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Compare Solomon Islands (2006) - Rwanda (2007)

Compare Solomon Islands (2006) z Rwanda (2007)

 Solomon Islands (2006)Rwanda (2007)
 Solomon IslandsRwanda
Administrative divisions 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western 5 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in Kinyarwanda - prefigintara for singular and plural); East, Kigali, North, South, West
Age structure 0-14 years: 41.3% (male 116,370/female 111,834)


15-64 years: 55.4% (male 154,793/female 151,308)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 8,696/female 9,437) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 41.9% (male 2,082,474/female 2,065,251)


15-64 years: 55.7% (male 2,748,189/female 2,765,767)


65 years and over: 2.5% (male 98,796/female 147,032) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock
Airports 35 (2006) 9 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 33


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 23 (2006)
total: 5


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Area total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
total: 26,338 sq km


land: 24,948 sq km


water: 1,390 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Maryland
Background The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on this archipelago. 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. In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions, culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the former Zaire. Since then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but several thousand remained in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (the former Zaire) and formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in August and September 2003 - the country continues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output, and ethnic reconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived Tutsi political dominance. Kigali's increasing centralization and intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to hinder Rwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.
Birth rate 30.01 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 40.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $49.7 million


expenditures: $75.1 million; including capital expenditures of NA (2003)
revenues: $682.4 million


expenditures: $714.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
Capital name: Honiara


geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E


time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Kigali


geographic coordinates: 1 57 S, 30 04 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible
Coastline 5,313 km 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 7 July 1978 new constitution passed by referendum 26 May 2003
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


local long form: none


local short form: Solomon Islands


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


conventional short form: Rwanda


local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda


local short form: Rwanda


former: Ruanda, German East Africa
Death rate 3.92 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 14.91 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $166 million (2004) $1.4 billion (2004 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 Michael ARIETTI


embassy: 337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali


mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali


telephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03


FAX: [250] 57 2128
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 Zac NSENGA


chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882


FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544
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 fighting among ethnic groups - loosely associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces in Great Lakes region transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda - abated substantially from a decade ago due largely to UN peacekeeping, international mediation, and efforts by local governments to create civil societies; nonetheless, 57,000 Rwandan refugees still reside in 21 African states, including Zambia, Gabon, and 20,000 who fled to Burundi in 2005 and 2006 to escape drought and recriminations from traditional courts investigating the 1994 massacres; the 2005 DROC and Rwanda border verification mechanism to stem rebel actions on both sides of the border remains in place
Economic aid - recipient $122 million annually, mainly from Australia (2004 est.) $576 million (2005)
Economy - overview The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of its 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. Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely populated country in Africa and is landlocked with few natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded the country's ability to attract private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded and inflation has been curbed. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace with population growth, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid money and obtained IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in 2005-06. Rwanda also received Millennium Challenge Account Threshold status in 2006. Kigali's high defense expenditures have caused tension between the government and international donors and lending agencies. Energy shortages, instability in neighboring states, and lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries continue to handicap growth.
Electricity - consumption 51.15 million kWh (2003) 198.4 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 10 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 120 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 55 million kWh (2003) 95 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m


highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching
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, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


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) Hutu (Bantu) 84%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 15%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001) Rwandan francs per US dollar - 560 (2006), 610 (2005), 574.62 (2004), 537.66 (2003), 476.33 (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 Manasseh SOGAVARE (since 4 May 2006); note - Prime Minister Snyder RINI, elected on 18 April 2006 and sworn in on 20 April 2006, resigned on 26 April prior to no confidence vote in parliament; SOGAVARE elected on 4 May


