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Compare New Caledonia (2004) - Solomon Islands (2004)

Compare New Caledonia (2004) z Solomon Islands (2004)

 New Caledonia (2004)Solomon Islands (2004)
 New CaledoniaSolomon Islands
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western
Age structure 0-14 years: 29.4% (male 32,076; female 30,772)


15-64 years: 64.3% (male 69,150; female 68,310)


65 years and over: 6.3% (male 6,259; female 7,112) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 113,183; female 108,816)


15-64 years: 54.4% (male 144,157; female 140,769)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 8,058; female 8,634) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Airports 25 (2003 est.) 33 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 11


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)
total: 31


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
Area total: 19,060 sq km


land: 18,575 sq km


water: 485 sq km
total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Jersey slightly smaller than Maryland
Background Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s has dissipated. The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. In June 2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.
Birth rate 18.98 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 31.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $861.3 million


expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.)
revenues: $38 million


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001)
Capital Noumea Honiara
Climate tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Coastline 2,254 km 5,313 km
Constitution 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) 7 July 1978
Country name conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies


conventional short form: New Caledonia


local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances


local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
Currency Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003 Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
Death rate 5.64 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 4.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $79 million (1998 est.) $162.5 million (2001 est.)
Dependency status overseas territory of France since 1956 -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of France) the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Ambassador Robert W. FITTS, is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of France) chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK


chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017


telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193


FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
Disputes - international Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu Australian defense personnel are dispatched at the invitation of the Solomon Islands' Government to restore law and order on the islands and reinforce regional security
Economic aid - recipient $880 million annual subsidy from France (1998) $28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2001 est.)
Economy - overview New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than one-fourth of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years. The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to serious economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the nonpayment of bills and by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country. The disintegration of law and order left the economy in tatters by mid-2003, and on 24 July 2003 more than 2000 Australian soldiers entered the Solomon Islands to restore order and to facilitate the restoration of basic services.
Electricity - consumption 1.5 billion kWh (2001) 29.76 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 1.613 billion kWh (2001) 32 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Environment - current issues erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3% Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Exchange rates Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 105.73 (2003), 126.72 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999) Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Daniel CONSTANTIN (since 3 July 2002)


head of government: President of the Government Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU (since 10 June 2004)


cabinet: Consultative Committee


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress; note - last election held 29 June 2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was elected on the third vote with 8 votes for and 3 abstentions
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17 December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities ferronickels, nickel ore, fish timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
Exports - partners Japan 21.8%, France 19.2%, Taiwan 14%, Spain 11%, South Korea 8.5%, Australia 7.2%, Italy 5.1% (2003) China 25.2%, South Korea 17.6%, Japan 13.4%, Philippines 8.4%, Singapore 5.9%, Thailand 5.9% (2003)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description the flag of France is used divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
GDP purchasing power parity - $3.158 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 5%


industry: 30%


services: 65% (1997 est.)
agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA -10% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 21 30 S, 165 30 E 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Geography - note consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea
Government - note - June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the intervention of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament approved the request for intervention in July 2003; troops from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24 July 2003
Heliports 6 (2003 est.) -
Highways total: 4,825 km


paved: 2,287 km


unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)
total: 1,360 km


paved: 34 km


unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners France 46.1%, Australia 9.5%, Singapore 9.3%, New Zealand 4.3% (2003) Australia 29.7%, Singapore 21.9%, Fiji 4.7%, New Zealand 4.7% (2003)
Independence none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014 7 July 1978 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate -0.6% (1996) NA
Industries nickel mining and smelting fish (tuna), mining, timber
Infant mortality rate total: 7.89 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.59 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 22.09 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 25.15 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 18.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) -0.6% (2000 est.) 9% (2002 est.)
International organization participation FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WFTU, WMO ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 160 sq km (1991) NA sq km
Judicial branch Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court Court of Appeal
Labor force 79,400 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996) 26,840 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.) agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 0.38%


permanent crops: 0.33%


other: 99.29% (2001)
arable land: 0.64%


permanent crops: 2%


other: 97.36% (2001)
Languages French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population


note: 120 indigenous languages
Legal system the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law English common law, which is widely disregarded
Legislative branch unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UE 7, FN 4, others 3


note: New Caledonia currently holds 1 seat in the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2007; between now and 2010 New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held by June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than December 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP 20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents 18
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.78 years


male: 70.82 years


female: 76.89 years (2004 est.)
total population: 72.38 years


male: 69.9 years


female: 74.98 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 91%


male: 92%


female: 90% (1976 est.)
definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
Location Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Map references Oceania Oceania
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT


by type: cargo 1


foreign-owned: Malaysia 1


registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
none
Military - note defense is the responsibility of France -
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA NA
National holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Nationality noun: New Caledonian(s)


adjective: New Caledonian
noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
Natural hazards cyclones, most frequent from November to March typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Natural resources nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caleonian Union or UC [leader NA]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO] Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]


note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 213,679 (July 2004 est.) 523,617 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA
Population growth rate 1.33% (2004 est.) 2.76% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Mueo, Noumea, Thio Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Religions Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10% Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female


total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 52,000 (2002) 6,600 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 80,000 (2002) 1,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997) 0 (1997)
Terrain coastal plains with interior mountains mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Total fertility rate 2.35 children born/woman (2004 est.) 4.19 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 19% (1996) NA
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