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Compare Solomon Islands (2001) - Switzerland (2001)

Compare Solomon Islands (2001) z Switzerland (2001)

 Solomon Islands (2001)Switzerland (2001)
 Solomon IslandsSwitzerland
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 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
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:
16.97% (male 634,030; female 601,929)

15-64 years:
67.73% (male 2,505,450; female 2,427,408)

65 years and over:
15.3% (male 453,366; female 661,091) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
Airports 31 (2000 est.) 67 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total:
42

over 3,047 m:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
4

1,524 to 2,437 m:
13

914 to 1,523 m:
7

under 914 m:
15 (2000 est.)
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:
25

under 914 m:
25 (2000 est.)
Area total:
28,450 sq km

land:
27,540 sq km

water:
910 sq km
total:
41,290 sq km

land:
39,770 sq km

water:
1,520 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
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. Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, may be rendering obsolete the country's concern for neutrality.
Birth rate 34.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 10.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues:
$147 million

expenditures:
$168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
revenues:
$32.66 billion

expenditures:
$34.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.3 billion (1998 est.)
Capital Honiara Bern
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers
Coastline 5,313 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 7 July 1978 29 May 1874
Country name conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Solomon Islands

former:
British Solomon Islands
conventional long form:
Swiss Confederation

conventional short form:
Switzerland

local long form:
Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)

local short form:
Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Italian)
Currency Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) Swiss franc (CHF)
Death rate 4.27 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 8.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $152.4 million (1998) $NA
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:
Ambassador J. Richard FREDERICKS

embassy:
Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3001 Bern

mailing address:
use embassy street address

telephone:
[41] (31) 357 70 11

FAX:
[41] (31) 357 73 44
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 Alfred DEFAGO

chancery:
2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 745-7900

FAX:
[1] (202) 387-2564

consulate(s) general:
Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco

consulate(s):
Boston
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)
Economic aid - recipient $47 million (1999 est.), mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ -
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. Switzerland, a prosperous and stable modern market economy with a per capita GDP 20% above that of the big western European economies, experienced solid growth of 3% in 2000, but growth is expected to fall back to about 2% in 2001. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Although the Swiss are not pursuing full EU membership in the near term, in 1999 Bern and Brussels signed agreements to further liberalize trade ties, and the agreements should come into force in 2001. Switzerland is still considered a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value.
Electricity - consumption 27.9 million kWh (1999) 51.862 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 31.955 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 21.723 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 30 million kWh (1999) 66.768 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel:
3.44%

hydro:
59.16%

nuclear:
35.43%

other:
1.97% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
lowest point:
Lake Maggiore 195 m

highest point:
Dufourspitze 4,634 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
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:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4% German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
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) Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6303 (January 2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996)
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:
President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2001); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (since 1 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2001); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (since 1 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly from among its own members for a four-year term

elections:
president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held 6 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2001)

election results:
Moritz LEUENBERGER elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 76%; Kaspar VILLIGER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 72%
Exports $165 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) $91.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products
Exports - partners Japan 35.5%, other Asian countries 47.3% (1999) EU 65.8% (Germany 22.6%, France 9.2%, Italy 8.0%, UK 5.5%, Austria 3.2%), US 12.4%, Japan 4.0% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
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 square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag
GDP purchasing power parity - $900 million (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $207 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
50%

industry:
3.5%

services:
46.5% (1995)
agriculture:
2.8%

industry:
31.1%

services:
66.1% (1995)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $28,600 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2000 est.) 3% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 47 00 N, 8 00 E
Geography - note - landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe
Highways total:
1,360 km

paved:
34 km

unpaved:
1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.)
total:
71,059 km (including 1,638 km of expressways)

paved:
71,059 km

unpaved:
0 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

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

highest 10%:
25.2% (1992)
Illicit drugs - because of more stringent government regulations, used significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
Imports $152 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) $91.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles
Imports - partners Australia 38.5%, Singapore 15%, Japan 10.6%, NZ 6.2% (1999) EU 77.7% (Germany 31.0%, France 12.0%, Italy 9.7%, Netherlands 5.1%, UK 5.7%), US 7.1%, Japan 2.9% (1999)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) 1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 8.6% (2000 est.)
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments
Infant mortality rate 24.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 4.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10% (1999 est.) 1.5% (2000 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 ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 250 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly)
Labor force 26,842 3.9 million (964,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian) (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture 4.6% (1998 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total:
1,852 km

border countries:
Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km
Land use arable land:
1%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
1%

forests and woodland:
88%

other:
9% (1993 est.)
arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
2%

permanent pastures:
28%

forests and woodland:
32%

other:
28% (1993 est.)
Languages Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population

note:
120 indigenous languages
German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9%
Legal system English common law civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on a basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)

elections:
Council of States - last held in 1999 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2003)

election results:
Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 18, CVP 15, SVP 7, SPS 6; National Council - percent of vote by party - SPS 22.5%, SVP 22.6%, FDP 19.9%, CVP 15.8%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SPS 51, SVP 44, FDP 43, CVP 35, Greens 9, other small parties 18
Life expectancy at birth total population:
71.55 years

male:
69.12 years

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

male:
76.85 years

female:
82.76 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition:
NA

total population:
NA%

male:
NA%

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

total population:
99% (1980 est.)

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
Map references Oceania Europe
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

continental shelf:
200 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine none (2000 est.) total:
24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 435,966 GRT/780,458 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 12, cargo 6, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker 1

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: UK 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA $3.1 billion (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 1.2% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
1,849,034 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
1,570,918 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
42,597 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
Nationality noun:
Solomon Islander(s)

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

adjective:
Swiss
Natural hazards typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity avalanches, landslides, flash floods
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel hydropower potential, timber, salt
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km
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] Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Adalbert DURRER, president]; Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruedi BAUMANN, president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Franz STEINEGGER, president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christiane BRUNNER, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 480,442 (July 2001 est.) 7,283,274 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 2.98% (2001 est.) 0.27% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina Basel
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios 57,000 (1997) 7.1 million (1997)
Railways 0 km total:
4,492 km (1,564 km double track)

standard gauge:
3,317 km 1.435-m gauge (3,288 km electrified)

narrow gauge:
1,165 km 1.000-m gauge (1,165 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (1998)
Religions Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)
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:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2001 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:
excellent domestic and international services

domestic:
extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks

international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 8,000 (1997) 4.82 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 658 (1997) 1.967 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 0 (1997) 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Total fertility rate 4.65 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.47 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 1.9% (2000 est.)
Waterways none 65 km

note:
The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes
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