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Compare Sri Lanka (2006) - Jordan (2002)

Compare Sri Lanka (2006) z Jordan (2002)

 Sri Lanka (2006)Jordan (2002)
 Sri LankaJordan
Administrative divisions 8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western


note: in 1998 the Government of Sri Lanka proposed a merger of the former Northern and Eastern provinces; while this merger was never ratified, the Government treats North Eastern Province as a de facto singular administrative unit
12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba
Age structure 0-14 years: 24.1% (male 2,488,689/female 2,379,233)


15-64 years: 68.6% (male 6,727,399/female 7,140,751)


65 years and over: 7.3% (male 687,842/female 798,326) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 36.6% (male 991,370; female 949,247)


15-64 years: 60% (male 1,698,568; female 1,485,261)


65 years and over: 3.4% (male 90,186; female 92,838) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef; fish wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry
Airports 16 (2006) 18 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 14


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2006)
total: 15


over 3,047 m: 7


2,438 to 3,047 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2006)
total: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Area total: 65,610 sq km


land: 64,740 sq km


water: 870 sq km
total: 92,300 sq km


land: 91,971 sq km


water: 329 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than West Virginia slightly smaller than Indiana
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. For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, through several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994 a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and established his domestic priorities, including an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in January 2000, and signed free trade agreements with the United States in 2000, and with the European Free Trade Association in 2001.
Birth rate 15.51 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 24.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $3.804 billion


expenditures: $5.469 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
revenues: $2.9 billion


expenditures: $3.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital name: Colombo


geographic coordinates: 6 56 N, 79 51 E


time difference: UTC+5.5 (10.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


note: Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (legislative capital)
Amman
Climate tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest monsoon (June to October) mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Coastline 1,340 km 26 km
Constitution adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978 8 January 1952
Country name conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka


conventional short form: Sri Lanka


local long form: Shri Lamka Prajatantrika Samajaya di Janarajaya/Ilankai Jananayaka Choshalichak Kutiyarachu


local short form: Shri Lamka/Ilankai


former: Serendib, Ceylon
conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan


conventional short form: Jordan


local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah


local short form: Al Urdun


former: Transjordan
Currency - Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Death rate 6.52 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $11.05 billion (2005 est.) $8.2 billion (2002 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Robert O. BLAKE, Jr.


embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3


mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo


telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500


FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345
chief of mission: Ambassador Edward William GNEHM, Jr.


embassy: Abdoun, Amman


mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200


telephone: [962] (6) 5920101


FAX: [962] (6) 5920121
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 Karim Tawfiq KAWAR


chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664


FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $577 million (1998) ODA, $600 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 about 5.5% in the 1990s, but 2001 saw the first contraction in the country's history, by 1.4%, due to a combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Growth recovered to 5% between 2002 and 2005. 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. Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH since assuming the throne in 1999 has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman in the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced careful monetary policy, and made significant headway with privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO (2000), an association agreement with the EU (2000), and a free trade accord with US (2000). These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. The substantial trade deficit is covered by tourism receipts, worker remittances, and foreign assistance. Ongoing challenges include fiscal adjustment to reduce the budget deficit and broader investment incentives to promote job-creating ventures.
Electricity - consumption 6.796 billion kWh (2003) 7.092 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 650 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 7.308 billion kWh (2003) 6.932 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 99%


hydro: 1%


nuclear: 0%


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


highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m


highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 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 limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, 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) Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
Exchange rates Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 100.498 (2005), 101.194 (2004), 96.521 (2003), 95.662 (2002), 89.383 (2001) Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.7090 (1996-present )


note: since May 1989, the Jordanian dinar has been pegged to a group of currencies
Executive branch chief of state: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 19 November 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; Ratnasiri WICKREMANAYAKE (since 21 November 2005) holds the ceremonial title of prime minister


head of government: President Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 19 November 2005)


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


elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 17 November 2005 (next to be held 2011)


election results: Mahinda RAJAPAKSE elected president; percent of vote - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE 50.3%, Ranil WICKREMESINGHE 48.4%, other 1.3%
chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince HAMZAH (half brother of the monarch, born 29 March 1980)


head of government: Prime Minister Ali Abul RAGHEB (since 19 June 2000)


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


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Exports NA bbl/day $2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities textiles and apparel, tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies; coconut products, rubber manufactures, fish phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures, pharmaceuticals
Exports - partners US 30.9%, UK 11.6%, India 7.3%, Belgium 4.8%, Germany 4.5% (2005) India 11.4%, US 9.6%, Saudi Arabia 5.6%, Israel 3.7% (2001)
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 horizontal bands of black (top, the Abbassid Caliphate of Islam), white (the Ummayyad Caliphate of Islam), and green (the Fatimid Caliphate of Islam) with a red isosceles triangle (representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916) based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations
GDP - purchasing power parity - $22.8 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 17.8%


