Svalbard (2002) | Liberia (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | - | 15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gparbolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 724,960; female 716,831)
15-64 years: 53% (male 858,191; female 898,851) 65 years and over: 3.6% (male 59,539; female 58,804) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber |
Airports | 4 (2001) | 47 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
total: 45
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 34 (2002) |
Area | total: 62,049 sq km
land: 62,049 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island) |
total: 111,370 sq km
land: 96,320 sq km water: 15,050 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than West Virginia | slightly larger than Tennessee |
Background | First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years later it officially took over the territory. | Eight years of civil strife were brought to a close in 1997 when free and open presidential and legislative elections were held. President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no real political opposition. Years of fighting, coupled with the flight of most businesses, have disrupted formal economic activity. A still unsettled domestic security situation has slowed the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country. In 2001, the UN imposed sanctions on Liberian diamonds, along with an arms embargo and a travel ban on government officials, for Liberia's support of the rebel insurgency in Sierra Leone. Renewed rebel activity has further eroded stability and economic activity. A regional peace initiative commenced in the spring of 2003 but was disrupted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) indictment of President TAYLOR on war crimes charges. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | 45.28 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $11.5 million
expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) (1998 est.) |
revenues: $85.4 million
expenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | Longyearbyen | Monrovia |
Climate | arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year | tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers |
Coastline | 3,587 km | 579 km |
Constitution | - | 6 January 1986 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as Spitzbergen) |
conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
conventional short form: Liberia |
Currency | Norwegian krone (NOK) | Liberian dollar (LRD) |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 17.84 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $2.1 billion (2000 est.) |
Dependency status | territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was awarded to Norway | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | chief of mission: Ambassador John William BLANEY III
embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point, 1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380 FAX: [231] 226-148 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Aaron B. KOLLIE
chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437 FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436 consulate(s) general: New York |
Disputes - international | despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone | rebels and refugees contribute to border instabilities with Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire, and Guinea; the Ivorian Government accuses Liberia of supporting Ivorian rebels |
Economic aid - recipient | $8.2 million from Norway (1998) | $94 million (1999) |
Economy - overview | Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some trapping of seal, polar bear, fox, and walrus. | Civil war and misgovernment have destroyed much of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around Monrovia. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and expertise with them. Some have returned; many will not. Richly endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. The restoration of the infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy depend on the settlement of civil warfare, the implementation of sound macro- and micro-economic policies, including the encouragement of foreign investment, and generous support from donor countries. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 435.9 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 468.8 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation |
Ethnic groups | Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998) | indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella, Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5% (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves) |
Exchange rates | Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 8.9684 (January 2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000), 7.7992 (1999), 7.5451 (1998), 7.0734 (1997) | Liberian dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), 48.58 (2001), 40.95 (2000), 41.9 (1999), 41.51 (1998)
note: until December 1997, rates were based on a fixed relationship with the US dollar; beginning in January 1998, rates are market determined |
Executive branch | chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
head of government: Governor Morten RUUD (since NA November 1998) and Assistant Governor Odd Redar HUMLEGAARD (since NA) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice |
chief of state: President Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - Taylor stepped down in August 2003 note:: a UN-brokered cease fire among waring factions and the Liberian government resulted in the August 2003 resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement, President Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as chairman of the National Transitional Government on 14 October 2003 |
Exports | $NA | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | - | rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee |
Exports - partners | - | Germany 54.8%, Poland 8.9%, France 8.5%, China 4.9%, Italy 4.5%, US 4.2% (2002) |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of Norway is used | 11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - $3.116 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 74%
industry: 7% services: 19% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $NA | purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 2% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 78 00 N, 20 00 E | 6 30 N, 9 30 W |
Geography - note | northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area | facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland grassy plateau supports limited agriculture |
Highways | total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
total: 10,600 km
paved: 657 km unpaved: 9,943 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering center |
Imports | $NA | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | - | fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods; foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | - | South Korea 30.3%, Japan 19.1%, Germany 15.6%, France 9.1%, Singapore 7.9% (2002) |
Independence | none (territory of Norway) | 26 July 1847 |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | - | rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds |
Infant mortality rate | NA deaths/1,000 live births | total: 132.18 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 139.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 125.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 15% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | none | ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000) | 2 (2001) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 30 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court |
Labor force | NA | - |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone 306 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and cloudberry) (1998 est.) |
arable land: 1.97%
permanent crops: 2.08% other: 95.95% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Russian, Norwegian | English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence |
Legal system | NA | dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector |
Legislative branch | - | bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2006); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held 14 October 2003) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: 48.15 years
male: 47.03 years female: 49.3 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.5% male: 73.3% female: 41.6% note: (2003 est.) |
Location | Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone |
Map references | Arctic Region | Africa |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM unilaterally claimed by Norway but not recognized by Russia
territorial sea: 4 NM |
territorial sea: 200 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | total: 1,432 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 48,700,851 GRT/75,408,994 DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 3, bulk 282, cargo 80, chemical tanker 163, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 24, container 357, liquefied gas 82, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger 6, petroleum tanker 286, refrigerated cargo 60, roll on/roll off 19, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 13, vehicle carrier 37 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Argentina 9, Australia 2, Austria 15, Belgium 9, Brazil 5, Canada 4, Cayman Islands 1, Chile 7, China 39, Croatia 11, Denmark 4, Ecuador 1, Estonia 1, Germany 437, Greece 154, Hong Kong 69, India 5, Indonesia 1, Israel 1, Italy 5, Japan 90, Latvia 20, Isle of Man 5, Monaco 56, Netherlands 12, NZ 1, Nigeria 1, Norway 103, Pakistan 1, Portugal 5, Russia 66, Saudi Arabia 21, Singapore 20, Slovenia 1, South Africa 1, South Korea 10, Spain 2, Sweden 9, Switzerland 17, Taiwan 29, Turkey 3, Ukraine 4, UAE 12, UK 39, US 113, Uruguay 3, Vietnam 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | demilitarized by treaty (9 February 1920) | - |
Military branches | - | Army, Navy, Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $7.8 million (FY02) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.3% (FY02) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 735,481 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 396,725 (2003 est.) |
National holiday | NA | Independence Day, 26 July (1847) |
Nationality | - | noun: Liberian(s)
adjective: Liberian |
Natural hazards | ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic | dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March) |
Natural resources | coal, copper, iron ore, phosphate, zinc, wildlife, fish | iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population | -10.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: 200,000 Liberian refugees are in surrounding countries though slowly returning (2003 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Alliance of Political Parties (a coalition of LAP and LUP) [leader NA]; All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Peter KERBAY]; Liberian Action Party or LAP [C. Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian People's Party or LPP [Koffa NAGBE]; Liberia Unification Party or LUP [leader NA]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing party; United People's Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity Party or UP [Charles CLARKE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | 2,868 (July 2002 est.) | 3,317,176 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 80% |
Population growth rate | -1.99% (2002 est.) | 1.67% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden | Buchanan, Greenville, Harper, Monrovia, Robertsport |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001) |
Radios | NA | - |
Railways | 0 km | total: 490 km
standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge note: none of the railways are in operation (2002) |
Religions | - | indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20% |
Sex ratio | NA | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: probably adequate
domestic: local telephone service international: satellite earth station - 1 of unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only) |
general assessment: telephone and telegraph service via microwave radio relay network; main center is Monrovia
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 6,700 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 0 (1998) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001) |
Terrain | wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north coasts | mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and low mountains in northeast |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 6.23 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | NA |
Waterways | none | none |