##ciekawa_strona##
Compare Samoa (2002) - Latvia (2004)
Compare Samoa (2002) z Latvia (2004)
| Samoa (2002) | Latvia (2004) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano | 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: 30.6% (male 27,774; female 26,854)
15-64 years: 63.5% (male 71,358; female 42,150) 65 years and over: 5.9% (male 4,859; female 5,636) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 15% (male 177,223; female 169,241)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 772,496; female 823,410) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 118,035; female 245,901) (2004 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | coconuts, bananas, taro, yams | grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish |
| Airports | 3 (2001) | 51 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 27
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 24
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 20 (2003 est.) |
| Area | total: 2,944 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km water: 10 sq km |
total: 64,589 sq km
land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Rhode Island | slightly larger than West Virginia |
| Background | New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997. | 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 joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004. |
| Birth rate | 15.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 8.87 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $105 million
expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001/2002) |
revenues: $3.691 billion
expenditures: $3.871 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) |
| Capital | Apia | Riga |
| Climate | tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October) | maritime; wet, moderate winters |
| Coastline | 403 km | 531 km |
| Constitution | 1 January 1962 | 15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented the constitution |
| Country name | conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa |
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 | tala (WST) | Latvian lat (LVL) |
| Death rate | 6.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 13.73 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Debt - external | $192 million (1999) | $6.793 billion (2003 est.) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
embassy: 5th floor John Williams Building, Beach Road, Apia mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: [685] 21631 FAX: [685] 22030 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine Todd-Bailey
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] 782-0047 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197 FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS
chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785 |
| Disputes - international | none | 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 | $42.9 million (1995) (1995) | $96.2 million (1995) |
| Economy - overview | The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, and agricultural exports. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. The decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 16% of GDP; about 85,000 tourists visited the islands in 2000. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and inflation is low. | 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 | 95.79 million kWh (2000) | 6.046 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 703 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 2.69 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production | 103 million kWh (2000) | 4.365 billion kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 59%
hydro: 41% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m |
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m |
| Environment - current issues | soil erosion | 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants |
| Ethnic groups | Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% | Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002) |
| Exchange rates | tala per US dollar - 3.5236 (January 2002), 3.4722 (2001), 3.2712 (2000), 3.0120 (1999), 2.9429 (1998), 2.5562 (1997) | lati per US dollar - 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001), 0.6065 (2000), 0.5852 (1999) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 24 November 1998); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from 1992 until he assumed the prime ministership in November 1998, when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health; the post of deputy prime minister is currently vacant cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of state with the prime minister's advice elections: upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly |
chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December 2004) 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 | $17 million f.o.b. (2000) | NA (2001) |
| Exports - commodities | fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, garments, beer | wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs |
| Exports - partners | Australia 62%, Indonesia 13%, US 11%, American Samoa 3%, New Zealand 3% (2000) | UK 15.6%, Germany 14.8%, Sweden 10.5%, Lithuania 8.2%, Estonia 6.6%, Denmark 6%, Russia 5.4% (2003) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Flag description | red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation | three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $618 million (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $23.9 billion (2003 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 16%
industry: 18% services: 66% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 4.5%
industry: 24.5% services: 70.9% (2003) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $10,200 (2003 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 6% (2001 est.) | 7.4% (2003 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 13 35 S, 172 20 W | 57 00 N, 25 00 E |
| Geography - note | occupies an almost central position within Polynesia | most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east |
| Highways | total: 836 km
paved: 267 km unpaved: 569 km (1983) |
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; vulnerable to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies, exchange firms, and the gaming industry; organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds |
| Imports | $90 million f.o.b. (2000) | NA (2001) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs | machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles |
| Imports - partners | Australia 27%, US 26%, New Zealand 14%, Fiji 12%, Japan 9% (2000) | Germany 16.1%, Lithuania 9.7%, Russia 8.7%, Finland 7.4%, Estonia 6.4%, Sweden 6.3%, Poland 5.1%, Italy 4.4% (2003) |
| Independence | 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) | 21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 2.8% (2000) | 8% (2003 est.) |
| Industries | food processing, building materials, auto parts | 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 | 30.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 9.67 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.45 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2001 est.) | 2.9% (2003 est.) |
| International organization participation | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW (signatory), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) | Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | 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; Court of Appeal | Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament) |
| Labor force | 90,000 (2000 est.) | 1.18 million (2003 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.) | agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.) |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1,150 km
border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km |
| Land use | arable land: 19.43%
permanent crops: 23.67% other: 56.9% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 29.67%
permanent crops: 0.47% other: 69.86% (2001) |
| Languages | Samoan (Polynesian), English | Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other |
| Legal system | based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on civil law system |
| Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by Samoans, 2 elected by non-Samoans; only chiefs or matai may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year terms)
elections: byelection last held NA November 2001 (next byelection to be held 29 March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6 |
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: 69.8 years
male: 67.06 years female: 72.69 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 70.86 years
male: 65.91 years female: 76.09 years (2004 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80% male: 81% female: 79% (1999) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.) |
| Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania |
| Map references | Oceania | Europe |
| Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
| Merchant marine | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,091 GRT/ 8,127 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT
by type: cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea/passenger 1 foreign-owned: Germany 1, Greece 1, Ukraine 1 registered in other countries: 96 (2004 est.) |
| Military - note | Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces; informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship | - |
| Military branches | no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force | Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | $87 million (FY01) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | 1.2% (FY01) |
| Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 594,596 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 466,659 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 19,209 (2004 est.) |
| National holiday | Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is celebrated | Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union |
| Nationality | noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan |
noun: Latvian(s)
adjective: Latvian |
| Natural hazards | occasional typhoons; active volcanism | NA |
| Natural resources | hardwood forests, fish, hydropower | peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land |
| Net migration rate | -11.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Pipelines | - | gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004) |
| Political parties and leaders | Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman]; Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua NAIMOAGA]; Samoan National Development Party or SNDP [LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman] (opposition); Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party secretary]; Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale]; Samoan United Independent Party or SUIP [leader NA] | Alliance of the Greens and Farmers Union or ZZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS (Farmer's Union); Indulis EMSIS (Green Party)]; First Party of Latvia [Ainars SLESERS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Jakovs PLINERS]; For Our Latvia or ML [Rihards Jablokovs]; Latvian National Democratic Party or LNDP [Jevgenijs Osiopovs]; Latvian National Front [Aivars GARDA]; Latvian Social-Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Alfred RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way Union or LC; Light of Latgale or LG; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; New Politics Party or JP [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS]; People's Harmony Party or TSP [Janis JURKANS]; People's Party or TP [Atis SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]; Union for the Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK or TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; United Social Democratic Welfare Party or SLP [Juris ZURAVLOVS]; United Republican Party of Latvia or LARP |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV] |
| Population | 178,631 (July 2002 est.) | 2,306,306 (July 2004 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
| Population growth rate | -0.25% (2002 est.) | -0.71% (2004 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa | Liepaja, Riga, Ventspils |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios | 174,849 (1997) | - |
| Railways | 0 km | total: 2,303 km
broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2003) |
| Religions | Christian 99.7% (about one-half of population associated with the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist) | Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.69 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens |
| Telephone system | general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
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: country code - 371; 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 | 8,183 (1998) | 653,900 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,545 (February 1998) | 1,219,600 (2003) |
| Television broadcast stations | 6 (1997) | 44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995) |
| Terrain | narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior | low plain |
| Total fertility rate | 3.3 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.25 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | NA%; note - substantial underemployment | 8.6% (2003 est.) |
| Waterways | none | 300 km (2004) |
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.
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.