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Compare Sri Lanka (2004) - Chile (2004)

Compare Sri Lanka (2004) z Chile (2004)

 Sri Lanka (2004)Chile (2004)
 Sri LankaChile
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 13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso


note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Age structure 0-14 years: 24.8% (male 2,526,143; female 2,414,876)


15-64 years: 68.2% (male 6,589,438; female 6,976,487)


65 years and over: 7% (male 655,636; female 742,585) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 25.8% (male 2,090,165; female 1,996,972)


15-64 years: 66.3% (male 5,235,061; female 5,261,820)


65 years and over: 7.8% (male 515,698; female 724,241) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic, asparagus, beans, beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber
Airports 14 (2003 est.) 363 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 13


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2004 est.)
total: 71


over 3,047 m: 6


2,438 to 3,047 m: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 21


914 to 1,523 m: 23


under 914 m: 15 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 293


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 11


914 to 1,523 m: 60


under 914 m: 217 (2004 est.)
Area total: 65,610 sq km


land: 64,740 sq km


water: 870 sq km
total: 756,950 sq km


land: 748,800 sq km


water: 8,150 sq km


note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez
Area - comparative slightly larger than West Virginia slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
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-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 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, became a crown colony in 1802, and was united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in 1983. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic conflict that continues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam formalized a cease-fire in February 2002, with Norway brokering peace negotiations. A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed to steady growth and have helped secure the country's commitment to democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.
Birth rate 15.88 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 15.77 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $3.229 billion


expenditures: $4.526 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
revenues: $15.44 billion


expenditures: $16.02 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2003 est.)
Capital Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital Santiago
Climate tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool and damp in south
Coastline 1,340 km 6,435 km
Constitution adopted 16 August 1978 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981, amended 30 July 1989, 1993, and 1997
Country name conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka


conventional short form: Sri Lanka


former: Serendib, Ceylon
conventional long form: Republic of Chile


conventional short form: Chile


local long form: Republica de Chile


local short form: Chile
Currency Sri Lankan rupee (LKR) Chilean peso (CLP)
Death rate 6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 5.71 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $10.52 billion (2003) $43.15 billion (2003)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey J. LUNSTEAD


embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3


mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo


telephone: [94] (11) 244-8007


FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345
chief of mission: Ambassador Craig A. KELLY


embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago


mailing address: APO AA 34033


telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600


FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710
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 Andres BIANCHI


chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746


FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Disputes - international none Bolivia has reactivated its claim to the Atacama corridor ceded to Chile in 1884 to secure sovereign maritime access for Bolivian natural gas; dispute with Peru over the economic zone delimited by the maritime boundary; Beagle Channel islands dispute resolved through Papal mediation in 1984, but armed incidents persist since 1992 oil discovery; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims
Economic aid - recipient $577 million (1998) ODA, $40 million (2001 est.)
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. In 2003, plantation crops made up only 15% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an average annual rate of 5.5% in the early 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, -1.4%, due to a combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Growth recovered to 4.0% in 2002 and 5.2% in 2003. About 800,000 Sri Lankans work abroad, 90% in the Middle East. They send home about $1 billion a year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north and east for a largely independent homeland continues to cast a shadow over the economy. Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of 1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth rebounded to 4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and 2.1% in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluation of the Argentine peso, but recovered to 3.2% in 2003. Unemployment, although declining over the past year, remains stubbornly high, putting pressure on President LAGOS to improve living standards. One bright spot was the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which took effect on 1 January 2004. In 2004, GDP growth is set to accelerate to more than 4% as copper prices rise, export earnings grow, and foreign direct investment picks up.
Electricity - consumption 5.915 billion kWh (2001) 40.13 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 1.386 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 6.36 billion kWh (2001) 41.66 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 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 widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from raw sewage
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sinhalese 74%, Tamil 18%, Moor 7%, Burgher, Malay, and Vedda 1% white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%
Exchange rates Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 96.521 (2003), 95.6621 (2002), 89.383 (2001), 77.0051 (2000), 70.6354 (1999) Chilean pesos per US dollar - 691.433 (2003), 688.936 (2002), 634.938 (2001), 535.466 (2000), 508.777 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 6 April 2004)i s the prime minister; the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 6 April 2004) is the prime minister; the president is considered both the chief of state and head of government


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 51%, Ranil WICKREMASINGHE 42%, other 7%
chief of state: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 12 December 1999, with runoff election held 16 January 2000 (next to be held NA December 2005)


election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president; percent of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68%
Exports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities textiles and apparel, tea, diamonds, coconut products, petroleum products copper, fish, fruits, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine
Exports - partners US 34.6%, UK 12.5%, India 4.8%, Germany 4.5% (2003) US 16.2%, Japan 10.5%, China 8.6%, South Korea 4.7%, Mexico 4.3%, Italy 4.2% (2003)
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 two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the US flag
GDP purchasing power parity - $73.7 billion (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $154.7 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 19.9%


industry: 26.3%


services: 53.8% (2003)
agriculture: 6.4%


industry: 38.6%


services: 55.1% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $9,900 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.5% (2003 est.) 3.3% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 7 00 N, 81 00 E 30 00 S, 71 00 W
Geography - note strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions
Highways total: 96,695 km


paved: 91,860 km


unpaved: 4,835 km (1999)
total: 79,814 km


paved: 15,484 km (including 294 km of expressways)


