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Compare Solomon Islands (2007) - Sierra Leone (2005)

Compare Solomon Islands (2007) z Sierra Leone (2005)

 Solomon Islands (2007)Sierra Leone (2005)
 Solomon IslandsSierra Leone
Administrative divisions 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western 3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*
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: 44.7% (male 1,318,508/female 1,371,164)


15-64 years: 52% (male 1,494,068/female 1,637,276)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 93,047/female 103,580) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
Airports 35 (2007) 10 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


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


over 3,047 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: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
total: 71,740 sq km


land: 71,620 sq km


water: 120 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than South Carolina
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. The 1991 to 2002 civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about one-third of the population), many of whom are now refugees in neighboring countries. With the support of the UN peacekeeping force and contributions from the World Bank and international community, demobilization and disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces (CDF) combatants has been completed. National elections were held in May 2002 and the government continues to slowly reestablish its authority. However, the gradual withdrawal of most UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) peacekeepers in 2004 and early 2005, deteriorating political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the tenuous security situation in neighboring Liberia may present challenges to the continuation of Sierra Leone's stability.
Birth rate 29.27 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 42.84 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $49.7 million


expenditures: $75.1 million (2003)
revenues: $96 million


expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 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)
Freetown
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
Coastline 5,313 km 402 km
Constitution 7 July 1978 1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times
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 Sierra Leone


conventional short form: Sierra Leone
Death rate 3.87 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 20.61 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $166 million (2004) $1.5 billion (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 Thomas N. HULL


embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485


FAX: [232] (22) 225471
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 Ibrahim M. KAMARA


chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009


telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263


FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793
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 domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone perpetuate insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, ethnic conflicts, and refugees in border areas; UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) has maintained over 4,000 peacekeepers in Sierra Leone since 1999; Sierra Leone pressures Guinea to remove its forces from the town of Yenga occupied since 1998
Economic aid - recipient $198.2 million annually, mainly from Australia (2005 est.) $103 million (2001 est.)
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. Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution. While it possesses substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, its economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development. About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Plans to reopen bauxite and rutile mines shut down during an 11 year civil war have not been implemented due to lack of foreign investment. Alluvial diamond mining remains the major source of hard currency earnings. The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad, which is essential to offset the severe trade imbalance and supplement government revenues. International financial institutions contributed over $600 million in development aid and budgetary support in 2003.
Electricity - consumption 55.8 million kWh (2005) 237.4 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 60 million kWh (2005) 255.3 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


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


highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing
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, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, 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) 20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.3447 (2006), 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002) leones per US dollar - 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003), 2,099 (2002), 1,986.2 (2001), 2,092.1 (2000)
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 Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007); note - president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms


election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA (APC) 22.4%
Exports NA bbl/day NA
Exports - commodities timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish (1999)
Exports - partners China 48%, South Korea 9.5%, Japan 8.9%, Thailand 4.7%, Italy 4.4%, Philippines 4.2% (2006) Belgium 61.6%, Germany 11.8%, US 5.4% (2004)
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 light green (top), white, and light blue
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 49%


industry: 30%


services: 21% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $600 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4.4% (2005 est.) 6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 8 30 N, 11 30 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 rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa
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) 2 (2004 est.)
Highways - total: 11,300 km


paved: 904 km


unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 0.5%


highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)
Imports NA bbl/day NA
Imports - commodities food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals (1995)
Imports - partners Australia 25.5%, Singapore 23.5%, Japan 7.8%, NZ 5.1%, Fiji 4.2%, Papua New Guinea 4.1% (2006) Germany 14%, Cote d'Ivoire 10.7%, UK 9.1%, US 8.4%, China 5.6%, Netherlands 5%, South Africa 4.1% (2004)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) 27 April 1961 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber diamonds mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship repair
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: 143.64 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 161.06 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 125.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.6% (2005 est.) 1% (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 ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land NA 290 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeal Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court
Labor force 249,200 (1999) 1.369 million (1981 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 75%


industry: 5%


services: 20% (2000 est.)
agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA
Land boundaries 0 km total: 958 km


border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
Land use arable land: 0.62%


permanent crops: 2.04%


other: 97.34% (2005)
arable land: 6.98%


permanent crops: 0.89%


other: 92.13% (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 English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)
Legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; 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 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 Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC 22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.16 years


male: 70.64 years


female: 75.81 years (2007 est.)
total population: 39.87 years


male: 37.74 years


female: 42.06 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic


total population: 29.6%


male: 39.8%


female: 20.5% (2000 est.)
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
Map references Oceania Africa
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
Merchant marine - total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,435 GRT/8,750 DWT


by type: petroleum tanker 2 (2005)
Military branches no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Air Wing, Maritime Wing)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $13.2 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3% (2006) 1.7% (2004)
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) Independence Day, 27 April (1961)
Nationality noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
noun: Sierra Leonean(s)


adjective: Sierra Leonean
Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population


note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2005 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
All People's Congress or APC [Ben KANU]; Peace and Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman]; Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Sama BANYA]; numerous others
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 trade unions and student unions
Population 566,842 (July 2007 est.) 6,017,643 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 68% (1989 est.)
Population growth rate 2.54% (2007 est.) 2.22% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors - Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004) AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)
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) Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%
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: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female


total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 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: marginal telephone and telegraph service


domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema


international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 7,400 (2005) 24,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 6,000 (2005) 67,000 (2002)
Television broadcast stations - 2 (1999)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
Total fertility rate 3.78 children born/woman (2007 est.) 5.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% NA
Waterways - 800 km (2003)
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