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Compare Sri Lanka (2005) - Guatemala (2004)

Compare Sri Lanka (2005) z Guatemala (2004)

 Sri Lanka (2005)Guatemala (2004)
 Sri LankaGuatemala
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 22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa
Age structure 0-14 years: 24.5% (male 2,508,384/female 2,397,986)


15-64 years: 68.4% (male 6,658,765/female 7,059,468)


65 years and over: 7.2% (male 670,813/female 769,360) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 42.6% (male 3,118,396; female 2,970,729)


15-64 years: 54% (male 3,898,939; female 3,817,435)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 221,154; female 253,943) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens
Airports 14 (2004 est.) 452 (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: 11


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 441


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 8


914 to 1,523 m: 109


under 914 m: 323 (2004 est.)
Area total: 65,610 sq km


land: 64,740 sq km


water: 870 sq km
total: 108,890 sq km


land: 108,430 sq km


water: 460 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than West Virginia slightly smaller than Tennessee
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. The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more than 100,000 people and had created some 1 million refugees.
Birth rate 15.63 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 34.58 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $3.34 billion


expenditures: $4.686 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues: $2.741 billion


expenditures: $3.316 billion, including capital expenditures of $750 million (2003 est.)
Capital Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital Guatemala
Climate tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands
Coastline 1,340 km 400 km
Constitution adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978; new constitution proposed in 2002 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May 1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993
Country name conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka


conventional short form: Sri Lanka


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


conventional short form: Guatemala


local long form: Republica de Guatemala


local short form: Guatemala
Currency - quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed
Death rate 6.49 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 6.79 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $10.85 billion (2004 est.) $4.957 billion (2003 est.)
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 John R. HAMILTON


embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City


mailing address: APO AA 34024


telephone: [502] 2331-1541/55


FAX: [502] 2334-8477
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard GOONETILLEKE



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 Guillermo CASTILLO


chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952


FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco
Disputes - international none Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in Belize border region; OAS brokered Differendum in 2002 creating small adjustment to land boundary, large Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and substantial US-UK financial package, but agreement was not brought to popular referendum leaving Guatemala to continue to claim the southern half of Belize intact; numbers of Guatemalans enter Mexico seeking work or transit to the US
Economic aid - recipient $577 million (1998) $250 million (2000 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 to 5.2% in both 2003 and 2004. 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. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took about 31,000 lives, left more than 6,300 missing and 443,000 displaced, and destroyed an estimated $1.5 billion worth of property. Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The 1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, but widespread political violence and corruption scandals continue to dampen investor confidence. The distribution of income remains highly unequal, with perhaps 75% of the population below the poverty line. Ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating further assistance from international donors, upgrading both government and private financial operations, curtailing drug trafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit.
Electricity - consumption 6.228 billion kWh (2002) 5.559 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 336 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 95 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 6.697 billion kWh (2002) 6.237 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: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 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 deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution
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 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


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data) Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish or assimilated Amerindian - in local Spanish called Ladino), approximately 55%, Amerindian or predominantly Amerindian, approximately 43%, whites and others 2%
Exchange rates Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 101.194 (2004), 96.521 (2003), 95.662 (2002), 89.383 (2001), 77.005 (2000) quetzales per US dollar - 7.9409 (2003), 7.8216 (2002), 7.8586 (2001), 7.7632 (2000), 7.3856 (1999)
Executive branch chief of state: 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


head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE is the prime minister (since 6 April 2004); 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 Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 9 November 2003; runoff held 28 December 2003 (next to be held NA November 2007)


election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent of vote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA) 54.1%, Alvaro COLOM (UNE) 45.9%
Exports NA NA (2001)
Exports - commodities textiles and apparel; tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products; rubber manufactures, fish coffee, sugar, bananas, fruits and vegetables, cardamom, meat, apparel, petroleum, electricity
Exports - partners US 32.4%, UK 13.5%, India 6.8%, Germany 4.8% (2004) US 56.7%, El Salvador 10.8%, Nicaragua 3.6% (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 three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed by a wreath
GDP - purchasing power parity - $56.5 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 19.1%


industry: 26.2%


services: 54.7% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 22.5%


industry: 18.9%


services: 58.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $4,100 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5.2% (2004 est.) 2.1% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates 7 00 N, 81 00 E 15 30 N, 90 15 W
Geography - note strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes no natural harbors on west coast
Highways total: 11,650 km


