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Compare Solomon Islands (2007) - French Guiana (2004)

Compare Solomon Islands (2007) z French Guiana (2004)

 Solomon Islands (2007)French Guiana (2004)
 Solomon IslandsFrench Guiana
Administrative divisions 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western none (overseas department of France)
Age structure 0-14 years: 40.7% (male 117,739/female 113,125)


15-64 years: 55.9% (male 160,310/female 156,773)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 9,036/female 9,859) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 29.6% (male 28,959; female 27,657)


15-64 years: 64.5% (male 66,388; female 57,020)


65 years and over: 5.9% (male 5,736; female 5,549) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry
Airports 35 (2007) 11 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
total: 4


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 33


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 23 (2007)
total: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
Area total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
total: 91,000 sq km


land: 89,150 sq km


water: 1,850 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Indiana
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, then 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 generally been effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions. First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.
Birth rate 29.27 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 21 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $49.7 million


expenditures: $75.1 million (2003)
revenues: $225 million


expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996)
Capital name: Honiara


geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E


time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Cayenne
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 5,313 km 378 km
Constitution 7 July 1978 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
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: Department of Guiana


conventional short form: French Guiana


local long form: none


local short form: Guyane
Currency - euro (EUR)
Death rate 3.87 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 4.82 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $166 million (2004) $1.2 billion (1988)
Dependency status - overseas department of France
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 (overseas department of France)
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 (overseas department of France)
Disputes - international since 2003, Australian Defense Force leads the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Economic aid - recipient $198.2 million annually, mainly from Australia (2005 est.) NA (1995)
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's efforts to restore law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds. The economy is tied closely to the larger French economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly among younger workers.
Electricity - consumption 55.8 million kWh (2005) 423.2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 60 million kWh (2005) 455 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


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


highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 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 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census) black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian 12%, other 10%
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.3447 (2006), 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002) Euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (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 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 2006


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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)


head of government: President of the General Council Joseph HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)


cabinet: NA


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional Councils are appointed by the members of those councils
Exports NA bbl/day NA (2001)
Exports - commodities timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing
Exports - partners China 48%, South Korea 9.5%, Japan 8.9%, Thailand 4.7%, Italy 4.4%, Philippines 4.2% (2006) France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)
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 the flag of France is used
GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.551 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


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


industry: NA


services: NA (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.4% (2005 est.) NA
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 4 00 N, 53 00 W
Geography - note strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea; on 2 April 2007 an undersea earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale occurred 345 km WNW of the capital Honiara, the resulting tsunami devastated coastal areas of Western and Choiseul provinces with dozens of deaths and thousands dislocated; the provincial capital of Gizo was especially hard hit mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of the South American continent
Government - note by 2006, the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) - originally made up of troops from Australia, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga - 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 additional 220 troops and 70 police officers to help restore order -
Heliports 3 (2007) -
Highways - total: 722 km


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs - small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
Imports NA bbl/day NA (2001)
Imports - commodities food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment, fuels and chemicals
Imports - partners Australia 25.5%, Singapore 23.5%, Japan 7.8%, NZ 5.1%, Fiji 4.2%, Papua New Guinea 4.1% (2006) France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002 est.)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) none (overseas department of France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining
Infant mortality rate total: 19.97 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 22.8 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 17.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 12.46 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.6% (2005 est.) 1.5% (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, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO UPU, WCL, WFTU
Irrigated land NA 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana)
Labor force 249,200 (1999) 58,800 (1997)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 75%


industry: 5%


services: 20% (2000 est.)
agriculture 18.2%, industry 21.2%, services, government, and commerce 60.6% (1980)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,183 km


border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
Land use arable land: 0.62%


permanent crops: 2.04%


other: 97.34% (2005)
arable land: 0.14%


permanent crops: 0.05%


other: 99.81% (90% forest, 10% other) (2001)
Languages Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English (official; but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population); 120 indigenous languages French
Legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded French legal system
Legislative branch unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held on 5 April 2006 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - National Party 6.9%, PAP 6.3%, SIPRA 6.3%, Liberal 5%, Democratic 4.9%, SOCRED 4.3%, LAFARI 2.8%, independents 60.3%; seats by party - National Party 4, SIPRA 4, Democratic 3, PAP 3, LAFARI 2, Liberal 2, SOCRED 2, independents 30
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)


elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7, other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%, various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6, independents 3, Walwari Committee 2


note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, Walwari Committee 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.16 years


male: 70.64 years


female: 75.81 years (2007 est.)
total population: 76.89 years


male: 73.57 years


female: 80.38 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


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


total population: 83%


male: 84%


female: 82% (1982 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname
Map references Oceania South America
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
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of France
Military branches no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) no regular military forces; Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure - NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3% (2006) NA
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 52,294 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 33,914 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Nationality noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)


adjective: French Guianese
Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish, niobium, tantalum, clay
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
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
Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Paul DEBRIETTE]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Muriel ICARE]; Walwari Committee (aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine TAUBIRA-DELANON]
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 NA
Population 566,842 (July 2007 est.) 191,309 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA
Population growth rate 2.54% (2007 est.) 2.25% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors - Cayenne, Degrad des Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Maroni
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004) AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5 repeaters) (1998)
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
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.023 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.917 male(s)/female


total population: 1.026 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female


total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2004 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: NA


domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system


international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 7,400 (2005) 51,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular 6,000 (2005) 138,200 (2002)
Television broadcast stations - 3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains
Total fertility rate 3.78 children born/woman (2007 est.) 3.05 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 22% (2001)
Waterways - 3,760 km


note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2004)
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