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Compare Netherlands Antilles (2001) - Sri Lanka (2002)

Compare Netherlands Antilles (2001) z Sri Lanka (2002)

 Netherlands Antilles (2001)Sri Lanka (2002)
 Netherlands AntillesSri Lanka
Administrative divisions none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

note:
each island has its own government
8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern
Age structure 0-14 years:
25.21% (male 27,332; female 26,169)

15-64 years:
66.99% (male 67,562; female 74,599)

65 years and over:
7.8% (male 6,874; female 9,690) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 25.6% (male 2,559,246; female 2,446,393)


15-64 years: 67.7% (male 6,446,320; female 6,802,515)


65 years and over: 6.7% (male 628,398; female 693,911) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef
Airports 5 (2000 est.) 15 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total:
5

over 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total: 14


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 1 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Area total:
960 sq km

land:
960 sq km

water:
0 sq km

note:
includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
total: 65,610 sq km


land: 64,740 sq km


water: 870 sq km
Area - comparative more than five times the size of Washington, DC slightly larger than West Virginia
Background Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Sint Maarten is shared with France; its northern portion is named Saint Martin and is part of Guadeloupe. The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning in about the mid-3rd century B.C. and a great civilization developed at such cities as Anuradhapura (kingdom from c. 200 B.C. to c. 1000 A.D.) and Polonnaruwa (c. 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north and established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1796 and became a crown colony in 1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester.
Birth rate 16.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 16.36 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$710.8 million

expenditures:
$741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
revenues: $2.8 billion


expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital Willemstad Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital
Climate tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October)
Coastline 364 km 1,340 km
Constitution 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended adopted 16 August 1978
Country name conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Netherlands Antilles

local long form:
none

local short form:
Nederlandse Antillen

former:
Curacao and Dependencies
conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka


conventional short form: Sri Lanka


former: Serendib, Ceylon
Currency Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG) Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Death rate 6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $1.35 billion (1996) $9.9 billion (2000)
Dependency status part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs -
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Consul General Barbara J. STEPHENSON

consulate(s) general:
J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao

mailing address:
P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao

telephone:
[599] (9) 4613066

FAX:
[599] (9) 4616489
chief of mission: Ambassador E. Ashley WILLS


embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3


mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo


telephone: [94] (1) 448007


FAX: [94] (1) 437345
Diplomatic representation in the US none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) chief of mission: Ambassador Devinda R. SUBASINGHE



chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028)


FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles


consulate(s): New York
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million $577 million (1998) (1998)
Economy - overview Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined slightly in each of the past five years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with Venezuela, the US, and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.5% throughout the 1990s until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%. But 2001 saw the first contraction in the country's history, due to a combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the global slowdown, and continuing civil strife.
Electricity - consumption 1.032 billion kWh (1999) 6.156 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 1.11 billion kWh (1999) 6.619 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 32%


hydro: 68%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point:
Mount Scenery 862 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Environment - current issues NA deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1%
Exchange rates Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.790 (fixed rate since 1989) Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 93.383 (January 2002), 89.383 (2001), 77.005 (2000), 70.635 (1999), 64.450 (1998), 58.995 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state:
Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH (since NA October 1989)

head of government:
Prime Minister Miguel POURIER (since 8 November 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER (since NA)

note:
Miguel POURIER assumed prime ministership following the resignation of Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER

cabinet:
Council of Ministers elected by the Staten

elections:
the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the Staten; election last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002)

note:
government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP
chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government, in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist


head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government, in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005)


election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA) 51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%, other 7%
Exports $276 million (f.o.b., 2000) $4.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities petroleum products textiles and apparel 15%, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum products
Exports - partners US 17.5%, Guatemala 8%, Costa Rica 6.5%, The Bahamas 4.6%, Jamaica 4.1%, Chile 3.4% (1998) US 39%, UK 13%, Middle East 8%, Germany 4%, Japan 4% (2000)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels
GDP purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $62.7 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
1%

industry:
15%

services:
84% (1996 est.)
agriculture: 21%


industry: 27%


services: 52% (2000)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,250 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -3.5% (2000 est.) -1% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 15 N, 68 45 W 7 00 N, 81 00 E
Geography - note - strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes
Highways total:
600 km

