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Compare Solomon Islands (2004) - Netherlands Antilles (2003)

Compare Solomon Islands (2004) z Netherlands Antilles (2003)

 Solomon Islands (2004)Netherlands Antilles (2003)
 Solomon IslandsNetherlands Antilles
Administrative divisions 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)


note: each island has its own government
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: 24.7% (male 27,383; female 26,122)


15-64 years: 67.1% (male 69,233; female 75,956)


65 years and over: 8.1% (male 7,244; female 10,288) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
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: 5


over 3,047 m: 1


2038 to 3047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 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.)
-
Area total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
total: 960 sq km


land: 960 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland more than five 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. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is shared with France; its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe, and its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles.
Birth rate 31.6 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 15.76 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $38 million


expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001)
revenues: $710.8 million


expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Capital Honiara Willemstad
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
Coastline 5,313 km 364 km
Constitution 7 July 1978 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles


local long form: none


local short form: Nederlandse Antillen


former: Curacao and Dependencies
Currency Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)
Death rate 4.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $162.5 million (2001 est.) $1.35 billion (1996)
Dependency status - part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
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: Consul General Deborah A. BOLTON


consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao


mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao


telephone: [599] (9) 4613066


FAX: [599] (9) 4616489
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
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
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.) IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 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. 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. Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined or remained even in each of the past six years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.
Electricity - consumption 29.76 million kWh (2001) 986.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 32 million kWh (2001) 1.061 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


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


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


highest point: Mount Scenery 862 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
-
Ethnic groups Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4% mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000), 4.8381 (1999) Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999), 1.79 (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: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Mirna LOUISA-GODETT (since 11 August 2003)


cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten


elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the Staten; election last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held by NA 2006)


note: government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa petroleum products
Exports - partners China 25.2%, South Korea 17.6%, Japan 13.4%, Philippines 8.4%, Singapore 5.9%, Thailand 5.9% (2003) US 20.9%, Guatemala 12%, Venezuela 10.5%, Guyana 6.6%, Singapore 4.4%, Cuba 4% (2002)
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 white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
GDP purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 1%


industry: 15%


services: 84% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -10% (2001 est.) 0% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 12 15 N, 68 45 W
Geography - note strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao)
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: 600 km


paved: 300 km


unpaved: 300 km
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Imports - partners Australia 29.7%, Singapore 21.9%, Fiji 4.7%, New Zealand 4.7% (2003) Venezuela 60.8%, Mexico 11.7%, US 9.7% (2002)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Industrial production growth rate NA NA%
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
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: 10.71 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 9.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 9% (2002 est.) 0.4% (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 Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 6
Irrigated land NA sq km NA sq km
Judicial branch Court of Appeal Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
Labor force 26,840 (1999) 89,000
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 10.2 km


border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km
Land use arable land: 0.64%


permanent crops: 2%


other: 97.36% (2001)
arable land: 10%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 90% (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
Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish
Legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
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 States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FOL 5, PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP-St.M 2, UPB 2, DP 1, MAN 1, PDB 1, WIPM 1


note: the government of Prime Minister Mirna LOUISA-GODETT is a coalition of several parties; current seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, FOL 2, MAN 2, UPB 2, DP-St. M 2, PDB 1, SEA 1, WIPM 1, other 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.38 years


male: 69.9 years


female: 74.98 years (2004 est.)
total population: 75.38 years


male: 73.16 years


female: 77.7 years (2003 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


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


total population: 96.7%


male: 96.7%


female: 96.8% (2003 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela; the other is east of the Virgin Islands
Map references Oceania Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine none total: 147 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,122,189 GRT/1,398,649 DWT


ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 56, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, combination ore/oil 3, container 27, liquefied gas 5, multi-functional large-load carrier 15, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 8, specialized tanker 1


note: includes foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 3, Denmark 2, Germany 43, Monaco 8, Netherlands 52, New Zealand 1, Norway 3, Peru 1, Spain 1, Sweden 3, UK 5 (2002 est.)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Military branches no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force, National Guard, Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA -
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 55,155 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 30,840 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 20 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 1,643 (2003 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April
Nationality noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
noun: Dutch Antillean(s)


adjective: Dutch Antillean
Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -0.41 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
Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Miguel POURIER]; C 93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or FAME [Eric LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol COVA]; National People's Party or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramon BOOI]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.]; People's Party or PAPU [Richard Hodi]; Pro Curacao Party or PPK [Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor Movement [Steve HASSELL]; Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius Alliance or SEA [Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative People's Party or Sapp [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS [Benny DEMEI]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will JOHNSTON]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald LAK, Editha WRIGHT]


note: political parties are indigenous to each island
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 523,617 (July 2004 est.) 216,226 (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 Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad
Radio broadcast stations AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
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% Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist
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: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.92 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: generally adequate facilities


domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links


international: submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 6,600 (2002) 76,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,000 (2002) 13,977 (1996)
Television broadcast stations 0 (1997) 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (1997)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls generally hilly, volcanic interiors
Total fertility rate 4.19 children born/woman (2004 est.) 2.04 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate NA 15% (1998 est.)
Waterways - none
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