Compare Somalia (2006) - Maldives (2005)

Compare Somalia (2006) z Maldives (2005)

	Somalia (2006)	Maldives (2005)

Administrative divisions	18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed	19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other first-order administrative division; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu
Age structure	0-14 years: 44.4% (male 1,973,294/female 1,961,083) 15-64 years: 53% (male 2,355,861/female 2,342,988) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 97,307/female 132,805) (2006 est.)	0-14 years: 43.9% (male 78,794/female 74,505) 15-64 years: 53% (male 94,488/female 90,624) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,339/female 5,356) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; cattle, sheep, goats; fish	coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
Airports	65 (2006)	5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 7 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)	total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 58 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 6 (2006)	total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 637,657 sq km land: 627,337 sq km water: 10,320 sq km	total: 300 sq km land: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Texas	about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	Britain withdrew from British Somaliland in 1960 in order to allow its protectorate to join with Italian Somaliland and form the new nation of Somalia. In 1969, a coup headed by Mohamed SIAD Barre ushered in an authoritarian socialist rule that managed to impose a degree of stability in the country for a couple of decades. After the regime's overthrow early in 1991, Somalia descended into turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari, Nugaal, and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides toward reconstructing a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG), created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expired in August 2003. A two-year peace process, led by the Government of Kenya under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), concluded in October 2004 with the election of Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed as Transitional Federal President of Somalia and the formation of a transitional government, known as the Somalia Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs). The Somalia TFIs include a 275-member parliamentary body, known as the Transitional Federal Assembly (TFA), a transitional Prime Minister, Ali Mohamed GHEDI, and a 90-member cabinet. The TFIs are currently divided between Mogadishu and Jowhar, but discussions to co-locate the TFIs in one city are ongoing. Suspicion of Somali links with global terrorism further complicates the picture.	The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM - currently in his sixth term in office - has dominated the islands' political scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004, the president and his government have pledged to embark upon democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago.
Birth rate	45.13 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	35.43 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA	revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants) expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (2002 est.)
Capital	name: Mogadishu geographic coordinates: 2 04 N, 45 22 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Male
Climate	principally desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; southwest monsoon (May to October), torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons	tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Coastline	3,025 km	644 km
Constitution	25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979 note: the formation of transitional governing institutions, known as the Transitional Federal Government, is currently ongoing	adopted 1 January 1998
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Somalia local long form: Jamhuuriyada Demuqraadiga Soomaaliyeed local short form: Soomaaliya former: Somali Republic; Somali Democratic Republic	conventional long form: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
Death rate	16.63 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	7.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$3 billion (2001 est.)	$281 million (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; mailing address: Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000; FAX [254] (20) 363-6157	the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there
Diplomatic representation in the US	Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TFG and other factions have representatives in Washington and at the United Nations	chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195
Disputes - international	"Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities to landlocked Ethiopia and establish commercial ties with regional states; "Puntland" and "Somaliland" "governments" seek support from neighboring states in their secessionist aspirations and in conflicts with each other; Ethiopia has only an administrative line with the Oromo region of southern Somalia and maintains alliances with local Somali clans opposed to the unrecognized Somali Interim Government, which plans eventual relocation from Kenya to Mogadishu; rival militia and clan fighting in southern Somalia periodically spills over into Kenya	none
Economic aid - recipient	$60 million (1999 est.)	NA (1995)
Economy - overview	Somalia's economic fortunes are driven by its deep political divisions. The northwestern area has declared its independence as the "Republic of Somaliland"; the northeastern region of Puntland is a semi-autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is riddled with the struggles of rival factions. Economic life continues, in part because much activity is local and relatively easily protected. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings, but Saudi Arabia's ban on Somali livestock, due to Rift Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the sector. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $500 million and $1 billion in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate, and militias provide security. The ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have interfered with any broad-based economic development and international aid arrangements. Somalia's arrears to the IMF continued to grow in 2005. Statistics on Somalia's GDP, growth, per capita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically. In late December 2004, a major tsunami caused an estimated 150 deaths and resulted in destruction of property in coastal areas.	Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Fishing is a second leading sector. The Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a lesser role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 18% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level. In late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million.
Electricity - consumption	219.1 million kWh (2003)	115.7 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	235.6 million kWh (2003)	124.4 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m
Environment - current issues	famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification	depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
Environment - international agreements	party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)	South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs
Exchange rates	Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000), 2,620 (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995) note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling	rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002), 12.24 (2001), 11.77 (2000)
