.)	NA
Population growth rate	1.3% (2004 est.)	NA (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	Antilyas, Batroun, Beirut, Chekka, El Mina, Ez Zahrani, Jbail, Jounie, Naqoura, Sidon, Tripoli, Tyre	Avarua, Avatiu
Radio broadcast stations	AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)	AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Railways	total: 401 km standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m note: rail system was unusable because of damage during the civil war in the 1980s; short sections are operable (2003)	-
Religions	Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Melkite Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Roman Catholic, Protestant), other 1.3% note: seventeen religious sects recognized	Christian (majority of populace are members of the Cook Islands Christian Church)
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.)	NA (2004 est.)
Suffrage	21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education	NA years of age; universal adult
Telephone system	general assessment: telecommunications system severely damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable international: country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations); coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables	general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	678,800 (2002)	6,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	775,100 (2002)	1,500 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)	1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)
Terrain	narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains	low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Total fertility rate	1.95 children born/woman (2004 est.)	NA children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	18% (1997 est.)	13% (1996)

Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.