paved: 11,068 km


unpaved: 582 km (2002)
total: 14,118 km


paved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways)


unpaved: 9,247 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.5%


highest 10%: 28% (1995)
lowest 10%: 1.6%


highest 10%: 46% (1998)
Illicit drugs - major transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor producer of illicit opium poppy and cannabis for mostly domestic consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem; corruption is a major problem; remains on Financial Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime
Imports NA NA (2001)
Imports - commodities textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity
Imports - partners India 18%, Singapore 8.7%, Hong Kong 7.7%, China 5.7%, Iran 5.2%, Japan 5.1%, Malaysia 4.1% (2004) US 34.1%, Mexico 8.8%, South Korea 7.8%, El Salvador 6.4%, China 4.6% (2003)
Independence 4 February 1948 (from UK) 15 September 1821 (from Spain)
Industrial production growth rate 7.1% (2004 est.) 4.1% (1999)
Industries rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, and banking; clothing, cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 14.35 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 15.57 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 13.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 36.91 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 37.71 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 36.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 5.8% (2004 est.) 5.5% (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 BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land 6,510 sq km (1998 est.) 1,250 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of the Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (thirteen members serve concurrent five-year terms and elect a president of the Court each year from among their number; the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)
Labor force 7.26 million (2004 est.) 3.84 million (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 38%, industry 17%, services 45% (1998 est.) agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,687 km


border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256 km, Mexico 962 km
Land use arable land: 13.86%


permanent crops: 15.7%


other: 70.44% (2001)
arable land: 12.54%


permanent crops: 5.03%


other: 82.43% (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 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
Legal system a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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
unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held NA November 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18


note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional seats increased from 113 to 158
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.17 years


male: 70.6 years


female: 75.86 years (2005 est.)
total population: 65.19 years


male: 64.3 years


female: 66.13 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: 70.6%


male: 78%


female: 63.3% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize
Map references Asia Central America and the Caribbean
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


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 120,924 GRT/173,604 DWT


by type: cargo 18, container 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2


foreign-owned: 10 (Germany 10)


registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
none
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $514.8 million (2004) $202.6 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% (2004) 0.8% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 3,421,682 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 2,233,562 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 156,865 (2004 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 February (1948) Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Nationality noun: Sri Lankan(s)


adjective: Sri Lankan
noun: Guatemalan(s)


adjective: Guatemalan
Natural hazards occasional cyclones and tornadoes numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms
Natural resources limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower
Net migration rate -1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines - oil 480 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 Heritage Party or JHU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; 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 Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democratic Union or UD [Rodolfo PAIZ Andrade]; Grand National Alliance or GANA [Oscar BERGER Perdomo]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo ROSALES Garcis-Salaz]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Alba ESTELA Maldonado, secretary general]; Guatemalan Republican Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU [Jacobo ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and Values or MPV [Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Leonel LOPEZ Rodas, secretary general]; National Unity for Hope or UNE [Alvarado COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN, formed by an alliance of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom subsequently defected [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth Varenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot Party or PP [retired General Otto PEREZ Molina]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES Molina]; Reform Movement or MR [Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE, secretary general]; Unionista Party [leader NA]
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 Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM
Population 20,064,776


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 and more than 200,000 Tamils have sought refuge in the West (July 2005 est.)
14,280,596 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line 22% (1997 est.) 75% (2002 est.)
Population growth rate 0.79% (2005 est.) 2.61% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Colombo, Galle Champerico, Puerto Barrios, Puerto Quetzal, San Jose, Santo Tomas de Castilla
Radio broadcast stations AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)
Railways total: 1,449 km


broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2004)
total: 886 km


narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2003)
Religions Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data) Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)
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: fairly modern network centered in the city of Guatemala


domestic: NA


international: country code - 502; connected to Central American Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 881,400 (2002) 846,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular 931,600 (2002) 1,577,100 (2002)
Television broadcast stations 21 (1997) 26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau (Peten)
Total fertility rate 1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.) 4.6 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 7.8% (2004 est.) 7.5% (2003 est.)
Waterways 160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2004) 990 km


note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable during high-water season (2004)
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