Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Syria (2005) - Solomon Islands (2001)

Compare Syria (2005) z Solomon Islands (2001)

 Syria (2005)Solomon Islands (2001)
 SyriaSolomon Islands
Administrative divisions 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western; note - there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been abolished
Age structure 0-14 years: 37.4% (male 3,556,795/female 3,350,267)


15-64 years: 59.3% (male 5,601,971/female 5,333,799)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 288,868/female 317,052) (2005 est.)
0-14 years:
43.79% (male 107,229; female 103,162)

15-64 years:
53.15% (male 129,315; female 126,021)

65 years and over:
3.06% (male 7,190; female 7,525) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Airports 92 (2004 est.) 31 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 26


over 3,047 m: 5


2,438 to 3,047 m: 16


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
total:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 66


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.)
total:
29

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
10

under 914 m:
18 (2000 est.)
Area total: 185,180 sq km


land: 184,050 sq km


water: 1,130 sq km


note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
total:
28,450 sq km

land:
27,540 sq km

water:
910 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than North Dakota slightly smaller than Maryland
Background Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April of 2005. Over the past decade, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights. The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Current issues include government deficits, deforestation, and malaria control.
Birth rate 28.29 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 34.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $6.58 billion


expenditures: $9.45 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.67 billion (2004 est.)
revenues:
$147 million

expenditures:
$168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Capital Damascus Honiara
Climate mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Coastline 193 km 5,313 km
Constitution 13 March 1973 7 July 1978
Country name conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic


conventional short form: Syria


local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah


local short form: Suriyah


former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Solomon Islands

former:
British Solomon Islands
Currency - Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
Death rate 4.88 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 4.27 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $4 billion (excludes military debt and debt to Russia) (2004 est.) $152.4 million (1998)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret SCOBEY


embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus


mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus


telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342


FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678
the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA


chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313


FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Jeremiah MANELE

chancery:
800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017

telephone:
[1] (212) 599-6192, 6193

FAX:
[1] (212) 661-8925
Disputes - international Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone since 1964; Lebanon claims Shaba'a farms in Golan Heights; international pressure prompts the removal of Syrian troops and intelligence personel stationed in Lebanon since October 1976; Syria protests Turkish hydrological projects regulating upper Euphrates waters; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation settles border dispute with Jordan none
Economic aid - recipient $180 million (2002 est.) $47 million (1999 est.), mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ
Economy - overview Real GDP growth rose to 2.3 percent in 2004, a slight increase from 2003 when the predominantly statist economy suffered from disruptions caused by the war in Iraq and other developments in the region. Annual real GDP growth has averaged 2.3 percent for the last seven years. The Government of Syria has implemented modest economic reforms in the last few years, including cutting interest rates, opening private banks, consolidating some of the multiple exchange rates, and raising prices on some subsidized foodstuffs. Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled by the government. Long run economic constraints include declining oil production and exports and pressure on water supplies caused by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution. The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to a continuing economic downslide. Deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) by tankers have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country.
Electricity - consumption 24.32 billion kWh (2002) 27.9 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 26.15 billion kWh (2002) 30 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m


highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate potable water deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Ethnic groups Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7% Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Exchange rates Syrian pounds per US dollar - (official rate): 11.225 (2004), 11.225 (2003), 11.225 (2002), 11.225 (2001), 11.225 (2000), (parallel market rate in Amman and Beirut) NA (2004), 52.8 (2003), 52.4 (2002), 50.4 (2002), 49.4 (2000) Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.0968 (November 2000), 5.0864 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997), 3.5664 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)


head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10 September 2003)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of President Hafiz al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held 2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president


election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%


note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council on 25 June 2000
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Father John LAPLI (since NA 1999)

head of government:
Prime Minister Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE (since 1 July 2000); Assistant Prime Minister Nathaniel WAENA (since 1 July 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Allan KEMAKEZA (since 1 July 2000); note - Prime Minister Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU was forced to resign his position in June 2000 following the armed takeover of the capital by elements supporting the opposition parties; Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE, who had been opposition leader, was then elected prime minister at a sitting of National Parliament on 30 June 2000

