Compare Oman (2003) - Latvia (2003)

Compare Oman (2003) z Latvia (2003)

	Oman (2003)	Latvia (2003)

Administrative divisions	6 regions (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah) and 2 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam, Zufar; note - the US Embassy in Oman reports that Masqat is a governorate, but this has not been confirmed by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN)	26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils, Ventspils Rajons
Age structure	0-14 years: 42.2% (male 603,664; female 580,469) 15-64 years: 55.4% (male 934,621; female 620,158) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 36,504; female 31,709) (2003 est.)	0-14 years: 15.1% (male 180,976; female 172,988) 15-64 years: 68.9% (male 774,133; female 844,856) 65 years and over: 16% (male 122,850; female 252,981) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish	grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
Airports	139 (2002)	38 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)	total: 22 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 12 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 133 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 55 914 to 1,523 m: 37 under 914 m: 32 (2002)	total: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 10 (2002)
Area	total: 212,460 sq km land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 64,589 sq km land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Kansas	slightly larger than West Virginia
Background	In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing political and military relationship with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.	After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia continues to revamp its economy for eventual integration into various Western European political and economic institutions and was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002.
Birth rate	37.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	8.55 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $9.2 billion expenditures: $6.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)	revenues: $2.4 billion expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)
Capital	Muscat	Riga
Climate	dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south	maritime; wet, moderate winters
Coastline	2,092 km	531 km
Constitution	none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens	the 1991 Constitutional Law, which supplements the 1922 constitution, provides for basic rights and freedoms
Country name	conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman former: Muscat and Oman	conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency	Omani rial (OMR)	Latvian lat (LVL)
Death rate	3.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	14.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$5.7 billion (2002 est.)	$3.4 billion (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 698989, extension 203 FAX: [968] 699771	chief of mission: Ambassador Brian E. CARLSON embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371] 703-6200 FAX: [371] 781-0047
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani AL-KHUSSAIBY chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933	chief of mission: Ambassador Aivis RONIS chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785
Disputes - international	boundary agreement signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves	the Russian Duma refuses to ratify boundary delimitation treaty with Latvia; the Latvian Parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights
Economic aid - recipient	$76.4 million (1995)	$96.2 million (1995)
Economy - overview	Oman's economic performance improved significantly in 2000 due largely to the upturn in oil prices. The government is moving ahead with privatization of its utilities, the development of a body of commercial law to facilitate foreign investment, and increased budgetary outlays. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in November 2000. GDP growth improved in 2001 despite the global slowdown and then fell back to 2.2% in 2002. In order to reduce unemployment, the government is trying to replace expatriate workers with local workers. Another government objective is the development of the nation's gas resources.	Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the SKELE government's budget stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. Preparing for EU membership continues as a top foreign policy goal. The current account and internal government deficits remain major concerns, but the government's efforts to increase efficiency in revenue collection may lessen the budget deficit.
Electricity - consumption	8.625 billion kWh (2001)	6.046 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	703 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	2.69 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	9.274 billion kWh (2001)	4.365 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)	fossil fuel: 29.1% hydro: 70.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m	lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m
Environment - current issues	rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources	Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household and hazardous waste management, and reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups	Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African	Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2%
Exchange rates	Omani rials per US dollar - 0.38 (2002), 0.38 (2001), 0.38 (2000), 0.38 (1999), 0.38 (1998)	lati per US dollar - 0.62 (2002), 0.63 (2001), 0.61 (2000), 0.59 (1999), 0.59 (1998)
Executive branch	chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary	chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Einars REPSE (since 7 November 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president; parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast
Exports	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles	wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners	Japan 20.5%, South Korea 18.5%, China 14.1%, Thailand 11.7%, UAE 9.2%, Singapore 4.3%, US 4.1% (2002)	UK 21.6%, Sweden 13.1%, Germany 12.5%, US 6.4%, Lithuania 5.9%, Russia 4.6%, Estonia 4.2%, Denmark 4% (2002)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band	three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon
GDP	purchasing power parity - $22.4 billion (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $20.99 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 3% industry: 55% services: 42% (2001 est.)	agriculture: 4.5% industry: 26% services: 69.5% (2001)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $8,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	2.2% (2002 est.)	6.1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	21 00 N, 57 00 E	57 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note	strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil	most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east
Heliports	1 (2002)	-
Highways	total: 34,965 km paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)	total: 73,202 km paved: 28,256 km unpaved: 44,946 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)
Illicit drugs	-	transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; money laundering remains a concern despite changes to banking legislation