Executive branch	chief of state: Transitional Federal President Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed (since 14 October 2004); note - a transitional governing entity with a five-year mandate, known as the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs), was established in October 2004; the TFI relocated to Somalia in June 2004, but its members remain divided between Mogadishu and Jowhar inside Somalia, and the government continues to struggle to establish effective governance in the country head of government: Prime Minister Ali Mohamed GEDI (since 24 December 2004) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by the Transitional Federal Assembly election results: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed, the former leader of the semi-autonomous Puntland region of Somalia, was elected president by the Transitional Federal Assembly	chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval margin is required); president elected for a five-year term; election last held 17 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2008) election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%
Exports	NA bbl/day	NA
Exports - commodities	livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal	fish, clothing
Exports - partners	UAE 52.6%, Yemen 14.6%, Oman 6.3%, India 4.2% (2005)	US 26.5%, Thailand 23.5%, Sri Lanka 12.3%, Japan 11.7%, UK 9.8%, Germany 4.9% (2004)
Fiscal year	NA	calendar year
Flag description	light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN	red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 65% industry: 10% services: 25% (2000 est.)	agriculture: 20% industry: 18% services: 62% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	2.4% (2005 est.)	2.3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	10 00 N, 49 00 E	3 15 N, 73 00 E
Geography - note	strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal	1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
Government - note	although an interim government was created in 2004, other regional and local governing bodies continue to exist and control various cities and regions of the country, including the self-declared Republic of Somaliland in northwestern Somalia, the semi-autonomous State of Puntland in northeastern Somalia, and traditional clan and faction strongholds	-
Highways	-	total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Imports	NA bbl/day	NA
Imports - commodities	manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, qat	petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, intermediate and capital goods
Imports - partners	Djibouti 30.1%, Kenya 13.7%, Brazil 8.4%, India 8%, Oman 5.3%, UAE 5% (2005)	Singapore 24.9%, Sri Lanka 10.6%, UAE 10.3%, India 10.2%, Malaysia 7.6%, Bahrain 5.4% (2004)
Independence	1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)	26 July 1965 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	4.4% (1996 est.)
Industries	a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, wireless communication	fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Infant mortality rate	total: 114.89 deaths/1,000 live births male: 124.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 105.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)	total: 56.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 55.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 57.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	NA%; note - businesses print their own money, so inflation rates cannot be easily determined	1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation	ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO	AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land	2,000 sq km (2003)	NA sq km
Judicial branch	following the breakdown of the central government, most regions have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, either secular, traditional Somali customary law, or Shari'a (Islamic) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences	High Court
Labor force	3.7 million (very few skilled laborers)	88,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 71% industry and services: 29%	agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)
Land boundaries	total: 2,340 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 98.32% (2005)	arable land: 13.33% permanent crops: 16.67% other: 70% (2001)
Languages	Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English	Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Legal system	no national system; Shari'a (Islamic) and secular courts based on Somali customary law (xeer) are present in some localities; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations	based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	unicameral National Assembly note: fledgling parliament; a 275-member Transitional Federal Assembly; the new parliament consists of 61 seats assigned to each of four large clan groups (Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir, and Hawiye) with the remaining 31 seats divided between minority clans	unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held NA 2010) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 48.47 years male: 46.71 years female: 50.28 years (2006 est.)	total population: 64.06 years male: 62.76 years female: 65.42 years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 37.8% male: 49.7% female: 25.8% (2001 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.2% male: 97.1% female: 97.3% (2003 est.)
Location	Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia	Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Map references	Africa	Asia
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 200 nm	measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 2,659 GRT/2,540 DWT by type: cargo 1 foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1) (2006)	total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 57,118 GRT/72,831 DWT by type: cargo 12, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
Military branches	a Somali National Army was attempted under the interim government; numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and the Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their own security and police forces	National Security Service includes Security Branch (ground forces), Air Element, Coast Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$22.34 million (2005 est.)	$41.1 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	0.9% (2005 est.)	5.5% (2004)
National holiday	Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland	Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Nationality	noun: Somali(s) adjective: Somali	noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian
Natural hazards	recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season	low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
Natural resources	uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves	fish
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders	none	although political parties are not banned, none exist
Political pressure groups and leaders	numerous clan and sub-clan factions are currently vying for power	none
Population	8,863,338 note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2006 est.)	349,106 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA
Population growth rate	2.85% (2006 est.)	2.82% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Male
Radio broadcast stations	AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1 FM in Somaliland (2001)	AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Religions	Sunni Muslim	Sunni Muslim
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	21 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and charge the lowest international rates on the continent domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers international: country code - 252; international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite	general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	100,000 (2005)	28,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	500,000 (2005)	41,900 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	4; note - two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)	1 (1997)
Terrain	mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north	flat, with white sandy beaches
Total fertility rate	6.76 children born/woman (2006 est.)	5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	NA%	NEGL% (2003 est.)

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