Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Solomon Islands (2005) - Syria (2001)

Compare Solomon Islands (2005) z Syria (2001)

 Solomon Islands (2005)Syria (2001)
 Solomon IslandsSyria
Administrative divisions 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus
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:
39.92% (male 3,440,060; female 3,238,576)

15-64 years:
56.87% (male 4,868,816; female 4,644,870)

65 years and over:
3.21% (male 261,036; female 275,450) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk
Airports 33 (2004 est.) 100 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total:
24

over 3,047 m:
5

2,438 to 3,047 m:
16

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
2 (2000 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:
76

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
11

under 914 m:
63 (2000 est.)
Area total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
total:
185,180 sq km

land:
184,050 sq km

water:
1,130 sq km

note:
includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly larger than North Dakota
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. Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights.
Birth rate 30.74 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 30.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $49.7 million


expenditures: $75.1 million, including capital expenditures of $0 (2003)
revenues:
$2.25 billion

expenditures:
$5.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Honiara Damascus
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically hitting Damascus
Coastline 5,313 km 193 km
Constitution 7 July 1978 13 March 1973
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
conventional long form:
Syrian Arab Republic

conventional short form:
Syria

local long form:
Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

local short form:
Suriyah

former:
United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
Currency - Syrian pound (SYP)
Death rate 3.98 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 5.21 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $180.4 million (2002) $22 billion (2000 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 Ryan C. CROCKER

embassy:
Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus

mailing address:
P. O. Box 29, Damascus

telephone:
[963] (11) 333-2814

FAX:
[963] (11) 224-7938
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 Rustum al-ZU'BI

chancery:
2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 232-6313

FAX:
[1] (202) 234-9548
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 Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; dispute with upstream riparian Turkey over Turkish water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976
Economic aid - recipient $28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2003 est.) $199 million (1997 est.)
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. Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a shaky footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive economic reform. The dominant agricultural sector remains underdeveloped, with roughly 80% of agricultural land still dependent on rain-fed sources. Although Syria has sufficient water supplies in the aggregate at normal levels of precipitation, the great distance between major water supplies and population centers poses serious distribution problems. The water problem is exacerbated by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution. Private investment is critical to the modernization of the agricultural, energy, and export sectors. Oil production is leveling off, and the efforts of the nonoil sector to penetrate international markets have fallen short. Syria's inadequate infrastructure, outmoded technological base, and weak educational system make it vulnerable to future shocks and hamper competition with neighbors such as Jordan and Israel. The government recognizes the need to open the economy to additional domestic and foreign investment.
Electricity - consumption 29.76 million kWh (2002) 16.684 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 32 million kWh (2002) 17.94 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
57.64%

hydro:
42.36%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
lowest point:
unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m

highest point:
Mount Hermon 2,814 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable water
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, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census) Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000) Syrian pounds per US dollar - 46 (2000), 46 (1998), 41.9 (January 1997)
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 Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)

head of government:
Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa MIRU (since 13 March 2000), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Khalid RA'D (since 13 March 2000), Muhammad NAJI 'UTRI (since 13 March 2000)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of President Hafez al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held NA 2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

election results:
Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%

note:
Hafiz al-ASAD died 10 June 2000; 20 June 2000 the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council 25 June 2000
Exports NA $4.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa petroleum 65%, textiles 10%, manufactured goods 10%, fruits and vegetables 7%, raw cotton 5%, live sheep 2%, phosphates 1% (1998 est.)
Exports - partners China 27.8%, South Korea 17.1%, Thailand 15.7%, Japan 9.7%, Philippines 4.8% (2004) Germany 21%, Italy 12%, France 10%, Saudi Arabia 9%, Turkey 8% (1999 est.)
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 three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band
GDP - purchasing power parity - $50.9 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
agriculture:
29%

industry:
22%

services:
49% (1997)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.8% (2003 est.) 3.5% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 35 00 N, 38 00 E
Geography - note strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1999 est.)
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. -
Heliports - 2 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 1,360 km


paved: 34 km


unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)
total:
41,451 km

paved:
9,575 km (including 877 km of expressways)

unpaved:
31,876 km (1997)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs - a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets
Imports NA $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals machinery and equipment 23%, foodstuffs/animals 20%, metal and metal products 15%, textiles 10%, chemicals 10% (1998 est.)
Imports - partners Australia 24.6%, Singapore 23.1%, New Zealand 7.7%, Fiji 4.8%, Papua New Guinea 4.7% (2004) France 11%, Italy 8%, Germany 7%, Turkey 5%, China 4% (1999 est.)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)
Industrial production growth rate NA NA%
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining
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.)
33.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 10% (2003 est.) 1.5% (2000 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 ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land NA 9,060 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts
Labor force 26,840 (1999) 4.7 million (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1996 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total:
2,253 km

border countries:
Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
Land use arable land: 0.64%


permanent crops: 2%


other: 97.36% (2001)
arable land:
28%

permanent crops:
4%

permanent pastures:
43%

forests and woodland:
3%

other:
22% (1993 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
Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood
Legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious 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
unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, non-NPF 33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receive one-half of the seats
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.66 years


male: 70.16 years


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

male:
67.63 years

female:
69.98 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA%


male: NA%


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

total population:
70.8%

male:
85.7%

female:
55.8% (1997 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey
Map references Oceania Middle East
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
contiguous zone:
41 NM

territorial sea:
35 NM
Merchant marine - total:
133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 425,392 GRT/612,097 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 11, cargo 117, livestock carrier 4, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA $921 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 5.9% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
4,384,528 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
2,448,630 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 19 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
200,859 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Independence Day, 17 April (1946)
Nationality noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
noun:
Syrian(s)

adjective:
Syrian
Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity dust storms, sandstorms
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km
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
National Progressive Front or NPF (includes the Ba'th Party, ASU, Arab Socialist Party, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party, ASP, SCP) [President Bashar al-ASAD]; Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National Progressive Front after the death of Hafiz al-ASAD on 10 June 2000]; Arab Socialist Unionist Movement or ASU [Sami SOUFAN]; Arab Socialist Party [Abd al-Ghani KANNUT]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Ahmad al-ASAD]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan KOUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in Jordan and Yemen); non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence
Population 538,032 (July 2005 est.) 16,728,808

note:
in addition, there are about 38,200 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 18,200 Arabs (16,500 Druze and 1,700 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 15%-25%
Population growth rate 2.68% (2005 est.) 2.54% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Honiara, Malloco Bay, Shortland Harbor, Viru Harbor, Yandina Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004) AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios - 4.15 million (1997)
Railways - total:
2,750 km

standard gauge:
2,423 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge:
327 km 1.050-m gauge

note:
rail link between Syria and Iraq replaced in 2000 (2000)
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) Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)
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:
1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.06 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.05 male(s)/female (2001 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:
fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology

domestic:
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network

international:
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
Telephones - main lines in use 6,600 (2002) 1.313 million (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1,000 (2002) NA
Television broadcast stations - 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west
Total fertility rate 4.04 children born/woman (2005 est.) 3.95 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 20% (2000 est.)
Waterways - 870 km (minimal economic importance)
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.