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Compare New Caledonia (2004) - Syria (2006)

Compare New Caledonia (2004) z Syria (2006)

 New Caledonia (2004)Syria (2006)
 New CaledoniaSyria
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 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus
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: 37% (male 3,592,915/female 3,384,722)


15-64 years: 59.7% (male 5,779,257/female 5,500,887)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 296,070/female 327,510) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
Airports 25 (2003 est.) 92 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 11


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total: 26


over 3,047 m: 6


2,438 to 3,047 m: 15


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 14


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)
total: 66


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 54 (2006)
Area total: 19,060 sq km


land: 18,575 sq km


water: 485 sq km
total: 185,180 sq km


land: 184,050 sq km


water: 1,130 sq km


note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Jersey slightly larger than North Dakota
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. Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, France administered Syria until its independence in 1946. The country lacked political stability, however, and experienced a series of military coups during its first decades. Syria united with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic, but in September 1961 the two entities separated and the Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In November 1970, Hafiz al-ASAD, a member of the Socialist Ba'th Party and the minority Alawite sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political stability to the country. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel, and over the past decade Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of President al-ASAD in July 2000, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as president by popular referendum. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April of 2005.
Birth rate 18.98 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 27.76 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $861.3 million


expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.)
revenues: $6.392 billion


expenditures: $7.613 billion; including capital expenditures of $3.23 billion (2005 est.)
Capital Noumea name: Damascus


geographic coordinates: 33 30 N, 36 18 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins 1 April; ends 30 September
Climate tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus
Coastline 2,254 km 193 km
Constitution 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) 13 March 1973
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: Syrian Arab Republic


conventional short form: Syria


local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah


local short form: Suriyah


former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
Currency Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003 -
Death rate 5.64 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $79 million (1998 est.) $8.566 billion; note - excludes military debt and debt to Russia (2005 est.)
Dependency status overseas territory of France since 1956 -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of France) chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael CORBIN


embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansour Street, No. 2, Damascus


mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus


telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342


FAX: [963] (11) 224-7938
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of France) chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA


chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313


FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
Disputes - international Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone since 1964; Lebanon claims Shaba'a farms in Golan Heights; international pressure prompts the removal of Syrian troops and intelligence personnel stationed in Lebanon since October 1976; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation settles border dispute with Jordan
Economic aid - recipient $880 million annual subsidy from France (1998) $180 million (2002 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 Syrian Government estimates the economy grew by 4.5 percent in real terms in 2005, led by the petroleum and agricultural sectors, which together account for about half of GDP. Economic performance and the exchange rate on the informal market were hit by international political developments following the assassination in February of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-HARIRI and the specter of international sanctions. Higher crude oil prices countered declining oil production and exports and helped to narrow the budget deficit and widen the current account surplus. The Government of Syria has implemented modest economic reforms in the last few years, including cutting interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating some of the multiple exchange rates, and raising prices on some subsidized foodstuffs. Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled by the government. Long-run economic constraints include declining oil production and exports, increasing pressure on water supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and water pollution.
Electricity - consumption 1.5 billion kWh (2001) 28.26 billion kWh (2003 est.)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 1.613 billion kWh (2001) 29.53 billion kWh (2003 est.)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m


highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
Environment - current issues erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3% Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
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) Syrian pounds per US dollar - (public sector rate): 11.225 (2005), 11.225 (2004), 11.225 (2003), 11.225 (2002), 11.225 (2001), (parallel market rate in 'Amman and Beirut): NA (2005), NA (2004), 52.8 (2003), 52.4 (2002), 50.4 (2001), (official rate for repaying loans): 11.25 (2004)
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: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice President Farouk al-SHARA (since 11 February 2006)


head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10 September 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah al-DARDARI (since 14 June 2005)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president approved by popular referendum for a seven-year term (no term limits); referendum last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of President Hafiz al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held 2007); vice president appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president


election results: Bashar al-ASAD approved as president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%


note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June, the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council on 25 June; he was approved by a popular referendum on 10 July
Exports NA (2001) 285,000 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities ferronickels, nickel ore, fish crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat
Exports - partners Japan 21.8%, France 19.2%, Taiwan 14%, Spain 11%, South Korea 8.5%, Australia 7.2%, Italy 5.1% (2003) Iraq 22.3%, Saudi Arabia 15.3%, Italy 8.4%, Germany 8.3%, Lebanon 7.7%, Egypt 4.3%, France 4.2% (2005)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description the flag of France is used three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design dates to 1980
GDP purchasing power parity - $3.158 billion (2003 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 5%


