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Compare Solomon Islands (2002) - South Africa (2001)

Compare Solomon Islands (2002) z South Africa (2001)

 Solomon Islands (2002)South Africa (2001)
 Solomon IslandsSouth Africa
Administrative divisions 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul (Lauru), Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell/Bellona, Temotu, Western 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Northern Province, Western Cape
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:
32.01% (male 7,023,639; female 6,928,559)

15-64 years:
63.11% (male 13,264,654; female 14,244,484)

65 years and over:
4.88% (male 798,914; female 1,325,847) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Airports 31 (2001) 741 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total:
142

over 3,047 m:
9

2,438 to 3,047 m:
5

1,524 to 2,437 m:
47

914 to 1,523 m:
71

under 914 m:
10 (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:
599

1,524 to 2,437 m:
33

914 to 1,523 m:
304

under 914 m:
262 (2000 est.)
Area total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
total:
1,219,912 sq km

land:
1,219,912 sq km

water:
0 sq km

note:
includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly less than twice the size of Texas
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 the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.
Birth rate 33.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 21.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $38 million (2001)


expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
revenues:
$31.1 billion

expenditures:
$34.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (FY01/02)
Capital Honiara Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Coastline 5,313 km 2,798 km
Constitution 7 July 1978 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
conventional long form:
Republic of South Africa

conventional short form:
South Africa

former:
Union of South Africa

abbreviation:
RSA
Currency Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) rand (ZAR)
Death rate 4.19 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 16.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $137 million (2001 est.) $25.6 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 Delano E. LEWIS, Sr.

embassy:
877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria

mailing address:
P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001

telephone:
[27] (12) 342-1048

FAX:
[27] (12) 342-2244

consulate(s) general:
Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
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 Makate Sheila SISULU

chancery:
3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 232-4400

FAX:
[1] (202) 265-1607

consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international none Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom
Economic aid - recipient $28 million mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ (2001 est.) $676.3 million
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. South Africa is a middle-income, developing country with an abundant supply of resources, well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors, a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to cut into the 30% unemployment, and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially the problems of poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. Other problems are crime, corruption, and HIV/AIDS. At the start of 2000, President MBEKI vowed to promote economic growth and foreign investment, and to reduce poverty by relaxing restrictive labor laws, stepping up the pace of privatization, and cutting unneeded governmental spending.
Electricity - consumption 29.76 million kWh (2000) 172.393 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 3.884 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 2.457 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 32 million kWh (2000) 186.903 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel:
92.74%

hydro:
0.39%

nuclear:
6.87%

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


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Njesuthi 3,408 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage threatens to outpace supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
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:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

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% black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.3728 (December 2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997) rand per US dollar - 7.60 (March 2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (1996)
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 Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 2 June 1999 (next scheduled for sometime between May and July 2004)

election results:
Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)

note:
ANC-IFP governing coalition
Exports $165 million f.o.b. (1999 est.) $30.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa gold, diamonds, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
Exports - partners Japan 22%, China 15%, Philippines 13%, South Korea 12%, UK 12%, Thailand 5% (2000) UK, Italy, Japan, US, Germany
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 two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes

note:
prior to 26 April 1994, the flag was actually four flags in one - three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band of the former flag of the Netherlands, which had three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature flags were a vertically hanging flag of the old Orange Free State with a horizontal flag of the UK adjoining on the hoist side and a horizontal flag of the old Transvaal Republic adjoining on the other side
GDP purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $369 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
agriculture:
5%

industry:
30%

services:
65% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -10% (2001 est.) 3% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 29 00 S, 24 00 E
Geography - note strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
Highways total: 1,360 km


paved: 34 km


unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.)
total:
358,596 km

paved:
59,753 km (including 1927 km of expressways)

unpaved:
298,843 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%:
1.1%

highest 10%:
45.9% (1994)
Illicit drugs - transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana, and possibly cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana
Imports $152 million f.o.b. (1999 est.) $27.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals machinery, foodstuffs and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments
Imports - partners Australia 27%, Singapore 25%, NZ 5.5%, Japan 5.3%, US 5.1% (2000) Germany, US, UK, Japan
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) 31 May 1910 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 2.4% (2000 est.)
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Infant mortality rate 23.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 60.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 7.9% (2001 est.) 5.3% (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 ACP, AfDB, BIS, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 44 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 12,700 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
Labor force 26,842 17 million economically active (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total:
4,750 km

border countries:
Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Land use arable land: 1.5%


permanent crops: 0.64%


other: 97.86% (1998 est.)
arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
67%

forests and woodland:
7%

other:
15% (1993 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
11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; 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 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
bicameral parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution

elections:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held 2 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results:
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 66.4%, DP 9.6%, IFP 8.6%, NP 6.9%, UDM 3.4%, ACDP 1.4%, FF 0.8%, other 2.9%; seats by party - ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NP 28, UDM 14, ACDP 6, FF 3, other 11; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 71.82 years


male: 69.38 years


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

male:
47.64 years

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


total population: NA%


male: NA%


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

total population:
81.8%

male:
81.9%

female:
81.7% (1995 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Map references Oceania Africa
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-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine none (2002 est.) total:
8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 271,650 GRT/268,604 DWT

ships by type:
container 6, petroleum tanker 2 (2000 est.)
Military - note - the National Defense Force continues to integrate former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces
Military branches no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) South African National Defense Force or SANDF (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service or SAPS
Military expenditures - dollar figure $NA $2 billion (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA% 1.5% (FY99/00)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
11,469,812 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
6,977,328 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
466,399 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Nationality noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
noun:
South African(s)

adjective:
South African
Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity prolonged droughts
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km
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
African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI, president]; Democratic Alliance (formed from the merger of the Democratic Party or DP and the New National Party or NP) [Anthony LEON, leader]; Freedom Front or FF [Constand VILJOEN, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC
Population 494,786 (July 2002 est.) 43,586,097

note:
South Africa took a census October 1996 which showed a population of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for a 6.8% underenumeration based on a postenumeration survey); estimates for this country explicitly 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 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 50% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 2.91% (2002 est.) 0.26% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 57,000 (1997) 13.75 million (1997)
Railways 0 km total:
21,431 km

narrow gauge:
20,995 km 1.067-m gauge (9,087 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)
Religions Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%
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:
1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.94 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:
the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa

domestic:
consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria

international:
2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 8,000 (1997) 5.075 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 658 (1997) over 2,000,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 0 (1997) 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Total fertility rate 4.5 children born/woman (2002 est.) 2.43 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 30% (2000 est.)
Waterways none NA
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