Compare Micronesia, Federated States of (2004) - Latvia (2008)

Compare Micronesia, Federated States of (2004) z Latvia (2008)

	Micronesia, Federated States of (2004)	Latvia (2008)

Administrative divisions	4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap	26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils, Ventspils Rajons
Age structure	0-14 years: 37.7% (male 20,830; female 19,993) 15-64 years: 59.2% (male 32,055; female 31,927) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,505; female 1,845) (2004 est.)	0-14 years: 13.6% (male 157,451/female 150,184) 15-64 years: 69.6% (male 764,910/female 808,848) 65 years and over: 16.7% (male 123,952/female 254,465) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens	grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
Airports	6 (2003 est.)	42 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)	total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 9 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 20 (2007)
Area	total: 702 sq km land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)	total: 64,589 sq km land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km
Area - comparative	four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)	slightly larger than West Virginia
Background	In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2003. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.	The name "Latvia" originates from the ancient Latgalians, one of four eastern Baltic tribes that formed the ethnic core of the Latvian people (ca. 8th-12th centuries A.D.). The region subsequently came under the control of Germans, Poles, Swedes, and finally, Russians. A Latvian republic emerged following World War I, but it was annexed by the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US and many other countries. Latvia reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Birth rate	25.8 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	9.43 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants) expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1998 est.)	revenues: $8.975 billion expenditures: $8.88 billion (2007 est.)
Capital	Palikir	name: Riga geographic coordinates: 56 57 N, 24 06 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate	tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage	maritime; wet, moderate winters
Coastline	6,112 km	498 km
Constitution	10 May 1979	15 February 1922; restored to force by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21 August 1991; multiple amendments since
Country name	conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) abbreviation: FSM	conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency	US dollar (USD)	-
Death rate	4.97 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	13.64 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$53.1 million (FY02/03 est.)	$29.85 billion (30 June 2007)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne K. HALE embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186	chief of mission: Ambassador Charles LARSON Jr. embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371] 703-6200 FAX: [371] 782-0047
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam)	chief of mission: Ambassador Andrejs PILDEGOVICS chancery: 2306 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-2840 FAX: [1] (202) 328-2860
Disputes - international	none	Russia refuses to sign the 1997 boundary treaty due to Latvian insistence on a unilateral clarificatory declaration referencing Soviet occupation of Latvia and territorial losses; Russia demands better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians in Latvia; as of January 2007, ground demarcation of the boundary with Belarus was complete and mapped with final ratification documentation in preparation; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules with Russia
Economic aid - recipient	under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001	$162 million (2004)
Economy - overview	Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. In November 2002, the country experienced a further reduction in future revenues from the Compact of Free Association - the agreement with the US in which Micronesia received $1.3 billion in financial and technical assistance over a 15-year period until 2001. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth.	Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account deficit - more than 22% of GDP in 2007 - and inflation - at nearly 10% per year - remain major concerns.
Electricity - consumption	NA kWh	6.09 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	-	707 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	-	2.855 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	NA kWh	4.778 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m	lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Galzina Kalns 312 m
Environment - current issues	overfishing, climate change, pollution	Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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	nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups	Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)
Exchange rates	the US dollar is used	lati per US dollar - 0.5162 (2007), 0.5597 (2006), 0.5647 (2005), 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held NA May 2007); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA	chief of state: President Valdis ZATLERS (since 8 July 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Ivars GODMANIS (since 20 December 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 May 2007 (next to be held 2011); prime minister appointed by the president, confirmed by Parliament election results: Valdis ZATLERS elected president; parliamentary vote - Valdis ZATLERS 58, Aivars ENDZINS 39
Exports	$22 million (f.o.b.) (FY99/00 est.)	6,765 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities	fish, garments, bananas, black pepper	wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners	Japan, US, Guam (2000)	Lithuania 14.2%, Estonia 12.3%, Russia 11.5%, Germany 9.8%, UK 7.6%, Sweden 6.3%, Denmark 4.8% (2006)
Fiscal year	1 October - 30 September	calendar year
Flag description	light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern	three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon
GDP	purchasing power parity - $277 million note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 50% industry: 4% services: 46% (2000 est.)	agriculture: 3.5% industry: 21.3% services: 75.2% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	1% (2002 est.)	10.3% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates	6 55 N, 158 15 E	57 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note	four major island groups totaling 607 islands	most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east
Highways	total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 29.1% (2003)
Illicit drugs	-	transshipment and destination point for cocaine, synthetic drugs, opiates, and cannabis from Southwest Asia, Western Europe, Latin America, and neighboring Balkan countries; despite improved legislation, vulnerable to money laundering due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies and the gaming industry; CIS organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds