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament

elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
Exports 285,000 bbl/day (2004) $165 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Exports - commodities crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra
Exports - partners Italy 22.7%, France 18%, Turkey 12.9%, Iraq 9%, Saudi Arabia 6.2% (2004) Japan 35.5%, other Asian countries 47.3% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design dates to 1980 divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
GDP - purchasing power parity - $900 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 25%


industry: 31%


services: 44% (2003 est.)
agriculture:
50%

industry:
3.5%

services:
46.5% (1995)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.3% (2004 est.) 1% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 35 00 N, 38 00 E 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Geography - note there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.) -
Heliports 7 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 45,697 km


paved: 6,489 km (including 1,001 km of expressways)


unpaved: 39,208 km (2002)
total:
1,360 km

paved:
34 km

unpaved:
1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls, bank privatization may leave it vulnerable to money-laundering -
Imports NA $152 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical products, plastics, yarn, paper plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners Turkey 9.4%, Ukraine 8.7%, China 7.8%, Russia 5.4%, Saudi Arabia 5.2%, US 4.7%, South Korea 4.6%, Italy 4.3% (2004) Australia 38.5%, Singapore 15%, Japan 10.6%, NZ 6.2% (1999)
Independence 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) 7 July 1978 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 7% (2002 est.) NA%
Industries petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining fish (tuna), mining, timber
Infant mortality rate total: 29.53 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 29.76 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 29.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
24.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.1% (2004 est.) 10% (1999 est.)
International organization participation ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 12,130 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts Court of Appeal
Labor force 5.12 million (2004 est.) 26,842
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 30%, industry 27%, services 43% (2002 est.) agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries total: 2,253 km


border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 25.22%


permanent crops: 4.43%


other: 70.35% (2001)
arable land:
1%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
1%

forests and woodland:
88%

other:
9% (1993 est.)
Languages Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population

note:
120 indigenous languages
Legal system based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction English common law
Legislative branch unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents 33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receives one-half of the seats
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 6 August 1997 (next to be held by August 2001)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6, other 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 70.03 years


male: 68.75 years


female: 71.38 years (2005 est.)
total population:
71.55 years

male:
69.12 years

female:
74.1 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 76.9%


male: 89.7%


female: 64% (2003 est.)
definition:
NA

total population:
NA%

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Map references Middle East Oceania
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 41 nm
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

continental shelf:
200 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total: 120 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 446,981 GRT/636,620 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 105, container 1, livestock carrier 4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 12 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Jordan 2, Lebanon 7, Romania 1)


registered in other countries: 73 (2005)
none (2000 est.)
Military branches Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force (includes Air Defense Command), Police and Security Force no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 5.9% (FY00) NA%
National holiday Independence Day, 17 April (1946) Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Nationality noun: Syrian(s)


adjective: Syrian
noun:
Solomon Islander(s)

adjective:
Solomon Islander
Natural hazards dust storms, sandstorms typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Natural resources petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines gas 2,300 km; oil 2,183 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Ahmed al-AHMED]; National Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party; the governing party) [President Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallal Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan QUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yuusuf Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI]; Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL] there are two main coalitions - Coalition for National Unity, Reconciliation, and Peace or CNURP and Alliance for Change; the CNURP took power on 30 June 2000, it comprises members of the Liberal Party, People's Alliance Party, and the United Party, as well as a number of independents; the Alliance for Change, represents the former government and now is the opposition; in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions; Group for National Unity and Reconciliation or GNUR [leader NA]; Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; National Action Party of Solomon Islands or NAPSI [Francis SAEMALA]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [George LEPPING]; People's Progressive Party [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; United Party or UP [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders conservative religious leaders; Kurdish Democratic Alliance [leader NA]; Kurdish Democratic Front [leader NA]; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in London) [Ali Badr Eddine al-BAYANOUNI]; National Democratic Front [Hassan Abd al-AZIM] NA
Population 18,448,752


note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2005 est.)
480,442 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 20% (2004 est.) NA%
Population growth rate 2.34% (2005 est.) 2.98% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Baniyas, Latakia Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Radio broadcast stations AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 57,000 (1997)
Railways total: 2,711 km


standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2004)
0 km
Religions Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo) Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


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


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

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology


domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network


international: country code - 963; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
general assessment:
NA

domestic:
NA

international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 2,099,300 (2002) 8,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 400,000 (2002) 658 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995) 0 (1997)
Terrain primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Total fertility rate 3.5 children born/woman (2005 est.) 4.65 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (2002 est.) NA%
Waterways 900 km (not economically significant) (2002) none
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.