unpaved: 64,330 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.5%


highest 10%: 28% (1995)
lowest 10%: 3.7%


highest 10%: 41% (2000)
Illicit drugs - important transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and the US; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits, especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a new anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising
Imports NA (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities textiles, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment consumer goods, chemicals, motor vehicles, fuels, electrical machinery, heavy industrial machinery, food
Imports - partners India 16.1%, Hong Kong 8.4%, Singapore 7.8%, Japan 6.7%, China 4.9%, South Korea 4.2%, Taiwan 4.2%, UK 4.1%, Malaysia 4% (2003) Argentina 19.4%, US 13%, Brazil 10.4%, China 6.6% (2003)
Independence 4 February 1948 (from UK) 18 September 1810 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate 5.8% (2003) 1.5% (2003 est.)
Industries rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles
Infant mortality rate total: 14.78 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 16.01 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 9.05 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 8.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6.3% (2003 est.) 2.8% (2003 est.)
International organization participation AsDB, C, CP, 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, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO APEC, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land 6,510 sq km (1998 est.) 18,000 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 appointed by the president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is elected by the 21-member court); Constitutional Tribunal
Labor force 7.17 million (2003) 6 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 38%, industry 17%, services 45% (1998 est.) agriculture 13.6%, industry 23.4%, services 63% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 6,171 km


border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km
Land use arable land: 13.86%


permanent crops: 15.7%


other: 70.44% (2001)
arable land: 2.65%


permanent crops: 0.42%


other: 96.93% (2001)
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 Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction


note: Chile is in the process of completely overhauling its criminal justice system; a new, US-style adversarial system is being gradually implemented throughout the country with the final stage of implementation in the Santiago metropolitan region expected in June 2005
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 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance - SLFP and JVP 45.6%, UNP 37.83%, TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%, SLMC 2.02%, UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others 0.93%; seats by party or electoral alliance - SLFP and JVP 105, UNP 82, TNA 22, JHU 9, SLMC 5, UPF 1, EPDP 1
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate or Senado (48 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9 designated members, and 1 former president who has served a full six-year term and is senator for life); elected members serve eight-year terms (one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held NA December 2005)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7), independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPD 62 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6), UDI 35, RN 22, independent 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 72.89 years


male: 70.34 years


female: 75.57 years (2004 est.)
total population: 76.38 years


male: 73.09 years


female: 79.82 years (2004 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 92.3%


male: 94.8%


female: 90% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96.2%


male: 96.4%


female: 96.1% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru
Map references Asia South America
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200/350 nm
Merchant marine total: 18 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 120,924 GRT/173,604 DWT


by type: cargo 14, container 2, petroleum tanker 2


foreign-owned: Germany 8, Singapore 1


registered in other countries: 4 (2004 est.)
total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 725,216 GRT/954,519 DWT


by type: bulk 10, cargo 5, chemical tanker 9, container 3, liquefied gas 1, passenger 3, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 1, vehicle carrier 4


foreign-owned: Argentina 1


registered in other countries: 28 (2004 est.)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force Army of the Nation, National Navy (including Naval Air, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps), Air Force of the Nation, Chilean Carabineros (National Police)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $518 million (2003) $2,839.6 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.2% (2003) 4% (2003)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 5,418,496 (2004 est.) males age 15-49: 4,207,066 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 4,195,736 (2004 est.) males age 15-49: 3,107,454 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 179,869 (2004 est.) males: 131,283 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 February (1948) Independence Day, 18 September (1810)
Nationality noun: Sri Lankan(s)


adjective: Sri Lankan
noun: Chilean(s)


adjective: Chilean
Natural hazards occasional cyclones and tornadoes severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
Natural resources limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum, hydropower
Net migration rate -1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines - gas 2,583 km; gas/lpg 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1,003 km; refined products 757 km (2004)
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 Perumuna or JVP [Tilvan SILVA]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; National Heritage Party or JHU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA]; Sihala Urumaya or SU [leader NA]; 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 [R.SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United Liberation Front or TULF [V. ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party or UNP [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P. CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties, represented in either Parliament or provincial councils Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC - including RN and UDI; Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Adolfo ZALDIVAR]; Coalition of Parties for Democracy ("Concertacion") or CPD - including PDC, PS, PPD, PRSD; Communist Party or PC [Gladys MARIN]; Independent Democratic Union or UDI [Pablo LONGUEIRA]; National Renewal or RN [Sebastian PINERA]; Party for Democracy or PPD [Victor BARRUETO]; Radical Social Democratic Party or PRSD [Orlando CANTUARIAS]; Socialist Party or PS [Gonzalo MARTNER]
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 revitalized university student federations at all major universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations
Population 19,905,165


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 yearend 2000, approximately 65,000 were housed in 131 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 2004 est.)
15,823,957 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 22% (1997 est.) 20.6% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 0.81% (2004 est.) 1.01% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Trincomalee Antofagasta, Arica, Chanaral, Coquimbo, Iquique, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, San Antonio, San Vicente, Talcahuano, Valparaiso
Radio broadcast stations AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)
Railways total: 1,449 km


broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2003)
total: 6,585 km


broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
Religions Buddhist 70%, Hindu 15%, Christian 8%, Muslim 7% (1999) Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish negligible
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: 0.88 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
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: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)
general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave radio relay facilities


domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations


international: country code - 56; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 881,400 (2002) 3.467 million (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 931,600 (2002) 6,445,700 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 21 (1997) 63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east
Total fertility rate 1.88 children born/woman (2004 est.) 2.06 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 8.4% (2003) 8.5% (2003 est.)
Waterways 160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2004) -
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