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Compare Mauritania (2006) - Faroe Islands (2004)
Compare Mauritania (2006) z Faroe Islands (2004)
| Mauritania (2006) | Faroe Islands (2004) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 49 municipalities |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 45.6% (male 726,376/female 723,013)
15-64 years: 52.2% (male 818,408/female 839,832) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 28,042/female 41,717) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: 21.6% (male 5,056; female 5,041)
15-64 years: 64.6% (male 15,975; female 14,187) 65 years and over: 13.7% (male 2,877; female 3,526) (2004 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep | milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish |
| Airports | 25 (2006) | 1 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2006) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 17
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
- |
| Area | total: 1,030,700 sq km
land: 1,030,400 sq km water: 300 sq km |
total: 1,399 sq km
land: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico | eight times the size of Washington, DC |
| Background | Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984. Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were generally free and open. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council headed by Col. Ely Ould Mohamed VALL, which declared it would remain in power for up to two years while it created conditions for genuine democratic institutions and organized elections. For now, however, Mauritania remains an autocratic state, and the country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population and different Moor (Arab-Berber) communities. | The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high degree of self-government was attained in 1948. |
| Birth rate | 40.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 13.89 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $421 million
expenditures: $378 million; including capital expenditures of $154 million (2002 est.) |
revenues: $488 million
expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999) |
| Capital | name: Nouakchott
geographic coordinates: 18 06 N, 15 57 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Torshavn |
| Climate | desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty | mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy |
| Coastline | 754 km | 1,117 km |
| Constitution | 12 July 1991 | 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) |
| Country name | conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form: Mauritania local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah local short form: Muritaniyah |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar |
| Currency | - | Danish krone (DKK) |
| Death rate | 12.16 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Debt - external | $2.5 billion (2000) | $64 million (1999) |
| Dependency status | - | part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Steven KOUTSIS
embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott telephone: [222] 525-2660/525-2663 FAX: [222] 525-1592 |
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Tijani Ould Mohamed EL KERIM
chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623 |
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
| Disputes - international | Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years | Faroese are considering proposals for full independence; Denmark dispute with Iceland over the Faroe Islands fisheries median line boundary of 200 nm; Denmark disputes with Iceland, the UK, and Ireland the Faroe Islands claim extending its continental shelf boundary beyond 200 nm |
| Economic aid - recipient | $305.7 million (2002) | $135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1998) |
| Economy - overview | Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt which now stands at more than three times the level of annual exports. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. A new investment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current world oil prices. Mauritania has an estimated 1 billion barrels of proved reserves. Substantial oil production and exports are scheduled to begin in early 2006 and may average 75,000 barrels per day for that year. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy. | The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since 1994, mostly as a result of increasing fish landings and high and stable export prices. Unemployment is falling and there are signs of labor shortages in several sectors. The positive economic development has helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce increasing budget surpluses, which in turn help to reduce the large public debt, most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total dependence on fishing makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the present fishing efforts appear in excess of what is a sustainable level of fishing in the long term. Oil finds close to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and thus lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians. |
| Electricity - consumption | 172.6 million kWh (2003) | 149.1 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | 0 kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2003) | 0 kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production | 185.6 million kWh (2003) | 160.4 million kWh (2001) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m |
| Environment - current issues | overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial river; locust infestation | NA |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
- |
| Ethnic groups | mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30% | Scandinavian |
| Exchange rates | ouguiyas per US dollar - NA (2005), NA (2004), 263.03 (2003), 271.74 (2002), 255.63 (2001) | Danish kroner per US dollar - 6.5877 (2003), 7.89 (2002), 8.323 (2001), 8.083 (2000), 6.976 (1999) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Col. Ely Ould Mohamed VALL, whose Military Council for Justice and Democracy deposed longtime President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA in a coup on 3 August 2005
head of government: Prime Minister Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBAKAR (since 8 August 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); note - passage of a constitutional reform referendum in July 2006 limits president to two five-year terms; election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held 11 March 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected for a third term with 60.8% of the vote |
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3 February 2004) cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008) election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - NA% note: coalition of Social Democrats, Union Party, and People's Party |
| Exports | NA bbl/day | NA (2001) |
| Exports - commodities | iron ore, fish and fish products, gold | fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999) |
| Exports - partners | Italy 14.9%, Japan 12.3%, France 11.8%, Belgium 8.5%, Germany 8.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 7.2%, Spain 6.5%, Russia 5%, Netherlands 4.4% (2005) | Denmark 36.7%, UK 32.1%, Netherlands 6.1%, Nigeria 5.6%, Norway 5.4% (2003) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Flag description | green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam | white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) |
| GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2001 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 25%
industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.) |
agriculture: 27%
