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Compare Macau (2003) - Solomon Islands (2004)

Compare Macau (2003) z Solomon Islands (2004)

 Macau (2003)Solomon Islands (2004)
 MacauSolomon Islands
Administrative divisions none (special administrative region of China) 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western
Age structure 0-14 years: 20.9% (male 51,078; female 47,118)


15-64 years: 71.8% (male 159,500; female 178,043)


65 years and over: 7.3% (male 13,930; female 20,234) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 113,183; female 108,816)


15-64 years: 54.4% (male 144,157; female 140,769)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 8,058; female 8,634) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products vegetables, livestock cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Airports 1 (2002) 33 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 31


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Area total: 25.4 sq km


land: 25.4 sq km


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


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Maryland
Background Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest 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. In June 2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.
Birth rate 12.07 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 31.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.41 billion


expenditures: $1.19 billion, including capital expenditures of $194 million (2002)
revenues: $38 million


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001)
Capital - Honiara
Climate subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Coastline 41 km 5,313 km
Constitution Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution" 7 July 1978
Country name conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region


conventional short form: Macau


local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)


local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
Currency pataca (MOP) Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
Death rate 3.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 4.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $255 million (2000 est.) $162.5 million (2001 est.)
Dependency status special administrative region of China -
Diplomatic representation from the US the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Ambassador Robert W. FITTS, is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Diplomatic representation in the US none (special administrative region of China) chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK


chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017


telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193


FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
Disputes - international none Australian defense personnel are dispatched at the invitation of the Solomon Islands' Government to restore law and order on the islands and reinforce regional security
Economic aid - recipient $NA $28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2001 est.)
Economy - overview Macau's economy four years after reversion to China remains one of the most open in the world. The territory's net exports of goods and services account for 39% of GDP with tourism and apparel exports as the mainstays. Although the territory was hit hard by the 1998 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn in 2001, its economy grew an estimated 9.5% in 2002. A rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors because of China's easing of restrictions on travel drove the recovery. The budget also returned to surplus in 2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about 63% of government revenue. The liberalization of Macao's gambling monopoly may contribute to GDP growth, as the three companies awarded gambling licenses have pledged to invest $2.2 billion - roughly 33% of GDP - in the territory. Much of Macau's textile industry may move to the mainland as the Multi-Fiber Agreement is phased out. The territory may have to rely more on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. Growth fell to 4% in 2003, according to early government forecasts, with the drop in large measure due to concerns over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). 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. The disintegration of law and order left the economy in tatters by mid-2003, and on 24 July 2003 more than 2000 Australian soldiers entered the Solomon Islands to restore order and to facilitate the restoration of basic services.
Electricity - consumption 1.688 billion kWh (2002) 29.76 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 1 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 193 million kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 1.611 billion kWh (2002) 32 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Environment - current issues NA 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, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry), Portuguese, other Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Exchange rates patacas per US dollar - 8.03 (2002), 8.03 (2001), 8.03 (2000), 7.99 (1999), 7.98 (1998) Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)


head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of all five government secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen


elections: chief executive chosen by a 200-member selection committee for up to two five-year terms
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Sir 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 NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities clothing, textiles, footwear, cement, machines, and parts timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
Exports - partners US 48.6%, China 15.5%, Germany 7.4%, Hong Kong 5.8%, UK 5.4% (2002) China 25.2%, South Korea 17.6%, Japan 13.4%, Philippines 8.4%, Singapore 5.9%, Thailand 5.9% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in center of arc and four smaller 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 - $8.6 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 12%


services: 87% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $18,500 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 9.5% (2002 est.) -10% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 22 10 N, 113 33 E 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Geography - note essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea
Government - note - June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the intervention of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament approved the request for intervention in July 2003; troops from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24 July 2003
Highways total: 271 km


paved: 271 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
total: 1,360 km


paved: 34 km


unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities clothing, textiles, yarn, foodstuffs, fuel, automobiles, capital goods food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners China 41.7%, Hong Kong 14.5%, Japan 6.7%, Taiwan 6.6%, South Korea 5%, France 4.3%, US 4.1% (2002) Australia 29.7%, Singapore 21.9%, Fiji 4.7%, New Zealand 4.7% (2003)
Independence none (special administrative region of China) 7 July 1978 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA
Industries tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys fish (tuna), mining, timber
Infant mortality rate total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
total: 22.09 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 25.15 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 18.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) -2.6% (2002 est.) 9% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ESCAP (associate), IHO, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land NA sq km NA sq km
Judicial branch The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region Court of Appeal
Labor force 214,000 (2002) 26,840 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation restaurants and hotels 12%, manufacturing 20%, other services and agriculture 68% (2002 est.) agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total: 0.34 km


border countries: China 0.34 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100%


note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (1998 est.)
arable land: 0.64%


permanent crops: 2%


other: 97.36% (2001)
Languages Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese) 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 based on Portuguese civil law system English common law, which is widely disregarded
Legislative branch unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (27 seats; 10 elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 23 September 2001 (next to be held NA 2005)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by political bloc - Entertainment Industry 3, pro-democracy 2, pro-Beijing Labor Union 2, pro-Beijing Neighborhood Association 2, pro-business 1
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 not later than 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: 81.87 years


male: 79.05 years


female: 84.82 years (2003 est.)
total population: 72.38 years


male: 69.9 years


female: 74.98 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 94.5%


male: 97.2%


female: 92% (2003 est.)
definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
Location Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Map references Southeast Asia Oceania
Maritime claims not specified measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) none
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999; there is a local police force 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 - NA
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 130,228 (2003 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 71,826 (2003 est.) -
National holiday National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Nationality noun: Chinese


adjective: Chinese
noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
Natural hazards typhoons typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Natural resources NEGL fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Net migration rate 8.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders there are no formal political parties, however, there are civic associations that, for purposes of legislative voting, join together to form political blocs 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 Catholic Church [Domingos LAM, bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director]; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader] NA
Population 469,903 (July 2003 est.) 523,617 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA
Population growth rate 1.72% (2003 est.) 2.76% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Macau Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Radio broadcast stations AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways 0 km -
Religions Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.) 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: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services


domestic: NA


international: HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 176,902 (November 2001) 6,600 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 158,251 (November 2001) 1,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2003) 0 (1997)
Terrain generally flat mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Total fertility rate 1.32 children born/woman (2003 est.) 4.19 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 6.3% (2002) NA
Waterways none -
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