Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
Jah-Jah.pl / Index countries / Nicaragua (2005) - Maldives (2003) / Compare countries
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Nicaragua (2005) - Maldives (2003)

Compare Nicaragua (2005) z Maldives (2003)

 Nicaragua (2005)Maldives (2003)
 NicaraguaMaldives
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 19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other first-order administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu
Age structure 0-14 years: 37.2% (male 1,036,487/female 999,226)


15-64 years: 59.7% (male 1,623,065/female 1,638,017)


65 years and over: 3.1% (male 73,935/female 94,370) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 44.9% (male 75,991; female 71,826)


15-64 years: 52.1% (male 87,734; female 84,150)


65 years and over: 3% (male 5,073; female 4,910) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
Airports 176 (2004 est.) 5 (2002)
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 (2004 est.)
total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 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 (2004 est.)
total: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
Area total: 129,494 sq km


land: 120,254 sq km


water: 9,240 sq km
total: 300 sq km


land: 300 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than the state of New York about 1.7 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. The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago.
Birth rate 24.88 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 36.71 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $725.5 million


expenditures: $1.039 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)


expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (2002 est.)
Capital Managua Male
Climate tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Coastline 910 km 644 km
Constitution 9 January 1987; reforms in 1995 and 2000 adopted January 1998
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: Republic of Maldives


conventional short form: Maldives


local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa


local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
Currency - rufiyaa (MVR)
Death rate 4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $4.573 billion (2004 est.) $281 million (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Calandra MOORE


embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua


mailing address: APO AA 34021


telephone: [505] 266-6010


FAX: [505] 266-9074
the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there
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, [1] (202) 939-6573


FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545


consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York; permanent representative is Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF
Disputes - international Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; the 1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca, which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal dispute over navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica none
Economic aid - recipient $541.8 million (2003) $NA
Economy - overview Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per capita income, massive unemployment, 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, GDP annual growth has been far too low to meet the country's needs. As a result of successful performance under its International Monetary Fund policy program and other efforts, Nicaragua qualified in early 2004 for some $4 billion in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Even after this reduction, however, the government continues to bear a significant foreign and domestic debt burden. If ratified, the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) will provide an opportunity for Nicaragua to attract investment, create jobs, and deepen economic development. While President BOLANOS enjoys the support of the international financial bodies, his internal political base is meager. Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Almost 400,000 tourists visited the islands in 1998. Fishing is a second leading sector. The Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a lesser role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 18% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level.
Electricity - consumption 2.318 billion kWh (2002) 108.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 6.8 million kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 15.3 million kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 2.553 billion kWh (2002) 117 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (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 Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%, Amerindian 5% South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs
Exchange rates gold cordobas per US dollar - 15.937 (2004), 15.105 (2003), 14.251 (2002), 13.372 (2001), 12.684 (2000) rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2002), 12.24 (2001), 11.77 (2000), 11.77 (1999), 11.77 (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 (PCN) 1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president
chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president; note - need not be members of Majlis


elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval margin is required); president elected for a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003)


election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%
Exports 738 bbl/day (2003) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts fish, clothing
Exports - partners US 64.8%, El Salvador 7%, Mexico 3.6% (2004) US 51.7%, Sri Lanka 16.2%, Thailand 9.3%, Japan 7.6%, UK 4.6% (2002)
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 red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag
GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.25 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 20.7%


industry: 24.7%


services: 54.6% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 20%


industry: 18%


services: 62% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2004 est.) 2.3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 13 00 N, 85 00 W 3 15 N, 73 00 E
Geography - note largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
Highways total: 18,712 km


paved: 2,126 km


unpaved: 16,586 km (2002)
total: NA km


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 1.2%


highest 10%: 45% (2001)
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 27,950 bbl/day (2003) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum products consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners US 22.6%, Costa Rica 8.5%, Venezuela 8.4%, Guatemala 6.8%, Mexico 5.8%, El Salvador 4.9%, South Korea 4.5% (2004) Singapore 25.6%, Sri Lanka 15%, UAE 14.5%, India 6.6%, Malaysia 5.7%, Thailand 4% (2002)
Independence 15 September 1821 (from Spain) 26 July 1965 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 4.4% (2000 est.) 4.4% (1996 est.)
Industries food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear, wood fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Infant mortality rate total: 29.11 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 32.6 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 25.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 60.13 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 59.23 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 61.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 9.3% (2004 est.) 1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation BCIE, CACM, 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), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 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) High Court
Labor force 1.93 million (2004 est.) 88,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 30.5%, industry 17.3%, services 52.2% (2003 est.) agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)
Land boundaries total: 1,231 km


border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 15.94%


permanent crops: 1.94%


other: 82.12% (2001)
arable land: 3.33%


permanent crops: 6.67%


other: 90% (1998 est.)
Languages Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census)


note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Legal system civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; members are elected by proportional representation and party lists to serve five-year terms; one seat for previous President, one seat for runner-up in previous Presidential election


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 PCCN, PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCN 2.12%; seats by party - Liberal Alliance 53, FSLN 38, PCN 1
unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 20 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2004)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 42
Life expectancy at birth total population: 70.33 years


male: 68.27 years


female: 72.49 years (2005 est.)
total population: 63.3 years


male: 62.07 years


female: 64.6 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.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.2%


male: 97.1%


female: 97.3% (2003 est.)
Location Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 200 nm


continental shelf: natural prolongation
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


contiguous zone: 24 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 42,689 GRT/56,132 DWT


ships by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Army (includes Navy, Air Force) National Security Service
Military expenditures - dollar figure $32.8 million (2004) $34.46 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 0.7% (2004) 8.6% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 78,025 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 43,386 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 15 September (1821) Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Nationality noun: Nicaraguan(s)


adjective: Nicaraguan
noun: Maldivian(s)


adjective: Maldivian
Natural hazards destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely susceptible to hurricanes low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
Natural resources gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish fish
Net migration rate -1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines oil 54 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Miguel LOPEZ Baldizon, Oscar WENDOLYN Vargas, Karla WHITE]; Central American Unionist Party or PUCA [leader NA]; Christian Alternative Party or AC [Orlando TARDENCILLA Espinoza]; Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Mario RAPPACCIOLI]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Anibal MARTINEZ Nunez, Pedro REYES Vallejos]; Independent Liberal Party for National Unity or PLIUN [leader NA]; Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Liberal Salvation Movement or MSL [Eliseo NUNEZ Hernandez]; New Liberal Party or PALI [leader NA]; Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO Molina]; Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra]; Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [leader NA]; Unity Alliance or AU [leader NA] although political parties are not banned, none exist
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 none
Population 5,465,100 (July 2005 est.) 329,684 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line 50% (2001 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 1.92% (2005 est.) 2.91% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff Gan, Male
Radio broadcast stations AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways total: 6 km


narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)
0 km
Religions Roman Catholic 72.9%, Evangelical 15.1%, Moravian 1.5%, Episcopal 0.1%, other 1.9%, none 8.5% (1995 census) Sunni Muslim
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 (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 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: country code - 505; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities


domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service


international: satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 171,600 (2002) 21,000 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 202,800 (2002) 1,290 (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, with white sandy beaches
Total fertility rate 2.81 children born/woman (2005 est.) 5.26 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate 7.8% plus underemployment of 46.5% (2003 est.) NEGL%
Waterways 2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (1997) none
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.