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Compare Sri Lanka (2002) - Dominican Republic (2002)

Compare Sri Lanka (2002) z Dominican Republic (2002)

 Sri Lanka (2002)Dominican Republic (2002)
 Sri LankaDominican Republic
Administrative divisions 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern 29 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Valverde
Age structure 0-14 years: 25.6% (male 2,559,246; female 2,446,393)


15-64 years: 67.7% (male 6,446,320; female 6,802,515)


65 years and over: 6.7% (male 628,398; female 693,911) (2002 est.)
0-14 years: 33.7% (male 1,503,344; female 1,439,157)


15-64 years: 61.3% (male 2,720,308; female 2,621,539)


65 years and over: 5% (male 206,556; female 230,690) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs
Airports 15 (2001) 29 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 14


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2002)
total: 13


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
total: 17


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 10 (2002)
Area total: 65,610 sq km


land: 64,740 sq km


water: 870 sq km
total: 48,730 sq km


land: 48,380 sq km


water: 350 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than West Virginia slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
Background The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning in about the mid-3rd century B.C. and a great civilization developed at such cities as Anuradhapura (kingdom from c. 200 B.C. to c. 1000 A.D.) and Polonnaruwa (c. 1070 to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north and established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded to the British in 1796 and became a crown colony in 1802. As Ceylon it became independent in 1948; its name was changed in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic war that continues to fester. Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then, regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere.
Birth rate 16.36 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 24.4 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $2.8 billion


expenditures: $4.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues: $2.9 billion


expenditures: $3.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1 billion (2001 est.)
Capital Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital Santo Domingo
Climate tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall
Coastline 1,340 km 1,288 km
Constitution adopted 16 August 1978 28 November 1966
Country name conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka


conventional short form: Sri Lanka


former: Serendib, Ceylon
conventional long form: Dominican Republic


conventional short form: none


local long form: Republica Dominicana


local short form: none
Currency Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) Dominican peso (DOP)
Death rate 6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 4.68 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $9.9 billion (2000) $5.4 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador E. Ashley WILLS


embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3


mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo


telephone: [94] (1) 448007


FAX: [94] (1) 437345
chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL


embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo


mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500


telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171


FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Devinda R. SUBASINGHE



chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028)


FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles


consulate(s): New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Hugo GUILIANI Cury


chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280


FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057


consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Jacksonville, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)


consulate(s): Mobile and Ponce (Puerto Rico)
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $577 million (1998) (1998) $239.6 million (1995) (1995)
Economy - overview In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages, telecommunications, and insurance and banking. By 1996 plantation crops made up only 20% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.5% throughout the 1990s until a drought and a deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The economy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%. But 2001 saw the first contraction in the country's history, due to a combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. The Dominican economy experienced dramatic growth over the last decade, even though the economy was hit hard by Hurricane Georges in 1998. Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoy 40% of national income. A US $500 million foreign bond issue in September 2001 will contribute to increased public investment spending.
Electricity - consumption 6.156 billion kWh (2000) 8,812.029 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 6.619 billion kWh (2000) 9.475 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 32%


hydro: 68%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel: 87%


hydro: 13%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m


highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air pollution in Colombo water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs; deforestation; Hurricane Georges damage
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1% white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%
Exchange rates Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 93.383 (January 2002), 89.383 (2001), 77.005 (2000), 70.635 (1999), 64.450 (1998), 58.995 (1997) Dominican pesos per US dollar - 17.310 (January 2002), 16.952 (2001), 16.415 (2000), 16.033 (1999), 15.267 (1998), 14.265 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government, in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist


head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (since 9 December 2001) is the prime minister; in Sri Lanka the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government, in contrast to the more common practice of dividing the roles between the president and the prime minister when both offices exist


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December 2005)


election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (PA) 51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE (UNP) 42%, other 7%
chief of state: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (since 16 August 2000); Vice President Milagros ORTIZ-BOSCH (since 16 August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2000 (next to be held NA May 2004)


election results: Raphael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez elected president; percent of vote - Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez (PRD) 49.87%, Danilo MEDINA (PLD) 24.95%, Joaquin BALAGUER (PRSC) 24.6%
Exports $4.9 billion f.o.b. (2001) $5.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities textiles and apparel 15%, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum products ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats, consumer goods
Exports - partners US 39%, UK 13%, Middle East 8%, Germany 4%, Japan 4% (2000) US 87.3%, Netherlands 1.1%, Canada 0.7%, France 0.7% (2000 est.)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of arms is at the center of the cross
GDP purchasing power parity - $62.7 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $50 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 21%


industry: 27%


services: 52% (2000)
agriculture: 11%


industry: 34%


services: 55% (2000) (2000)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,250 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate -1% (2001 est.) 1.5% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 7 00 N, 81 00 E 19 00 N, 70 40 W
Geography - note strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti (eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic, western one-third is Haiti)
Highways total: 11,285 km


