Compare Madagascar (2003) - Cuba (2007)

Compare Madagascar (2003) z Cuba (2007)

	Madagascar (2003)	Cuba (2007)

Administrative divisions	6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara	14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara
Age structure	0-14 years: 45% (male 3,822,823; female 3,807,958) 15-64 years: 51.9% (male 4,366,748; female 4,452,686) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 243,411; female 286,118) (2003 est.)	0-14 years: 18.8% (male 1,100,672/female 1,042,327) 15-64 years: 70.5% (male 4,019,648/female 4,016,429) 65 years and over: 10.7% (male 554,043/female 660,924) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products	sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock
Airports	121 (2002)	165 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2002)	total: 70 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 31 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 92 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 46 under 914 m: 44 (2002)	total: 95 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 71 (2007)
Area	total: 587,040 sq km land: 581,540 sq km water: 5,500 sq km	total: 110,860 sq km land: 110,860 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly less than twice the size of Arizona	slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Background	Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1886, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner.	The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule, marked initially by neglect, became increasingly repressive, provoking an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. It was US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 2,810 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in fiscal year 2006.
Birth rate	42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	11.44 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $553 million expenditures: $735 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)	revenues: $32.41 billion expenditures: $34.28 billion (2006 est.)
Capital	Antananarivo	name: Havana geographic coordinates: 23 07 N, 82 21 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate	tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south	tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October)
Coastline	4,828 km	3,735 km
Constitution	19 August 1992 by national referendum	24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar conventional short form: Madagascar local long form: Republique de Madagascar local short form: Madagascar former: Malagasy Republic	conventional long form: Republic of Cuba conventional short form: Cuba local long form: Republica de Cuba local short form: Cuba
Currency	Malagasy franc (MGF)	-
Death rate	11.88 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	7.14 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$4.6 billion (2002)	$16.62 billion (convertible currency); another $15-20 billion owed to Russia (2006 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101 mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56 FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39	none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Michael E. PARMLY; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526 FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603 consulate(s) general: New York	none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518; FAX: [1] (202) 797-8521
Disputes - international	claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)	US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease
Economic aid - recipient	$838 million (1997)	$87.8 million (2005 est.)
Economy - overview	Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led policy of privatization and liberalization, which has placed the country on a slow and steady growth path. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for one-fourth of GDP and employing four-fifths of the population. Export earnings primarily are earned in the small industrial sector, which features textile manufacturing and agriculture processing. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel are serious concerns. The separatist political crisis of 2002 undermined macroeconomic stability, with the estimated drop in output being subject to a wide margin of error. Poverty reduction will be the centerpiece of economic policy for the next few years.	The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has rolled back limited reforms undertaken in the 1990s to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. The average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the downturn of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. Since late 2000, Venezuela has been providing Cuba oil on preferential terms, and it currently supplies about 98,000 barrels per day of petroleum products. Cuba has been paying for the oil, in part, with the services of Cuban personnel, including some 20,000 medical professionals. In 2006, high metals prices continued to boost Cuban earnings from nickel and cobalt production. Havana continued to invest in the country's energy sector to mitigate electrical blackouts that have plagued the country since 2004.
Electricity - consumption	772.1 million kWh (2001)	12.27 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	830.2 million kWh (2001)	14.65 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 36.1% hydro: 63.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m
Environment - current issues	soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered	air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups	Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran	mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%
Exchange rates	Malagasy francs per US dollar - 6,831.96 (2002), 6,588.49 (2001), 6,767.48 (2000), 6,283.77 (1999), 5,441.4 (1998)	Convertible pesos per US dollar - 0.9231 (2006) note: Cuba has three currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso (CUP), the convertible peso (CUC), and the US dollar (USD), although the dollar is being withdrawn from circulation; in April 2005 the official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC (0.93 CUC per $1), both for individuals and enterprises; individuals can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.
Executive branch	chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA November 2006); prime minister appointed by the president from a list of candidates nominated by the National Assembly election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 40.89%, Marc RAVALOMANANA 46.21%; note - on 29 April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner by 51.5% after a recount; RATSIRIKA's prime minister was put under house arrest on 27 May 2002, and SYLLA was appointed the new prime minister by President RAVALOMANANA	chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President of the Council of State and President of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished; president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the 31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its behalf when it is not in session elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 100% note: due to an ongoing health problem, Fidel CASTRO Ruz provisionally transferred power to his brother Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz on 31 July 2006 in accordance with the Cuban Constitution; Fidel CASTRO has not yet reclaimed control of the government
Exports	NA (2001)	NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities	coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products	sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee
Exports - partners	France 34%, US 24.6%, Netherlands 6%, Germany 5.9%, Mauritius 4% (2002)	Netherlands 21.8%, Canada 21.6%, China 18.7%, Spain 5.9% (2006)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side	five equal horizontal bands of blue (top, center, and bottom) alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center
GDP	purchasing power parity - $12.59 billion (2002)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 25% industry: 12% services: 63% (2001 est.)	agriculture: 4% industry: 24.8% services: 71.2% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $800 (2002 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	-11.9% (2002 est.)	11.1% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates	20 00 S, 47 00 E	21 30 N, 80 00 W
Geography - note	world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel	largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater Antilles
