Solomon Islands (2002) | Macau (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul (Lauru), Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell/Bellona, Temotu, Western | none (special administrative region of China) |
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:
22.68% (male 53,291; female 49,615) 15-64 years: 70.08% (male 150,538; female 167,431) 65 years and over: 7.24% (male 13,287; female 19,571) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish | rice, vegetables |
Airports | 31 (2001) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
1 over 3,047 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) |
- |
Area | total: 28,450 sq km
land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km |
total:
21 sq km land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Maryland | about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC |
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. | Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs. |
Birth rate | 33.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 12.36 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $38 million (2001)
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001) |
revenues:
$1.26 billion expenditures: $1.22 billion, including capital expenditures of $175 million (1999 est.) |
Capital | Honiara | - |
Climate | tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather | subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers |
Coastline | 5,313 km | 40 km |
Constitution | 7 July 1978 | Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution" |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands |
conventional long form:
Macau Special Administrative Region conventional short form: Macau local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese) local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese) |
Currency | Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) | pataca (MOP) |
Death rate | 4.19 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 3.71 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $137 million (2001 est.) | $1.7 billion (1997) |
Dependency status | - | special administrative region of China |
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 | the US has no offices in Macau, and US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong |
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 |
none (special administrative region of China) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $28 million mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ (2001 est.) | $NA |
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. | The economy is based largely on tourism (including gambling) and textile and fireworks manufacturing. Efforts to diversify have spawned other small industries - toys, artificial flowers, and electronics. The tourist sector has accounted for roughly 25% of GDP, and the clothing industry has provided about three-fourths of export earnings; the gambling industry probably represents over 40% of GDP. More than 8 million tourists visited Macau in 2000. Macau depends on China for most of its food, fresh water, and energy imports. Japan and Hong Kong are the main suppliers of raw materials and capital goods. Output dropped 5% in 1998 and 3% in 1999, with a small 2% gain in 2000. Macau reverted to Chinese administration on 20 December 1999. Gang violence, a dark spot in the economy, probably will be reduced in 2000-01 to the advantage of the tourism sector. |
Electricity - consumption | 29.76 million kWh (2000) | 1.422 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 3 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 165 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 32 million kWh (2000) | 1.355 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m |
lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m highest point: Coloane Alto 174 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying | NA |
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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4% | Chinese 95%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry), Portuguese, other |
Exchange rates | Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.3728 (December 2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997) | patacas per US dollar - 8.033 (January 2001), 8.025 (2000), 7.990 (1999), 7.978 (1998), 7.974 (1997), 7.966 (1996); note - linked to the Hong Kong dollar at the rate of 1.03 patacas per Hong Kong dollar |
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 of China JIANG Zemin (since 27 March 1993) head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of all five government secretaries, three legislators, and two businessmen elections: NA |
Exports | $165 million f.o.b. (1999 est.) | $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa | textiles, clothing, toys, electronics, cement, footwear, machinery |
Exports - partners | Japan 22%, China 15%, Philippines 13%, South Korea 12%, UK 12%, Thailand 5% (2000) | US 47%, EU 30%, China 9.2%, Hong Kong 6.7% (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 | light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in center of arc and four smaller |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $7.82 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 42%
industry: 11% services: 47% (2000 est.) |
agriculture:
1% industry: 25% services: 74% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -10% (2001 est.) | 2% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 8 00 S, 159 00 E | 22 10 N, 113 33 E |
Geography - note | strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea | essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland |
Highways | total: 1,360 km
paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.) |
total:
50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
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.) | $2.4 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals | raw materials, foodstuffs, capital goods, fuels, consumer goods |
Imports - partners | Australia 27%, Singapore 25%, NZ 5.5%, Japan 5.3%, US 5.1% (2000) | China 36%, Hong Kong 18%, EU 13%, Taiwan 10%, Japan 7% (1999) |
Independence | 7 July 1978 (from UK) | none (special administrative region of China) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | fish (tuna), mining, timber | clothing, textiles, toys, electronics, footwear, tourism, gambling |
Infant mortality rate | 23.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 7.9% (2001 est.) | -1.8% (2000 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 | CCC, ESCAP (associate), IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), UNESCO (associate), WMO, WToO (associate), WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal | The Court of Final Appeal in the Macau Special Administrative Region |
Labor force | 26,842 | 283,450 (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) | restaurants and hotels 26%, manufacturing 22%, other services 52% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
0.34 km border countries: China 0.34 km |
Land use | arable land: 1.5%
permanent crops: 0.64% other: 97.86% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 98% (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 |
Portuguese, Chinese (Cantonese) |
Legal system | English common law, which is widely disregarded | based on Portuguese civil law system |
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 Legislative Council or LEGCO (23 seats; 8 elected by popular vote, 8 by indirect vote, and 7 appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 22 September 1996 (next to be held by 15 October 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - APPEM 2, UNIPRO 2, CODEM 1, UDM 1, UPD 1, ANMD 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 71.82 years
male: 69.38 years female: 74.39 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
81.69 years male: 78.88 years female: 84.64 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 93% female: 86% (1981 est.) |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea | Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China |
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 |
not specified |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | responsibility for defense reverted to China on 20 December 1999 |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) | Macau garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes about 500 troops |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
125,737 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
69,191 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 7 July (1978) | National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day |
Nationality | noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander |
noun:
Chinese adjective: Chinese |
Natural hazards | typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity | typhoons |
Natural resources | fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel | NEGL |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 9.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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 |
the following is a listing of those associations that participated in the last legislative elections: Associacao de Novo Macau Democratico or ANMD [leader NA]; Associacao Promotora para a Economia de Macau or APPEM [leader NA]; Convergencia para o Desenvolvimento or CODEM [leader NA]; Uniao Geral para o Desenvolvimento de Macau or UDM [leader NA]; Uniao para o Desenvolvimento or UPD [leader NA]; Uniao Promotora para o Progresso or UNIPRO [leader NA]
note: there are no formal political parties, but civic associations are used instead |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Catholic Church [Domingos LAM, bishop]; Macau Society of Tourism and Entertainment or STDM [Stanley HO, managing director]; Union for Democracy Development [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong, leader] |
Population | 494,786 (July 2002 est.) | 453,733 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.91% (2002 est.) | 1.79% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina | Macau |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 57,000 (1997) | 160,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% | Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.) |
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: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment:
fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services domestic: NA international: HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 8,000 (1997) | 176,837 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 658 (1997) | 120,957 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (1997) | 0 (receives Hong Kong broadcasts) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls | generally flat |
Total fertility rate | 4.5 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.31 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 6.6% (2000) |
Waterways | none | none |