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Compare Solomon Islands (2005) - Swaziland (2004)

Compare Solomon Islands (2005) z Swaziland (2004)

 Solomon Islands (2005)Swaziland (2004)
 Solomon IslandsSwaziland
Administrative divisions 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni
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: 41% (male 242,090; female 237,395)


15-64 years: 55.3% (male 323,004; female 324,029)


65 years and over: 3.7% (male 18,685; female 24,038) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep
Airports 33 (2004 est.) 18 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


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


2,438 to 3,047 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.)
total: 17


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)
Area total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
total: 17,363 sq km


land: 17,203 sq km


water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than New Jersey
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. Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured the monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS infection
Birth rate 30.74 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 28.55 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $49.7 million


expenditures: $75.1 million, including capital expenditures of $0 (2003)
revenues: $462.4 million


expenditures: $563.4 million, including capital expenditures of $147 million (2003)
Capital Honiara Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather varies from tropical to near temperate
Coastline 5,313 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 7 July 1978 a constitution was adopted 14 November 2003
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland


conventional short form: Swaziland
Currency - lilangeni (SZL)
Death rate 3.98 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 23.06 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $180.4 million (2002) $320 million (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 is accredited to the Solomon Islands chief of mission: Ambassador James D. McGEE


embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane


mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane


telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445


FAX: [268] 404-5959
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 Mary Madzandza KANYA


chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 362-6683


FAX: [1] (202) 244-8059
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.) $104 million (2001)
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. In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South Africa from which it receives about nine-tenths of its imports and to which it sends nearly three-quarters of its exports. Customs duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2002 because of drought, and more than one-third of the adult population was infected by HIV/AIDS.
Electricity - consumption 29.76 million kWh (2002) 962.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 639 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2001)
Electricity - production 32 million kWh (2002) 348.3 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m


highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil degradation; soil erosion
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census) African 97%, European 3%
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000) emalangeni per US dollar - 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000), 6.1095 (1999)
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: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)


head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14 November 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Exports NA NA (2001)
Exports - commodities timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit
Exports - partners China 27.8%, South Korea 17.1%, Thailand 15.7%, Japan 9.7%, Philippines 4.8% (2004) South Africa 72%, EU 14.2%, Mozambique 3.7%, US 3.5% (1999)
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 three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally
GDP - purchasing power parity - $5.702 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 16.2%


industry: 43.2%


services: 40.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.8% (2003 est.) 2.2% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 26 30 S, 31 30 E
Geography - note strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa
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.)
total: 3,247 km


paved: NA


unpaved: NA (1998)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 1%


highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)
Imports NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners Australia 24.6%, Singapore 23.1%, New Zealand 7.7%, Fiji 4.8%, Papua New Guinea 4.7% (2004) South Africa 88.8%, EU 5.6%, Japan 0.6%, Singapore 0.4% (1999)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) 6 September 1968 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA 3.7% (FY95/96)
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates, textile and apparel
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: 68.35 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 71.64 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 64.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10% (2003 est.) 7.3% (2003 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, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land NA 690 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the monarch
Labor force 26,840 (1999) 383,200 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) NA
Land boundaries 0 km total: 535 km


border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
Land use arable land: 0.64%


permanent crops: 2%


other: 97.36% (2001)
arable land: 10.35%


permanent crops: 0.7%


other: 88.95% (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
English (official, government business conducted in English), siSwati (official)
Legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2008)


election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.66 years


male: 70.16 years


female: 75.28 years (2005 est.)
total population: 37.54 years


male: 39.1 years


female: 35.94 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


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


total population: 81.6%


male: 82.6%


female: 80.8% (2003 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Map references Oceania Africa
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
none (landlocked)
Military branches no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army, including Air Wing)
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA $29 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 1.8% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 289,985 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 168,257 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Independence Day, 6 September (1968)
Nationality noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
noun: Swazi(s)


adjective: Swazi
Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity drought
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 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
political parties are banned by the constitution - the following are considered political associations; Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 538,032 (July 2005 est.) 1,169,241


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 40% (1995)
Population growth rate 2.68% (2005 est.) 0.55% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Honiara, Malloco Bay, Shortland Harbor, Viru Harbor, Yandina none
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004) AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001)
Railways - total: 301 km


narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2003)
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) Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%
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.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female


total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal 18 years of age
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system


domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and low-capacity, microwave radio relay


international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 6,600 (2002) 46,200 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,000 (2002) 88,000 (2003)
Television broadcast stations - 5 plus 7 relay stations (2001)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Total fertility rate 4.04 children born/woman (2005 est.) 3.81 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 34% (2000 est.)
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