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Compare Solomon Islands (2001) - Burma (2003)

Compare Solomon Islands (2001) z Burma (2003)

 Solomon Islands (2001)Burma (2003)
 Solomon IslandsBurma
Administrative divisions 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western; note - there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been abolished 7 divisions* (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne); Chin State, Ayeyarwady*, Bago*, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway*, Mandalay*, Mon State, Rakhine State, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tanintharyi*, Yangon*
Age structure 0-14 years:
43.79% (male 107,229; female 103,162)

15-64 years:
53.15% (male 129,315; female 126,021)

65 years and over:
3.06% (male 7,190; female 7,525) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 28.1% (male 6,091,220; female 5,840,968)


15-64 years: 67% (male 14,162,190; female 14,347,751)


65 years and over: 4.9% (male 916,702; female 1,151,706) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish and fish products
Airports 31 (2000 est.) 80 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total: 8


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
29

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
10

under 914 m:
18 (2000 est.)
total: 72


over 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 16


914 to 1,523 m: 20


under 914 m: 34 (2002)
Area total:
28,450 sq km

land:
27,540 sq km

water:
910 sq km
total: 678,500 sq km


land: 657,740 sq km


water: 20,760 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Texas
Background The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Current issues include government deficits, deforestation, and malaria control. Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; independence outside of the Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as president, and later as political kingmaker. Despite multiparty elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party winning a decisive victory, the ruling military junta refused to hand over power. Key opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, was again placed under house detention from September 2000 to May 2002 and again in May 2003; her supporters are routinely harassed or jailed.
Birth rate 34.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 19.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues:
$147 million

expenditures:
$168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
revenues: $7.9 billion


expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7 billion (FY96/97)
Capital Honiara Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
Coastline 5,313 km 1,930 km
Constitution 7 July 1978 3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution; progress has since been stalled
Country name conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Solomon Islands

former:
British Solomon Islands
conventional long form: Union of Burma


conventional short form: Burma


local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar)


local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw


former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma


note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw
Currency Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) kyat (MMK)
Death rate 4.27 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 12.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $152.4 million (1998) $6.1 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands chief of mission: Permanent Charge d'Affaires Carmen M. MARTINEZ


embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)


mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546


telephone: [95] (1) 379 880, 379 881


FAX: [95] (1) 256 018
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Jeremiah MANELE

chancery:
800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017

telephone:
[1] (212) 599-6192, 6193

FAX:
[1] (212) 661-8925
chief of mission: Ambassador LINN MYAING


chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-9044


FAX: [1] (202) 332-9046


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international none despite continuing border committee talks, significant differences remain with Thailand over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities
Economic aid - recipient $47 million (1999 est.), mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ $99 million (FY98/99)
Economy - overview The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to a continuing economic downslide. Deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) by tankers have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country. Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from abject rural poverty. The military regime took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to Socialism", but those efforts have since stalled. Burma has been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an economy that suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including a steep inflation rate and an official exchange rate that overvalues the Burmese kyat by more than 100 times the market rate. In addition, most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta suppressed the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 election. Burma is data poor, and official statistics are often dated and inaccurate. Published estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and border trade - often estimated to be one to two times the official economy.
Electricity - consumption 27.9 million kWh (1999) 5.709 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 30 million kWh (1999) 6.139 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 44.4%


hydro: 55.6%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m


highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4% Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.0968 (November 2000), 5.0864 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997), 3.5664 (1996) kyats per US dollar - 6.64 (2002), 6.75 (2001), 6.52 (2000), 6.29 (1999), 6.34 (1998)
Executive branch chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Father John LAPLI (since NA 1999)

head of government:
Prime Minister Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE (since 1 July 2000); Assistant Prime Minister Nathaniel WAENA (since 1 July 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Allan KEMAKEZA (since 1 July 2000); note - Prime Minister Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU was forced to resign his position in June 2000 following the armed takeover of the capital by elements supporting the opposition parties; Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE, who had been opposition leader, was then elected prime minister at a sitting of National Parliament on 30 June 2000