Highways	total: 49,827 km paved: 5,780 km unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 29% (1999)	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs	illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin	territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone for US- and European-bound drugs; established the death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999
Imports	NA (2001)	NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities	capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food	petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Imports - partners	France 17.2%, Iran 11%, Mauritius 10.6%, Bahrain 9.4%, Hong Kong 6.9%, South Africa 5.9%, China 4.1% (2002)	Venezuela 26.6%, China 15.6%, Spain 9.6%, Germany 6.4%, Canada 5.6%, Italy 4.4%, US 4.3%, Brazil 4.2% (2006)
Independence	26 June 1960 (from France)	20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US from 1898 to 1902); not acknowledged by the Cuban Government as a day of independence
Industrial production growth rate	3% (2000 est.)	17.6% (2006 est.)
Industries	meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism	sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement, agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals
Infant mortality rate	total: 80.21 deaths/1,000 live births male: 88.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 71.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)	total: 6.04 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	7.4% (2001 est.)	6.2% (2006 est.)
International organization participation	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO	ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	2 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	10,900 sq km (1998 est.)	8,700 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle	People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)
Labor force	7.3 million (2000)	4.847 million note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	-	agriculture: 20% industry: 19.4% services: 60.6% (2005)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 29 km border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of Cuba
Land use	arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 0.93% other: 94.66% (1998 est.)	arable land: 27.63% permanent crops: 6.54% other: 65.83% (2005)
Languages	French (official), Malagasy (official)	Spanish
Legal system	based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on Spanish civil law and influenced by American legal concepts, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - the legislature is scheduled to become a bicameral Parliament with the establishment of a Senate; two-thirds of the seats of this Senate will be filled by regional assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the seats will be appointed by the president; the total number of seats will be determined by the National Assembly; all members will serve four-year terms elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD 5, others 3, independents 22	unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional del Poder Popular (609 seats; members elected directly from slates approved by special candidacy commissions to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in 2008) election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 56.14 years male: 53.82 years female: 58.53 years (2003 est.)	total population: 77.08 years male: 74.85 years female: 79.43 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.9% male: 75.5% female: 62.5% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2002 census)
Location	Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique	Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida
Map references	Africa	Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims	contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or 100 NM from the 2,500-m deep isobath exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT ships by type: cargo 8, chemical tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 (2002 est.)	total: 12 ships (1000 GRT or over) 35,030 GRT/51,388 DWT by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 3, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1) registered in other countries: 16 (Bahamas 1, Cyprus 2, Netherlands Antilles 1, Panama 11, Spain 1) (2007)
Military - note	-	Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993
Military branches	People's Armed Forces (comprising Intervention Force, Development Force, Aeronaval [Navy and Air] Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential Security Regiment	Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER), Revolutionary Navy (Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria, MGR), Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR), Youth Labor Army (EJT) (2007)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$52.3 million (FY02)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.2% (FY02)	3.8% (2006 est.)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 3,880,332 (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 2,300,587 (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - military age	20 years of age (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 163,864 (2003 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 26 June (1960)	Triumph of the Revolution, 1 January (1959)
Nationality	noun: Malagasy (singular and plural) adjective: Malagasy	noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban
Natural hazards	periodic cyclones	the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year); droughts are common
Natural resources	graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower	cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica, petroleum, arable land
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
People - note	-	illicit emigration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and over-land via the southwest border
Pipelines	-	gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders	Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [leader vacant]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [leader NA]; National Union or FP [leader NA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]	Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first secretary]
Political pressure groups and leaders	Federalist Movement; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM	NA
Population	16,979,744 (July 2003 est.)	11,394,043 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	71% (1999 est.)	NA%
Population growth rate	3.03% (2003 est.)	0.273% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors	Antsiranana, Antsohimbondrona, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)	AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways	total: 732 km narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)	total: 4,226 km standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified) note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations; about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge (2006)
Religions	indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%	nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.056 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.001 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.838 male(s)/female total population: 0.992 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	16 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: system is above average for the region domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links connect regions international: submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)	general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system; wireless service is expensive and must be paid in convertible pesos which effectively limits mobile cellular subscribership domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 95% of switches digitized by end of 2006; fixed telephone line density remains low, at less than 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding but remains at only about 2 per 100 persons international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use	55,000 (2000)	972,900 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular	63,100 (2000)	152,700 (2006)
Television broadcast stations	1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)	58 (1997)
Terrain	narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center	mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast
Total fertility rate	5.73 children born/woman (2003 est.)	1.6 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	5.9% (1998)	1.9% (2006 est.)
Waterways	of local importance only	240 km (2007)

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