industry: 11% services: 62% (1999) |
| GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2001 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 5.5% (2005 est.) | 10% (2001 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 20 00 N, 12 00 W | 62 00 N, 7 00 W |
| Geography - note | most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country | archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands |
| Highways | - | total: 463 km
paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 30.2% (2000) |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
| Imports | NA bbl/day | NA (2001) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods | machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999) |
| Imports - partners | France 18.5%, UK 7.2%, US 7%, China 6%, Spain 5%, Belgium 4.3% (2005) | Denmark 52.7%, Norway 22.5%, Iceland 4.7%, Germany 4.2%, UK 4% (2003) |
| Independence | 28 November 1960 (from France) | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 2% (2000 est.) | 8% (1999 est.) |
| Industries | fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum | fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 69.48 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 72.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
total: 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 7% (2003 est.) | 5.1% (1999) |
| International organization participation | ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU |
| Irrigated land | 490 sq km (2002) | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts | none |
| Labor force | 786,000 (2001) | 24,250 (October 2000) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 50%
industry: 10% services: 40% (2001 est.) |
fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%, construction and private services 33%, public services 34% |
| Land boundaries | total: 5,074 km
border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km |
0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 0.2%
permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.79% (2005) |
arable land: 2.14%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (2001) |
| Languages | Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof | Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish |
| Legal system | a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law | Danish |
| Legislative branch | bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; a portion of seats up for election every two years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (95 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 9 and 16 April 2004 (next to be held 21 January 2007); National Assembly - last held 19 November and 3 December 2006 election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA |
unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 23.7%, Social Democrats 21.8%, Republican Party 21.7%, People's Party 20.6%, Center Party 5.2%, Independence Party 4.6%; seats by party - Union Party 7, Social Democrats 7, Republican Party 8, People's Party 7, Center Party 2, Independence Party 1 note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 20 November 2001 (next to be held 8 February 2005); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, Union Party 1 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 53.12 years
male: 50.88 years female: 55.42 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 79.05 years
male: 75.6 years female: 82.51 years (2004 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 41.7% male: 51.8% female: 31.9% (2003 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA note: probably the same as Denmark proper |
| Location | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara | Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway |
| Map references | Africa | Europe |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
territorial sea: 3 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line |
| Merchant marine | - | total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 24,051 GRT/11,998 DWT
by type: cargo 3, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1 foreign-owned: Denmark 2, Norway 1, United Kingdom 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Denmark |
| Military branches | Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Marine Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2005) | no regular military forces |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $19.32 million (2005 est.) | NA |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.4% (2005 est.) | NA |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 28 November (1960) | Olaifest, 29 July |
| Nationality | noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian |
noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
adjective: Faroese |
| Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts | NA |
| Natural resources | iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish | fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 1.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Political parties and leaders | Action for Change or AC (no longer active) [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Alliance for Justice and Democracy or AJD [Cisse Amadou CHEIKHOU]; National Union for Democracy and Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party for Liberty, Equality, and Justice or PLEJ [Ba Mamdou ALASSANE]; Party of Democratic Convergence or PCD [Cheikh Ould HORMA]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Progress Force Union or UFP (no longer active) [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR (formerly ruling Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS) [Boullah Ould MOGUEYA]; Right Way or SAWAB [Cheikh Ould Sidi Ould HANANA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]; Union of Forces of Progress or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]
note: the Party of Democratic Convergence was banned in October 2005 because it was regarded as Islamist and therefore in breach of Mauritanian law |
Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party [Helena Dam a NEYSTABO]; People's Party [Anfinn KALLSBERG]; Republican Party [Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Lisbeth PETERSEN] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | Arab nationalists; Ba'thists; General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general]; Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general] | NA |
| Population | 3,177,388 (July 2006 est.) | 46,662 (July 2004 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 40% (2004 est.) | NA |
| Population growth rate | 2.88% (2006 est.) | 0.66% (2004 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | - | Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001) | AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Railways | 717 km
standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2005) |
- |
| Religions | Muslim 100% | Evangelical Lutheran |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations (improvements being made)
domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat |
general assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities
domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 41,000 (2005) | 23,000 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 745,600 (2005) | 30,700 (2002) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (2002) | 3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995) |
| Terrain | mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills | rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast |
| Total fertility rate | 5.86 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 2.22 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 20% (2004 est.) | 1% (October 2000) |
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