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Compare Solomon Islands (2004) - Greece (2001)

Compare Solomon Islands (2004) z Greece (2001)

 Solomon Islands (2004)Greece (2001)
 Solomon IslandsGreece
Administrative divisions 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western 51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos)and 1 autonomous region*; Ayion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Aitolia kai Akarnania, Akhaia, Argolis, Arkadhia, Arta, Attiki, Dhodhekanisos, Drama, Evritania, Evros, Evvoia, Florina, Fokis, Fthiotis, Grevena, Ilia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Kardhitsa, Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Khalkidhiki, Khania, Khios, Kikladhes, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lesvos, Levkas, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethimni, Rodhopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakinthos
Age structure 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 113,183; female 108,816)


15-64 years: 54.4% (male 144,157; female 140,769)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 8,058; female 8,634) (2004 est.)
0-14 years:
14.98% (male 820,219; female 771,466)

15-64 years:
67.3% (male 3,580,535; female 3,569,755)

65 years and over:
17.72% (male 834,234; female 1,047,626) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products
Airports 33 (2003 est.) 81 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total:
65

over 3,047 m:
6

2,438 to 3,047 m:
15

1,524 to 2,437 m:
19

914 to 1,523 m:
16

under 914 m:
9 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 31


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)
total:
16

over 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
Area total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
total:
131,940 sq km

land:
130,800 sq km

water:
1,140 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Alabama
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. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. In June 2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions. Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and territories with Greek-speaking populations. Following the defeat of communist rebels in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven years. Democratic elections in 1974 and a referendum created a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy; Greece joined the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992).
Birth rate 31.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 9.83 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $38 million


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001)
revenues:
$45 billion

expenditures:
$47.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Capital Honiara Athens
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers
Coastline 5,313 km 13,676 km
Constitution 7 July 1978 11 June 1975; amended March 1986
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
conventional long form:
Hellenic Republic

conventional short form:
Greece

local long form:
Elliniki Dhimokratia

local short form:
Ellas or Ellada

former:
Kingdom of Greece
Currency Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) drachma (GRD); euro (EUR)

note:
on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Greece (which entered the European Monetary Union on 1 January 2001) at a fixed rate of 340.750 drachmae per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002
Death rate 4.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 9.73 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $162.5 million (2001 est.) $57 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, Ambassador Robert W. FITTS, is accredited to the Solomon Islands chief of mission:
Ambassador R. Nicholas BURNS

embassy:
91 Vasilissis Sophias Boulevard, 10160 Athens

mailing address:
PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108

telephone:
[30] (1) 721-2951

FAX:
[30] (1) 645-6282

consulate(s) general:
Thessaloniki
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK


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 Alexandros PHILON

chancery:
2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 939-5800

FAX:
[1] (202) 939-5824

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

consulate(s):
Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans
Disputes - international Australian defense personnel are dispatched at the invitation of the Solomon Islands' Government to restore law and order on the islands and reinforce regional security complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Turkey in Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; dispute with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia over its name
Economic aid - recipient $28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2001 est.) $5.4 billion from EU (1997 est.)
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 disintegration of law and order left the economy in tatters by mid-2003, and on 24 July 2003 more than 2000 Australian soldiers entered the Solomon Islands to restore order and to facilitate the restoration of basic services. Greece has a mixed capitalist economy with the public sector accounting for about half of GDP. Tourism is a key industry, providing a large portion of GDP and foreign exchange earnings. Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 4% of GDP. The economy has improved steadily over the last few years, as the government has tightened policy in the run-up to Greece's entry into the EU's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 2001. In particular, Greece has cut its budget deficit to below 1% of GDP and tightened monetary policy, with the result that inflation fell from 20% in 1990 to 3.1% in 2000. Major challenges remaining include the reduction of unemployment and further restructuring of the economy, including the privatization of some leading state enterprises. Growth, 3.8% in 2000, may fall off to 3%-3.5% in 2001.
Electricity - consumption 29.76 million kWh (2001) 43.343 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 1.65 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 1.811 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 32 million kWh (2001) 46.432 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
89.6%

hydro:
9.72%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0.68% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


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

highest point:
Mount Olympus 2,917 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying air pollution; water pollution
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4% Greek 98%, other 2%

note:
the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in Greece
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999) drachmae per US dollar - 380.21 (December 2000), 365.40 (2000), 305.65 (1999), 295.53 (1998), 273.06 (1997), 240.71 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Sir 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 Konstandinos (Kostis) STEPHANOPOULOS (since 10 March 1995)

head of government:
Prime Minister Konstandinos SIMITIS (since 19 January 1996)