Imports	$149 million f.o.b. (FY99/00 est.)	39,190 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities	food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages	machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
Imports - partners	US, Australia, Japan (2000)	Germany 15.5%, Lithuania 12.9%, Russia 8%, Estonia 7.7%, Poland 7.2%, Finland 5.7%, Sweden 5%, Belarus 4.7% (2006)
Independence	3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)	18 November 1918 (from Soviet Russia)
Industrial production growth rate	NA	5.9% (2007 est.)
Industries	tourism, construction, fish processing, specialized aquaculture, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls	buses, vans, street and railroad cars; synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials
Infant mortality rate	total: 31.28 deaths/1,000 live births male: 34.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	total: 9.16 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	1% (2002 est.)	9.6% (2007 est.)
International organization participation	ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO	Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land	NA sq km	200 sq km note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (2003)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court	Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament); Constitutional Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
Labor force	NA (2000 est.)	1.136 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	two-thirds are government employees	agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2005 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 1,348 km border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 588 km, Russia 276 km
Land use	arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 45.71% other: 48.58% (2001)	arable land: 28.19% permanent crops: 0.45% other: 71.36% (2005)
Languages	English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi	Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census)
Legal system	based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws	based on civil law system with traces of Socialist legal traditions and practices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	unicameral Congress (14 seats; four - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote) elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 14	unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 7 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - TP 19.5%, ZZS 16.7%, JL 16.4%, SC 14.4%; LPP/LC 8.6%; TB/LNNK 7%; PCTVL 6%; seats by party - TP 23, ZZS 18, JL 18, SC 17, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 8, PCTVL 6; note - seats by party as of February 2008 - TP 21, ZZS 17, SC 17, JL 14, LPP/LC 10, TB/LNNK 5, PCTVL 6, independents 10
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 69.44 years male: 67.68 years female: 71.29 years (2004 est.)	total population: 71.6 years male: 66.39 years female: 77.1 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.8% female: 99.7% (2000 census)
Location	Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia	Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
Map references	Oceania	Europe
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine	none (2004 est.)	total: 22 ships (1000 GRT or over) 201,684 GRT/221,186 DWT by type: cargo 9, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Estonia 1) registered in other countries: 122 (Antigua and Barbuda 9, Belize 14, Cambodia 2, Cyprus 1, Dominica 2, Jamaica 2, Liberia 15, Malta 36, Marshall Islands 10, Panama 5, Russia 2, St Kitts and Nevis 4, St Vincent and The Grenadines 20) (2007)
Military - note	Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on the US for its defense	-
Military branches	-	Latvian Republic Defense Force: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa Spelki), Border Guard, Latvian Home Guard (Latvijas Zemessardze) (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	1.2% (2005 est.)
National holiday	Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)	Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 was the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 was the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union
Nationality	noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese	noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian
Natural hazards	typhoons (June to December)	NA
Natural resources	forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals	peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land
Net migration rate	-20.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-2.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines	-	gas 948 km; oil 82 km; refined products 415 km (2007)
Political parties and leaders	no formal parties	First Party of Latvia/Latvia's Way or LPP/LC [Ainars SLESERS, Ivars GODMANIS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Roberts ZILE, Maris GRINBLATS]; Harmony Center or SC [Janis URBANOVICS, Nils USAKOVS]; Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP [Alfreds RUBIKS]; New Democrats or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE, Krisjanis KARINS]; People's Party or TP [Aigars KALVITIS]; The Union of Latvian Greens and Farmers Party or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]
Population	108,155 (July 2004 est.)	2,259,810 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	26.7%	NA%
Population growth rate	-0.02% (2004 est.)	-0.648% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors	Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)	AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways	-	total: 2,303 km broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2006)
Religions	Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%	Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Sex ratio	1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.946 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.487 male(s)/female total population: 0.862 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Telephone system	general assessment: adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)	general assessment: recent efforts focused on bringing competition to the telecommunications sector; the number of fixed lines is decreasing as wireless telephony expands domestic: number of telecommunications operators has grown rapidly since the fixed-line market opened to competition in 2003; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership is roughly 125 per 100 persons international: country code - 371; the Latvian network is now connected via fiber optic cable to Estonia, Finland, and Sweden
Telephones - main lines in use	10,100 (2001)	657,400 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular	1,800 (2002)	2.184 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations	3; note - cable TV also available (2004)	44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain	islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk	low plain
Total fertility rate	3.37 children born/woman (2004 est.)	1.28 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	16% (1999 est.)	5.9% (2007 est.)
Waterways	-	300 km (2006)

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