Compare Nicaragua (2003) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2008)

Compare Nicaragua (2003) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2008)

	Nicaragua (2003)	British Indian Ocean Territory (2008)

Administrative divisions	15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region autonomista); Atlantico Norte, Atlantico Sur, Boaco, Carazo, Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz, Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas	-
Age structure	0-14 years: 37.7% (male 984,719; female 949,282) 15-64 years: 59.2% (male 1,510,352; female 1,527,991) 65 years and over: 3% (male 68,332; female 87,841) (2003 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products	-
Airports	176 (2002)	1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2002)	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 165 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 141 (2002)	-
Area	total: 129,494 sq km land: 120,254 sq km water: 9,240 sq km	total: 54,400 sq km land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than the state of New York	land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.	Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Birth rate	26.29 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $726 million expenditures: $908 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)	-
Capital	Managua	-
Climate	tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline	910 km	698 km
Constitution	9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000	-
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua conventional short form: Nicaragua local long form: Republica de Nicaragua local short form: Nicaragua	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Currency	gold cordoba (NIO)	-
Death rate	4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Debt - external	$5.8 billion (2002 est.)	-
Dependency status	-	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Calandra MOORE embassy: Apartado Postal 327, Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: APO AA 34021 telephone: [505] 266-6010, 266-2298, 266-6013 FAX: [505] 266-9074	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Salvador STADTHAGEN (since 5 December 2003) chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570 FAX: [1] (202) 939-6542 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international	territorial disputes with Colombia over the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank region; with respect to the maritime boundary question in the Golfo de Fonseca, the ICJ referred to the line determined by the 1900 Honduras-Nicaragua Mixed Boundary Commission and advised that some tripartite resolution among El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua likely would be required; legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1967 and 1973 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; in May 2006, the High Court of London reversed U.K. Government's 2004 orders of council that banned habitation on the islands; a small group of Chagossians visited Diego Garcia in April 2006; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest viable island in the chain
Economic aid - recipient	Substantial foreign support	-
Economy - overview	Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per capita income, flagging socio-economic indicators, and huge external debt. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the globe. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic stability over the past few years, a banking crisis and scandal has shaken the economy. Nicaragua will continue to be dependent on international aid and debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Donors have made aid conditional on the openness of government financial operation, poverty alleviation, and human rights. Nicaragua met the conditions for additional debt service relief in December 2000. Growth should move up moderately in 2003 because of increased private investment and exports.	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where a joint UK-US military facility is located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installation are performed by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the native Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The territory makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.
Electricity - consumption	2.388 billion kWh (2001)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - imports	17 million kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - production	2.549 billion kWh (2001)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 83.9% hydro: 7.7% nuclear: 0% other: 8.4% (2001)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution	NA
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification	-
Ethnic groups	mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5%	-
Exchange rates	gold cordobas per US dollar - 14.25 (2002), 13.37 (2001), 12.68 (2000), 11.81 (1999), 10.58 (1998)	-
Executive branch	chief of state: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC) elected president - 56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PC) 1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Leigh TURNER (since July 2006); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Exports	NA (2001)	-
Exports - commodities	coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, bananas, beef, sugar, gold	-
Exports - partners	US 59.4%, El Salvador 7.5%, Honduras 4.8% (2002)	-
Fiscal year	calendar year	-
Flag description	three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band	white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
GDP	purchasing power parity - $11.16 billion (2002 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 30% industry: 26% services: 44% (2002 est.)	-
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2002 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	1.1% (2002 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	13 00 N, 85 00 W	6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E
Geography - note	largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua	archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Highways	total: 19,032 km paved: 2,094 km unpaved: 16,938 km (2000)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 48.8% (1998)	-
Illicit drugs	transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing	-
Imports	NA (2001)	-
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products, consumer goods	-
Imports - partners	US 23.7%, Costa Rica 10.3%, Venezuela 10.1%, Guatemala 7.8%, Mexico 6.7%, El Salvador 6%, South Korea 4.6% (2002)	-
Independence	15 September 1821 (from Spain)	-
Industrial production growth rate	4.4% (2000 est.)	-
Industries	food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood	-
Infant mortality rate	total: 31.39 deaths/1,000 live births male: 35.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3.7% (2002 est.)	-
International organization participation	BCIE, CACM, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO	-
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	3 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	880 sq km (1998 est.)	0 sq km
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly)	-
Labor force	1.7 million (1999)	-
Labor force - by occupation	services 43%, agriculture 42%, industry 15% (1999 est.)	-
Land boundaries	total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 20.24% permanent crops: 2.38% other: 77.38% (1998 est.)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Languages	Spanish (official) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast	-
Legal system	civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Legislative branch	unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (93 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance (ruling party - includes PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCCN 3.73%, PCN 2.12%, MRS 1.33%; seats by party - Liberal Alliance 42, FSLN 36, PCCN 4, PCN 3, PRONAL 2, MRS 1, PRN 1, PC 1, PLI 1, AU 1, UNO-96 1	-
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 69.68 years male: 67.68 years female: 71.79 years (2003 est.)	-
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.5% male: 67.2% female: 67.8% (2003 est.)	-
Location	Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references	Central America and the Caribbean	Political Map of the World
Maritime claims	continental shelf: natural prolongation territorial sea: 200 NM	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	none (2002 est.)	-
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Military branches	Army, Navy, Air Force	-
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$26 million (FY98)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.2% (FY98)	-
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 1,347,033 (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 825,906 (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - military age	18 years of age (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 59,903 (2003 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 15 September (1821)	-
Nationality	noun: Nicaraguan(s) adjective: Nicaraguan	-
Natural hazards	destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes	NA
Natural resources	gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish	coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate	-1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Pipelines	oil 54 km (2003)	-
Political parties and leaders	Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Dr. Fernando AGUERO Rocha]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Virgilio GODOY]; Liberal Alliance (ruling alliance including Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC, New Liberal Party or PALI, Independent Liberal Party for National Unity or PLIUN, and Central American Unionist Party or PUCA) [leader NA]; National Conservative Party or PC [Pedro SOLARZANO, Noel VIDAURRE]; National Project or PRONAL [Benjamin LANZAS]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO, Roberto RODRIGUEZ]; Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [Sergio RAMIREZ]; Unity Alliance or AU [Alejandro SERRANO]; Union Nacional Opositora 96 or UNO-96 [Alfredo CESAR Aguirre]	-
Political pressure groups and leaders	National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG, Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including - Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of business groups	-
Population	5,128,517 (July 2003 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia
Population below poverty line	50% (2001 est.)	-
Population growth rate	2.03% (2003 est.)	-
Ports and harbors	Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways	total: 6 km narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)	-
Religions	Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant	-
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)	-
Suffrage	16 years of age; universal	-
Telephone system	general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by foreign investment domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)	general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use	140,000 (1996)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	7,911 (1997)	-
Television broadcast stations	3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)	1 (1997)
Terrain	extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes	flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate	3 children born/woman (2003 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	24% plus considerable underemployment (2002 est.)	-
Waterways	2,220 km (including 2 large lakes)	-

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