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Compare Paracel Islands (2003) - Sierra Leone (2005)

Compare Paracel Islands (2003) z Sierra Leone (2005)

 Paracel Islands (2003)Sierra Leone (2005)
 Paracel IslandsSierra Leone
Administrative divisions - 3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*
Age structure - 0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,318,508/female 1,371,164)


15-64 years: 52% (male 1,494,068/female 1,637,276)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 93,047/female 103,580) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products - rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
Airports 1 (2002) 10 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area total: NA sq km


land: NA sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 71,740 sq km


land: 71,620 sq km


water: 120 sq km
Area - comparative NA slightly smaller than South Carolina
Background The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. The 1991 to 2002 civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about one-third of the population), many of whom are now refugees in neighboring countries. With the support of the UN peacekeeping force and contributions from the World Bank and international community, demobilization and disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces (CDF) combatants has been completed. National elections were held in May 2002 and the government continues to slowly reestablish its authority. However, the gradual withdrawal of most UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) peacekeepers in 2004 and early 2005, deteriorating political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the tenuous security situation in neighboring Liberia may present challenges to the continuation of Sierra Leone's stability.
Birth rate - 42.84 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget - revenues: $96 million


expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)
Capital - Freetown
Climate tropical tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
Coastline 518 km 402 km
Constitution - 1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Paracel Islands
conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone


conventional short form: Sierra Leone
Death rate - 20.61 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external - $1.5 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas N. HULL


embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485


FAX: [232] (22) 225471
Diplomatic representation in the US - chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA


chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263


FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793
Disputes - international occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone perpetuate insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, ethnic conflicts, and refugees in border areas; UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) has maintained over 4,000 peacekeepers in Sierra Leone since 1999; Sierra Leone pressures Guinea to remove its forces from the town of Yenga occupied since 1998
Economic aid - recipient - $103 million (2001 est.)
Economy - overview China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution. While it possesses substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, its economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development. About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Plans to reopen bauxite and rutile mines shut down during an 11 year civil war have not been implemented due to lack of foreign investment. Alluvial diamond mining remains the major source of hard currency earnings. The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad, which is essential to offset the severe trade imbalance and supplement government revenues. International financial institutions contributed over $600 million in development aid and budgetary support in 2003.
Electricity - consumption - 237.4 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports - 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production - 255.3 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
Environment - current issues NA rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups - 20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians
Exchange rates - leones per US dollar - 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003), 2,099 (2002), 1,986.2 (2001), 2,092.1 (2000)
Executive branch - chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007); note - president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms


election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA (APC) 22.4%
Exports - NA
Exports - commodities - diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish (1999)
Exports - partners - Belgium 61.6%, Germany 11.8%, US 5.4% (2004)
Fiscal year - calendar year
Flag description - three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 49%


industry: 30%


services: 21% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $600 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 16 30 N, 112 00 E 8 30 N, 11 30 W
Geography - note composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa
Heliports - 2 (2004 est.)
Highways - total: 11,300 km


paved: 904 km


unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: 0.5%


highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)
Imports - NA
Imports - commodities - foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals (1995)
Imports - partners - Germany 14%, Cote d'Ivoire 10.7%, UK 9.1%, US 8.4%, China 5.6%, Netherlands 5%, South Africa 4.1% (2004)
Independence - 27 April 1961 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate - NA
Industries - diamonds mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship repair
Infant mortality rate - total: 143.64 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 161.06 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 125.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation - ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land 0 sq km (1998 est.) 290 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch - Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court
Labor force - 1.369 million (1981 est.)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
Land boundaries 0 km total: 958 km


border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
Land use arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
arable land: 6.98%


permanent crops: 0.89%


other: 92.13% (2001)
Languages - English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)
Legal system - based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch - unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC 22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2
Life expectancy at birth - total population: 39.87 years


male: 37.74 years


female: 42.06 years (2005 est.)
Literacy - definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic


total population: 29.6%


male: 39.8%


female: 20.5% (2000 est.)
Location Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
Map references Southeast Asia Africa
Maritime claims NA territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
Merchant marine - total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,435 GRT/8,750 DWT


by type: petroleum tanker 2 (2005)
Military - note occupied by China -
Military branches - Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Air Wing, Maritime Wing)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $13.2 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.7% (2004)
National holiday - Independence Day, 27 April (1961)
Nationality - noun: Sierra Leonean(s)


adjective: Sierra Leonean
Natural hazards typhoons dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms
Natural resources none diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
Net migration rate - 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders - All People's Congress or APC [Ben KANU]; Peace and Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman]; Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Sama BANYA]; numerous others
Political pressure groups and leaders - trade unions and student unions
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.)
6,017,643 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line - 68% (1989 est.)
Population growth rate - 2.22% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands
Radio broadcast stations - AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)
Religions - Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%
Sex ratio - at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female


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


total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage - 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system - general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service


domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema


international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use - 24,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 67,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations - 2 (1999)
Terrain mostly low and flat coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
Total fertility rate - 5.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate - NA
Waterways none 800 km (2003)
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