Philippines (2001) | Martinique (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 73 provinces and 61 chartered cities*; Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Angeles*, Antique, Aurora, Bacolod*, Bago*, Baguio*, Bais*, Basilan, Basilan City*, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Batangas City*, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Butuan*, Cabanatuan*, Cadiz*, Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro*, Calbayog*, Caloocan*, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Canlaon*, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cavite City*, Cebu, Cebu City*, Cotabato*, Dagupan*, Danao*, Dapitan*, Davao City* Davao, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dipolog*, Dumaguete*, Eastern Samar, General Santos*, Gingoog*, Ifugao, Iligan*, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Iloilo City*, Iriga*, Isabela, Kalinga-Apayao, La Carlota*, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Laoag*, Lapu-Lapu*, La Union, Legaspi*, Leyte, Lipa*, Lucena*, Maguindanao, Mandaue*, Manila*, Marawi*, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Naga*, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo*, Ormoc*, Oroquieta*, Ozamis*, Pagadian*, Palawan, Palayan*, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay*, Puerto Princesa*, Quezon, Quezon City*, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Roxas*, Samar, San Carlos* (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in Pangasinan), San Jose*, San Pablo*, Silay*, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao*, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tacloban*, Tagaytay*, Tagbilaran*, Tangub*, Tarlac, Tawitawi, Toledo*, Trece Martires*, Zambales, Zamboanga*, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur | none (overseas department of France) |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
36.87% (male 15,547,712; female 14,997,544) 15-64 years: 59.45% (male 24,374,849; female 24,873,595) 65 years and over: 3.68% (male 1,355,046; female 1,692,772) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 23% (male 49,261; female 47,843)
15-64 years: 66.8% (male 140,616; female 141,460) 65 years and over: 10.2% (male 19,274; female 23,823) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish | pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane |
Airports | 288 (2000 est.) | 2 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
76 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 28 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 11 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
212 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 81 under 914 m: 129 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total:
300,000 sq km land: 298,170 sq km water: 1,830 sq km |
total: 1,100 sq km
land: 1,060 sq km water: 40 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Arizona | slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The Philippines were ceded by Spain to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. They attained their independence in 1946 after being occupied by the Japanese in World War II. The 21-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986 when a widespread popular rebellion forced him into exile. In 1992, the US closed down its last military bases on the islands. The Philippines has had two electoral presidential transitions since Marcos' removal by "people power." In January 2001, the Supreme Court declared Joseph ESTRADA unable to rule in view of mass resignations from his government and administered the oath of office to Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO as his constitutional successor. The government continues to struggle with ongoing Muslim insurgencies in the south. | Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a French possession except for three brief periods of foreign occupation. |
Birth rate | 27.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 15.37 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$14.5 billion expenditures: $12.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
revenues: $900 million
expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140 million (1996) (1996) |
Capital | Manila | Fort-de-France |
Climate | tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October) | tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid |
Coastline | 36,289 km | 350 km |
Constitution | 2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987 | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of the Philippines conventional short form: Philippines local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas local short form: Pilipinas |
conventional long form: Department of Martinique
conventional short form: Martinique local long form: Departement de la Martinique local short form: Martinique |
Currency | Philippine peso (PHP) | euro (EUR); French franc (FRF) |
Death rate | 6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $52 billion (1999) | $180 million (1994) (1994) |
Dependency status | - | overseas department of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Michael E. MALINOWSKI embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita 1000 Manila mailing address: FPO 96515 telephone: [63] (2) 523-1001 FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361 |
none (overseas department of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Acting Ambassador Ariel ABADILLA chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300 FAX: [1] (202) 467-9317 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco consulate(s): San Diego |
none (overseas department of France) |
Disputes - international | involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; claim to Malaysia's Sabah State has not been fully revoked | none |
Economic aid - recipient | ODA, $1.1 billion (1998) | $NA; note - substantial annual aid from France |
Economy - overview | In 1998 the Philippine economy - a mixture of agriculture, light industry, and supporting services - deteriorated as a result of spillover from the Asian financial crisis and poor weather conditions. Growth fell to about -0.5% in 1998 from 5% in 1997, but recovered to about 3% in 1999 and 3.6% in 2000. The government has promised to continue its economic reforms to help the Philippines match the pace of development in the newly industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster government revenues, moving toward further deregulation and privatization of the economy, and increasing trade integration with the region. | The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat, vegetable, and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has become more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign exchange. The majority of the work force is employed in the service sector and in administration. |
Electricity - consumption | 37.893 billion kWh (1999) | 1.046 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 40.745 billion kWh (1999) | 1.125 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
61.03% hydro: 18.68% nuclear: 0% other: 20.29% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Philippine Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m |
Environment - current issues | uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps which are important fish breeding grounds | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
- |
Ethnic groups | Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3% | African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Chinese less than 5% |
Exchange rates | Philippine pesos per US dollar - 50.969 (January 2001), 44.192 (2000), 39.089 (1999), 40.893 (1998), 29.471 (1997), 26.216 (1996) | euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the Commission of Appointments elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for six-year terms; election last held 11 May 1998 (next to be held 16 May 2004) election results: results of the last presidential election - Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA elected president; percent of vote - approximately 40%; Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected vice president; percent of vote - NA%; note - on 20 January 2001, Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was sworn in as the constitutional successor to President Joseph ESTRADA after the Supreme Court declared that President ESTRADA was unable to rule in view of the mass resignations from his government; according to the Constitution, only in cases of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the president, can the vice president serve for the unexpired term |
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Michel CADOT (since 21 June 2000)
head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils |
Exports | $38 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $250 million f.o.b. (1997) |
Exports - commodities | electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments, coconut products | refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples |
Exports - partners | US 34%, Japan 14%, Netherlands 8%, Singapore 6%, UK 6%, Hong Kong 4% (1998) | France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (1997) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small yellow five-pointed star | a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of France is used for official occasions |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $310 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4.39 billion (1997 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
