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Compare Solomon Islands (2008) - Gibraltar (2008)

Compare Solomon Islands (2008) z Gibraltar (2008)

 Solomon Islands (2008)Gibraltar (2008)
 Solomon IslandsGibraltar
Administrative divisions 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western none (overseas territory of the UK)
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: 17.2% (male 2,460/female 2,343)


15-64 years: 66.3% (male 9,470/female 9,070)


65 years and over: 16.5% (male 2,090/female 2,534) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish none
Airports 35 (2007) 1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


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


1,524 to 2,437 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 (2007)
-
Area total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
total: 6.5 sq km


land: 6.5 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland a little less than one half the size of Rhode Island
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. Strategically important, Gibraltar was reluctantly ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a referendum held in 1967, Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. The subsequent granting of autonomy in 1969 by the UK led to Spain closing the border and severing all communication links. A series of talks were held by the UK and Spain between 1997 and 2002 on establishing temporary joint sovereignty over Gibraltar. In response to these talks, the Gibraltar Government called a referendum in late 2002 in which the majority of citizens voted overwhelmingly against any sharing of sovereignty with Spain. Since the referendum, tripartite talks on other issues have been held with Spain, the UK, and Gibraltar, and in September 2006 a three-way agreement was signed. Spain agreed to remove restrictions on air movements, to speed up customs procedures, to implement international telephone dialing, and to allow mobile roaming agreements. Britain agreed to pay increased pensions to Spaniards who had been employed in Gibraltar before the border closed. Spain will be allowed to open a cultural institute from which the Spanish flag will fly. A new non-colonial constitution came into effect in 2007, but the UK retains responsibility for defense, foreign relations, internal security, and financial stability.
Birth rate 29.27 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 10.69 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $49.7 million


expenditures: $75.1 million (2003)
revenues: $455.1 million


expenditures: $423.6 million (2005 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: Gibraltar


geographic coordinates: 36 08 N, 5 21 W


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers
Coastline 5,313 km 12 km
Constitution 7 July 1978 5 June 2006; came into force 2 January 2007
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: none


conventional short form: Gibraltar
Death rate 3.87 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 9.4 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $166 million (2004) $NA
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK
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 territory of the UK)
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 territory of the UK)
Disputes - international since 2003, the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), consisting of police, military, and civilian advisors drawn from 15 countries, has assisted in reestablishing and maintaining civil and political order while reinforcing regional stability and security in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement; the government of Gibraltar insists on equal participation in talks between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even greater autonomy
Economic aid - recipient $198.2 million annually, mainly from Australia (2005 est.) $NA
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. Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment.
Electricity - consumption 55.8 million kWh (2005) 141 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 60 million kWh (2005) 141 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m


highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking water) and adequate desalination plant
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) Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North Africans
Exchange rates Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2007), 7.3447 (2006), 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003) Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.4993 (2007), 0.5434 (2006), 0.5504 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003)


note: the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound
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 Derek SIKUA (since 20 December 2007); note - Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE defeated in a no confidence vote in parliament on 13 December 2007; SIKUA elected on 20 December 2007


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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Sir Robert FULTON (since 27 October 2006)


head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 17 elected members of the Parliament by the governor in consultation with the chief minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor
Exports 0 bbl/day (2004) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8%
Exports - partners China 48%, South Korea 9.5%, Japan 8.9%, Thailand 4.7%, Italy 4.4%, Philippines 4.2% (2006) UK 30.8%, Spain 22.7%, Germany 13.7%, Turkmenistan 10.4%, Switzerland 8.3%, Italy 6.7% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June
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 two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


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


industry: NA%


services: NA%
GDP - real growth rate 4.4% (2005 est.) 7% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 8 00 S, 159 00 E 36 08 N, 5 21 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 strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
Government - note by the end of 2007, the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) - originally made up of police and troops from Australia, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga - had been scaled back to 303 police officers, 197 civilian technical advisers, and 72 military advisers from 15 countries across the region -
Heliports 3 (2007) -
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


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


highest 10%: NA%
Imports 1,296 bbl/day (2004) 24,350 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs
Imports - partners Australia 25.5%, Singapore 23.5%, Japan 7.8%, NZ 5.1%, Fiji 4.2%, Papua New Guinea 4.1% (2006) Spain 23.4%, Russia 12.3%, Italy 12%, UK 9%, France 8.9%, Netherlands 6.8%, US 4.7% (2006)
Independence 7 July 1978 (from UK) none (overseas territory of the UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA%
Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco
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: 4.98 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.54 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.6% (2005 est.) 2.9% (2005)
International organization participation ACP, ADB, 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 Interpol (subbureau), UPU
Irrigated land NA NA
Judicial branch Court of Appeal Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Labor force 249,200 (1999) 12,690 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (2001)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 75%


industry: 5%


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


industry: 40%


services: 60% (2001)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1.2 km


border countries: Spain 1.2 km
Land use arable land: 0.62%


permanent crops: 2.04%


other: 97.34% (2005)
arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (2005)
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 (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
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 (18 seats: 17 members elected by popular vote, 1 for the Speaker appointed by Parliament; to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 11 October 2007 (next to be held not later than October 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 49.3%, GSLP 31.8%, Gibraltar Liberal Party 13.6%; seats by party - GSD 10, GSLP 4, Gibraltar Liberal Party 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.16 years


male: 70.64 years


female: 75.81 years (2007 est.)
total population: 79.93 years


male: 77.05 years


female: 82.96 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
definition: NA


total population: above 80%


male: NA


female: NA
Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain
Map references Oceania Europe
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Merchant marine - total: 216 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,422,155 GRT/1,866,572 DWT


by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 5, cargo 117, chemical tanker 39, container 31, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 201 (Belgium 3, Cyprus 5, Denmark 9, Finland 3, France 1, Germany 117, Greece 8, Iceland 1, Italy 1, Netherlands 11, Norway 27, Sweden 10, UAE 2, UK 3)


registered in other countries: 7 (Liberia 7) (2007)
Military - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK; the Royal Gibraltar Regiment replaced the last British regular infantry forces in 1992
Military branches no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) Royal Gibraltar Regiment
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3% (2006) -
National holiday Independence Day, 7 July (1978) National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain
Nationality noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
noun: Gibraltarian(s)


adjective: Gibraltar
Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis NA
Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel none
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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
Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]
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 Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women's Association
Population 566,842 (July 2007 est.) 27,967 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 2.54% (2007 est.) 0.129% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004) AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (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 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census)
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: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.044 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.825 male(s)/female


total population: 1.005 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal; and British citizens who have been residents six months or more
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities


domestic: automatic exchange facilities


international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 7,400 (2005) 24,512 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 6,000 (2005) 9,797 (2002)
Television broadcast stations - 1 (plus 3 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar
Total fertility rate 3.78 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.65 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 3% (2005 est.)
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