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Compare Solomon Islands (2005) - Cook Islands (2007)

Compare Solomon Islands (2005) z Cook Islands (2007)

 Solomon Islands (2005)Cook Islands (2007)
 Solomon IslandsCook Islands
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: 41.9% (male 114,860/female 110,404)


15-64 years: 54.9% (male 149,400/female 145,970)


65 years and over: 3.2% (male 8,371/female 9,027) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 34.1% (male 2,718/female 2,388)


15-64 years: 59.5% (male 4,531/female 4,395)


65 years and over: 6.4% (male 489/female 469) (2001 census)
Agriculture - products cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry
Airports 33 (2004 est.) 9 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


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


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007)
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: 7


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
total: 236.7 sq km


land: 236.7 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland 1.3 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. Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965, residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are continuing problems.
Birth rate 30.74 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 21 births/1,000 population (2001 census)
Budget revenues: $49.7 million


expenditures: $75.1 million, including capital expenditures of $0 (2003)
revenues: $70.95 million


expenditures: $69.05 million (FY05/06)
Capital Honiara name: Avarua


geographic coordinates: 21 12 S, 159 46 W


time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather tropical oceanic; moderated by trade winds; a dry season from April to November and a more humid season from December to March
Coastline 5,313 km 120 km
Constitution 7 July 1978 4 August 1965
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Cook Islands


former: Harvey Islands
Death rate 3.98 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) NA
Debt - external $180.4 million (2002) $141 million (1996 est.)
Dependency status - self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands
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 is accredited to the Solomon Islands none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
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 (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)
Disputes - international Australian Defense Force leads the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) at the invitation of the Solomon Islands' Government to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security none
Economic aid - recipient $28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2003 est.) $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater part (1995)
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. Prior to the arrival of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), severe ethnic violence, the closing of key businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI has enabled a return to law and order, a new period of economic stability, and modest growth as the economy rebuilds. Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, employing about one-third of the working population, provides the economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Black pearls are the Cook Islands' leading export. Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.
Electricity - consumption 29.76 million kWh (2002) 27.9 million kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 32 million kWh (2002) 30 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


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


highest point: Te Manga 652 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census) Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census)
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000) NZ dollars per US dollar - 1.5408 (2006), 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002)
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 ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New Zealand High Commissioner John BRYAN (since 6 September 2005), representative of New Zealand


head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005)


cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively responsible to Parliament


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister
Exports NA NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing
Exports - partners China 27.8%, South Korea 17.1%, Thailand 15.7%, Japan 9.7%, Philippines 4.8% (2004) Australia 34%, Japan 27%, NZ 25%, US 8% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
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 blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 15.1%


industry: 9.6%


services: 75.3% (2004)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 5.8% (2003 est.) 0.1% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 21 14 S, 159 46 W
Geography - note strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands, where most of the population lives, consist of eight elevated, fertile, volcanic isles, including the largest, Rarotonga, at 67 sq km
Government - note June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allan 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. By the end of 2004 the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) had been scaled back to 302 police officers and 120 military in addition to civilian technical advisors. -
Highways total: 1,360 km


paved: 34 km


unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Imports NA NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods
Imports - partners Australia 24.6%, Singapore 23.1%, New Zealand 7.7%, Fiji 4.8%, Papua New Guinea 4.7% (2004) NZ 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2006)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)
Industrial production growth rate NA 1% (2002)
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate total: 21.29 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 24.27 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 18.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: NA


male: NA


female: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10% (2003 est.) 2.1% (2005 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 ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, ITUC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Irrigated land NA NA
Judicial branch Court of Appeal High Court
Labor force 26,840 (1999) 6,820 (2001)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) agriculture: 29%


industry: 15%


services: 56% (1995)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 0.64%


permanent crops: 2%


other: 97.36% (2001)
arable land: 16.67%


permanent crops: 8.33%


other: 75% (2005)
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), Maori
Legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded based on New Zealand law and English common law
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
bicameral Parliament consisting of a Legislative Assembly (or lower house) (25 seats, 24 seats representing districts of the Cook Islands, 1 seat representing Cook Islanders living overseas; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a House of Ariki (or upper house) made up of traditional leaders


note: the House of Ariki advises on traditional matters and maintains considerable influence but has no legislative powers


elections: last held 26 September 2006 (next to be held by 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - Demo 51.9%, CIP 45.5%, independent 2.7%; seats by party - Demo 15, CIP 8, independent 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.66 years


male: 70.16 years


female: 75.28 years (2005 est.)
total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition: NA


total population: 95%


male: NA%


female: NA%
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references Oceania Oceania
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine - total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 112,129 GRT/126,160 DWT


by type: cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 11 (Norway 1, NZ 1, Sweden 9) (2007)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request
Military branches no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) no regular military forces; National Police Department (2007)
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA -
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)
Nationality noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
noun: Cook Islander(s)


adjective: Cook Islander
Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity typhoons (November to March)
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel NEGL
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -
People - note - 2001 census counted a resident population of 15,017
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
Cook Islands Party or CIP [Henry PUNA]; Democratic Party or Demo [Dr. Terepai MAOATE]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 538,032 (July 2005 est.) 21,750 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate 2.68% (2005 est.) -1.2% between 1996-2001 (2001 census)
Ports and harbors Honiara, Malloco Bay, Shortland Harbor, Viru Harbor, Yandina -
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004) AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Religions Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census) Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%, Seventh-Day Adventists 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census)
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 (2005 est.)
1.07 male(s)/female (2001 census)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal NA years of age; universal (adult)
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex


domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and fiber-optic cable


international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 6,600 (2002) 6,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,000 (2002) 1,500 (2002)
Television broadcast stations - 1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south
Total fertility rate 4.04 children born/woman (2005 est.) 3.1 children born/woman (2001 census)
Unemployment rate NA% 13.1% (2005)
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