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Compare Solomon Islands (2002) - Estonia (2001)

Compare Solomon Islands (2002) z Estonia (2001)

 Solomon Islands (2002)Estonia (2001)
 Solomon IslandsEstonia
Administrative divisions 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul (Lauru), Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell/Bellona, Temotu, Western 15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuessaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)

note:
counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses
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:
17.08% (male 123,997; female 119,166)

15-64 years:
68.14% (male 466,823; female 503,032)

65 years and over:
14.78% (male 68,802; female 141,496) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish potatoes, fruits, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish
Airports 31 (2001) 32 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total:
8

2,438 to 3,047 m:
7

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
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:
24

over 3,047 m:
1

2,438 to 3,047 m:
5

1,524 to 2,437 m:
7

914 to 1,523 m:
5

under 914 m:
6 (2000 est.)
Area total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
total:
45,226 sq km

land:
43,211 sq km

water:
2,015 sq km

note:
includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
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. After centuries of Swedish and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe.
Birth rate 33.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 8.7 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $38 million (2001)


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
revenues:
$1.37 billion

expenditures:
$1.37 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Capital Honiara Tallinn
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers
Coastline 5,313 km 3,794 km
Constitution 7 July 1978 adopted 28 June 1992
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
conventional long form:
Republic of Estonia

conventional short form:
Estonia

local long form:
Eesti Vabariik

local short form:
Eesti

former:
Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) Estonian kroon (EEK)
Death rate 4.19 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 13.48 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $137 million (2001 est.) $1.6 billion (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 Melissa WELLS

embassy:
Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn

mailing address:
use embassy street address

telephone:
[372] 668-8100

FAX:
[372] 668-8134
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 Sven JURGENSON

chancery:
2131 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 588-0101

FAX:
[1] (202) 588-0108

consulate(s) general:
New York
Disputes - international none Estonian and Russian negotiators reached a technical border agreement in December 1996 which has not been signed nor ratified by Russia as of February 2001
Economic aid - recipient $28 million mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ (2001 est.) $137.3 million (1995)
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. In 2000, Estonia rebounded from the Russian financial crisis by scaling back its budget and reorienting trade away from Russian markets into EU member states. After GDP shrank 1.1% in 1999, the economy made a strong recovery in 2000, with growth estimated at 6.4% - the highest in Central and Eastern Europe. Estonia joined the World Trade Organization in November 1999 - the second Baltic state to join - and continues its EU accession talks. For 2001, Estonians predict GDP to grow around 6%, inflation of between 4.2%-5.3%, and a balanced budget. Substantial gains were made in completing privatization of Estonia's few remaining large, state-owned companies in 2000, and this momentum is expected to continue in 2001. Estonia hopes to join the EU during the next round of enlargement tentatively set for 2004.
Electricity - consumption 29.76 million kWh (2000) 6.807 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 530 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 100 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 32 million kWh (2000) 7.782 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel:
99.72%

hydro:
0.09%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0.19% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


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

highest point:
Suur Munamagi 318 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying air heavily polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products, chemicals at former Soviet military bases; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas are heavily affected by organic waste; coastal sea water is polluted in many locations
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-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4% Estonian 65.1%, Russian 28.1%, Ukrainian 2.5%, Byelorussian 1.5%, Finn 1%, other 1.8% (1998)
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.3728 (December 2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997) krooni per US dollar - 16.663 (January 2001), 16.969 (2000), 14.678 (1999), 14.075 (1998), 13.882 (1997), 12.034 (1996); note - krooni are tied to the German deutsche mark at a fixed rate of 8 to 1
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 Lennart MERI (since 5 October 1992)

head of government:
Prime Minister Mart LAAR (since 29 March 1999)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament

elections:
president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if he or she does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest percentage of votes; election last held August-September 1996 (next to be held in the fall of 2001); prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament

election results:
Lennart MERI reelected president by an electoral assembly after Parliament was unable to break a deadlock between MERI and RUUTEL; percent of electoral assembly vote - Lennart MERI 61%, Arnold RUUTEL 39%
Exports $165 million f.o.b. (1999 est.) $3.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa machinery and equipment 24%, wood products 20%, textiles 17%, food products 9%, metals, chemical products (1999)
Exports - partners Japan 22%, China 15%, Philippines 13%, South Korea 12%, UK 12%, Thailand 5% (2000) Finland 19.4%, Sweden 18.8%, Russia 9.2%, Latvia 8.7%, Germany 7.5%, US 2.5% (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 pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white
GDP purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $14.7 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
agriculture:
3.6%

industry:
30.7%

services:
65.7% (1999)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $10,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -10% (2001 est.) 6.4% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 59 00 N, 26 00 E
Geography - note strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea -
Highways total: 1,360 km


paved: 34 km


unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.)
total:
30,300 km

paved:
29,200 km (including 75 km of expressways); note - these roads are said to be hard-surfaced, and include, in addition to conventionally paved roads, some that are surfaced with gravel or other coarse aggregate, making them trafficable in all weather

