Nauru (2004) | Guadeloupe (2006) | |
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Administrative divisions | 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren | none (overseas department of France) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 38.2% (male 2,516; female 2,372)
15-64 years: 60% (male 3,782; female 3,898) 65 years and over: 1.9% (male 128; female 113) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 23.6% (male 54,725/female 52,348)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 150,934/female 153,094) 65 years and over: 9.2% (male 17,353/female 24,322) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts | bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats |
Airports | 1 (2003 est.) | 9 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
Area | total: 21 sq km
land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1,780 sq km
land: 1,706 sq km water: 74 sq km note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin) |
Area - comparative | about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC | 10 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by Australian forces in World War I. Nauru achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest independent republic. | Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The island of Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles and its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe |
Birth rate | 25.61 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 15.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $23.4 million
expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY95/96) |
revenues: $637.7 million
expenditures: $680.1 million; including capital expenditures of $112.5 million (2002) |
Capital | no official capital; government offices in Yaren District | name: Basse-Terre
geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 61 44 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February) | subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity |
Coastline | 30 km | 306 km |
Constitution | 29 January 1968 | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
conventional short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island |
conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
conventional short form: Guadeloupe local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe local short form: Guadeloupe |
Currency | Australian dollar (AUD) | - |
Death rate | 6.95 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 6.09 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $33.3 million (2002) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | overseas department of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru | none (overseas department of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN office at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017; telephone: (212) 937-0074
consulate(s): Hagatna (Guam) |
none (overseas department of France) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.) (2000 est.) | $NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies (2004) |
Economy - overview | Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports of phosphates, but reserves are now depleted. Few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia, its former occupier and later major source of support. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income have been invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has called for a freeze on wages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments, privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has encouraged the registration of offshore banks and corporations. In 2004 the deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plant continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat has substantially mounted. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely. | This Caribbean economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light industry, and services. It also depends on France for large subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young. Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy. |
Electricity - consumption | 27.9 million kWh (2001) | 1.084 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 30 million kWh (2001) | 1.165 billion kWh (2003) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
- |
Ethnic groups | Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8% | black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5% |
Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.2641 (2002) 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999) | euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 j(2001) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: Ludwig SCOTTY was unopposed in the parliamentary elections for president |
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Jacques BROT (since 12 June 2006)
head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Victorin LUREL (since 2 April 2004) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils election results: NA |
Exports | NA (2001) | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | phosphates | bananas, sugar, rum, melons, spring water |
Exports - partners | Japan 42.3%, India 38.5%, South Korea 7.7% (2003) | France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (2004) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
Flag description | blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru | unofficial, local flag based upon the arms of the city of Pointe-a-Pitre; the field is divided horizontally with a narrow, blue stripe along the top edge charged with three gold fleurs-de-lis; the wider, lower portion of the field is black and charged with green sugar cane leaves - representing one of Guadeloupe's main crops - surmounted by a gold radiant sun representing the tropical climate; the only official flag is the national flag of France |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $60 million (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
agriculture: 15%
industry: 17% services: 68% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 0 32 S, 166 55 E | 16 15 N, 61 35 W |
Geography - note | Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator | a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller, eastern Grande-Terre |
Highways | total: 30 km
paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | offshore banking recently stopped, remains on Financial Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime | - |
Imports | NA (2001) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery | foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials |
Imports - partners | Australia 67.9%, Indonesia 10.7%, US 7.1% (2003) | France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands Antilles 2% (2004) |
Independence | 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship) | none (overseas department of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA% |
Industries | phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products | construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: 10.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 12.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 8.41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | -3.6% (1993) | NA% |
International organization participation | ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO | UPU, WCL, WFTU |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 60 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique |
Labor force | - | 191,400 (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation | agriculture: 15%
industry: 20% services: 65% (2002) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 15 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
arable land: 11.7%
permanent crops: 2.92% other: 85.38% (2005) |
Languages | Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes | French (official) 99%, Creole patois |
Legal system | acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law | French legal system |
Legislative branch | unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held not later than May 2006) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - Nauru First Party 3, independents 15 |
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held March 2004 (next to be held by in 2010); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008 to elect half of the body) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - left-wing candidates 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6, right-wing candidates 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council (second round) - percent of vote by party - PS 58.4%, UMP 41.6%; seats by party - PS 29, UMP 12 note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate; elections last held September 2004 (next to be held September 2013); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA, Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held June 2007); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2, PS 1, different right parties 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 62.33 years
male: 58.78 years female: 66.06 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 78.06 years
male: 74.91 years female: 81.37 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90% (1982 est.) |
Location | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Oceania | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none | - |
Military - note | Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force | no regular military forces |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 3,275 (2004 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,810 (2004 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 31 January (1968) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective: Nauruan |
noun: Guadeloupian(s)
adjective: Guadeloupe |
Natural hazards | periodic droughts | hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano |
Natural resources | phosphates, fish | cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | -0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal) [leader NA]; Naoero Amo (Nauru First) Party [leader NA] | Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; FGPS [Dominique LARIFLA]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Flavien FERRANT]; Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Socialist Party or PS [Jules OTTO]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Claudine LACAVE]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR) [Gabrielle LOUIS-CARABIN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement |
Population | 12,809 (July 2004 est.) | 452,776 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.87% (2004 est.) | 0.88% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Nauru | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Religions | Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic) | Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 20 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities
domestic: NA international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
domestic: NA international: country code - 590; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1,900 (2002) | 210,000 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,500 (2002) | 314,700 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center | Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin |
Total fertility rate | 3.29 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 0% (2002 est.) | 26.9% (2003) |