paved: 10,721 km


unpaved: 564 km (1998 est.)
total: 12,600 km


paved: 6,224 km


unpaved: 6,376 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 4%


highest 10%: 28% (1995)
lowest 10%: 2%


highest 10%: 40% (1989) (1989)
Illicit drugs - transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions
Imports $6 billion f.o.b. (2001) $8.7 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, textiles, petroleum, foodstuffs foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners Japan 9%, India 8%, Hong Kong 7%, Singapore 7%, South Korea 5% (2000) US 60.5%, Japan 10.4%, Mexico 4.7%, Venezuela 3% (2000 est.)
Independence 4 February 1948 (from UK) 27 February 1844 (from Haiti)
Industrial production growth rate 1.4% (2001) 2% (2001 est.)
Industries rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles, cement, tobacco
Infant mortality rate 15.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 33.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 14.2% (2001 est.) 5% (2001 est.)
International organization participation AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO ACP, Caricom (observer), ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 5 (2000) 24 (2000)
Irrigated land 6,510 sq km (1998 est.) 2,590 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are elected by a Council made up of members of the legislative and executive branches with the president presiding)
Labor force 6.6 million (1998) 2.3 million - 2.6 million
Labor force - by occupation services 45%, agriculture 38%, industry 17% (1998 est.) services and government 59%, industry 24%, agriculture 17% (1998 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 360 km


border countries: Haiti 360 km
Land use arable land: 13.43%


permanent crops: 15.78%


other: 70.79% (1998 est.)
arable land: 21.08%


permanent crops: 9.92%


other: 69% (1998 est.)
Languages Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8%


note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population
Spanish
Legal system a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on French civil codes
Legislative branch unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to serve six-year terms)


elections: last held 7 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 46.8%, PA and EPDP 38%, JVP 9.1%, Tamil National Alliance 3.89%, PLOTE 0.19%; seats by party or electoral alliance - UNP, SLMC and CWC 114, PA and EPDP 79, JVP 16, Tamil National Alliance 15, PLOTE 1
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (149 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2006)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 24, PLD 3, PRSC 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 83, PLD 49, PRSC 17
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.35 years


male: 69.83 years


female: 75 years (2002 est.)
total population: 73.68 years


male: 71.57 years


female: 75.91 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 90.2%


male: 93.4%


female: 87.2% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 82.1%


male: 82%


female: 82.2% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti
Map references Asia Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
contiguous zone: 24 NM


continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin


exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 6 NM
Merchant marine total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 137,321 GRT/233,367 DWT


ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 15, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 9, Hong Kong 1, United Arab Emirates 1 (2002 est.)
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,587 GRT/1,165 DWT


ships by type: cargo 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure $719 million (FY98) $180 million (FY98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.2% (FY98) 1.1% (FY98)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 5,347,153 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 2,323,088 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 4,148,825 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 1,455,887 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2002 est.) 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 193,522 (2002 est.) males: 87,404 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 February (1948) Independence Day, 27 February (1844)
Nationality noun: Sri Lankan(s)


adjective: Sri Lankan
noun: Dominican(s)


adjective: Dominican
Natural hazards occasional cyclones and tornadoes lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts
Natural resources limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower nickel, bauxite, gold, silver
Net migration rate -1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -3.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines crude oil and petroleum products 62 km (1987) crude oil 96 km; petroleum products 8 km
Political parties and leaders All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D. GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF [Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP [Tilvan SILVA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Alliance or PA [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA]; Sihala Urumaya or SU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA]; Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM]; Tamil National Alliance or TNA [Nadarajah RAVIRAJ]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [R. SAMPATHAN]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Upcountry People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either Parliament or provincial councils Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Hatuey DE CAMPS]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Joaquin BALAGUER Ricardo]
Political pressure groups and leaders Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups Collective of Popular Organizations or COP
Population 19,576,783


note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand Tamil civilians have fled the island; as of mid-1999, approximately 66,000 were housed in 133 refugee camps in south India, another 40,000 lived outside the Indian camps, and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2002 est.)
8,721,594 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 22% (1997 est.) 25%
Population growth rate 0.85% (2002 est.) 1.61% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee Barahona, La Romana, Manzanillo, Puerto Plata, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo
Radio broadcast stations AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios 3.85 million (1997) 1.44 million (1997)
Railways total: 1,463 km


broad gauge: 1,404 km 1.676-m gauge


narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2001)
total: 757 km


standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge (Central Romana Railroad)


narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge (Dominican Republic Government Railway)


miscellaneous gauge: 240 km operated by sugar companies in various gauges (0.558-m, 0.762-m, 1.067-m gauges) (2000 est.)
Religions Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999) Roman Catholic 95%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


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


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age


note: members of the armed forces and police cannot vote
Telephone system general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularly in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization of national telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good international service (1999)


domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)


international: submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)
general assessment: NA


domestic: relatively efficient system based on islandwide microwave radio relay network


international: 1 coaxial submarine cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 494,509 (1998) 709,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 228,604 (1999) 130,149 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 21 (1997) 25 (1997)
Terrain mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed
Total fertility rate 1.93 children born/woman (2002 est.) 2.94 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 7.7% (2001) 15% (2001 est.)
Waterways 430 km (navigable by shallow-draft craft) none
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