unpaved:
1,100 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
3.2%

highest 10%:
28.5% (1996)
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to Western Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western Europe to Scandinavia; possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking; synthetic drug production growing, trafficked to Russia, Baltics, Finland
Imports $152 million f.o.b. (1999 est.) $4 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals machinery and equipment 31%, chemical products 13%, foodstuffs 11%, metal products 8%, textiles 8% (1999)
Imports - partners Australia 27%, Singapore 25%, NZ 5.5%, Japan 5.3%, US 5.1% (2000) Finland 22.8%, Russia 13.5%, Sweden 9.3%, Germany 9.3%, Japan 4.7% (1999)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 5% (2000 est.)
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber oil shale, shipbuilding, phosphates, electric motors, excavators, cement, furniture, clothing, textiles, paper, shoes, apparel
Infant mortality rate 23.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 12.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 7.9% (2001 est.) 4.1% (1999 est.)
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 BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 28 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 110 sq km (1996 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)
Labor force 26,842 785,500 (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) industry 20%, agriculture 11%, services 69% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total:
633 km

border countries:
Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
Land use arable land: 1.5%


permanent crops: 0.64%


other: 97.86% (1998 est.)
arable land:
25%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
11%

forests and woodland:
44%

other:
20% (1996 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
Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, English, Finnish, other
Legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts
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 Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 7 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Center Party 28, Union of Pro Patria (Fatherland League) 18, Reform Party 18, Moderates 17, Country People's Party (Agrarians) 7, Coalition Party 7, UPPE 6
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.82 years


male: 69.38 years


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

male:
63.72 years

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


total population: NA%


male: NA%


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

total population:
100%

male:
100%

female:
100% (1998 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Map references Oceania Europe
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


continental shelf: 200 NM


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone:
limits fixed in coordination with neighboring states

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) total:
44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 253,460 GRT/219,727 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 2, cargo 19, combination bulk 1, container 5, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 10, short-sea passenger 6 (2000 est.)
Military branches no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) Ground Forces, Navy/Coast Guard, Air and Air Defense Force (not officially sanctioned), Maritime Border Guard, Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Security Forces (internal and border troops)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA $70 million (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 1.2% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
359,677 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
282,418 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
11,164 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date of independence from Soviet Russia, 6 September 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union
Nationality noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
noun:
Estonian(s)

adjective:
Estonian
Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity flooding occurs frequently in the spring
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel shale oil (kukersite), peat, phosphorite, amber, cambrian blue clay, limestone, dolomite, arable land
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -0.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - natural gas 420 km (1992)
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
Center Party or K [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman]; Christian People's Party [Aldo VINKEL]; Coalition Party and Rural Union or KMU [Andrus OOBEL, chairman]; Estonian Democratic Party (formerly Estonian Blue Party) [Jaan LAAS]; Estonian Independence Party [leader NA]; Estonian National Democratic Party or ENDP [leader NA]; Estonian Pensioners and Families Party [Mai TREIAL]; Estonian Progressive Party [Andra VEIDEMANN]; Estonian Republican Party [leader NA]; Estonian Social-Democratic Labor Party [Tiit TOOMSALU]; Estonian Rural People's Union (1999 merger of Estonian Country People's Party and the Estonian Rural Union) [Arvo SIRENDI]; Party of Consolidation Today [leader NA]; People's Party Moderates (1999 merger of People's Party and Moderates) [Andres TARAND]; Reform Party or RE [Siim KALLAS, chairman]; Russian Party in Estonia [Nikolai MASPANOV]; Russian Unity Party [Igor SEDASHEV]; Union of Pro Patria or Fatherland League (Isamaaliit) [Mart LAAR, chairman]; United People's Party or UPPE [Viktor ANDREJEV, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 494,786 (July 2002 est.) 1,423,316 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 8.9% (1995 est.)
Population growth rate 2.91% (2002 est.) -0.55% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina Haapsalu, Kunda, Muuga, Paldiski, Parnu, Tallinn
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 3 (all AM stations inactive since July 1998), FM 82, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 57,000 (1997) 1.01 million (1997)
Railways 0 km total:
1,018 km common carrier lines only; does not include dedicated industrial lines

broad gauge:
1,018 km 1.520-m gauge (132 km electrified) (1995)
Religions Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% Evangelical Lutheran, Russian Orthodox, Estonian Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Word of Life, Jewish
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:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.86 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment:
foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service; Internet services available throughout most of the country; about 150,000 unfilled subscriber requests

domestic:
local - the Ministry of Transport and Communications is expanding cellular telephone services to form rural networks; intercity - highly developed fiber-optic backbone (double loop) system presently serving at least 16 major cities (1998)

international:
fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; two international switches are located in Tallinn
Telephones - main lines in use 8,000 (1997) 476,078 (yearend 1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 658 (1997) 475,000 (yearend 2000)
Television broadcast stations 0 (1997) 31 (plus five repeaters) (September 1995)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls marshy, lowlands
Total fertility rate 4.5 children born/woman (2002 est.) 1.21 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 11.7% (1999 est.)
Waterways none 320 km (perennially navigable)
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