paved:
300 km

unpaved:
300 km (1992)
total: 11,285 km


paved: 10,721 km


unpaved: 564 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: 4%


highest 10%: 28% (1995)
Illicit drugs money-laundering center; transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe -
Imports $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000) $6 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Imports - commodities crude petroleum, food, manufactures machinery and equipment, textiles, petroleum, foodstuffs
Imports - partners Venezuela 35.3%, US 21%, Mexico 9.8%, Italy 5.4%, Netherlands 4.8%, Brazil 3.1% (1998) Japan 9%, India 8%, Hong Kong 7%, Singapore 7%, South Korea 5% (2000)
Independence none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) 4 February 1948 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 1.4% (2001)
Industries tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao) rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco
Infant mortality rate 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 15.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.4% (2000 est.) 14.2% (2001 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WToO (associate) AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 6 5 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 6,510 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch) Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president
Labor force 89,000 6.6 million (1998)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (1994 est.) services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% (1998 est.)
Land boundaries total:
10.2 km

border countries:
Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km
0 km
Land use arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
0%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
90% (1993 est.)
arable land: 13.43%


permanent crops: 15.78%


other: 70.79% (1998 est.)
Languages Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%


note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population
Legal system based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, SPA 1, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, PLKP 3, WIPM 1, SEA 1, DP-St. M 2, FOL 2; no party won enough seats to form a government

note:
the government of Prime Minister Miguel POURIER is a coalition of several parties; current seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, FOL 2, MAN 2, UPB 2, DP-St. M 2, PDB 1, SEA 1, WIPM 1, other 4
unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to serve six-year terms)


elections: last held 7 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 46.8%, PA and EPDP 38%, JVP 9.1%, Tamil National Alliance 3.89%, PLOTE 0.19%; seats by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 114, PA and EPDP 79, JVP 16, Tamil National Alliance 15, PLOTE 1
Life expectancy at birth total population:
74.94 years

male:
72.76 years

female:
77.22 years (2001 est.)
total population: 72.35 years


male: 69.83 years


female: 75 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
98%

male:
98%

female:
99% (1981 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 90.2%


male: 93.4%


female: 87.2% (1995 est.)
Location Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela; the other is east of the Virgin Islands Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Asia
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone:
12 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total:
123 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,113,774 GRT/1,397,841 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 1, cargo 35, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 3, container 19, liquefied gas 4, multi-functional large-load carrier 19, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 7

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 8, Germany 1, Italy 1 (2000 est.)
total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 137,321 GRT/233,367 DWT


ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 15, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 9, Hong Kong 1, United Arab Emirates 1 (2002 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands -
Military branches Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard, Police Force Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $719 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 4.2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
54,284 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 5,347,153 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
30,405 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 4,148,825 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 20 years of age 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
1,610 (2001 est.)
males: 193,522 (2002 est.)
National holiday Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April Independence Day, 4 February (1948)
Nationality noun:
Dutch Antillean(s)

adjective:
Dutch Antillean
noun: Sri Lankan(s)


adjective: Sri Lankan
Natural hazards Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October occasional cyclones and tornadoes
Natural resources phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only) limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower
Net migration rate -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987)
Political parties and leaders Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Miguel POURIER]; C 93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or FAME [Eric LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol COVA]; National People's Party or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramon BOOI]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.]; People's Party or PAPU [Richard Hodi]; Pro Curacao Party or PPK [Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor Movement [Steve HASSELL]; Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius Alliance or SEA [Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative People's Party or Sapp [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS [Benny DEMEI]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will JOHNSTON]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald LAK, Editha WRIGHT]

note:
political parties are indigenous to each island
All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D. GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF [Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Tilvan SILVA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Alliance or PA [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA]; Sihala Urumaya or SU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM]; Tamil National Alliance or TNA [Nadarajah RAVIRAJ]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [R. SAMPATHAN]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Upcountry People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either Parliament or provincial councils
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups
Population 212,226 (July 2001 est.) 19,576,783


note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of mid-1999, approximately 66,000 were housed in 133 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 22% (1997 est.)
Population growth rate 0.97% (2001 est.) 0.85% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee
Radio broadcast stations AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 217,000 (1997) 3.85 million (1997)
Railways 0 km total: 1,463 km


broad gauge: 1,404 km 1.676-m gauge


narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2001)
Religions Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999)
Sex ratio at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
generally adequate facilities

domestic:
extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

international:
submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization of national telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good international service (1999)


domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)


international: submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)
Telephones - main lines in use 76,000 (1995) 494,509 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 13,977 (1996) 228,604 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 3 (there is also a cable service which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (1997) 21 (1997)
Terrain generally hilly, volcanic interiors mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior
Total fertility rate 2.07 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.93 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 14.9% (1998 est.) 7.7% (2001)
Waterways none 430 km (navigable by shallow-draft craft)
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