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister

elections:
president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 8 February 2000 (next to be held by NA March 2005); prime minister appointed by the president

election results:
Konstandinos STEPHANOPOULOS reelected president; percent of Parliament vote - 90%
Exports NA (2001) $15.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa manufactured goods, food and beverages, petroleum products
Exports - partners China 25.2%, South Korea 17.6%, Japan 13.4%, Philippines 8.4%, Singapore 5.9%, Thailand 5.9% (2003) EU 49% (Germany 15%, Italy 13%, UK 6%), US 6% (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 nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established religion of the country
GDP purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $181.9 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
agriculture:
8.3%

industry:
27.3%

services:
64.4% (1998)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -10% (2001 est.) 3.8% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 39 00 N, 22 00 E
Geography - note strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago of about 2,000 islands
Government - note June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the intervention of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament approved the request for intervention in July 2003; troops from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24 July 2003 -
Heliports - 2 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 1,360 km


paved: 34 km


unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)
total:
117,000 km

paved:
107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways)

unpaved:
9,594 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%:
3%

highest 10%:
25.3% (1993 est.)
Illicit drugs - a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece
Imports NA (2001) $33.9 billion (c.i.f., 2000)
Imports - commodities food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals manufactured goods, foodstuffs, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners Australia 29.7%, Singapore 21.9%, Fiji 4.7%, New Zealand 4.7% (2003) EU 66% (Italy 15%, Germany 15%, France 9%, UK 6%) (1999)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) 1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Industrial production growth rate NA 7% (2000 est.)
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal products; mining, petroleum
Infant mortality rate total: 22.09 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 25.15 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 18.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
6.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 9% (2002 est.) 3.1% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 27 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 13,140 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges appointed for life by the president after consultation with a judicial council
Labor force 26,840 (1999) 4.32 million (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) industry 21%, agriculture 20%, services 59% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total:
1,210 km

border countries:
Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 228 km
Land use arable land: 0.64%


permanent crops: 2%


other: 97.36% (2001)
arable land:
19%

permanent crops:
8%

permanent pastures:
41%

forests and woodland:
20%

other:
12% (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
Greek 99% (official), English, French
Legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts
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 not later than 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 Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
elections last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held by NA April 2004)

election results:
percent of vote by party - PASOK 43.8%, ND 42.7%, KKE 5.5%, Coalition of the Left and Progress 3.2%; seats by party - PASOK 158, ND 125, KKE 11, Coalition of the Left and Progress 6
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.38 years


male: 69.9 years


female: 74.98 years (2004 est.)
total population:
78.59 years

male:
76.03 years

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


total population: NA


male: NA


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

total population:
95%

male:
98%

female:
93% (1991 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Map references Oceania Europe
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea:
6 NM
Merchant marine none total:
780 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 25,564,988 GRT/44,761,916 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 272, cargo 55, chemical tanker 22, combination bulk 5, combination ore/oil 6, container 51, liquefied gas 5, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 255, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 20, short-sea passenger 63, specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 1

note:
includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: South Korea 1, UK 4 (2000 est.)
Military branches no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force, National Guard, Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA $6.12 billion (FY99/00 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 4.91% (FY99/00 est.)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
2,673,539 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
2,040,227 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 21 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
77,976 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Independence Day, 25 March (1821)
Nationality noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
noun:
Greek(s)

adjective:
Greek
Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity severe earthquakes
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel bauxite, lignite, magnesite, petroleum, marble, hydropower potential
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 1.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 26 km; petroleum products 547 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
Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Nikolaos KONSTANDOPOULOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Konstandinos SIMITIS]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 523,617 (July 2004 est.) 10,623,835 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate 2.76% (2004 est.) 0.21% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina Alexandroupolis, Elefsis, Irakleion (Crete), Kavala, Kerkyra, Chalkis, Igoumenitsa, Lavrion, Patrai, Peiraiefs (Piraeus), Thessaloniki, Volos
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios - 5.02 million (1997)
Railways - total:
2,548 km

standard gauge:
1,565 km 1.435-m gauge (36 km electrified; 23 km double track)

narrow gauge:
961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge (a rack-type railway for steep grades)
Religions Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.06 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment:
adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good mobile telephone and international service

domestic:
microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open wire connections; submarine cable to offshore islands

international:
tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use 6,600 (2002) 5.431 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,000 (2002) 937,700 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 0 (1997) 36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas or chains of islands
Total fertility rate 4.19 children born/woman (2004 est.) 1.33 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA 11.3% (2000 est.)
Waterways - 80 km

note:
system consists of three coastal canals including the Corinth Canal (6 km) which crosses the Isthmus of Corinth connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf and shortens the sea voyage from the Adriatic to Peiraiefs (Piraeus) by 325 km; there are also three unconnected rivers
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