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)


head of government: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the appointed Prime Minister, Gen. KNIN NYUNT (since 25 August 2003), is not the head of government


cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta, so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18 September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council; the SPDC oversees the cabinet


elections: none
Exports $165 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice
Exports - partners Japan 35.5%, other Asian countries 47.3% (1999) Thailand 31.4%, US 13%, India 7.4%, China 4.7% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
Flag description divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative divisions
GDP purchasing power parity - $900 million (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $73.69 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
50%

industry:
3.5%

services:
46.5% (1995)
agriculture: 60%


industry: 9%


services: 31% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2000 est.) 5.3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 22 00 N, 98 00 E
Geography - note - strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes
Heliports - 1 (2002)
Highways total:
1,360 km

paved:
34 km

unpaved:
1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.)
total: 28,200 km


paved: 3,440 km


unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: 2.8%


highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)
Illicit drugs - world's second largest producer of illicit opium (potential production in 2002 - 630 metric tons, down 27% due to drought and, to a lesser extent, eradication; cultivation in 2002 - 77,000 hectares, a 27% decline from 2001); surrender of drug warlord KHUN SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major counternarcotics success, but lack of government will and ability to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption
Imports $152 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, crude oil; food products
Imports - partners Australia 38.5%, Singapore 15%, Japan 10.6%, NZ 6.2% (1999) China 27%, Singapore 19.5%, Thailand 12%, Malaysia 9.1%, Taiwan 6.3%, South Korea 5.3%, Japan 4.3% (2002)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) 4 January 1948 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA%
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer
Infant mortality rate 24.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 70.35 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 76.48 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 63.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10% (1999 est.) 53.7% (2002 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 1


note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for the government, tourist offices, and a few large businesses (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 15,920 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive
Labor force 26,842 23.7 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% agriculture 70%, industry 7%, services 23% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 5,876 km


border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km
Land use arable land:
1%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
1%

forests and woodland:
88%

other:
9% (1993 est.)
arable land: 14.53%


permanent crops: 0.9%


other: 84.57% (1998 est.)
Languages Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population

note:
120 indigenous languages
Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages
Legal system English common law has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 6 August 1997 (next to be held by August 2001)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6, other 3
unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never convened


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NLD 392, SNLD 23, NUP 10, other 60
Life expectancy at birth total population:
71.55 years

male:
69.12 years

female:
74.1 years (2001 est.)
total population: 55.79 years


male: 54.12 years


female: 57.56 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition:
NA

total population:
NA%

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 83.1%


male: 88.7%


female: 77.7% (1995 est.)


note: these are official statistics; estimates of functional literacy are likely closer to 30% (1999 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
Map references Oceania Southeast Asia
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

continental shelf:
200 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine none (2000 est.) total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 352,765 GRT/536,396 DWT


ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 21, container 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 5, Japan 4 (2002 est.)
Military branches no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA $39 million (FY97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 2.1% (FY97)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 12,349,921


females age 15-49: 12,358,507


note: both sexes liable for military service (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 6,566,122


females age 15-49: 6,553,458 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 453,420


females: 455,422 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Independence Day, 4 January (1948)
Nationality noun:
Solomon Islander(s)

adjective:
Solomon Islander
noun: Burmese (singular and plural)


adjective: Burmese
Natural hazards typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) -1.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines - gas 2,056 km; oil 558 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders there are two main coalitions - Coalition for National Unity, Reconciliation, and Peace or CNURP and Alliance for Change; the CNURP took power on 30 June 2000, it comprises members of the Liberal Party, People's Alliance Party, and the United Party, as well as a number of independents; the Alliance for Change, represents the former government and now is the opposition; in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions; Group for National Unity and Reconciliation or GNUR [leader NA]; Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; National Action Party of Solomon Islands or NAPSI [Francis SAEMALA]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [George LEPPING]; People's Progressive Party [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; United Party or UP [leader NA] National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP (proregime) [THA KYAW]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [KHUN TUN OO]; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (proregime, a social and political organization) [THAN AUNG, general secretary]; and other smaller parties
Political pressure groups and leaders NA All Burma Student Democratic Front or ABSDF; Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU; National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB [Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals legitimately elected to the People's Assembly but not recognized by the military regime (the group fled to a border area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to form a parallel government); several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA
Population 480,442 (July 2001 est.) 42,510,537


note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 25% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 2.98% (2001 est.) 0.52% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios 57,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km total: 3,955 km


narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)
Religions Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
NA

domestic:
NA

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government; international service is good


domestic: NA


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 8,000 (1997) 250,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 658 (1997) 8,492 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 0 (1997) 2 (1998)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Total fertility rate 4.65 children born/woman (2001 est.) 2.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 5.1% (2001 est.)
Waterways none 12,800 km


note: 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels
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