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 (eligible for a second term); 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 Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)


head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March 2000)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: President elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%, Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%
Exports NA bbl/day NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa coffee, tea, hides, tin ore
Exports - partners China 40.7%, South Korea 13.2%, Thailand 6.9%, Japan 6.3%, Philippines 4.5%, Italy 4.1% (2005) China 10.3%, Germany 9.7%, US 4.3% (2006)
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 horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue band
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 39.9%


industry: 20.3%


services: 39.7% (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.4% (2005 est.) 5.8% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 2 00 S, 30 00 E
Geography - note strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the population predominantly rural
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, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24 July 2003; by 2006, the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) had been scaled back to 259 police officers and 20 military, in addition to civilian technical advisers; in response to rioting that broke out in mid-April 2006, Australia dispatched an addtional 220 troops and 70 police officers to help restore order -
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 2.1%


highest 10%: 38.2% (2000)
Imports NA bbl/day NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products, cement and construction material
Imports - partners Australia 25.8%, Singapore 25.3%, NZ 4.6%, Fiji 4.2%, Papua New Guinea 4.1% (2005) Kenya 19.6%, Germany 7.8%, Uganda 6.8%, Belgium 5.1% (2006)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) 1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 7% (2001 est.)
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap, furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes
Infant mortality rate total: 20.63 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 23.54 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 17.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
total: 85.27 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 90.41 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 79.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.6% (2005 est.) 8.8% (2006 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, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land NA 90 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts; District Courts; mediation committees
Labor force 249,200 (1999) 4.6 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 75%


industry: 5%


services: 20% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 90%


industry and services: 10% (2000)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 893 km


border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km
Land use arable land: 0.62%


permanent crops: 2.04%


other: 97.34% (2005)
arable land: 45.56%


permanent crops: 10.25%


other: 44.19% (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
Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers
Legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; 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 April 2006 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - National Party 6.9%, SIPRA 6.3%, Democratic 4.9%, PAP 6.3%, LAFARI 2.8%, Liberal 5%, SOCRED 4.3%, independents 60.3%; seats by party - National Party 4, SIPRA 4, Democratic 3, PAP 3, LAFARI 2, Liberal 2, SOCRED 2, independents 30
bicameral Parliament consists of Senate (26 seats; 12 members elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 by the Political Organizations Forum, 2 represent institutions of higher learning; to serve eight-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies (80 seats; 53 members elected by popular vote, 24 women elected by local bodies, 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; to serve five-year terms)


elections: Senate - members appointed as part of the transitional government (next to be held in 2011); Chamber of Deputies - last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held in 2008)


election results: seats by party under the 2003 Constitution - RPF 40, PSD 7, PL 6, additional 27 members indirectly elected
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.91 years


male: 70.4 years


female: 75.55 years (2006 est.)
total population: 48.99 years


male: 47.87 years


female: 50.16 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


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


total population: 70.4%


male: 76.3%


female: 64.7% (2003 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
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) Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure NA -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP NA 2.9% (2006 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Nationality noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
noun: Rwandan(s)


adjective: Rwandan
Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane, hydropower, arable land
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) 2.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
People - note - Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa
Political parties and leaders Association of Independent Members or AIM [Thomas CHAN]; Christian Alliance Solomon Islands or CASI [Edward RONIA]; LAFARI Party [John GARO]; National Party [Francis HILLY]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Sir Allan KEMAKEZA]; Social Credit Party or SOCRED [Manasseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon First Party [David QUAN]; Solomon Islands Democratic Party [Gabriel SURI]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; Solomon Islands Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Job D. TAUSINGA]; United Party [Sir Peter KENILOREA]


note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions
Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic Republican Movement or MDR [Celestin KABANDA] (officially banned); Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL [Prosper HIGIRO]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned); Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM); Malaita Eagle Force (MEF); note - these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon Islands in a wave of violence from 1999 to 2003 IBUKA - association of genocide survivors
Population 552,438 (July 2006 est.) 9,907,509


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 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 60% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 2.61% (2006 est.) 2.766% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004) AM 0, FM 8 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of repeaters, three international FM programs include the BBC, VOA, and Deutchewelle), shortwave 1 (2005)
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) Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)
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: 0.92 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.008 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.994 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.672 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2007 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: telephone system primarily serves business and government


domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF radiotelephone


international: country code - 250; international connections employ microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax service)
Telephones - main lines in use 7,400 (2005) 22,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 6,000 (2005) 290,000 (2005)
Television broadcast stations - 2 (2004)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with altitude declining from west to east
Total fertility rate 3.91 children born/woman (2006 est.) 5.37 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% NA%
Waterways - Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2006)
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