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Compare Mauritania (2007) - Christmas Island (2002)

Compare Mauritania (2007) z Christmas Island (2002)

 Mauritania (2007)Christmas Island (2002)
 MauritaniaChristmas Island
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 (territory of Australia)
Age structure 0-14 years: 45.5% (male 744,995/female 741,369)


15-64 years: 52.4% (male 845,272/female 866,998)


65 years and over: 2.2% (male 28,564/female 42,867) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: NA%


15-64 years: NA%


65 years and over: NA%
Agriculture - products dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep NA
Airports 25 (2007) 1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 8


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2007)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 17


1,524 to 2,437 m: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
-
Area total: 1,030,700 sq km


land: 1,030,400 sq km


water: 300 sq km
total: 135 sq km


land: 135 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico about 0.7 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, which declared it would remain in power for up to two years while it created conditions for genuine democratic institutions and organized elections. Accordingly, parliamentary elections were held in late 2006-early 2007 and presidential elections in March 2007. The newly-elected legislature is expected to assume power following the inauguration of the new president in April 2007. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population and different Moor (Arab-Berber) communities. Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.
Birth rate 40.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) NA births/1,000 population
Budget revenues: $421 million


expenditures: $378 million (2002 est.)
revenues: $NA


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Capital name: Nouakchott


geographic coordinates: 18 07 N, 16 02 W


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
The Settlement
Climate desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty tropical; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds
Coastline 754 km 80 km
Constitution 12 July 1991 NA
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: Territory of Christmas Island


conventional short form: Christmas Island
Currency - Australian dollar (AUD)
Death rate 11.89 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) NA deaths/1,000 population
Debt - external $2.5 billion (2000) $NA
Dependency status - territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Mark M. BOULWARE


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 (territory of Australia)
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahima DIA


chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701


FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623
none (territory of Australia)
Disputes - international Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant none
Economic aid - recipient $190.4 million (2005) $NA
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 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 began in early 2006 and averaged 75,000 barrels per day for the year. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy. Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, slated to begin operation in 2003.
Electricity - consumption 230.6 million kWh (2005) NA kWh
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) -
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) -
Electricity - production 248 million kWh (2005) NA kWh
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: NA%


hydro: NA%


nuclear: NA%


other: NA%
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m


highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Murray Hill 361 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
-
Ethnic groups mixed Moor/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30% Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%


note: no indigenous population (2001)
Exchange rates ouguiyas per US dollar - 271.3 (2006), 267.04 (2005), 265.8 (2004), 263.03 (2003), 271.74 (2002) Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI (since 19 April 2007)


head of government: Prime Minister Zeine Ould ZEIDANE (since 20 April 2007)


cabinet: Council of Ministers


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 11 March 2007 with a runoff between the two leading candidates held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held 2012); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: percent of vote - (second round) Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI 52.8%, Ahmed Ould DADDAH 47.2%
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general


head of government: Administrator William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999)


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
Exports NA bbl/day $NA
Exports - commodities iron ore, fish and fish products, gold phosphate
Exports - partners China 26.3%, Italy 11.8%, France 10.2%, Belgium 6.8%, Spain 6.7%, Japan 5.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.6% (2006) Australia, NZ
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
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 the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory
GDP - purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 25%


industry: 29%


services: 46% (2001 est.)
agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate 14.1% (2006 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 20 00 N, 12 00 W 10 30 S, 105 40 E
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 located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
Highways - total: 140 km (not including 100 km that is maintained by private industry)


paved: 30 km


unpaved: 110 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.5%


highest 10%: 29.5% (2000)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports NA bbl/day $NA
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods consumer goods
Imports - partners France 11.9%, China 8.2%, Belgium 6.8%, US 6.8%, Italy 5.9%, Brazil 5.5%, Spain 5.4% (2006) principally Australia
Independence 28 November 1960 (from France) none (territory of Australia)
Industrial production growth rate 2% (2000 est.) NA%
Industries fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)
Infant mortality rate total: 68.07 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 71.07 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 64.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
NA deaths/1,000 live births
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 7% (2003 est.) NA%
International organization participation ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO none
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 2 (2000)
Irrigated land 490 sq km (2002) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court
Labor force 786,000 (2001) NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 50%


industry: 10%


services: 40% (2001 est.)
tourism 400 people, mining 100 people (1995)
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: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100%


note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof English (official), Chinese, Malay
Legal system a combination of Islamic law and French civil law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law
Legislative branch bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms; a portion of seats up for election every two years) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (95 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 21 January and 4 February 2007 (next to be held 2009); National Assembly - last held 19 November and 3 December 2006 (next to be held in 2011)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Al-Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime) 37, CFCD (coalition of political parties) 15, representatives of the diaspora (yet to be chosen) 3, undecided 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Al Mithaq 51 (independents 37, PRDR 7, UDP 3, RDU 3, Alternative (El-Badil) 1), CFCD 41 (RFD 16, UFP 9, APP 6, Centrist Reformists 4, HATEM-PMUC 3, RD 2, PUDS 1), RNDLE 1, UCD 1, FP 1
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve one-year terms)


elections: last held NA December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2002)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9
Life expectancy at birth total population: 53.51 years


male: 51.24 years


female: 55.85 years (2007 est.)
total population: NA years


male: NA years


female: NA years
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 51.2%


male: 59.5%


female: 43.4% (2000 census)
NA
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia
Map references Africa Southeast Asia
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
contiguous zone: 12 NM


exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - none (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of Australia
Military branches Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Mauritanian Navy (Marine Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2007) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 5.5% (2006) -
National holiday Independence Day, 28 November (1960) NA
Nationality noun: Mauritanian(s)


adjective: Mauritanian
noun: Christmas Islander(s)


adjective: Christmas Island
Natural hazards hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Natural resources iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish phosphate, beaches
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
Political parties and leaders Al-Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime including Alternative or El-Badil, PRDR, UDP, RDU); Alternative or El-Badil; Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists); Coalition for Forces for Democratic Change or CFCD (coalition of political parties including APP, Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists), HATEM-PMUC, PUDS, RD, RFD, UFP); Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS; Democratic Renewal or RD; Mauritanian Party for Unity and Change or HATEM-PMUC; National Rally for Freedom, Democracy and Equality or RNDLE; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; 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 [Boullah Ould MOGUEYA] (formerly ruling Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS); Socialist and Democratic Unity Party or PUDS; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]; Union of Democratic Centre or UCD; Union of the Forces for Progress or UFP none
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] none
Population 3,270,065 (July 2007 est.) 474 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 40% (2004 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.867% (2007 est.) -9% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - Flying Fish Cove
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001) AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 1,000 (1997)
Railways 717 km


standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
24 km to serve phosphate mines
Religions Muslim 100% Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.005 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.975 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.666 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
NA
Suffrage 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), 2 Arabsat
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network


domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available


international: satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use 34,900 (2006) NA
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.06 million (2006) NA
Television broadcast stations 1 (2002) NA
Terrain mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Total fertility rate 5.78 children born/woman (2007 est.) NA children born/woman
Unemployment rate 20% (2004 est.) NA%
Waterways - none
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