industry: 27.6%


services: 54.5% (2005 est.)
agriculture: 4%


industry: 26%


services: 70% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6% (2005 est.) 3.5% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 7 00 N, 81 00 E 31 00 N, 36 00 E
Geography - note strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank
Heliports - 2 (2002)
Highways - total: 8,000 km


paved: 8,000 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3.5%


highest 10%: 28% (1995)
lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 30% (1997) (1997)
Imports NA bbl/day $4.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods
Imports - partners India 19.7%, China 9.9%, Singapore 7.2%, Iran 5.5%, Malaysia 4.6%, Hong Kong 4.5% (2005) Germany 8.8%, US 7.8%, Italy 5.6%, France 5.5% (2001)
Independence 4 February 1948 (from UK) 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Industrial production growth rate 8.2% (2005 est.) -1.1% (2002 est.)
Industries processing of rubber, tea, coconuts, tobacco and other agricultural commodities; telecommunications, insurance, banking; clothing, textiles; cement, petroleum refining phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
19.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 11.6% (2005 est.) 3.3% (2002 est.)
International organization participation AsDB, BIMSTEC, 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, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIS, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 5 (2000)
Irrigated land 7,430 sq km (2003) 750 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are appointed by the president Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)
Labor force 8.08 million (2005 est.) 1.26 million


note: in addition, at least 300,000 workers are employed abroad (2001)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 38%


industry: 17%


services: 45% (1998 est.)
services 83%, industry 13%, agriculture 5% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,635 km


border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Land use arable land: 13.96%


permanent crops: 15.24%


other: 70.8% (2005)
arable land: 2.87%


permanent crops: 1.52%


other: 95.61% (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
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes
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 Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; 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 (no longer in formal UPFA alliance) 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 - UNP 68, SLFP 57, JVP 39, UNP dissident 1, TNA 22, CWC 8, JHU 7, JHU dissidents 2, SLMC 6, SLMC dissidents 4, Communist Party 2, LSSP 2, MEP 2, NUA 2, UPF 2, EPDP 1
bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Aayan), a 40-member body appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms and the House of Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab), an 80-member body elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms


elections: House of Representatives - last held 4 November 1997 (November 2001 election postponed, next scheduled to be held in June 2003)


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - National Constitutional Party 2, Arab Land Party 1, independents 75, other 2


note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.41 years


male: 70.83 years


female: 76.12 years (2006 est.)
total population: 77.71 years


male: 75.26 years


female: 80.3 years (2002 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: 86.6%


male: 93.4%


female: 79.4% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Map references Asia Middle East
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: 3 NM
Merchant marine total: 22 ships (1000 GRT or over) 144,066 GRT/196,418 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 17, container 2, petroleum tanker 2


foreign-owned: 7 (Germany 5, UAE 2)


registered in other countries: 5 (Panama 5) (2006)
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 41,206 GRT/53,401 DWT


ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 3, container 1, roll on/roll off 2


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 6 (2002 est.)
Military branches Sri Lankan Army, Sri Lankan Navy, Sri Lankan Air Force (2006) Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations Command or Socom); note - Public Security Directorate normally falls under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis situations
Military expenditures - dollar figure $606.2 million (2005 est.) $757.5 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.6% (2005 est.) 8.6% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 1,517,751 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 1,073,991 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 57,131 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 February (1948) Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
Nationality noun: Sri Lankan(s)


adjective: Sri Lankan
noun: Jordanian(s)


adjective: Jordanian
Natural hazards occasional cyclones and tornadoes droughts; periodic earthquakes
Natural resources limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay, hydropower phosphates, potash, shale oil
Net migration rate -1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) 6.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 209 km; note - may not be in use
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 [Somawansa AMARASINGHE]; Lanka Sama Samaja Party or LSSP; Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (People's United Front) or MEP [D. GUNAWARDENE]; National Heritage Party or JHU [Tilak KARUNARATNE]; National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [D. SIDHARTHAN]; Sihala Urumaya or SU; 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 Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id DHIYAB, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Abd al latif al-ARABIYAT, secretary general]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysif al-HIMSI, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd) Party [Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; Constitutional Front [Mahdi al-TALL, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]
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 Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]; Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president]
Population 20,222,240


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 2006 est.)
5,307,470 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 22% (1997 est.) 30% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 0.78% (2006 est.) 2.89% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors - Al 'Aqabah
Radio broadcast stations AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)
Radios - 1.66 million (1997)
Railways total: 1,449 km


broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2005)
total: 677 km


narrow gauge: 677 km 1.050-m gauge (2001)
Religions Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data) Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)
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: 0.86 male(s)/female


total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 20 years of age; universal
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 (1999)


international: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia and Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)
general assessment: service has improved recently with the increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to pay telephones is needed by the urban public


domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available


international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links total about 4,000
Telephones - main lines in use 1.244 million (2005) 403,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 3.362 million (2005) 11,500 (1995)
Television broadcast stations 21 (1997) 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central interior mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Total fertility rate 1.84 children born/woman (2006 est.) 3.15 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 7.7% (2005 est.) 16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.)
Waterways 160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2005) none
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