industry: 30%


services: 65% (1997 est.)
agriculture: 24.9%


industry: 23%


services: 51.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2001 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate NA 2.8% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 21 30 S, 165 30 E 35 00 N, 38 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 there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 2005 est.)
Heliports 6 (2003 est.) 7 (2006)
Highways total: 4,825 km


paved: 2,287 km


unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls and bank privatization may leave it vulnerable to money-laundering
Imports NA (2001) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper
Imports - partners France 46.1%, Australia 9.5%, Singapore 9.3%, New Zealand 4.3% (2003) Saudi Arabia 10.6%, China 5.6%, Egypt 5.4%, Italy 5.3%, UAE 5.2%, Ukraine 4.2%, Germany 4.1% (2005)
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 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Industrial production growth rate -0.6% (1996) 7% (2002 est.)
Industries nickel mining and smelting petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining
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: 28.61 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 28.85 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 28.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) -0.6% (2000 est.) 5% (2005 est.)
International organization participation FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WFTU, WMO ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Irrigated land 160 sq km (1991) 13,330 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court Supreme Constitutional Court (adjudicates electoral disputes and rules on constitutionality of laws and decrees; justices appointed for four-year terms by the President); High Judicial Council (appoints and dismisses judges; headed by the President); Court of Cassation (national level); State Security Courts (hear cases related to national security); Personal Status Courts (religious; hear cases related to marriage and divorce); Courts of First Instance (local level; include magistrate, summary, and peace courts)
Labor force 79,400 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996) 5.12 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.) agriculture: 30%


industry: 27%


services: 43% (2002 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 2,253 km


border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
Land use arable land: 0.38%


permanent crops: 0.33%


other: 99.29% (2001)
arable land: 24.8%


permanent crops: 4.47%


other: 70.73% (2005)
Languages French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood
Legal system the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law; religious law is used in the family court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held in 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents 33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receives one-half of the seats
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.78 years


male: 70.82 years


female: 76.89 years (2004 est.)
total population: 70.32 years


male: 69.01 years


female: 71.7 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 91%


male: 92%


female: 90% (1976 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 76.9%


male: 89.7%


female: 64% (2003 est.)
Location Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
Map references Oceania Middle East
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 41 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.)
total: 108 ships (1000 GRT or over) 386,603 GRT/563,506 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 93, container 1, livestock carrier 4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 11 (Lebanon 7, Romania 3, UAE 1)


registered in other countries: 130 (Cambodia 20, Comoros 4, Cyprus 3, Dominica 1, Georgia 43, Hong Kong 1, North Korea 14, Lebanon 1, Malta 7, Mongolia 1, Panama 18, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Sierra Leone 1, Slovakia 2, unknown 5) (2006)
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 Syrian Armed Forces: Syrian Arab Army (includes Syrian Arab Navy), Syrian Arab Air and Air Defense Force (includes Air Defense Command) (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA $858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 5.9% (FY00)
National holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Independence Day, 17 April (1946)
Nationality noun: New Caledonian(s)


adjective: New Caledonian
noun: Syrian(s)


adjective: Syrian
Natural hazards cyclones, most frequent from November to March dust storms, sandstorms
Natural resources nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Pipelines - gas 2,764 km; oil 2,000 km (2006)
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] Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Ahmed al-AHMED]; National Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party; the governing party) [President Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallal Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yuusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]; Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Kurdish Democratic Alliance (includes several groups but has no designated leader); Kurdish Democratic Front (includes several groups but has no designated leader); Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in London) [Sadr al-Din al-BAYANUNI]; National Democratic Front [Hassan Abd al-AZIM]
Population 213,679 (July 2004 est.) 18,881,361


note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 20% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate 1.33% (2004 est.) 2.3% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Mueo, Noumea, Thio -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways - total: 2,711 km


standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2005)
Religions Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10% Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
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: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology


domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network


international: country code - 963; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
Telephones - main lines in use 52,000 (2002) 2.903 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 80,000 (2002) 2.95 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997) 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain coastal plains with interior mountains primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west
Total fertility rate 2.35 children born/woman (2004 est.) 3.4 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 19% (1996) 12.3% (2004 est.)
Waterways - 900 km (not economically significant) (2005)
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