Solomon Islands (2004) | Liechtenstein (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western | 11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz |
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: 18.1% (male 2,979; female 3,008)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 11,646; female 11,740) 65 years and over: 11.3% (male 1,538; female 2,234) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products |
Airports | 33 (2003 est.) | none (2002) |
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: 160 sq km
land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Maryland | about 0.9 times the size of 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. | The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. However, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money laundering. |
Birth rate | 31.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 10.92 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $38 million
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001) |
revenues: $424.2 million
expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | Honiara | Vaduz |
Climate | tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers |
Coastline | 5,313 km | 0 km (doubly landlocked) |
Constitution | 7 July 1978 | 5 October 1921 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands |
conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein |
Currency | Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) | Swiss franc (CHF) |
Death rate | 4.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 6.85 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $162.5 million (2001 est.) | $0 (2001) |
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 | the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein |
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 Claudia FRITSCHE
chancery: 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 550W, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 216-0460 FAX: [1] (202) 216-0459 |
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 | Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918 |
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. | Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and living standards on a par with its large European neighbors. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe. |
Electricity - consumption | 29.76 million kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 32 million kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 0%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m |
lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4% | Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14% |
Exchange rates | Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999) | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998) |
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: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968)
head of government: Head of Government Otmar HASLER (since 5 April 2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April 2001) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Parliament, confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch |
Exports | NA (2001) | $2.47 billion (1996) |
Exports - commodities | timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa | small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products |
Exports - partners | China 25.2%, South Korea 17.6%, Japan 13.4%, Philippines 8.4%, Singapore 5.9%, Thailand 5.9% (2003) | EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7% |
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 equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $825 million (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 42%
industry: 11% services: 47% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: 40% services: NA% (1999) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -10% (2001 est.) | 11% (1999 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 8 00 S, 159 00 E | 47 16 N, 9 32 E |
Geography - note | strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation |
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.) |
total: 250 km
paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | multilateral organizations engaged in issuing international guidelines for financial sector oversight found gaps in Liechtenstein's financial services controls that made it vulnerable to money laundering, but Liechtenstein has become less attractive as a haven for illicit funds, based on implementation in 2001 of new anti-money-laundering legislation and improved mutual legal assistance cooperation with other countries |
Imports | NA (2001) | $917.3 million (1996) |
Imports - commodities | food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals | agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles |
Imports - partners | Australia 29.7%, Singapore 21.9%, Fiji 4.7%, New Zealand 4.7% (2003) | EU, Switzerland |
Independence | 7 July 1978 (from UK) | 23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA% |
Industries | fish (tuna), mining, timber | electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism, optical instruments |
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.) |
total: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 9% (2002 est.) | 1% (2001) |
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, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WIPO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal | Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or Obergericht |
Labor force | 26,840 (1999) | 29,000 of which 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (37256) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) | industry 47.4%, services 51.3%, agriculture 1.3% (37256 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.64%
permanent crops: 2% other: 97.36% (2001) |
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (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 |
German (official), Alemannic dialect |
Legal system | English common law, which is widely disregarded | local civil and penal codes; 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 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 Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 49.90%, VU 41.35%, FL 8.71%; seats by party - FBP 13, VU 11, FL 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 72.38 years
male: 69.9 years female: 74.98 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 79.25 years
male: 75.63 years female: 82.87 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1981 est.) |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland |
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 Switzerland |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 7 July (1978) | Assumption Day, 15 August |
Nationality | noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander |
noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
adjective: Liechtenstein |
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 | hydroelectric potential, arable land |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 4.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 20 km (2003) |
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 |
Fatherland Union or VU [Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Ernst WALCH]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Karin JENNY, Rene HASLER] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 523,617 (July 2004 est.) | 33,145 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.76% (2004 est.) | 0.9% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | - | total: 18.5 km
standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) note: owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways (2002) |
Religions | Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% | Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2% (June 2002) |
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 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: automatic telephone system
domestic: NA international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay |
Telephones - main lines in use | 6,600 (2002) | 20,072 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,000 (2002) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (1997) | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third |
Total fertility rate | 4.19 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 1.5 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA | 1.3% (37500) |
Waterways | - | none |