Malta (2006) | Solomon Islands (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils carry out administrative orders | 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western; note - there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been abolished |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.1% (male 35,264/female 33,368)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 139,890/female 136,767) 65 years and over: 13.7% (male 23,554/female 31,371) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years:
43.79% (male 107,229; female 103,162) 15-64 years: 53.15% (male 129,315; female 126,021) 65 years and over: 3.06% (male 7,190; female 7,525) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs | cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish |
Airports | 1 (2006) | 31 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 18 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 316 sq km
land: 316 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
28,450 sq km land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Maryland |
Background | Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004. | 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. Current issues include government deficits, deforestation, and malaria control. |
Birth rate | 10.22 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 34.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $2.503 billion
expenditures: $2.703 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) |
revenues:
$147 million expenditures: $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
Capital | name: Valletta
geographic coordinates: 35 54 N, 14 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Honiara |
Climate | Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers | tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather |
Coastline | 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo) | 5,313 km |
Constitution | 1964 constitution; amended many times | 7 July 1978 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Malta
conventional short form: Malta local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta local short form: Malta |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands |
Currency | - | Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) |
Death rate | 8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 4.27 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $188.8 million (2005) | $152.4 million (1998) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Molly BORDONARO
embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, VLT 01 mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, CMR01 telephone: [356] 2561 4000 FAX: [356] 21 243229 |
the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL
chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612 FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470 consulate(s): New York |
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Jeremiah MANELE chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193 FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $47 million (1999 est.), mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ |
Economy - overview | Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles), and tourism. Continued sluggishness in the European economy is holding back exports, tourism, and overall growth. | 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 a continuing economic downslide. Deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) by tankers have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.936 billion kWh (2003) | 27.9 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2003) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 2.082 billion kWh (2003) | 30 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli) |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination | deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock) | Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4% |
Exchange rates | Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466 (2004), 0.37723 (2003), 0.43362 (2002), 0.45004 (2001) | Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.0968 (November 2000), 5.0864 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997), 3.5664 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Edward FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 29 March 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister election results: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; House of Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Father John LAPLI (since NA 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE (since 1 July 2000); Assistant Prime Minister Nathaniel WAENA (since 1 July 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Allan KEMAKEZA (since 1 July 2000); note - Prime Minister Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU was forced to resign his position in June 2000 following the armed takeover of the capital by elements supporting the opposition parties; Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE, who had been opposition leader, was then elected prime minister at a sitting of National Parliament on 30 June 2000 cabinet: Cabinet 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 bbl/day | $165 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
Exports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactures | timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra |
Exports - partners | France 15.4%, US 14.4%, Singapore 12.3%, UK 11.3%, Germany 11.2%, Italy 5.1%, Libya 4.2% (2005) | Japan 35.5%, other Asian countries 47.3% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red | 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 - $900 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3%
industry: 23% services: 74% (2003 est.) |
agriculture:
50% industry: 3.5% services: 46.5% (1995) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1% (2005 est.) | 1% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 35 50 N, 14 35 E | 8 00 S, 159 00 E |
Geography - note | the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration | - |
Highways | - | total:
1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe | - |
Imports | NEGL (2001) | $152 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco | plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals |
Imports - partners | Italy 32.3%, UK 11.5%, France 9.6%, Germany 8%, US 5.5%, Singapore 4.1% (2005) | Australia 38.5%, Singapore 15%, Japan 10.6%, NZ 6.2% (1999) |
Independence | 21 September 1964 (from UK) | 7 July 1978 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco | fish (tuna), mining, timber |
Infant mortality rate | total: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
24.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3% (2005 est.) | 10% (1999 est.) |
International organization participation | Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 20 sq km (2003) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister | Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 160,000 (2005 est.) | 26,842 |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 3%
industry: 22% services: 75% (2005 est.) |
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 31.25%
permanent crops: 3.13% other: 65.62% (2005) |
arable land:
1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 88% other: 9% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Maltese (official), English (official) | Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population
note: 120 indigenous languages |
Legal system | based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | English common law |
Legislative branch | unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note - additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by August 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.7%, MLP 47.6%, AD 0.7%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31 |
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 August 1997 (next to be held by August 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6, other 3 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.01 years
male: 76.83 years female: 81.31 years (2006 est.) |
total population:
71.55 years male: 69.12 years female: 74.1 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8% male: 92% female: 93.6% (2003 est.) |
definition:
NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy) | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea |
Map references | Europe | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 1,220 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,917,414 GRT/38,685,924 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 434, cargo 344, chemical tanker 105, combination ore/oil 1, container 59, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 15, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 146, refrigerated cargo 43, roll on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 16 foreign-owned: 1,162 (Austria 1, Azerbaijan 2, Bangladesh 3, Belgium 10, Bulgaria 13, Canada 18, China 14, Croatia 10, Cyprus 15, Denmark 6, Estonia 4, France 6, Germany 64, Greece 495, Hong Kong 2, Iceland 4, India 1, Iran 14, Israel 23, Italy 29, Japan 1, South Korea 6, Latvia 40, Lebanon 10, Monaco 1, Netherlands 6, Norway 49, Pakistan 1, Poland 27, Portugal 3, Romania 9, Russia 70, Slovenia 3, Spain 6, Sweden 3, Switzerland 21, Syria 7, Taiwan 2, Turkey 123, UAE 5, UK 8, Ukraine 24, US 3) registered in other countries: 8 (Panama 3, Portugal 1, Russia 4) (2006) |
none (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements) (2005) | no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $38.168 million (2005 est.) | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1% (2005 est.) | NA% |
National holiday | Independence Day, 21 September (1964) | Independence Day, 7 July (1978) |
Nationality | noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese |
noun:
Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander |
Natural hazards | NA | typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity |
Natural resources | limestone, salt, arable land | fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel |
Net migration rate | 2.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI] | there are two main coalitions - Coalition for National Unity, Reconciliation, and Peace or CNURP and Alliance for Change; the CNURP took power on 30 June 2000, it comprises members of the Liberal Party, People's Alliance Party, and the United Party, as well as a number of independents; the Alliance for Change, represents the former government and now is the opposition; in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions; Group for National Unity and Reconciliation or GNUR [leader NA]; Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; National Action Party of Solomon Islands or NAPSI [Francis SAEMALA]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [George LEPPING]; People's Progressive Party [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; United Party or UP [leader NA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 400,214 (July 2006 est.) | 480,442 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.42% (2006 est.) | 2.98% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999) | AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 57,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 98% | Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements
domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 202,100 (2005) | 8,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 324,000 (2005) | 658 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (2000) | 0 (1997) |
Terrain | mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs | mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls |
Total fertility rate | 1.5 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 4.65 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 7.8% (2005 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | - | none |