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Compare Sierra Leone (2007) - Christmas Island (2004)

Compare Sierra Leone (2007) z Christmas Island (2004)

 Sierra Leone (2007)Christmas Island (2004)
 Sierra LeoneChristmas Island
Administrative divisions 3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western* none (territory of Australia)
Age structure 0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,349,878/female 1,400,297)


15-64 years: 52% (male 1,531,763/female 1,664,996)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 92,360/female 105,268) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: NA


15-64 years: NA


65 years and over: NA (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish NA
Airports 10 (2007) 1 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
total: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
-
Area total: 71,740 sq km


land: 71,620 sq km


water: 120 sq km
total: 135 sq km


land: 135 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than South Carolina about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC
Background The government is slowly reestablishing its authority after the civil war from 1991 to 2002 that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about one-third of the population). The last UN peacekeepers withdrew in December 2005 leaving full responsibility for security with domestic forces. A new civilian UN mission - the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) - was established to support the government's efforts to consolidate peace. The most pressing long-term threat to stability in Sierra Leone is the potential for political insecurity surrounding elections in July 2007. Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.
Birth rate 45.41 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $96 million


expenditures: $351 million (2000 est.)
revenues: NA


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
Capital name: Freetown


geographic coordinates: 8 30 N, 13 15 W


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
The Settlement
Climate tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April) tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April
Coastline 402 km 80 km
Constitution 1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times NA
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone


conventional short form: Sierra Leone


local long form: Republic of Sierra Leone


local short form: Sierra Leone
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island


conventional short form: Christmas Island
Currency - Australian dollar (AUD)
Death rate 22.64 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $1.61 billion (2003 est.) NA
Dependency status - territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services
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) 515 000 or [232] (76) 515 000


FAX: [232] (22) 225471
none (territory of Australia)
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
none (territory of Australia)
Disputes - international as domestic fighting among disparate ethnic groups, rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone gradually abate, the number of refugees in border areas has begun to slowly dwindle; UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) has maintained over 4,000 peacekeepers in Sierra Leone since 1999; Sierra Leone considers excessive Guinea's definition of the flood plain limits to define the left bank boundary of the Makona and Moa rivers and protests Guinea's continued occupation of these lands including the hamlet of Yenga occupied since 1998 none
Economic aid - recipient $343.4 million (2005 est.) NA
Economy - overview Sierra Leone is an extremely poor 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. Nearly half 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. Alluvial diamond mining remains the major source of hard currency earnings accounting for nearly half of Sierra Leone's exports. 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. The IMF has completed a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility program that helped stabilize economic growth and reduce inflation. A recent increase in political stability has led to a revival of economic activity such as the rehabilitation of bauxite and rutile mining. Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin operations in mid-2004
Electricity - consumption 227.9 million kWh (2005) NA kWh
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) -
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) -
Electricity - production 245 million kWh (2005) NA kWh
Elevation extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Murray Hill 361 m
Environment - current issues 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 depleted natural resources; overfishing NA
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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 African ethnic groups 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 Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%


note: no indigenous population (2001)
Exchange rates leones per US dollar - 2,961.7 (2006), 2,889.6 (2005), 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003), 2,099 (2002) Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007)


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 (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 August 2007 and 8 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)


election results: second round results; percent of vote - Ernest Bai KOROMA 54.6%, Solomon BEREWA 45.4%
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general


head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003)


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia
Exports NA bbl/day NA
Exports - commodities diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish phosphate
Exports - partners Belgium 52.1%, US 19.1%, Netherlands 6.8% (2006) Australia, NZ
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory
GDP - purchasing power parity - NA
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 49%


industry: 31%


services: 21% (2001 est.)
agriculture: NA


industry: NA


services: NA
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - NA
GDP - real growth rate 7.1% (2006 est.) NA
Geographic coordinates 8 30 N, 11 30 W 10 30 S, 105 40 E
Geography - note rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean
Heliports 2 (2007) -
Highways - total: 240 km


paved: 30 km


unpaved: 210 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.5%


highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Imports NA bbl/day NA
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals consumer goods
Imports - partners Cote d'Ivoire 9.3%, US 7.7%, China 7.7%, Brazil 6.9%, UK 6.7%, Netherlands 5.5%, South Africa 4.5%, India 4.3%, France 4.2% (2006) principally Australia
Independence 27 April 1961 (from UK) none (territory of Australia)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA
Industries diamond mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship repair tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)
Infant mortality rate total: 158.27 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 175.39 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 140.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: NA


male: NA


female: NA (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1% (2002 est.) NA
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO none
Irrigated land 300 sq km (2003) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court
Labor force 1.369 million (1981 est.) NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
NA
Land boundaries total: 958 km


border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 7.95%


permanent crops: 1.05%


other: 91% (2005)
arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100%


note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (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%) English (official), Chinese, Malay
Legal system based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law
Legislative branch unicameral Parliament (124 seats; 112 members elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held on 11 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 59, SLPP 43, PMDC 10
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2005)


election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9
Life expectancy at birth total population: 40.58 years


male: 38.36 years


female: 42.87 years (2007 est.)
total population: NA years


male: NA years


female: NA years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic


total population: 35.1%


male: 46.9%


female: 24.4% (2004 est.)
NA
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia
Map references Africa Southeast Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total: 113 ships (1000 GRT or over) 314,549 GRT/419,409 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 85, chemical tanker 4, combination ore/oil 1, container 4, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 4


foreign-owned: 47 (Belgium 1, China 8, Greece 1, Romania 2, Russia 5, Syria 8, Turkey 7, Ukraine 8, UAE 7) (2007)
-
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of Australia
Military branches Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Air Wing, Navy (Maritime Wing)) (2007) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.3% (2006) -
National holiday Independence Day, 27 April (1961) Australia Day, 26 January (1788)
Nationality noun: Sierra Leonean(s)


adjective: Sierra Leonean
noun: Christmas Islander(s)


adjective: Christmas Island
Natural hazards dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard
Natural resources diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite phosphate, beaches
Net migration rate 0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2007 est.)
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
People - note - The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1508 as of the 2001 Census
Political parties and leaders All People's Congress or APC [Ernest Bai KOROMA]; Peace and Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON]; People's Movement for Democratic Change or PMDC [Charles MARGAI]; Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Solomon BEREWA]; numerous others none
Political pressure groups and leaders trade unions and student unions none
Population 6,144,562 (July 2007 est.) 396 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 70.2% (2004) NA
Population growth rate 2.292% (2007 est.) -9% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors - Flying Fish Cove
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2001) AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Religions Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30% Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 0.964 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.877 male(s)/female


total population: 0.938 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
NA (2004 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) (2000)
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network


domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available


international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use 24,000 (2002) NA
Telephones - mobile cellular 113,200 (2003) NA
Television broadcast stations 2 (1999) NA
Terrain coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau
Total fertility rate 6.01 children born/woman (2007 est.) NA children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% NA
Waterways 800 km (600 km year round) (2005) -
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