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Compare Solomon Islands (2002) - Eritrea (2003)

Compare Solomon Islands (2002) z Eritrea (2003)

 Solomon Islands (2002)Eritrea (2003)
 Solomon IslandsEritrea
Administrative divisions 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul (Lauru), Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell/Bellona, Temotu, Western 6 regions (regions, singular - region); Central, Anelba, Southern Red Sea, Northern Red Sea, Southern, Gash-Barka
Age structure 0-14 years: 43.4% (male 109,339; female 105,170)


15-64 years: 53.5% (male 134,125; female 130,804)


65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,467; female 7,881) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 977,447; female 972,068)


15-64 years: 52% (male 1,121,077; female 1,147,109)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 71,620; female 72,933) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal; livestock, goats; fish
Airports 31 (2001) 18 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 30


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 20 (2002)
total: 14


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Area total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
total: 121,320 sq km


land: 121,320 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Background The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the most bitter fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN peacekeeping operation that is monitoring the border region. An international commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its findings in 2002 but final demarcation is on hold due to Ethiopian objections.
Birth rate 33.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 39.44 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $38 million (2001)


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
revenues: $206.4 million


expenditures: $615.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Honiara Asmara (formerly Asmera)
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-September except in coastal desert
Coastline 5,313 km 2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea 1,083 km
Constitution 7 July 1978 the transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
conventional long form: State of Eritrea


conventional short form: Eritrea


local long form: Hagere Ertra


local short form: Ertra


former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia
Currency Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) nakfa (ERN)
Death rate 4.19 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 13.23 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $137 million (2001 est.) $311 million (2000 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: Ambassador Donald J. McCONNELL


embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara


mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara


telephone: [291] (1) 120004


FAX: [291] (1) 127584
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires 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 GIRMA Asmerom


chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991


FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304


consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)
Disputes - international none Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 independent boundary commission delimitation decision, but demarcation, scheduled to begin in 2003, has been hampered by technical delays and Ethiopian concerns that the decision ignored "human geography" and awarded Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war, to Eritrea, demarcation of the boundary has been postponed indefinately; UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) monitors a 25 km wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea until the demarcation; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; Eritrea protests Yemeni fishing around the Hanish Islands awarded to Eritrea by the ICJ in 1999
Economic aid - recipient $28 million mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ (2001 est.) $77 million (1999)
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 serious economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the nonpayment of bills and by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country. Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country. Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero in 1999 and to -1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war damaged roads and bridges. Since the war ended, the government has maintained a firm grip on the economy, expanding the use of the military and party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's development agenda. Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists from the military kept cereal production well below normal, holding down growth in 2002. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its ability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and to open its economy to private enterprise so the diaspora's money and expertise can foster economic growth.
Electricity - consumption 29.76 million kWh (2000) 205.1 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh NA kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh NA kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 32 million kWh (2000) 220.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


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


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m


highest point: Soira 3,018 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of infrastructure from civil warfare
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


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% ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.3728 (December 2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997) nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 9.5 (January 2000), 7.6 (January 1999), 7.2 (March 1998 est.)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir John LAPLI (since NA 1999)


head of government: Prime Minister Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17 December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December 2001)


cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members 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 ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly


head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly


cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority; members appointed by the president


elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as anticipated)


election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%
Exports $165 million f.o.b. (1999 est.) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)
Exports - partners Japan 22%, China 15%, Philippines 13%, South Korea 12%, UK 12%, Thailand 5% (2000) Italy 36.9%, Germany 16.7%, France 10.3%, US 5.4%, Netherlands 5.2% (2002)
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 isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on the hoist side of the red triangle
GDP purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $3.3 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 17%


industry: 29%


services: 54% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -10% (2001 est.) 2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 15 00 N, 39 00 E
Geography - note strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993
Highways total: 1,360 km


paved: 34 km


unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.)
total: 4,010 km


paved: 874 km


unpaved: 3,136 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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


highest 10%: NA%
Imports $152 million f.o.b. (1999 est.) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods (2000)
Imports - partners Australia 27%, Singapore 25%, NZ 5.5%, Japan 5.3%, US 5.1% (2000) Italy 27.1%, US 15.7%, Germany 7.2%, Ukraine 5.8%, Turkey 5.5%, France 4.5%, Netherlands 4% (2002)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA%
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles
Infant mortality rate 23.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 76.32 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 83.78 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 68.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 7.9% (2001 est.) 15% (2001)
International organization participation ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO ACP, AfDB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 5 (2001)
Irrigated land NA sq km 220 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal or High Court, regional, subregional, and village courts; also have military and special courts
Labor force 26,842 NA
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,626 km


border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km
Land use arable land: 1.5%


permanent crops: 0.64%


other: 97.86% (1998 est.)
arable land: 3.87%


permanent crops: 0.02%


other: 96.11% (1998 est.)
Languages Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population


note: 120 indigenous languages
Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages
Legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law
Legislative branch unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP 20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents 18
unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not established)


elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member Constituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discuss and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were postponed indefinitely
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.82 years


male: 69.38 years


female: 74.39 years (2002 est.)
total population: 53.18 years


male: 51.48 years


female: 54.92 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition: NA


total population: 58.6%


male: 69.9%


female: 47.6% (2003 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan
Map references Oceania Africa
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


continental shelf: 200 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,100 GRT/23,399 DWT


ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 2, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (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 $95.75 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 12% (FY02)
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Independence Day, 24 May (1993)
Nationality noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
noun: Eritrean(s)


adjective: Eritrean
Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity frequent droughts; locust swarms
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -13.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2000 (2003 est.)
Political parties and leaders Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]


note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions
People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party recognized by the government [ISAIAS Afworki]; note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or voted on it
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ [leader NA] (also including Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel Movement) [leader NA]); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement) [leader NA]; Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]
Population 494,786 (July 2002 est.) 4,362,254 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 53% (1993/94)
Population growth rate 2.91% (2002 est.) 1.28% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina Assab (Aseb), Massawa (Mits'iwa)
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)
Radios 57,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km total: 306 km


narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge


note: railway is being rebuilt (2002)
Religions Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant
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: 0.95 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.98 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: inadequate


domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)


international: NA; note - international connections exist
Telephones - main lines in use 8,000 (1997) 30,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 658 (1997) NA; note - mobile cellular service was introduced in May 2001
Television broadcast stations 0 (1997) 1 (2000)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains
Total fertility rate 4.5 children born/woman (2002 est.) 5.74 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% NA%
Waterways none none
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