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Compare Solomon Islands (2004) - Mauritius (2003)

Compare Solomon Islands (2004) z Mauritius (2003)

 Solomon Islands (2004)Mauritius (2003)
 Solomon IslandsMauritius
Administrative divisions 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western 9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne
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: 25.1% (male 153,401; female 150,399)


15-64 years: 68.5% (male 413,660; female 415,534)


65 years and over: 6.4% (male 30,673; female 46,780) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish
Airports 33 (2003 est.) 5 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
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: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Area total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
total: 2,040 sq km


land: 2,030 sq km


water: 10 sq km


note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint Brandon), and Rodrigues
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland almost 11 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. Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community.
Birth rate 31.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 16.1 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $38 million


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001)
revenues: $1.1 billion


expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)
Capital Honiara Port Louis
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)
Coastline 5,313 km 177 km
Constitution 7 July 1978 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius


conventional short form: Mauritius
Currency Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) Mauritian rupee (MUR)
Death rate 4.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $162.5 million (2001 est.) $2.4 billion (2002 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 John PRICE


embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis


mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2450


telephone: [230] 202-4400


FAX: [230] 208-9534
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 Usha JEETAH


chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492


FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983
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 Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation in 2001; claims French-administered Tromelin Island
Economic aid - recipient $28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2001 est.) $42 million (1997)
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. Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25% of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on foreign investment. Mauritius has attracted more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector and responsible fiscal management, has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The government is encouraging foreign investment in the information technology field.
Electricity - consumption 29.76 million kWh (2001) 1.219 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 32 million kWh (2001) 1.311 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 90.8%


hydro: 9.2%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


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


highest point: Mont Piton 828 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying water pollution, degradation of coral reefs
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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


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% Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian 2%
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999) Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 29.96 (2002), 29.13 (2001), 26.25 (2000), 25.19 (1999), 23.99 (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: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October 2003) and Vice President (vacant; a new Vice President will be determined by assembly elections on NA December 2003)


head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September 2003)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly


election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly - NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN and Raouf BUNDHUN stepped down on 30 September 2003
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses
Exports - partners China 25.2%, South Korea 17.6%, Japan 13.4%, Philippines 8.4%, Singapore 5.9%, Thailand 5.9% (2003) UK 27.7%, France 25.5%, US 16.4%, Madagascar 6.2%, Belgium 5% (2002)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
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 four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green
GDP purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $12.15 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 6%


industry: 33%


services: 61% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $10,100 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -10% (2001 est.) 2.3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 20 17 S, 57 33 E
Geography - note strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs
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: 1,926 km


paved: 1,868 km (including 44 km of expressways)


unpaved: 58 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners Australia 29.7%, Singapore 21.9%, Fiji 4.7%, New Zealand 4.7% (2003) France 18.4%, South Africa 13.5%, India 7.8%, China 4.5%, UK 4.2% (2002)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) 12 March 1968 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA 8% (2000 est.)
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical machinery; tourism
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: 16.11 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 18.98 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 13.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 9% (2002 est.) 6.4% (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 ACCT, ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 2 (2000)
Irrigated land NA sq km 200 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal Supreme Court
Labor force 26,840 (1999) 514,000 (1995)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) construction and industry 36%, services 24%, agriculture and fishing 14%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, transportation and communication 7%, finance 3% (1995)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 0.64%


permanent crops: 2%


other: 97.36% (2001)
arable land: 49.26%


permanent crops: 2.96%


other: 47.78% (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
English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri
Legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas
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 National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms)


elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held by September 2005)


election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD 36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.38 years


male: 69.9 years


female: 74.98 years (2004 est.)
total population: 71.8 years


male: 67.82 years


female: 75.85 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


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


total population: 85.6%


male: 88.6%


female: 82.7% (2003 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar
Map references Oceania Political Map of the World
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine none total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,455 GRT/27,102 DWT


ships by type: cargo 1, combination bulk 4, passenger/cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 2


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:, Belgium 1, India 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 2 (2002 est.)
Military branches no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA $9.712 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 0.2% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 341,029 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 171,556 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Nationality noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
noun: Mauritian(s)


adjective: Mauritian
Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel arable land, fish
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -0.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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
Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Social Democrat Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA various labor unions
Population 523,617 (July 2004 est.) 1,210,447 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 10% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 2.76% (2004 est.) 0.84% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina Port Louis
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002)
Railways - 0 km
Religions Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% Hindu 52%, Christian 28.3% (Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 2.3%), Muslim 16.6%, other 3.1%
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: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 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: small system with good service


domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF radiotelephone links to several countries
Telephones - main lines in use 6,600 (2002) 280,900 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,000 (2002) 180,000 (2000)
Television broadcast stations 0 (1997) 2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau
Total fertility rate 4.19 children born/woman (2004 est.) 1.98 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate NA 8.8% (2002 est.)
Waterways - none
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