20% industry: 32% services: 48% (1997 est.) |
agriculture: 6%
industry: 11% services: 83% (1997 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1997 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.6% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 13 00 N, 122 00 E | 14 40 N, 61 00 W |
Geography - note | - | the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000 inhabitants |
Heliports | 1 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
199,950 km paved: 39,590 km unpaved: 160,360 km (1998 est.) |
total: 2,105 km (2000)
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
1.5% highest 10%: 39.3% (1998) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | exports locally produced marijuana and hashish to East Asia, the US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for heroin and crystal methamphetamine | transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe |
Imports | $35 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $2 billion c.i.f. (1997) |
Imports - commodities | raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, consumer goods, fuels | petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods |
Imports - partners | US 22%, Japan 20%, South Korea 8%, Singapore 6%, Taiwan 5%, Hong Kong 4% (1998 est.) | France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (1997) |
Independence | 4 July 1946 (from US) | none (overseas department of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing | construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 28.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 7.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5% (2000 est.) | 3.9% (1990) (1990) |
International organization participation | APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | FZ, WCL, WFTU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 33 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 15,800 sq km (1993 est.) | 30 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council) | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel |
Labor force | 48.1 million (2000 est.) | 170,000 (1997) (1997) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 39.8%, government and social services 19.4%, services 17.7%, manufacturing 9.8%, construction 5.8%, other 7.5% (1998 est.) | agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997) (1997) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
19% permanent crops: 12% permanent pastures: 4% forests and woodland: 46% other: 19% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 9.43%
permanent crops: 11.32% other: 79.25% (1998 est.) |
Languages | two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English, eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocan, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense | French, Creole patois |
Legal system | based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | French legal system |
Legislative branch | bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (204 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - additional members may be appointed by the president but the Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more than 250 members)
elections: Senate - last held 11 May 1998 (next to be held 14 May 2001); House of Representatives - elections last held 11 May 1998 (next to be held 14 May 2001) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LAMP 12, Lakas 5, PRP 2, LP 1, other 3; note - the Senate now has only 22 members with one seat vacated when Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO became vice president and another seat vacated upon a senator's death; the two seats can only be filled by election and will remain open until the next regular election in May 2001; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LAMP 135, Lakas 37, LP 13, Aksyon Demokratiko 1, other 35 |
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Assembly - last held on 15 March 1998 (next to be held by March 2004) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM won a plurality; Regional Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR-UDF 14, MIM 13, PPM 7, left parties 4, PMS 3 note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 2001 (next to be held September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PMS 1, MIM 1, left-wing candidate 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
67.8 years male: 64.96 years female: 70.79 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 78.56 years
male: 79.19 years female: 77.92 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.6% male: 95% female: 94.3% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93% male: 92% female: 93% (1982 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | continental shelf:
to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 NM from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 NM in breadth |
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
459 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,653,062 GRT/8,512,326 DWT ships by type: bulk 149, cargo 123, chemical tanker 4, combination bulk 10, container 5, liquefied gas 13, livestock carrier 10, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 42, refrigerated cargo 21, roll on/roll off 17, short-sea passenger 31, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 16 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Hong Kong 5, Japan 14, Netherlands 1, Singapore 1, UK 1 (2000 est.) |
none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force | no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $995 million (FY98) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.5% (FY98) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
21,220,191 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
14,942,363 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
848,181 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Independence Day (from Spain), 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898 is the date of independence from Spain, 4 July 1946 is the date of independence from the US | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun:
Filipino(s) adjective: Philippine |
noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
adjective: Martiniquais |
Natural hazards | astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis | hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years) |
Natural resources | timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper | coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land |
Net migration rate | -1.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | petroleum products 357 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | People Power Coalition or PPC includes: Aksyon Demokratiko or Democratic Action [Raul ROCO], Lakas-NUCD [Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, titular head, Teofisto GUINGONA, party president], Liberal Party or LP [Florencio ABAD], Probinsiya Muna Development Initiative or Promdi [Lito OSMENA], and Reporma Party [Renato DE VILLA]; Puwersa ng Masa (Force of the Masses) includes: Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or LDP [Eduardo ANGARA], Laban Ng Masang Pilipino or LAMP (Struggle of the Filipino Masses) [Joseph ESTRADA], and People's Reform Party or PRP [Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO]; Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (New Society Movement) [Imelda MARCOS]; Nacionalista Party [Jose OLIVEROS]; National People's Coalition or NPC [Eduardo COJUANGCO] | Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Pierre SUEDILLE]; Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Camille DARSIERES]; note - may no longer be in existence; Martinique Socialist Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats and Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP |
Population | 82,841,518 (July 2001 est.) | 422,277 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 41% (1997 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.03% (2001 est.) | 0.89% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island, Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga | Fort-de-France, La Trinite |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 366, FM 290, shortwave 3 (1999) | AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 11.5 million (1997) | 82,000 (1997) |
Railways | total:
492 km (an additional 405 km are not in operation) narrow gauge: 492 km 1.067-m gauge (1996) |
0 km (2002) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3% | Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 5% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations international: 9 international gateways; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan |
general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate
domestic: NA international: microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1.9 million (1997) | 170,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1.959 million (1998) | 15,000 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 31 (1997) | 11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands | mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano |
Total fertility rate | 3.42 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.79 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 10% (2000) | 27.2% (1998) (1998) |
Waterways | 3,219 km
note: limited to vessels with a draft of less than 1.5 m |
none |