Compare Solomon Islands (2004) - Holy See (Vatican City) (2005)

Compare Solomon Islands (2004) z Holy See (Vatican City) (2005)

	Solomon Islands (2004)	Holy See (Vatican City) (2005)

Administrative divisions	9 provinces and 1 capital territory; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western	none
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.)	-
Agriculture - products	cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish	-
Airports	33 (2003 est.)	none (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 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.)	-
Area	total: 28,450 sq km land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km	total: 0.44 sq km land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Maryland	about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
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.	Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the Middle East, terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.
Birth rate	31.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $38 million expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001)	revenues: $245.2 million expenditures: $260.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2002)
Capital	Honiara	Vatican City
Climate	tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather	temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)
Coastline	5,313 km	0 km (landlocked)
Constitution	7 July 1978	new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929)
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands	conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
Currency	Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)	-
Death rate	4.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-
Debt - external	$162.5 million (2001 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 (vacant) embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346
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: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036
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	none
Economic aid - recipient	$28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2001 est.)	none
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.	This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world (known as Peter's Pence); by the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by the sale of publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
Electricity - consumption	29.76 million kWh (2001)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	0 kWh
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
Electricity - production	32 million kWh (2001)	NA kWh
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m	lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 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, 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: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups	Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%	Italians, Swiss, other
Exchange rates	Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999)	euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)
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: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005) head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 1 December 1990) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI
Exports	NA (2001)	0 kWh
Exports - commodities	timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa	-
Exports - partners	China 25.2%, South Korea 17.6%, Japan 13.4%, Philippines 8.4%, Singapore 5.9%, Thailand 5.9% (2003)	-
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	two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band
GDP	purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 42% industry: 11% services: 47% (2000 est.)	-
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	-10% (2001 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	8 00 S, 159 00 E	41 54 N, 12 27 E
Geography - note	strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea	urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights
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	-
Highways	total: 1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)	none; all city streets
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	NA (2001)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
Imports - commodities	food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals	-
Imports - partners	Australia 29.7%, Singapore 21.9%, Fiji 4.7%, New Zealand 4.7% (2003)	-
Independence	7 July 1978 (from UK)	11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century
Industrial production growth rate	NA	-
Industries	fish (tuna), mining, timber	printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
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.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	9% (2002 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	CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer), WTO (observer)
Irrigated land	NA sq km	0 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Court of Appeal	there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius XII on 1 May 1946
Labor force	26,840 (1999)	NA
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.)	essentially services with a small amount of industry; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Land use	arable land: 0.64% permanent crops: 2% other: 97.36% (2001)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001)
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	Italian, Latin, French, various other languages
Legal system	English common law, which is widely disregarded	based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it
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 Pontifical Commission
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 72.38 years male: 69.9 years female: 74.98 years (2004 est.)	-
Literacy	definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA	definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%
Location	Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea	Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Map references	Oceania	Europe
Maritime claims	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm	none (landlocked)
Merchant marine	none	-
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard
Military branches	no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)	Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	NA	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	NA	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 7 July (1978)	Coronation Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 24 April (2005)
Nationality	noun: Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander	noun: none adjective: none
Natural hazards	typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity	NA
Natural resources	fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel	none
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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	none
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
Population	523,617 (July 2004 est.)	921 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	NA%
Population growth rate	2.76% (2004 est.)	0.01% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)
Religions	Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%	Roman Catholic
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.)	-
Suffrage	21 years of age; universal	limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)	general assessment: automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system international: country code - 39; uses Italian system
Telephones - main lines in use	6,600 (2002)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	1,000 (2002)	NA
Television broadcast stations	0 (1997)	1 (1996)
Terrain	mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls	low hill
Total fertility rate	4.19 children born/woman (2004 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	NA	-

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