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Compare Nicaragua (2003) - Solomon Islands (2002)

Compare Nicaragua (2003) z Solomon Islands (2002)

 Nicaragua (2003)Solomon Islands (2002)
 NicaraguaSolomon Islands
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 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul (Lauru), Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell/Bellona, Temotu, Western
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.)
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 109,339; female 105,170)


15-64 years: 53.5% (male 134,125; female 130,804)


65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,467; female 7,881) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Airports 176 (2002) 31 (2001)
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: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 165


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 23


under 914 m: 141 (2002)
total: 30


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Area total: 129,494 sq km


land: 120,254 sq km


water: 9,240 sq km
total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than the state of New York slightly smaller than Maryland
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. The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the most bitter 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.
Birth rate 26.29 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 33.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $726 million


expenditures: $908 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $38 million (2001)


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
Capital Managua Honiara
Climate tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Coastline 910 km 5,313 km
Constitution 9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000 7 July 1978
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: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
Currency gold cordoba (NIO) Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
Death rate 4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 4.19 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $5.8 billion (2002 est.) $137 million (2001 est.)
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
the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
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
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jeremiah MANELE


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


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


FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
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 none
Economic aid - recipient Substantial foreign support $28 million mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ (2001 est.)
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. 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.
Electricity - consumption 2.388 billion kWh (2001) 29.76 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 17 million kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 2.549 billion kWh (2001) 32 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 83.9%


hydro: 7.7%


nuclear: 0%


other: 8.4% (2001)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution 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, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5% Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Exchange rates gold cordobas per US dollar - 14.25 (2002), 13.37 (2001), 12.68 (2000), 11.81 (1999), 10.58 (1998) Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.3728 (December 2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997)
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), represented by Governor General Sir John LAPLI (since NA 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister 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) $165 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)
Exports - commodities coffee, shrimp and lobster, cotton, tobacco, bananas, beef, sugar, gold timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
Exports - partners US 59.4%, El Salvador 7.5%, Honduras 4.8% (2002) Japan 22%, China 15%, Philippines 13%, South Korea 12%, UK 12%, Thailand 5% (2000)
Fiscal year calendar 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 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 - $11.16 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 30%


industry: 26%


services: 44% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1.1% (2002 est.) -10% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 13 00 N, 85 00 W 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Geography - note largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea
Highways total: 19,032 km


paved: 2,094 km


unpaved: 16,938 km (2000)
total: 1,360 km


paved: 34 km


unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.7%


highest 10%: 48.8% (1998)
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing -
Imports NA (2001) $152 million f.o.b. (1999 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products, consumer goods plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals
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) Australia 27%, Singapore 25%, NZ 5.5%, Japan 5.3%, US 5.1% (2000)
Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain) 7 July 1978 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 4.4% (2000 est.) NA%
Industries food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood fish (tuna), mining, timber
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.)
23.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.7% (2002 est.) 7.9% (2001 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 ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 3 (2000) 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 880 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year terms by the National Assembly) Court of Appeal
Labor force 1.7 million (1999) 26,842
Labor force - by occupation services 43%, agriculture 42%, industry 15% (1999 est.) agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 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: 1.5%


permanent crops: 0.64%


other: 97.86% (1998 est.)
Languages Spanish (official)


note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
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 civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts English common law, which is widely disregarded
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
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 by 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: 69.68 years


male: 67.68 years


female: 71.79 years (2003 est.)
total population: 71.82 years


male: 69.38 years


female: 74.39 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 67.5%


male: 67.2%


female: 67.8% (2003 est.)
definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Middle America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Oceania
Maritime claims continental shelf: natural prolongation


territorial sea: 200 NM
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


continental shelf: 200 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) none (2002 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $26 million (FY98) $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.2% (FY98) NA%
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) Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Nationality noun: Nicaraguan(s)


adjective: Nicaraguan
noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
Natural hazards destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Natural resources gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Net migration rate -1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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] 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 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 NA
Population 5,128,517 (July 2003 est.) 494,786 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 50% (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.03% (2003 est.) 2.91% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff, Puerto Cabezas, Puerto Sandino, Rama, San Juan del Sur Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Radio broadcast stations AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 57,000 (1997)
Railways total: 6 km


narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2002)
0 km
Religions Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 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: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 16 years of age; universal 21 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: NA


domestic: NA


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 140,000 (1996) 8,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 7,911 (1997) 658 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997) 0 (1997)
Terrain extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Total fertility rate 3 children born/woman (2003 est.) 4.5 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 24% plus considerable underemployment (2002 est.) NA%
Waterways 2,220 km (including 2 large lakes) none
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