Imports	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants	machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
Imports - partners	UAE 27.5%, Japan 16.7%, UK 7.4%, US 6.9%, Germany 5% (2002)	Germany 17.9%, Russia 15.1%, Finland 6.6%, Lithuania 6.4%, Sweden 5.5%, Italy 4.8%, Estonia 4.8% (2002)
Independence	1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)	21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate	4% (2000 est.)	5.7% (2002 est.)
Industries	crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper	buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials
Infant mortality rate	total: 21.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)	total: 14.59 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-0.5% (2002 est.)	2% (2002 est.)
International organization participation	ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO	BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2000)	41 (2001)
Irrigated land	620 sq km (1998 est.)	200 sq km note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has non-Islamic judges as well as traditional Islamic judges	Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
Labor force	920,000 (2002 est.)	1.1 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%	agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km	total: 1,150 km border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
Land use	arable land: 0.08% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.7% (1998 est.)	arable land: 29.01% permanent crops: 0.48% other: 70.51% (1998 est.)
Languages	Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects	Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other
Legal system	based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on civil law system
Legislative branch	bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (48 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats; members elected by limited suffrage for three-year term, however, the monarch makes final selections and can negate election results; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: NA	unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - New Era 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%, People's Party 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - New Era 26, PCTVL 24, People's Party 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 72.58 years male: 70.4 years female: 74.86 years (2003 est.)	total population: 69.31 years male: 63.46 years female: 75.45 years (2003 est.)
Literacy	definition: NA total population: 75.8% male: 83.1% female: 67.2% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.)
Location	Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE	Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
Map references	Middle East	Europe
Maritime claims	contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,291 GRT/9,457 DWT ships by type: container 1, passenger 2 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 1 (2002 est.)	total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 52,607 GRT/35,650 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 3 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Royal Omani Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Royal Omani Police	Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Guard, National Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$2.424 billion (FY01)	$87 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	12.2% (FY01)	1.2% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 788,429 (2003 est.)	males age 15-49: 592,562 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 438,326 (2003 est.)	males age 15-49: 465,788 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age	14 years of age (2003 est.)	18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 29,485 (2003 est.)	males: 19,477 (2003 est.)
National holiday	Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)	Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 21 August 1991 is the date of independence from the Soviet Union
Nationality	noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani	noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian
Natural hazards	summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts	NA
Natural resources	petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas	peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land
Net migration rate	0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines	gas 3,599 km; oil 3,187 km (2003)	gas 1,097 km; oil 412 km; refined products 421 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders	none	Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; CENTER Political Alliance [Juris CELMINS]; First Party of Latvia [Eriks JEKABSONS]; For Fatherland and Freedom or LNNK [Maris GRINBLATS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Janis JURKANS], a coalition of the People's Harmony Party or TSP, the Latvian Socialist Party or LSP, and the Equal Rights Movement; Freedom Party [Ziedonis CEVERS]; Land of Mara [Irena SAPROVSKA]; Latvian Rebirth Party [Andris RUBINS]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC [Janis NAGLIS]; Light of Latgale or LG [Rihards EIGIMS]; New Era Party [Einars REPSE]; Our Land Party [Ilmars ANCANS]; Party of Latvians [Aivars GARDA]; People's Party [Andris SKELE]; Progressive Center Party [Inta STAMGUTE]; Russian Party [Mihails GAVRILOVS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP [Eriks Andrejs SAULUNS, Janis PUKIS, Sarmite JEGERE]
Political pressure groups and leaders	none	NA
Population	2,807,125 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)	2,348,784 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	3.38% (2003 est.)	-0.73% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut	Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils
Radio broadcast stations	AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)	AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways	0 km	total: 2,347 km broad gauge: 2,314 km 1.520-m gauge (270 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2002)
Religions	Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu	Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.51 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female total population: 1.28 male(s)/female (2003 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage	in Oman's most recent elections in 2000, limited to approximately 175,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis al-Shura	18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Telephone system	general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat	general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications international: international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)
Telephones - main lines in use	201,000 (1997)	734,693 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular	59,822 (1997)	401,263 (2000)
Television broadcast stations	13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)	44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain	central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south	low plain
Total fertility rate	5.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)	1.2 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	NA%	7.6% (2001 est.)
Waterways	none	300 km (perennially navigable)

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